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A\ 

6  I\HAI 


REMINISCENCES   OF  THE 
KING  OF   ROUMANIA 


REMINISCENCES  OF  THE 

KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

i 

EDITED    FROM   THE   ORIGINAL  WITH 
AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

SIDNEY  WHITMAN 


WITH    PORTRAIT 


AUTHORIZED   EDITION 


NEW   YORK   AND   LONDON 

HARPER   fc?   BROTHERS 

1899 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 
INTRODUCTION  .......  vii 

I.    THE    PRINCIPALITIES    OF    MOLDAVIA    AND    WALLACHIA    .  1 

II.    THE    SUMMONS    TO    THE    THRONE          .  .  .  .  11 

III.  STORM    AND   STRESS  ......  32 

IV.  MARRIAGE    AND    HOME    LIFE        .....  83 
V.    FINANCIAL   TROUBLES          .             .             .             .             .             .129 

VI.    THE    JEWISH    QUESTION      .  .             .             .             .             .143 

VII.    PEACEFUL    DEVELOPMENT.  .             .             .             .             .155 

VIII.    THREATENING    CLOUDS       .  .             .             .             .             .218 

IX.    THE    ARMY       ........          250 

X.    THE    WAR    WITH    TURKEY  .....          265 

XI.    THE    BERLIN    CONGRESS    AND  AFTER.             .             .             .          311 

EPILOGUE          .  .          355 


INTRODUCTION 

Volk  und  Knecht  und  Ueberwinder, 
Sie  gestehn  zu  jeder  Zeit ; 
Hochstes  Gliick  der  Erdenkinder 
Sey  nur  die  Personlichkeit. 

GOETHE  (West-Oestlicher  Divan). 

IT  is  said  to  have  been  a  chance  occasion  which 
gave  the  first  impetus  towards  the  compilation  of 
the  German  original  *  from  which  these  "  Reminis- 
cences of  the  King  of  Roumania  have  been  re- 
edited  and  abridged."  One  day  an  enterprising 
man  of  letters  applied  to  one  who  had  followed 
the  King's  career  for  years  with  vivid  interest : 
"  The  public  of  a  country  extending  from  the  Alps 
to  the  ocean  is  eager  to  know  something  about 
Roumania  and  her  Hohenzollern  ruler."  The 
King,  without  whose  consent  little  or  nothing 
could  have  been  done,  thought  the  matter  over 
carefully ;  in  fact,  he  weighed  it  in  his  mind  for 
several  years  before  coming  to  a  final  decision. 

*  "  Aus  dem  Leben  Konig  Karls  von  Rumanien.  Aufzeich- 
nungen  eines  Augenzeugen."  Stuttgart :  Verlag  der  J.  G. 
Cotta'schen  Buchhandlung. 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

At  first  his  natural  antipathy  to  being  talked 
about — even  in  praise  (to  criticism  he  had  ever 
been  indifferent) — made  him  reluctant  to  provide 
printed  matter  for  public  comment.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  had  long  been  most  anxious  that 
Roumania  should  attract  more  public  attention 
than  the  world  had  hitherto  bestowed  on  her. 
In  an  age  of  universal  trade  competition  and  self- 
advertisement,  for  a  country  to  be  talked  about 
possibly  meant  attracting  capitalists  and  opening 
up  markets :  things  which  might  add  materially 
to  her  prosperity.  With  such  possibilities  in 
view,  the  King's  own  personal  taste  or  scruples 
were  of  secondary  moment  to  him.  So  the  idea 
first  suggested  by  a  stranger  gradually  took  shape 
in  his  mind,  and  with  it  the  desire  to  see  placed 
before  his  own  subjects  a  truthful  record  of  what 
had  been  achieved  in  Roumania  in  his  own  time. 
By  these  means  he  hoped  to  give  his  people  an 
instructive  synopsis  of  the  difficulties  which  had 
been  successfully  overcome  in  the  task  of  creating 
practical  institutions  out  of  chaos. 

As  so  often  happens  in  such  cases,  the  work 
grew  beyond  the  limits  originally  entertained. 
But  the  task  was  no  easy  one,  and  involved  the 
labour  of  several  years.  However,  the  result 
achieved  is  well  worth  the  trouble,  for  it  is 
an  historical  document  of  exceptional  political 
interest,  containing,  among  other  material,  im- 
portant letters  from  Prince  Bismarck,  the  Emperor 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

William,  the  Emperor  Frederick,  the  Czar  of 
Russia,  Queen  Victoria,  and  Napoleon  III.  It 
is,  in  fact,  a  piece  of  work  which  a  politician 
must  consult  unless  he  is  to  remain  in  the  dark 
concerning  much  of  moment  in  the  political  history 
of  our  time,  and  particularly  in  the  history  of  the 
Eastern  Question.  "  The  Reminiscences  of  the 
King  of  Roumania  "  constitute  an  important  page 
in  the  story  of  European  progress.  Nor  is  this 
all.  They  also  contain  a  study  in  self-revelation 
which,  so  far  as  it  belongs  to  a  regal  character, 
is  absolutely  unique  in  its  completeness — even  in 
an  age  so  rich  in  sensational  memoirs  as  our  own. 
The  subject-matter  deals  with  a  period  of  over 
twenty-five  years  in  the  life  of  a  young  European 
nation,  in  the  course  of  which  she  gained  her 
independence  and  strove  successfully  to  retain  it, 
whilst  more  than  trebling  her  resources  in  peaceful 
work.  In  this  eventful  period  greater  changes 
have  taken  place  in  the  balance  of  power  in 
Europe  than  in  many  preceding  centuries.  A 
republic  has  replaced  a  monarchy  in  France,  and 
also  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  Brazil, 
since  the  days  when  a  young  captain  of  a  Prussian 
guard  regiment,  a  scion  of  the  House  of  Hohen- 
zollern,  set  himself  single-handed  the  Sisyphean 
task  of  establishing  a  constitutional  repre- 
sentative monarchy  on  a  soil  where  hitherto 
periodical  conspiracies  and  revolts  had  run  riot 
luxuriously.  Just  here,  however,  our  democratic 


x  INTRODUCTION 

age  has  witnessed  the  realisation  of  the  problem 
treated  by  Macchiavelli  in  "  II  Principe " — the 
self-education  of  a  prince. 

