t62 SERVIA, AUSTRIA, TURKEY, AND RUSSIA. 



On the north-eastern frontier, Servia, and her restless, ambitious people, who are 

 ever dreaming of the ancient days, when their kingdom extended to the Egean Sea, 

 and who seem ever intent on securing Salonica, for the outlet of their commerce and 

 the development of their power, raised the cry of Compensation, and when all hope 

 from every quarter vanished for securing some extension of territory, she blindly and 

 criminally rushed into war against Bulgaria. 



No greater or more unprovoked wrong to an unoffending neighbour was ever 

 wrought ,by an Alaric or a Bonaparte, and what was the result ? Precisely what they 

 deserved. 



Crossing the frontier at four points, and elated with temporary successes. Prince 

 Alexander advanced to meet them at the head of his little army of 50,000 men, fighting 

 for freedom, and to drive back the invasion for the dismemberment of the new-born 

 State of Bulgaria. 



At Slivnitza, Glenitz, Widdin, and other battle-fields, the Prince astonished both 

 friends and foes alike by his personal bravery, his generalship, and devotion to 

 the National cause, and at every point the undisciplined, but brave soldiers of Bulgaria 

 and Roumelia hurled back and scattered into wild confusion the trained Servian 

 warriors, turning defeat into rout, invasion of Bulgaria into invasion of Servia, and a 

 Servian conquest of Macedonia into a Bulgarian victory which opened up the road to 

 the capital, Belgrade. 



The Bulgarian nation was roused to enthusiasm, but in the hour of their victory, 

 when Servia lay prostrate at her feet, Austria, who had prompted her to the ' war, 

 intervened and demanded a suspension of hostilities, and the conclusion at any cost 

 of an inglorious peace. 



After much tedious negotiation, a Treaty of Peace between Servia 

 and Bulgaria was signed March 3rd, 1887, at Bucharest, which con- 

 ■sisted of one clause only ; simply declaring that from the date of 

 the signature of the Treaty, " peace is restored between the kingdom 

 of Servia and the principality of Bulgaria;" the original words 

 *' friendly relations" were struck out by the desire of Servia, who 

 declared that the omission of the words was intended by her as a 

 protest against Bulgaria for her poHcy in Eastern Roumelia. 



After the conclusion of peace the Premier, M. Garashanine, 

 continued as Prime Minister for some time, notwithstanding the 

 universal condemnation which was passed upon him by leading men 

 and the Press generally, for the frivolous way in which he had 

 rushed into the conflict with Bulgaria ; for the result of this plunge 

 not only ruined his reputation as a Statesman, but it brought Servia 

 to the verge of ruin, emptied the Treasury of its resources, added 

 _;£2,6oo,ooo to the Public Debt ; whilst the people were impover- 

 ished by war contributions, requisitions, and all the indirect losses, 

 which war brings in its train; and especially the military prestige of 

 Servia was compromised, and the sympathies of Europe alienated. 



It is not surprising, therefore, that under all these circumstances 

 neither of the political parties in Servia were inclined to assume the 

 responsibilities of Government, and the situation became so perilous 



