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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 6, 1876

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 48, No. 2.

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TURKEY

By A. C. S.

EACH day during the past week the cable news has indicated the certainty of a conflict of arms between the Servian and Turkish armies.
Prince Milan had departed from Belgrade to join his army in the field, and the bishops had gone forward to bless the troops, on Thursday; and the London Daily News' Paris dispatch, of Friday, says:—
“Advices from Belgrade say that the apathy and hesitation manifested a few days ago have been succeeded by a real political frenzy.”
The same dispatch says, “The Montenegrin delegates are positive that the prince will eventually join the Servians.” And a Vienna dispatch says, “Advices from Cettigne announce positively that a treaty of alliance was regularly ratified between Servia and Montenegro two weeks ago.”
The Paris correspondent of the London Times repeats that Prince Milan, on leaving Belgrade, harangued the troops and people as follows:—
“SOLDIERS AND PEOPLE OF SERVIA: I leave the capital to join the valiant army which will aid me to fight victoriously the traditional enemy of my country and religion. Adieu until after victory.”
“ST. PETERSBURG, JUNE 30.—The representative of Russia at Belgrade, acting on direct orders of the emperor, has to the last moment done everything in his power to dissuade Prince Milan from invading Turkish territory. The prince, however, declared that, being urged by the people, he could not remain a passive spectator after the acts committed by the Turks in Bosnia and their violation of the Servian territory. Had the porte accepted the suggestion of appointing him viceroy of Bosnia on condition of his recognizing the sultan’s full sovereignty, the prince believed the insurrection and the consequent threatening aspect of affairs would have been averted. The porte would not negotiate with Servia, and he was compelled to yield to the public feeling of the country, and must act accordingly.”
“LONDON, JUNE 30.—The Times' Constantinople correspondent says: “The new sultan is overwhelmed with the difficulties of his position, and contemplates abdicating in favor of his younger brother.”
“The Turkish government has formed the desperate resolution of enlisting 80,000 Bashi Bazouks, with a view to preventing the spread of the insurrection by the constant menace of a general massacre of Christians.”
Notwithstanding these movements, in London there seems some hopes of averting the conflict.
“The Times' Vienna dispatch, of July 1, says, Notwithstanding Prince Milan’s departure for the front, immediate action seems to be deferred, as dispatches were sent on Thursday to the Servian agent at Constantinople containing important communication for the Porte. From this it would seem that Servia will, after all, try negotiation before appealing to arms. The above intelligence is confirmatory of the previous report that Servia had sent an ultimatum to Turkey.
“BELGRADE, JUNE 30.—It is stated on reliable authority that an ultimatum was sent to Constantinople on Wednesday, and will probably be handed in to-morrow or Sunday.”
While some dispatches express the hope that the war may be localized, still others affirm that no confidence can be placed in the mutual forbearance of England and Russia.
If the great, final, prophetic battle at Armageddon is not indeed near at hand, the indications are that the “beginning of the end” is very near.
A. C. S.