SERVIA, AUSTRIA, TURKEY, AND RUSSIA. 1 63 



to the State that the King applied, although very unwillingly, to 

 M. Ristitch, the Liberal Leader, to undertake the formation of a 

 Ministry, as he had long been identified with a Philo-Russian policy, 

 and was not friendly to Austrian influence. 



The policy of M. Ristitch was, moreover, too pacific for King Milan, 

 for the former was in favour of a large reduction in the War Budget, 

 and a policy of disarmament to secure it ; and he was, therefore, 

 obliged to resign, and the former Premier, Garashanine, reinstated. As 

 he was in a minority in the 'Legislative Chambers, it was necessary 

 in order to obtain a majority for his policy to dissolve the Skupt- 

 schina and appeal to the country. The result of the elections was 

 the return of 58 Ministerialists, and 75 members of the Opposition ; 

 and, in order to obtain a majority for the New Premier, the King, 

 in virtue of the right conferred upon him by the Constitution of 

 1858, selected 45 additional members as supporters of the Ministry, 

 and thus a majority for the new Government was secured. 



From this period to the end of the year, a secret agitation was 

 carried on against King Milan by the pretender to the throne, Kara- 

 Georgevitch, with the cordial approval of his father-in-law Prince 

 Nicholas of Montenegro, and secretly supported by Russia. 



Moreover, M. Garashanine, the author of the Servo-Bulgarian 

 War, had become more unpopular, mainly through his reckless 

 ■expenditure of the public funds, and although he had a majority 

 in the Skuptschina, due not to the choice of the people but to the 

 favour of the Crown, the King naturally felt that his favourite 

 Minister could not much longer be continued as Premier without 

 danger to the Monarchy ; but it was difficult to find another States- 

 man whose policy would be favourable to the dynasty and its 

 traditions, and who would be willing to face the rising discontent 

 throughout the country in its support. The Premiership was pressed 

 upon Christitch, but he declined ; and there was no other alternative 

 but to recall M. Ristitch to power. 



M. Ristitch is called a Servian Chauvinist, whose political pro- 

 gramme is the union under the sceptre of King Milan of all the 

 territories, formerly belonging to the empire of Servia, or at the present 

 time inhabited by the Sclavonic race in Eastern Europe. As this 

 would involve the aimexation of territories in the possession of 

 Austria, King Milan, as the prdtege of Austria, could not support 

 him ; and, moreover, M. Ristitch was supposed to side with Russia, 

 and he found in the Queen Nathalie a warm supporter. 



The accession of Ristitch to power was received with enthusiasm 



