NEWS OF THE WEEK.
NOTHING new has occurred in the Balkan Peninsula; but there is no peace there yet, or reason for believing in peace. The accounts received all indicate that the Ambassadors who on Thursday commenced their meetings in Constantinople, will ratify the junction of the Bulgarias under Prince Alexander, Turkey receiving in exchange certain promises of tribute. That matter is, therefore, settled, though formalities must be observed ; but there are other questions to be considered even more difficult. The King of Servia has mobilised his army, 60,000 riflemen ; has raised a loan of a million ; and threatens, if Servian claims are not conceded by the Powers, to occupy Old Servia, or, at least, all he can hold. Greece also is in violent commotion ; and the Government must, it is believed, demand Epirus, if not also Macedonia. To satisfy all the claims,—which are substantially just, the moral right of Turkey to rule having ceased with Batuk,—it would be necessary to break-up European Turkey. The Powers wish to avoid that; but they cannot without making some concessions, as the Servian and Greek Thrones would fall. The question for the Ambassadors, therefore, is to discover the least amount which will be accepted as a sufficient instalment, and to induce Turkey to yield that amount peaceably. That will tax their resources of skill ; and as the Serviaus are aware that their country cannot be occupied without a great war, it is quite on the cards that they may advance next week, and leave Turkey no alternative but fighting. The Sultan, it is said, finds his army in Macedonia in a horrible state ; he will not use the Regulars in the capital lest there should be insurrection ; and he is summoning recruits from Asia Minor, who will want everything, and whom the Pashas cannot hold in hand.
