M. Stambouloff died of his wounds early on Thursday. The
long agony of the death-struggle is said to have begun at 10 o'clock on the previous night, but life was not extinct till 35 minutes past 3 on the following morning. We have said something elsewhere as to the situation in the Balkans, and the effect of the assassination. M. Stam- bauloff was a man of iron will and perfect courage, moral as well as physical, and was a sincere lover of the country which he first helped to free from the Turk and then protected, almost single-handed, against Russian in- trigue. He had, however, the defects of character which seem almost inseparable from the makers of nations. Like Bismarck and—in a lesser degree—Cavonr, he was always arbitrary and often unscrupulous, seeming to consider that any and every means for helping his country were justified. This attitude of mind led him into doing many violent and oppressive things, and involved him in furious personal animosities. He fell, however, not so much because of the hatred with which he inspired many Bulgarians of the ruling class, as because of the jealousy and in- gratitude of Prince Ferdinand. The " Coburger " could not endure to be reminded once a day that he owed his throne to Stambouloff. Besides, Prince Ferdinand was mad to be recognised as a real Prince by Russia. Without such recog- nition, the diplomates at Sofia could not wear their decora- tions when they dined with him, or otherwise treat him as full Royalty ; and this, though it mattered nothing in sub- stance, made his position seem worthless to the half-German, half-Orleanist Princeling. Prince Ferdinand was very foolish. Had he kept Stambonloff, and endured the dinners with black coats, he might not only have weathered the storm, but increased his dominions. As it is, he is very likely to go under in the cyclone which is breaking over the Balkan Penin- sula. We do not, of course, believe that Prince Ferdinand had anything, however remote, to do with the assassination, but for all that, he will bear a great part of the odium.
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