To-day,  the  man  who  thirty-three  years  ago 
came  down  the  Danube  as  a  perfect  stranger— 
practically  alone,  without  tried  councillors  or 
adherents — is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  the 
omnipotent  ruler  of  a  country  which  owes  its 
independence  and  present  position  entirely  to  his 
statesmanship.  Nor  can  there  be  much  doubt  that 
but  for  him  Roumania  and  the  Lower  Danube 
might  be  now  little  more  than  a  name  to  the  rest 
of  Europe — as,  indeed,  they  were  in  the  past. 

II 

King  Charles  of  Roumania  is  the  second  son  of 
the  late  Prince  Charles  Anthony*  of  Hohen- 
zollern-Sigmaringen :  the  elder  South  German 
Roman  Catholic  branch  of  the  House  of  Hohen- 
zollern,  of  which  the  German  Emperor  is  the 
chief.  Until  the  year  1849  the  Hohenzollern- 
Sigmaringens,  whose  dominions  are  situated 
between  Wiirttemberg  and  Baden,  near  the  spot 
where  the  Danube  rises  in  the  Black  Forest, 
possessed  full  sovereign  rights  as  the  head  of  one 
of  the  independent  principalities  of  the  German 
Confederation.  These  sovereign  rights  of  his 

*  This  Prince  always  wrote  his  name  Karl  Anton,  as  a 
double  name  :  hence  the  retention  here. 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

own  and  his  descendants  Prince  Charles  Anthony 
formally  and  voluntarily  ceded  to  Prussia  on 
December  7,  1849.  Of  him  we  are  credibly 
informed  : 

"  Prince  Charles  Anthony  lives  in  the  history 
of  the  German  people  as  a  man  of  liberal  thought 
and  high  character,  who  of  his  own  free  will  gave 
up  his  sovereign  prerogative  for  the  sake  of  the 
cause  of  German  Unity.  His  memory  is  green  in 
the  hearts  of  his  children  as  the  ideal  of  a  father, 
who — for  all  his  strictness  and  discipline — was 
riot  feared,  but  ever  loved  and  honoured,  by  his 
family.  He  was  always  the  best  friend  and 
adviser  of  his  grown-up  sons."  His  letters  to  his 
son  Charles,  which  are  frequently  quoted  in  the 
present  memoir,  fully  bear  out  this  testimony  to 
the  Prince's  intimate,  almost  ideal,  relationship 
with  his  children,  as  also  to  the  magnanimity 
with  which  he  is  universally  credited. 

Of  the  King's  mother — Princess  Josephine  of 
Baden — we  learn :  "  Princess  Josephine  was 
deeply  religious  without  being  in  the  least 
bigoted.  Her  unselfishness  earned  for  her  the 
love  and  devotion  of  all  those  who  knew  her.  As 
a  wife  and  a  mother  her  life  was  one  of  excep- 
tional harmony  and  happiness.  The  great  defer- 
ence which  King  Charles  has  always  shown  to  the 
other  sex  has  its  source  in  the  veneration  which 
he  felt  for  his  mother." 

Prince   Charles   was  born  on  April   20,    1839, 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

at  the  ancestral  castle  of  the  Hohenzollerns  at 
Sigmaringen  on  the  Danube,  then  ruled  over  by 
his  grandfather,  the  reigning  Prince  Charles  of 
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.  The  castle  was  not 
in  those  days  the  treasury  of  art  and  history 
which  it  is  at  the  present  day.  The  grand- 
fatherly  regime  was  of  a  patriarchal,  almost 
despotic  kind :  every  detail  of  household  affairs 
was  regulated  with  a  view  to  strict  economy. 
Though,  perhaps,  unpleasant  at  times,  all  this 
proved  to  be  invaluable  training  for  the  young 
Prince,  whose  ultimate  destiny  it  was  to  rule  over 
one  of  the  most  extravagant  peoples  in  Europe. 
Punctuality  was  strictly  enforced :  at  nine  o'clock 
the  old  Prince  wound  up  his  watch  as  a  sign  that 
the  day  was  over,  and  at  ten  darkness  and  silence 
reigned  supreme  over  the  household. 

Prince  Charles  was  a  delicate  child,  and  was 
considered  so  throughout  his  early  manhood, 
though  in  reality  his  health  and  bodily  powers 
left  little  to  be  desired.  The  first  happy  years  of 
his  childhood  were  passed  at  Sigmaringen  and  the 
summer  residences  of  Inzigkofen  and  Krauchen- 
wies.  This  peaceful  life  was  broken  by  a  visit  in 
1846  to  his  maternal  grandmother,  the  Grand 
Duchess  Stephanie  of  Baden.  On  this  occasion 
Prince  Charles  attracted  the  attention  and 
interest  of  Mme.  Hortense  Cornu,  the  intimate 
friend  and  confidant  of  Prince  Louis  Napoleon — 
later  Napoleon  III. 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

It  cannot  be  said  that  the  young  Prince  pro- 
gressed very  rapidly  in  his  studies  ;  but  though 
he  learned  slowly,  his  memory  proved  most 
retentive.  His  naturally  independent  and  strong 
character,  moreover,  prevented  him  from  adopting 
outside  opinions  too  readily,  and  this  trait  he 
retained  in  after  years.  For  though  as  King  of 
Roumania  he  is  ever  willing  to  listen  to  the 
opinion  of  others,  the  decision  invariably  remains 
in  his  own  hands. 

