The reply of King Ferdinand to the Tsar's telegram was
published in Monday's papers. It is a very bitter document. The crisis, he maintains, has "unfortunately been brought about by our allies," and by them alone. As for the Tsar's suggestion, the Bulgarian Government had replied to it two months ago when they begged for M. Sazonoff to put a stop to the over-excitement on both sides of the frontier by re- questing both parties to submit to arbitration as provided for
in their treaty of alliance. The request was made and the Bulgarian Government accepted it immediately, while Servia
merely continued her provocative policy. Bulgaria bad been faithful to her word and was waiting for Servia to accept arbitration, and it was really the Servian Government which, by evading this arbitration and accumulating hostile demon- strations against Bulgaria, continued to provoke the dangers of a fratricidal struggle. King Ferdinand and his Govern-
ment would deplore such a struggle more than anything
else :-
" We sincerely want to avoid it, but we cannot go counter to the unanimous sentiments of indignation aroused among my whole people on the day after unheard-of efforts and glorious victories by the attempts of our allies who are seeking to deprive it of the most sacred fruits of these efforts and victories in defiance of right and plighted faith. Bulgaria has not only rights over Macedonia, she has also incontestable duties towards a population which has always been, and which wishes to remain, Bulgarian at all costs, and I hope your Majesty will be good enough to remember that these duties have been recognized by Russia herself over a long series of years."
The letter, in short, is a plain intimation that the Tsar's appeal was gratuitous and unwarranted, and its tone has been greatly relished in Austria-Hungary.
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