ibS .SERVIA, AUSTRIA, TURKEY, AND RUSSIA. 



At length, on the 22nd February, 1889, disheartened and dis- 

 mayed on every hand, overwhelmed by the fierce strife of political 

 warfare, the intrigues of Russia, the threats of Austria, and troubles 

 arising from the divorce and expulsion of his Queen,- King Milan 

 hurled his abdication like a thunderbolt at the-Throne of Servia, and 

 it is not too much to say that this act of amazing recklessness created 

 a profound sensation throughout Europe. 



His first step was to appoint as Regents Ristitch, Protitch, and 

 General Belimarkovitch, to exercise the Royal prerogative for a 

 period of five and a half years, and at the expiration of this period 

 his son Alexander will have obtained his majority ; and the 

 Regents, in the exercise of their authority, entrusted the Radical 

 leader, M. Tausannovitch, with the task of forming the Govern- 

 ment. 



The act of abdication was described by an eye-witness at Bel- 

 grade as extremely impressive. His Majesty, with visible emotion, 

 read the document to the Ministers, State ofificials, and officers, and 

 to the members of the Diplomatic Body, and, having concluded, 

 His Majesty knelt down before his son Alexander, a youth but 13 

 years of age, and, in the presence of the Arch-Priest, solemnly took 

 the oath of allegiance to the new King, which was likewise done by 

 the Regents and officers, and subsequently the army. 



FUTURE PROSPECTS OF SERVIA. 



To indicate the probable consequences, in the dim and distant 

 future, of this portentous event on the 'fortunes of Servia, or of the 

 future, policy of Austria, Russia, and Turkey, is a difficult and 

 delicate task. Russian influence, will, of course, be enormously 

 increased, and Austrian influence greatly weakened. In Servia, as 

 is well known, both Liberals and Radicals are supporters of Russia, 

 and of the claims of the Pretender Kara-Georgevics to the Throne ; 

 whilst the Progressist party, to whom the former are opposed, 

 favour the Austrian alliance, and this party, which include the ablest 

 and the most famous statesmen and politicians in Servia, have been 

 well-nigh effaced in pubKc life on account of their sympathies with 

 Austria. 



Of one thing we may be certain, that the recognition of the 

 Prince Kara-Georgevics as King of Servia, if Russian policy should 

 secure a triumph, would be fatal to the prestige of Austria-Hungary 