An  exciting  period  supervened  for  the  little 
South  German  Principality  with  the  year  1848, 
when  the  revolutionary  wave  forced  the  old 
Prince  to  abdicate  in  favour  of  his  son  Prince 
Charles  Anthony.  Owing  to  the  action  of  a 
"  Committee  of  Public  Safety,"  the  Hohenzollern 
family  quitted  Sigmaringen  on  September  27. 
This  the  children  used  to  call  the  "first  flight" 
in  contradistinction  to  the  "  second,"  some  seven 
months  later.  Though  Prince  Charles  Anthony 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  upper  hand  over  the 
revolutionary  movement  of  '48,  the  trouble  com- 
menced again  in  1849  owing  to  the  insurrection 
in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden.  As  soon  as  order 
had  been  completely  restored,  Prince  Charles 
Anthony  carried  out  his  long-cherished  plan  of 
transferring  the  sovereignty  of  the  Hohenzollern 
Principality  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  in  a  fare- 
well speech  he  declared  his  sole  reason  to  be  "  the 
desire  to  promote  the  unity,  greatness,  and  power 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

of  the  German  people."  The  family  settled  first 
at  Neisse  in  Prussian  Silesia,  then  at  Diisseldorf, 
as  Prince  Charles  Anthony  was  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  Fourteenth  Military  Division, 
while  Prince  Charles  Anthony,  and  later  on  also 
his  brother  Friedrich,  were  settled  with  their 
tutor  in  Dresden,  where  Prince  Charles  spent 
seven  years. 

Before  joining  his  parents  at  Diisseldorf,  Prince 
Charles  successfully  passed  his  ensign's  examina- 
tion, though  he  was  entitled  as  a  Prince  of  the 
House  of  Hohenzollern  to  claim  his  commission 
without  submitting  to  this  test.  As  a  reward  for 
his  success  he  was  permitted  to  make  a  tour 
through  Switzerland  and  Upper  Italy  before 
being  placed  under  his  previously  appointed  mili- 
tary governor,  Captain  von  Hagens.  This  officer 
was  a  man  in  every  way  fitted  to  instruct  and 
prepare  the  young  Prince  for  his  career  by  de- 
veloping his  powers  of  initiative  and  independence 
of  action.  In  accordance  with  his  expressed  wish, 
he  was  gazetted  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  Prus- 
sian Artillery  of  the  Guard,  but  was  not  required 
to  join  his  corps  until  his  studies  were  completed. 
A  thorough  knowledge  of  the  practical  part  of  his 
profession  was  acquired  at  the  fortress  of  Jiilich, 
followed,  after  a  visit  to  the  celebrated  Krupp 
Works  at  Essen,  by  a  course  of  instruction  at 
Berlin. 

The  betrothal  of  his  sister,  Princess  Stephanie, 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

to  King  Pedro  V.  of  Portugal,  in  the  autumn  of 
1857,  was  followed  by  her  marriage  by  proxy  at 
Berlin  on  April  29,  1858,  whilst  another  important 
family  event  occurred  in  November  of  the  same 
year.  William,  Prince  of  Pussia  (afterwards  King 
William  I.,  who  had  assumed  the  regency  during 
the  illness  of  his  brother  the  King,  Frederick 
William  IV.),  appointed  Prince  Charles  Anthony, 
of  Hohenzollern,  to  the  Presidency  of  the  Prussian 
Ministry.  His  son  Charles  developed  the  greatest 
interest  in  politics,  and  at  that  time  unconsciously 
acquired  a  fund  of  diplomatic  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience which  was  to  stand  him  in  good  stead  in 
his  future  career. 

In  the  midst  of  the  gaieties  of  Berlin  the  Prince 
was  deeply  aifected  by  the  melancholy  news  of  the 
death  of  his  sister  Stephanie  on  July  17,  1859. 
Two  years  later  the  marriage  of  his  brother 
Leopold  to  the  Infanta  Antoinette  of  Portugal 
afforded  him  a  welcome  opportunity  of  visiting 
the  last  resting-place  of  his  dearly  loved  sister 
near  Lisbon.  On  his  return  from  his  journey, 
Prince  Charles  requested  to  be  transferred  to  an 
Hussar  Regiment,  as  the  artillery  did  not  appear 
at  that  time  to  take  that  place  in  public  estima- 
tion to  which  it  was  entitled.  This  application, 
however,  was  postponed  until  his  return  from  a 
long  tour  through  the  South  of  France,  Algiers, 
C4ibraltar,  Spain,  and  Paris.  After  a  short  stay 
at  the  University  of  Bonn,  Prince  Charles  again 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

resumed  military  duty  as  First  Lieutenant  in  the 
Second  Dragoon  Guards  stationed  at  Berlin,  where 
he  speedily  regained  the  position  he  had  formerly 
held  in  the  society  of  the  capital.  The  Royal 
Family,  especially  the  Crown  Prince,  welcomed 
their  South  German  relative  most  warmly,  and 
the  friendship  thus  created  was  subsequently 
more  than  equal  to  the  test  of  time  and 
separation. 

A  second  visit  to  the  Imperial  Court  of  France  in 
1863,  this  time  at  the  invitation  of  Napoleon  III., 
was  intended  by  the  latter  to  culminate  in  a 
betrothal  to  a  Princess  of  his  House,  but  the  pro- 
ject fell  through,  as  the  proposed  conditions  did 
not  find  favour  with  the  King  of  Prussia.  Prince 
Charles  was  forced  to  content  himself  with  the 
consolation  offered  by  King  William,  that  he 
would  soon  forget  the  fair  lady  amidst  the  scenes 
of  war  (in  Denmark).  As  orderly  officer  to  his 
friend  the  Crown  Prince  of  Prussia,  Prince 
Charles  took  part  in  the  siege  and  assault  of  the 
Dtippel  entrenchments,  the  capture  of  Fridericia, 
and  the  invasion  of  Jutland.  The  experience  he 
gained  of  war  and  camp-life  during  this  period 
was  of  inestimable  benefit  to  the  young  soldier, 
who  was  afterwards  called  upon  to  achieve  the 
independence  of  Roumania  on  the  battlefields  of 
Bulgaria. 

The  war  of  1864  having  come  to  an  end,  Prince 
Charles  returned  to  the  somewhat  dreary  mono- 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

tony  of  garrison  life  in  Berlin.  This  not  un- 
naturally soon  gave  rise  to  a  feeling  of  ennui  and 
a  consequent  longing  on  his  part  for  more  absorb- 
ing work  than  that  of  mere  subordinate  military 
routine.  Nothing  then  indicated,  however,  that 
in  a  short  time  he  would  step  from  such  compara- 
tive obscurity  to  the  wide  field  of  European  politics 
by  the  acceptance  of  a  hazardous,  though  pre- 
eminently honourable,  position  of  the  utmost 
importance  in  Eastern  Europe — the  throne  of 
the  United  Principalities  of  Wallachia  and  Mol- 
davia, which,  thanks  to  his  untiring  exertions 
and  devotion  to  duty,  are  now  known  as  the 
Kingdom  of  Roumania. 

