NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE prospect is again very warlike. General Tchernaieff, who is master of the situation in Servia,—at all events, till some one of the Great Powers risks an intervention by force,—will not consent to a mere lengthening of the armistice by a week, and asks for a regular armistice for a month, if there is to be any armistice at all. This is perfectly reasonable, for two reasons. These short • armistices are not important enough to make it worth while to define the lines of the opposing armies and declare a neutral zone between them, and consequently quarrels, re- sulting in violations of the armistice, originated repeatedly on both sides during the week in which hostilities were suspended. In the next place, the status quo ante bellum for Servia and Monte- negro,—with probably some slight territorial addition in the -case of Montenegro,—and "liberal local autonomies" for Bosnia, Herzegovina, and-Bulgaria,—which are the terms understood to be proposed by the British Government,—are not worth the sacri, fices Servia has made, while no new and more satisfactory terms could possibly be proposed or discussed within so short a term as a week. Hence Turkey is left to choose between prolonging the armistice for a month (which would defer all prospect of invading Servia till the winter is over), and continuing the war at once. 'Thus the outlook is very warlike. A great attack by General 'Tchernaieff on the Turkish lines is said to be immediately im- pending, and the latest telegrams speak of a heavy cannonade as actually commenced in the neighbourhood of Alexinatz.
