Notes on the South Slavonic Countries in Austria and Turkey
in Europe. Edited, with a preface, by Humphrey Sandwith, C.B., D.C.L. (Black- wood.)—All persons who take an interest in the political questions of the day have certainly got to make up the subject of the Christian provinces of Turkey. The time is not far distant when they will be a very press- ing matter, and there are clear indications that our rising statesmen will not walk in the ancient paths. The pamphlet before us contains useful information collected by two English ladies in the course of their travels during four successive years (1861-64) in Bulgaria, Servia (or Serbia more correctly), and Bosnia. These countries, extending from the Adriatic to the Black Sea, are, it appears, gradually adopting the term "South Slavonic" by which to describe themselves, and are looking forward to a time when they shall constitute a State that will be strong enough to form a barrier against any ambitious designs, such as are generally attributed to the great Northern empire. Mr. Sandwith in a well- written preface, strongly anti-Turkish, calls attention to many promis- ing features in the character of these nations, and at the same time quotes strong testimony as to the incapacity and. unchangeableness of the Turkish administration. It appears that a speech of Mr. Gladatone's in 1863 has already been translated and published in Serbia, and that his advent to power is looked forward to with as much interest there as in this country. It is certain that there is no part of the policy of England that would gain more by the application to it of a fresh and vigorous mind than that which relates to the European possessions of Turkey.
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