The manifesto of the insurgents demanded the autonomy of Bosnia and Herzegowina under a Christian ruler; in return for this they pledged themselves to recognise the suzerainty of the Porte and to pay tribute in the same way as the other vassal States of the Ottoman Empire. An attempt by the Great Powers to maintain peace through the mediation of their consuls failed owing to the insurgents refusing to place any confidence in the execution of the reforms promised by the Porte.
To Prince Charles Anthony, October 3rd, 1875.
"The disturbances in the Balkan peninsula, though apparently quieted for the moment, are still far from settlement. The insurrection is making great secret progress and gathering force like an avalanche. As the original motive was neither a political nor a national one, but merely a rebellion against oppressive taxation from which the Christian peasant hoped to free himself by force of arms, peace will not be restored until radical reforms put an end to the misrule of the Pachas. Oriental Christians are thoroughly tired of Turkish misgovernment, and but for the entente of the Northern Powers serious complications would long ago have arisen. As it is, they are only delayed; they certainly are not entirely done away with. Diplomacy is incapable of solving the Eastern Question; the East alone can solve it on the field of battle by a combination of the nations directly interested! Our present policy is to await the advantage of events; the financial ruin of Turkey will then aid us further.
"In Servia everything is topsy-turvy, and the end will be either a war or a revolution. In any case serious times are coming for us, and no one knows when a clear insight into this muddle will be obtained. For my own part, I want to gain time in order to regulate various questions of economy, such as the re-purchase of the railways; I should also like to increase the military strength of my country. Our new arms will not be delivered before spring."
From the German Crown Prince.
"Matters are progressing slowly but surely in the Empire. The German nation adheres to the Emperor and the Empire, whilst many Cabinets only yield to force of circumstances. In South Germany the Württemberg Army Corps has been able to assimilate our principles so thoroughly that it is almost on the level of a Prussian Corps. The Bavarians, too, are very industrious, and take great pains to bring their army organisation up to our standard, in spite of certain hostile elements whose aim it is to frustrate this object, and who have succeeded in preventing Prussian instructors from being sent there, and Bavarian soldiers from coming to us to learn their work, which Württemberg has done for the last eight years.
"I found your dear father as full of mental vigour as ever, but, unfortunately, quite unable to walk; on the other hand, he possesses remarkable skill in managing his invalid chair, in which he moves about the room without any assistance! Your mother, brother, and sister seemed happy and in good health, and the family circle was uncommonly merry. A water-colour in your mother's room greatly interested me; it represents you handing the insignia of his office to a Metropolitan, and you look like a Father of the Church yourself. It seems to me that in your part of the world a ruler has more influence in the appointment of the high dignitaries of the Church than here—a truly enviable state of affairs....
"I am enjoying these warm autumn days in peace and quiet, after having drained the cup of inspections to the dregs. I am always willing to fulfil my duties, but there are limits, especially when one is no longer as young as one was. I had to attend manœuvres in Württemberg, Bavaria, Silesia, and Mecklenburg, and as these countries do not exactly lie close together, I dashed from one to the other by rail, like a state messenger. Victoria and I spent six enjoyable weeks in the spring in gorgeous Italy, just in time to reassure the apprehensive political amateurs who were excited by absurd rumours of war.
"William[18] is in the first form at the Cassel Gymnasium. We think that the next two years, while he is growing up, will be beneficial to his development; he likes being there. Henry really seems to be taken with the idea of a sailor's life; we shall therefore soon have to prepare him for this career."