Ill 

In  starting  on  his  adventurous,  not  to  say 
perilous,  experiment,  Prince  Charles  already  pos- 
sessed plenty  of  valuable  capital  to  draw  upon. 
In  the  first  place,  few  princes  to  whose  lot  it  has 
fallen  to  sway  the  destinies  of  a  nation  have 
received  an  early  training  so  well  adapted  to  their 
future  vocation,  or  have  been  so  auspiciously 
endowed  by  nature  with  qualities  which  in 
this  instance  may  fairly  be  said  to  have  been 
directly  inherited  from  his  parents.  His  early 
and  most  impressionable  years  had  been  passed  in 
the  bosom  of  an  ideally  happy  and  plain-living 
family,  and  this  in  itself  was  one  of  the  strongest 

b 


xviii  INTRODUCTION 

of  guarantees  for  harmonious  development  and  for 
future  happiness  in  life.  Both  his  father  and 
mother  had  earnestly  striven  to  instil  into  their 
children  the  difference  between  the  outward 
aspect  and  the  true  inwardness  of  things — the 
very  essence  of  training  for  princes  no  less  than 
for  those  of  humbler  rank.  Also  we  find  the 
following  significant  reference  to  the  Prince  and 
his  feelings  on  the  threshold  of  his  career  : 

"  The  stiff  and  antiquated  '  Junker '  spirit  which 
in  those  days  was  so  prevalent  in  Prussia  and 
Berlin,  and  more  particularly  at  the  Prussian 
Court,  was  most  repugnant  to  him.  His  nature 
was  too  simple,  too  genuine,  for  him  to  take 
kindly  to  this  hollow  assumption,  this  clinging  to 
old-fashioned  empty  formula.  His  training  had 
been  too  truly  aristocratic  for  him  not  to  be 
deeply  imbued  with  simplicity  and  spontaneity  in 
all  his  impulses.  His  instincts  taught  him  to 
value  the  inwardness  of  things  above  their  out- 
ward appearance." 

Nor  was  it  long  before  he  had  ample  oppor- 
tunity of  putting  these  precepts  into  practice. 
Neither  as  Prince  nor  as  King  has  the  Sovereign 
of  Roumania  ever  permitted  prosecution  for  per- 
sonal attacks  upon  himself.  The  crime  of  lese 
majeste  has  no  existence — or,  to  say  the  least,  is 
in  permanent  abeyance — in  Roumania. 

Anti-dynastic  newspapers  have  for  years  per- 
sisted in  their  attacks  upon  the  King,  his  policy, 


INTRODUCTION  xix 

and  his  person — sometimes  in  the  most  audacious 
manner.  Although  his  Ministers  have  from  time 
to  time  strenuously  urged  his  Majesty  to  authorise 
the  prosecution  of  these  offenders,  he  has  never 
consented  to  this  course.  He  even  refused  to- 
prosecute  those  who  attacked  his  consort,  holding 
that  the  Queen  is  part  of  himself,  and,  like  him- 
self, must  be  above  taking  notice  of  insults,  and 
must  bear  the  penalty  of  being  misunderstood,  or 
even  calumniated,  and  trust  confidently  to  the 
unerring  justice  of  time  for  vindication. 

The  King's  equable  temperament  has  enabled 
him  to  take  an  even  higher  flight.  For  let  us  not 
forget  that  it  is  possible  to  be  lenient,  even  for- 
giving, in  the  face  of  calumny,  and  yet  to  suffer 
agonies  of  torture  in  the  task  of  repressing  our 
wounded  feelings.  King  Charles  is  said  to  have 
read  many  scurrilous  pamphlets  and  papers 
directed  against  him  and  his  dynasty — for  singu- 
larly atrocious  examples  have  been  ready  to  his 
hand — and  to  have  been  able  sometimes  even  to 
discover  a  fund  of  humour  in  the  more  fantastic 
perversions  of  truth  which  they  contained. 

Speaking  of  one  of  the  most  outrageous  per- 
sonal attacks  ever  perpetrated  upon  him,  he  is 
reported  to  have  said  that  such  things  could  not 
touch  or  affect  him — that  he  stood  beyond  their 
reach.  Here  the  words  employed  by  Goethe 
regarding  his  deceased  friend  Schiller  might  well 
be  applied  : 


xx  INTRODUCTION 

Und  hinter  ihm  im  wesenlosen  Scheine 
Lag,  was  uns  Alle  bandigt :  das  Gemeine. 

His  absolute  indifference  towards  calumny  is 
doubtless  due  to  his  conviction  that  time  will  do 
him  justice — that  a  ruler  must  take  his  own 
course,  and  that  the  final  estimate  is  always  that 
of  posterity. 

IV 

One  who  for  years  has  lived  in  close  contact  with 
the  Roumanian  royal  family  gives  the  following 
sympathetic  and  yet  obviously  sincere  description 
of  the  personal  impression  the  King  creates  : 

"  King  Charles  had  attained  his  fiftieth  year 
when  I  saw  him  for  the  first  time.  There  is,  per- 
haps, no  other  stage  of  life  at  which  a  man  is  so 
truly  his  full  self  as  just  this  particular  age. 
The  physical  development  of  a  man  of  fifty  is 
long  completed,  whereas  on  the  other  hand  he 
has  not  yet  suffered  any  diminution  of  strength 
or  elasticity.  His  spiritual  individuality  is  also 
ripe  and  complete,  in  so  far  as  any  full,  deep 
nature  can  ever  be  said  to  have  completed  its 
development.  It  is  only  consonant  with  that 
true  nobility  which  precludes  every  effect  bor- 
rowed or  based  on  calculation,  that  the  first 
impression  the  King  makes  upon  the  stranger  is 
not  a  striking  one :  he  is  too  distinguished  to 
attract  attention  ;  too  genuine  to  create  an  effect 


