27 AUGUST 1887, Page 2

The situation in Bulgaria remains as threatening as ever. Prince

Ferdinand has made his public entry into Sofia, and has been greeted with a certain amount of enthusiasm by the people and the Army ; but the difficulties of his position become greater every day. Attempts to form a Ministry have only resulted in a serious split in the ranks of the National Party, and the friends of Russia maintain their attitude of absolute irreconcilability. The Metropolitan Clement, for instance, in his sermon reminded the Prince that the Bulgarians were grateful to Russia, and that he must "use his best efforts to reconcile the liberator and the liberated." Meantime, Russian diplomacy, backed by that of France, is doing all it can to induce the Porte to expel Prince Ferdinand from Bulgaria. The Turks are to send Artin Effendi to Sofia, to assume authority in Bulgaria, and prepare the way for the Russian General Ernroth, who is afterwards to be made sole Regent. He, with the Turkish Commissioner, is next to summon a new Sobranje, and elect a new Prince. General Ernroth's plan of holding elections, it may be remarked, is to station Russian officers, revolver in hand, at the ballot-boxes. It seems, however, unlikely that Turkey will consent to these proposals, or, indeed, do anything in which she is not unanimously supported by the Powers. What, we wonder, is Prince Alexander's opinion of the crisis in the Balkans ? It is curious to notice how com- pletely he has been able to efface himself.