CAB37-17 — Page 145

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CONFIDENTIAL.

Printed for the use of the Cabinet. January 12, 1886.

No. 1.

Mr. Phipps to the Marquis of Salisbury.--(Received January 4.)

(No. 2. Confidential.) My Lord,

Vienna, January 1, 1886. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship the inclosed despatch, which has been addressed to me by Colonel K. Fraser, Military Attaché to this Embassy, reporting his conversations with Prince Alexander.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

E. C. II. PHIPPS.

Inclosure in No. 1.

(Confidential.)

Colonel Fraser to Mr. Phipps.

Sir,

Vienna, January 1, 1886. DURING the stay of the Military International Commission at Pirot I had frequent opportunities of conversation with His Highness the Prince of Bulgaria, and I now beg to make you acquainted with some of his observations, which I take from my notes.

Prince Alexander expressed much pleasure at meeting again the members of the Commission, who were all well known to him, and most of whom he had met at the Austrian manœuvres in September, of which he said he was constantly reminded during his recent campaign.

pas

Speaking of the political situation and of the present aspect of affairs, the Prince remarked to me good-humouredly of the Commission, "Nous ne vous aimons ici," explaining that (although he had nothing to wish for in the way of rectification of his frontier on the Servian side), if Pirot, which had been gained after a sanguinary battle, was to be given up, his army would, in the event of peace not being arrived at, lose all the advantages he had acquired.

He said that when Count Khevenhüller arrived on the morrow of the battle with the mandate of the Austro-Hungarian Government for him to halt, he would, within twenty-four hours, have cut the Servian army completely in two, and that the greatest portion of it, having no more ammunition, must have laid down its arms. He had implored Count Khevenhüller for twenty-four hours' grace, as being of the utmost importance, the whole circumstances having altered since his departure on his mission by the battle of Pirot, but Count Khevenhüller was inexorable.

The Prince spoke of the conduct pursued by Sir William White at the Conference at Constantinople in the warmest terms, and of his deep gratitude to England. He could only repeat what he had said to Lord Salisbury, viz., that he had but one friend in Europe, but that one had been 6+

a bon ami." He also spoke of Mr. Lascelles in a tone of great friendship.

With regard to the revolution in Eastern Roumelia, His Highness remarked that there were many people who said that the actors in it were few in number, and that it was got up by a small party. He admitted that the numbers at first were very few, but he said they well knew the feeling of the people, and the cry for union, once raised, met with such a response from the people that it would have been quite impos- sible to restrain it.

The enthusiasm he had met with on his way to Philippopoli, and the patriotic

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