INTRODUCTION  xxi 

for  the  eye  of  the  many.  An  artist  might  admire 
the  handsome  features  ;  but  the  King  lacks  the 
tall  figure,  the  impressive  mien  which  is  the  attri- 
bute of  the  hero  of  romance,  and  which  excites 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  crowd.  On  the  other  hand, 
his  slender  figure  of  medium  height  is  elegant 
and  well  knit ;  his  gait  is  energetic  and  graceful. 
His  sea-blue  eyes,  which  lie  deep  beneath  strong 
black  eyebrows — meeting  right  across  his  aquiline 
nose — now  and  then  take  a  restless  roving  ex- 
pression. They  are  those  of  an  eagle,  a  trite 
comparison  which  has  often  been  made  before. 
Moreover,  their  keenness  and  their  great  reach  of 
sight  justifies  an  affinity  with  the  king  of  birds." 
It  is  not  generally  known — but  it  is  true, 
nevertheless — that  the  King  of  Roumania  is  half 
French  by  descent.  His  grandmother  on  his 
father's  side  was  a  Princess  Murat,  and  his 
maternal  grandmother,  as  already  mentioned,  was 
a  French  lady  well  known  to  history  as  Stephanie 
Beauharnais,  the  adopted  daughter  of  the  first 
Napoleon,  and  later,  by  her  marriage,  Princess 
Stephanie  of  Baden.  It  is  to  this  combination  in 
his  ancestry  that  people  have  been  wont  to 
ascribe  some  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  the 
King.  His  personal  appearance — notably  the 
fine  clear-cut  profile — undoubtedly  recalls  the 
typical  features  of  the  old  French  nobility.  Also 
the  slight,  symmetrical,  and  graceful  figure  is 
rather  French  Beauharnais  than  German  Hohen- 


xxii  INTRODUCTION 

zollern.  His  gift  for  repartee — I'esprit  du  moment, 
as  it  is  so  aptly  styled — is  decidedly  French  ;  and 
perhaps  not  less  so  his  sanguine  temperament, 
which  has  stood  him  in  such  good  stead,  and 
encouraged  him  not  to  lose  heart  in  the  midst 
of  his  greatest  troubles,  particularly  years  ago, 
when  his  subjects  did  not  know  and  value  him  as 
they  do  now.  An  abnormal  capacity  for  work  and 
an  absolute  indifference  towards  every  form  of 
material  enjoyment — or  gratification  of  the  senses 
— have  also  singularly  fitted  him  for  what  pos- 
terity will  probably  deem  to  have  been  King- 
Charles's  most  striking  vocation  :  that  of  the 
politician.  And  his  success  as  a  politician  is  all 
the  more  remarkable,  since  his  youthful  training 
as  well  as  his  early  tastes  were  almost  exclusively 
those  of  the  Prussian  soldier.  He  even  lacked 
the  study  of  law  and  bureaucratic  administration, 
which  are  commonly  held  to  be  the  necessary 
groundwork  of  a  political  career.  Yet  not  an 
atom  of  German  dreaminess  is  to  be  detected 
in  him ;  nor  aught  of  roughness :  little  of  the 
insensible  hardness  of  iron ;  but  rather  some- 
thing of  the  fine  temper  of  steel — the  elasticity 
of  a  well-forged  blade — which,  though  it  will 
show  the  slightest  breath  of  damp,  and  bend  at 
times,  yet  flies  back  rigid  to  the  straight  line. 
Thus  I  am  assured  is  King  Charles  as  a  politician 
— not  to  be  swayed  or  tampered  with  by  influ- 
ences of  any  kind,  the  sober  moderation  of  an 


INTRODUCTION  xxiii 

independent  judgment  has,  in  fact,  never  deserted 
him.  It  is  also  owing  to  a  felicitous  tempera- 
ment that  he  has  always  been  able  to  encounter 
opposition — even  bitter  enmity — without  feeling 
its  effect  in  a  way  common  to  average  mankind. 

He  had  to  begin  by  acquiring  the  difficult  art 
of  "  taking  people,"  and  this — as  the  King  him- 
self admits — he  only  acquired  gradually.  How- 
ever, he  possessed  an  inborn  genius  for  the 
business  of  ruler.  By  nature  he  is  a  practical 
realist  whose  insatiable  appetite  for  facts,  faits 
politiques,  crowds  out  most  other  interests.  So 
he  quickly  profited  by  experience,  which,  added  to 
an  independence  of  judgment  which  he  always 
possessed,  has  made  him  an  opportunist  whose 
opportunity  always  means  the  welfare  of  his 
country.  In  dealing  with  public  questions  he 
endeavours  to  start  with  the  Gladstonian  open 
mind  :  i.e.,  by  having  no  fixed  opinion  of  his  own. 
He  listens  to  all — forms  his  own  opinion  in  doing 
so — and  invariably  finishes  by  impressing  and 
influencing  others.  He  even  indirectly  manipu- 
lates public  opinion  by  constantly  seeing  and 
conversing  with  a  vast  number  of  people.  For  in 
Roumania  there  is  no  class  favouritism  so  far  as 
access  to  the  monarch  is  concerned.  Anybody 
may  be  presented  at  Court,  and  on  any  Sunday 
afternoon  all  are  at  liberty  to  call  and  see  the 
King  even  without  the  formality  of  an  audience 
paper  to  fix  an  appointment. 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION 

Personal  favouritism  has  never  existed  under 
him.  In  fact,  so  thoroughly  has  he  realised  and 
carried  into  practice  what  he  considers  to  be  his 
duty  of  personal  impartiality,  that  he  once  vouch- 
safed the  following  justification  of  an  apparent 
harshness :  that  a  ruler  must  take  up  one  and 
drop  another  as  the  interests  of  the  country  re- 
quire. In  other  words,  he  must  not  allow  personal 
feeling  to  sway  him — whereas  in  private  life  he 
should  never  forsake  a  friend.  And  yet  withal 
King  Charles  is  anxiously  intent  upon  avoiding 
personal  responsibility — not  from  timidity,  but 
from  an  idea  that  it  is  irreconcilable  with  the 
dignity  of  a  constitutional  king  to  put  himself 
forward  in  this  way.  Thus  not  "  Le  Hoi  le  veut," 
but  rather  "  I  hold  it  to  be  in  the  public 
interest  that  such  and  such  a  thing  should  be 
done"  is  his  habitual  form  of  speech  in  council 
with  his  Ministers. 

