Plioto by Frederick Moore 



THK NATIONAL, P*I,AG AND ITS ESCORT 



Here we see the Rumanian colors, belonging to one of the regiments, with its escort of five 



men and in charge of an officer 



a number of years diplomatic intercourse 

 between Sofia and St. Petersburg ceased 

 to exist. 



During this period (the first Prince of 

 Bulgaria, Prince Alexander, having abdi- 

 cated because of his difficulties with Rus- 

 sia) the Bulgarians appealed to Prince 

 Charles, who had now become king of 

 independent Rumania, to become also 

 Prince of Bulgaria. Had the king ac- 

 cepted, a union of Bulgaria and Rumania 

 would have been effected; but King 

 Charles feared to oppose the government 

 of Russia, then in a surly temper because 

 of the growing independent spirit of the 

 Balkan States. King Charles declined 

 the offer. But the present Czar of Bul- 

 garia, then Prince Ferdinand of Saxe- 

 Coburg-Gotha, went to Sofia as Prince 

 Charles had gone to Bucharest, in defi- 

 ance of certain Powers. 



WHY THE RUMAN DOES NOT IvOVE THE 

 BUEGAR 



To return to the account of Rumania's 

 hostility to the Bulgars. There was no 

 more territory for her to conquer from 

 the Turks. She considered that it would 

 do Rumania no good, and yet would ag- 

 grandize Bulgaria and make the latter 

 (instead of Rumania) the foremost 

 Balkan State if the Bulgarians should 

 succeed in bringing about a successful 

 war against the Turks. 



Rumania's resentment toward Russia 

 and jealousy of Bulgaria went so far, in- 

 deed, as to assume the form of friendli- 

 ness to their enemy. At one time re- 

 ports Avere current of an alliance between 

 Rumania and the Sublime Porte, and 

 such an alliance might even have been 

 consummated had the Rumanian govern- 

 ment, and especially King Charles, not 



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