58 



The National Geographic Magazine 



Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria 



discussed. It is sustained and encour- 

 aged b} r the Bulgarian government and 

 assisted by liberal contributions from 

 Russia. The plot to kidnap Miss Stone 

 was hatched in the Macedonian Com- 

 mittee, and her ransom, paid by the 

 American people, was undoubtedly ex- 

 pended for arms and ammunition. The 

 object was, first, to punish the Ameri- 

 can missionaries who had refused to 

 contribute to the Macedonian cause ; 

 second, to attract the attention of the 

 Christian world to the anarchy and bar- 

 barism that exist in Macedonia ; and, 

 third, to involve the United States gov- 

 ernment in hostilities with Turkey. 



How long the powers of Europe will 

 permit the Sultan to defy them is a 

 question often asked, both in private 

 and public, and never answered. It is 

 probable that trouble will ultimately 



arise through collision between the Bul- 

 garian patriots and the Turkish troops 

 jn Macedonia. The}' occur frequently. 

 Scarcely a month passes without a battle 

 on the border. If Bulgaria makes a 

 complaint, Turkey replies that the gov- 

 ernment is trying to suppress brigand- 

 age. Some time, however, the Bulga- 

 rian people will not be satisfied with 

 that answer. They will insist that 

 their government demand reparation of 

 Turkey and make a hostile demonstra- 

 tion that will attract the attention of 

 Europe. This would have occurred 

 long ago but for the inability of Bulga- 

 ria to raise funds to equip and pay an 

 army, the indifference of Prince Ferdi- 

 nand, and the lack of leadership. 



In the meantime the Sultan is buying 

 guns in anticipation of trouble. We 

 often hear that the Sultan is insane, 

 that he is suffering from a neurotic dis- 

 ease caused by insomnia, anxiety, and 

 fear ; yet no diplomatist of ancient or 

 modern times has been more skillful or 

 successful in playing upon the rivalries 

 of his enemies. 



SERVIA 



The small but restless State of Servia 

 obtained its independence from Turkey 

 early in the nineteenth century, under 

 the leadership of a nameless peasant. 

 Because of his swarthy complexion and 

 raven hair they called him Kara George, 

 which means "Black George," and 

 Karageorgeovitch is the name of his 

 descendants. Milosh, a companion of 

 Kara George in the fight for liberty, 

 was a farm servant of a widow named 

 Obren, whose name he adopted when 

 he needed one, and Obrenovitch is the 

 family name of the present king. The 

 feud between the two families began 

 in 1 817, when a Turkish pasha hired 

 Milosh to assassinate his friend as he 

 slept, and the history of Servia has 

 since been a continuous duel between 

 their descendants, encouraged by Tur- 

 key and Russia, which have been con- 



