24. Essays from "Deutsche Wochenschrift"

The week of June 6-13, 1888

At the forefront of events is the resignation of Puttkamer on the 8th. We shed light on this event in a leading position. The information circulated so far about the possible successor is based only on combinations. The appointment of the latter has probably been delayed due to the Emperor's state of health, which has unfortunately deteriorated regrettably in the last few days.

On the 9th, the delegation session opened in Pest. The following bills were submitted to the delegates: the joint estimate for 1889, the extraordinary credit for the troops in Bosnia, the supplementary credits of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Navy, the special credit for military precautionary measures, a bill concerning the extension of credits for the Navy, the final accounts for 1886, the statement of expenditure for 1887 and the Bosnian budget. The net requirement resulting from these bills is 192 million. If the amount of 17.6 million is deducted from this, which is made available to the joint government in case of urgent need - it must obtain the agreement of the Austrian and Hungarian governments for any use - the considerable sum of 175 million still remains. Approximately 96% of this is accounted for by military expenses and 29.7 million by the extraordinary armaments credit (of which ı6 million has already been used following the decision of the Crown Council at Christmas). The ordinary requirements of the army amounted to 115.9 million, the extraordinary 23.1 million and the Bosnian occupation credit 4.5 million. These figures shed all too bright a light on the political situation in Europe, which is touched upon in the Emperor's address to the delegations with the following words: "The relations of the monarchy with the foreign powers are of a thoroughly friendly character; but if, in spite of this, my government is compelled, in its dutiful care for the security of our frontiers and the promotion of our military strength, to draw on considerable credits, the reason for this lies mainly in the continuing uncertainty of the political situation in Europe." Our governments use words to express their hopes and figures to express their fears.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have traveled to Bosnia and arrived in Serajevo today.

A conflict has broken out between Italy and the Sultan of Zanzibar; the Sultan has refused to implement the treaty concluded with Italy by his predecessor, which decreed the cession of the coast between Cape Delgado and the Equator to Italy.

The University of Bologna celebrated its eighth centenary on the 12th of this month.

A surprising event is the fall of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha, which seems to have come as a surprise even to England, where people were used to seeing him as the promoter of English interests. The immediate cause is said to be the reforms that Nubar demanded with regard to the land tax and the agricultural system, for which Nubar was unable to obtain support from the English representative Baring, who had long been his opponent. The deeper reason, however, was probably the opposition of France to Nubar, which the latter had provoked by his intended suppression of the French journal in Egypt "Bosphore" a few years ago, as well as by a statement he is said to have made about France, which "since 1870 has been a corpse that can be trampled underfoot". France seems to have played a part in his downfall.

On the 12th, elections were held in Belgium to renew half of the members of the Chamber and Senate. The Liberals suffered a complete defeat. Not only did they not win a single seat, they even lost two. A run-off election between the candidate of the moderate Liberals and the Independents is necessary in Brussels.

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is about to decide on the Popov trial. He did not immediately confirm the court-martial verdict, but returned the case files to the Minister of War with the explanation that he still had to consider the matter. The reports that the Ministry had split into two parties, one or the other of which, depending on the Prince's decision, wished to resign, were declared by the "Agence Havas" to be fictitious. The Prince and Princess Clementine intend to spend some time in Eastern Rumelia.