One  of  the  King's  favourite  aphorisms  is  singu- 
larly suggestive  in  our  talkative  age  :  "It  is  not 
so  much  by  what  a  prince  does  as  by  what  he  says 
that  he  makes  enemies  !  "  Like  all  men  of  true 
genius  —  or  what  the  Germans  call  "geniale 
Naturen  " — King  Charles  is  of  simple,  unaffected 
nature  ;  *  without  a  taint  of  the  histrionic  in  his 
composition,  yet  gifted  with  great  reserve  force 

*  Lord  Macaulay  cites  the  Earl  of  Chatham  in  the  following 
words  as  the  exception  to  this  invariable  rule,  thus :  "  He 
was  an  almost  solitary  instance  of  a  man  of  real  genius,  and  of 


INTRODUCTION  xxv 

of  self-repression,  and  rare  powers  of  discernment 
and  well-balanced  judgment. 

With  all  the  pride  of  a  Hohenzoller,  a  sentiment 
which  he  never  relinquishes,  and  which,  indeed,  is 
a  constant  spur  to  regulate  his  conduct  by  a  high 
standard,  he  yet  holds  that  nobody  should  let  a 
servant  do  for  him  what  he  can  do  for  himself. 
Also,  he  has  ever  felt  an  unaffected  liking  for 
people  of  humble  station  who  lead  useful  lives,  and 
have  raised  themselves  honestly  by  their  own 
merit.  In  fact,  the  man  who  works — however 
lowly  his  sphere  of  life — is  nearer  to  his  sympathies 
than  one  whose  position  gives  him  an  excuse  for 
laziness.  He  instinctively  dislikes  the  "  loafer," 
whatever  his  birth.  He  admits  as  little  that 
exalted  position  is  an  excuse  for  a  useless  life  as 
that  it  should  be  put  forward  to  excuse  deviation 
from  the  principles  of  traditional  morality.  And 
in  this  respect  his  own  life,  which  has  been  sin- 
gularly marked  by  what  the  German  language 
terms  "  Sittenreinheit,"  "  purity  of  morals,"  offers 
an  impressive  justification  for  his  intolerance  upon 
this  one  particular  point. 


It  is  said  to  be  King  Charles's  earnest  conviction 
that  the  maxims  he  has  striven  to  put  into  practice 

a  brave,  lofty,  and  commanding  spirit,  without  simplicity  of 
character." — (William  Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham.)  Macaulay's 
"  Critical  and  Historical  Essays." 


xx  vi  INTRODUCTION 

are  the  only  possible  ones  upon  which  a  monarchy 
on  a  democratic  basis  can  hope  to  exist  in  our  time. 
But  here  he  is  obviously  attempting  to  award  to 
principle  what,  in  this  instance  at  least,  must  be 
largely  due  to  the  intuitive  gifts  of  an  extraordi- 
nary personality.  Maxims  are  all  very  well  so  far 
as  they  go,  but  they  did  not  go  the  whole  length  of 
the  way.  Did  not  even  Immanuel  Kant  himself 
admit  that,  during  a  long  experience  as  a  tutor, 
he  had  never  been  able  to  put  those  precepts  suc- 
cessfully into  practice  upon  which  his  work  on 
"  Piidagogik  "  is  founded  ?  Also  many  of  the 
difficulties  successfully  encountered  by  the  King 
of  Roumania  have  been  of  such  a  nature  as  cut- 
and-dry  application  of  precepts  or  maxims  would 
never  have  sufficed  to  vanquish.  Among  these 
may  be  cited  the  acute  crises  which  from  time  to 
time  have  been  the  product  of  bitter  party -warfare 
in  Roumania.  Thus,  during  the  Franco-German 
War,  when  the  sympathies  of  the  Roumanian 
people  were  with  the  French  to  a  man,  his  position 
was  one  of  extreme  difficulty.  The  spiteful  enmity 
he  encountered  in  those  days  taxed  his  endu- 
rance to  its  utmost  limits,  and  even  called  forth  a 
threat  of  abdication.  A  weaker  man  would  have 
left  his  post.  Again,  in  1888,  when  a  peasant 
rising  brought  about  by  party  intrigues  seemed 
to  threaten  the  results  of  many  years'  labour, 
even  experienced  statesmen  hinted  that  the 
Hohenzollern  dynasty  might  not  last  another  six 


INTRODUCTION  xxvii 

months.  The  King  was  advised  to  use  force  and 
fire  upon  the  rioters.  This  he  declined  to  do. 
He  simply  dismissed  the  Ministry  from  office,  and 
called  the  Opposition  into  power,  and  subsequent 
events  proved  that  his  decision  was  the  right  one. 
But  by  far  the  greatest  crisis  of  his  reign,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  greatest  test  of  his  nerve  and 
political  sagacity,  was  furnished  by  the  singularly 
difficult  situation  of  Roumania  during  the  Russo- 
Turkish  War  of  1877 :  here,  indeed,  the  very  exist- 
ence of  Roumania  was  at  stake.  The  situation  may 
be  read  between  the  lines  in  the  present  volume. 

The  King,  by  virtue  of  a  convention,  had 
allowed  the  Russians  to  march  through  Rou- 
mania, but  the  latter  had  declined  an  acceptable 
alliance  which  the  Roumanians  wished  for. 
When  things  in  Bulgaria  went  badly  with  the 
Russians,  they  wanted  to  call  upon  some  bodies 
of  Roumanian  troops  which  were  stationed  on  the 
banks  of  the  Danube.  The  King,  or,  as  he  was 
then,  Prince  Charles,  with  the  instinct  of  the 
soldier — and  in  this  case,  moreover,  of  the  far- 
sighted  politician — was  burning  to  let  Roumania 
take  her  share  in  the  struggle.  But  he  was  de- 
termined that  she  should  only  enter  the  fray — 
if  at  all — as  an  independent  belligerent  power. 
So  he  held  back — and  held  back  again,  risking  the 
grave  danger  which  might  accrue  to  Roumania, 
arid  above  all  to  himself,  from  ultimate  Russian 
resentment.  In  the  meantime,  the  Russians  were 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION 

defeated  in  the  battles  round  Plevna ;  still  he  held 
back ;  not  with  a  point-blank  refusal,  but  with  a 
dilatory  evasiveness  which  drove  the  Russians 
nearly  frantic.  For,  during  those  terrible  months 
of  July  and  August  1877,  in  which  their  soldiers 
were  dying  like  flies,  they  could  see  the  whole  Rou- 
manian army  standing  ready  mobilised,  but  motion- 
less, a  few  hours  away  to  the  north,  on  the  Danube 
— immovable  in  the  face  of  all  Muscovite  appeals 
for  assistance.  At  last  the  Russians  were  obliged 
to  accept  Prince  Charles's  conditions,  to  agree  to 
allow  him  the  independent  command  of  all  Rou- 
manian troops,  and  to  place  a  large  corps  of  Russian 
troops  besides  under  his  orders.  Then,  indeed,  the 
former  Prussian  lieutenant  started  within  twenty- 
four  hours,  after  playing  the  Russians  at  their 
own  game  for  four  months,  and  beating  them  at 
it  to  boot.  Had  Russia  refused  his  demands,  not 
a  single  Roumanian  would  have  entered  upon  that 
struggle  in  the  subsequent  course  of  which  their 
Sovereign  covered  himself  with  renown.  It  was 
no  part  of  his  business  as  the  ruler  of  Roumania  to 
seek  military  glory  per  se,  although  the  instinct 
for  such  was  strong  within  the  Hohenzoller.  Also 
on  the  llth  September,  the  battle  of  Grivitza — 
which  was  fought  against  his  advice — saw  him 
at  his  post,  and  sixteen  thousand  Russians  and 
Roumanians*  were  killed  and  wounded  under  his 

*  The  Roumanians  alone  lost  2659  killed  and  wounded  on 
that  day. 


INTRODUCTION  xxix 

command,  probably  a  greater  number  slain  in 
open  battle  in  one  day  than  England  has  lost  in 
all  her  wars  since  the  Crimea  !  Surely  there  was 
something  of  the  heroic  here ;  and  yet  it  could 
hardly  weigh  as  an  achievement  when  compared 
with  those  Fabian  tactics  which  preceded  it,  and 
the  execution  of  which,  until  the  psychological 
moment  came,  called  for  nerves  of  steel.  Hardly 
ever  has  la  politique  dilatoire — of  which  Prince 
Bismarck  was  such  a  master  in  his  dealings  with 
Benedetti — had  an  apter  exponent  than  King 
Charles  on  this  eventful  occasion.  And  its  re- 
sults, although  afterwards  curtailed  by  the 
decision  of  the  Berlin  Congress,  secured  the  in- 
dependence of  Roumania  and  its  creation  as  a 
kingdom. 

VI 

King  Charles  is  peculiarly  German  in  his 
passionate  love  of  nature.  At  Sinaja  —  his 
summer  residence  —  he  looks  after  his  trees 
with  the  same  solicitude  which  filled  his  great 

o 

countryman,  Prince  Bismarck.  He  spends  his 
holidays  by  preference  amid  romantic  scenery 
— at  Abbazia,  on  the  blue  Adriatic,  or  in  Swit- 
zerland. He  visits  Ragatz  nearly  every  year, 
and  thoroughly  enjoys  his  stay  among  the  bluff 
Swiss  burghers.  It  is  impossible  for  him  to 
conceal  his  identity  there ;  but  he  does  his 
best  to  avoid  the  dreaded  royalty-hunting  tourist 


xxx  INTRODUCTION 

of  certain  nationalities,  and  finds  an  endless  fund 
of  amusement  in  the  rough  politeness  of  the 
inhabitants,  with  their  customary  greeting : 
"  Herr  Konig,  beehren  Sie  uns  bald  ivieder " — 
"  Mr.  King,  pray  honour  us  again  with  your 
visit." 

He  also  loves  to  roam  at  will  unknown  among 
the  venerable  buildings  of  towns,  such  as  Vienna 
and  Munich,  to  look  at  the  picture  and  art 
galleries,  and  gather  ideas  of  the  way  to  obtain 
for  his  own  people  some  of  those  treasures  of 
culture  which  he  admires  in  the  great  centres 
of  civilisation.  He  has  even,  at  great  personal 
sacrifice,  collected  quite  a  respectable  gallery  of 
pictures  at  Bucharest  and  Sinaja. 

If  T  have  dwelt  somewhat  at  length  upon  the 
King's  personal  characteristics  and  his  political 
methods,  it  has  been  in  order  to  assist  the  reader 
to  appreciate  what  kind  of  man  he  is,  and  so  the 
more  readily  to  understand  cause  and  effect  in  esti- 
mating how  the  apparently  impossible  grew  into 
an  accomplished  fact.  This  seemed  to  be  all  the 
more  necessary  as  the  "  Reminiscences"  themselves 
— far  more  of  a  diary  than  a  "  Life  " — are  conceived 
in  a  spirit  of  rarely  dispassionate  impartiality. 
The  letters,  in  particular,  addressed  to  the  King 
by  his  father — whilst  they  afford  us  a  sympathetic 
insight  into  a  charming  relationship  between 
father  and  son — do  credit  to  the  fearless  spirit  of 
the  latter  in  publishing  them ;  and  the  frankness 


INTRODUCTION  xxxi 

with  which  the  most  painful  situations  are  placed 
on  record  can  scarcely  fail  to  elicit  the  sympathy 
and  respect  of  the  reader.  In  fact,  the  book  con- 
tains passages  which  it  would  trouble  the  self-love 
of  many  a  man  to  publish.  This  it  is,  however, 
which  stamps  it  with  the  invaluable  hall-mark  of 
veracity,  whilst,  at  the  same  time,  it  leaves  the 
reader  full  liberty  to  form  his  own  judgment. 

SIDNEY  WHITMAN. 


REMINISCENCES   OF   THE 
KING   OF   ROUMANIA 

CHAPTER    I 

THE  PRINCIPALITIES  OF  MOLDAVIA  AND 
WALLACHIA 

AFTER  the  conquest  of  the  Balkan  Peninsula  by 
the  Turks,  who  were  intent  on  extending  the 
Ottoman  Empire  even  to  the  north  of  the  Danube, 
there  was  little  left  for  the  Roumanian  Principa- 
lities of  Moldavia  and  Wallachia,  deserted  and 
abandoned  to  their  fate  by  the  neighbouring 
Christian  States,  except  to  make  the  best  possible 
terms  with  the  victorious  followers  of  the  Crescent. 
Each  Principality,  therefore,  concluded  separate 
conventions  with  the  Sublime  Porte,  by  means 
of  which  they  aimed  at  domestic  independence 
in  return  for  the  payment  of  tribute  and  mili- 
tary service.  These  conventions  or  capitulations 
were  not  infrequently  violated  by  the  Turks  as 
well  as  by  the  Roumanian  Hospodars  or  Princes. 


2  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Though  the  rulers  of  Bucharest  and  Jassy  were 
appointed  and  dismissed  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
Grand  Seignior,  the  very  existence  of  the  Princi- 
palities was  due  solely  to  the  provisions  of  the 
treaties  above  mentioned,  by  virtue  of  which  they 
escaped  incorporation  in  the  Ottoman  Empire ; 
nor  were  the  nobility  of  Moldavia  and  Wallachia 
forced  to  follow  the  example  of  their  equals  in 
Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  in  embracing  Islam,  in 
order  to  maintain  their  power  over  the  Christian 
population.  Still  the  Principalities  of  the  Danube 
did  not  entirely  escape  the  ruin  and  misery  which 
befell  Bulgaria  and  Houmelia ;  but,  since  the 
forms  and  outward  appearance  of  administrative 
independence  remained,  it  was  yet  possible  that 
the  Roumanian  patriot  might  develop  his  country 
socially  and  politically  without  threatening  the 
immediate  interests  of  the  Turkish  Empire  south 
of  the  Danube. 

Chief  amongst  the  difficulties  which  beset  the 
regeneration  of  lloumania  was  the  rule  of  the 
Phanariotes,*  to  whom  the  Porte  had  practically 
handed  over  the  territories  of  the  Lower  Danube. 
The  dignity  of  Hospodart  was  confined  to  members 
of  the  great  Phanariot  families,  who  oppressed 

*  An  oligarchy  of  Greek  families  in  Turkey,  from  which  a 
large  proportion  of  high  stations  in  the  Turkish  administration 
were  filled. 

t  Hospodar :  Old  Slavonic  term  for  Lord  or  Master  applied 
to  the  reigning  Princes  in  Wallachia  and  Moldavia. 


MOLDAVIA  AND  WALLACHIA  3 

and  misruled  the  whole  country,  whilst  the  Greek 
nobles  in  their  train  not  only  monopolised  all 
offices  and  dignities,  but  even  poisoned  the 
national  spirit  by  their  corrupt  system.  Even 
to-day  Roumania  suffers  from  the  after-effects  of 
Levantine  misrule,  which  blunted  the  public  con- 
science and  confused  all  moral  conceptions. 

Since  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
Danubian  Principalities  have  attracted  the  unenvi- 
able notice  of  Russia,  whose  objective,  Constanti- 
nople, is  covered  by  them.  In  less  than  a  century, 
from  1768  to  1854,  these  unfortunate  countries 
suffered  no  less  than  six  Russian  occupations,  and 
as  many  reconquests  by  the  Turks.  It  speaks 
highly  for  the  national  spirit  of  the  Roumanians 
that  they  should  have  borne  the  miseries  entailed 
by  these  wars  without  relapsing  into  abject  callous- 
ness and  apathy ;  and  that,  on  the  contrary,  the 
memory  of  their  former  national  independence 
should  have  continued  to  gather  fresh  life,  and  that 
their  wish  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  their  bondage, 
be  it  Russian  or  Turkish,  should  have  grown 
stronger  with  the  lapse  of  time.  The  Hospodars, 
appointed  by  the  Russians,  were  hindered  in  every 
way  by  the  Turks  in  their  task  of  awakening  the 
national  spirit  and  preparing  the  way  for  the  regene- 
ration of  their  enslaved  people.  Besides  this,  many 
of  these  Hospodars  were  prejudiced  against  the 
introduction  of  reforms  which  could  only  endanger 
their  own  interests  and  positions.  They  were, 


4  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

therefore,  far  more  disposed  to  seek  the  protection 
of  foreign  States  than  to  rely  upon  the  innate 
strength  of  the  people  they  governed.  Such  were 
the  causes  that  hindered  the  development  of  the 
moral  and  material  resources  of  the  Roumanian 
nation. 

The  ideas  from  time  to  time  conceived  by  the 
rulers  of  Russia  for  the  unification  of  the  Princi- 
palities were  based  solely  on  selfish  aims  and 
considerations.  Thus,  for  instance,  a  letter  dated 
September  10,  1782,  from  Catherine  II.,  who  gave 
the  Russian  Empire  its  present  shape  and  direc- 
tion, to  the  Emperor  Joseph  II.,  shows  clearly 
that  the  state  then  proposed,  consisting  of 
Wallachia,  Moldavia  and  Bessarabia,  was  to  be 
merely  a  Russian  outpost,  governed  by  a  Russian 
nominee,  against  the  Ottoman  Empire.  Even  in 
this  century  (1834)  Russia  would  have  been 
prepared  to  further  the  unification  of  the  Princi- 
palities, if  only  they  and  the  other  Great  Powers 
had  declared  themselves  content  to  accept  a  ruler 
drawn  from  the  Imperial  House  of  Russia,  or  some 
closely  allied  prince.  As,  however,  this  was  not 
the  case,  the  Russian  project  was  laid  aside  in 
favour  of  a  policy  of  suppressing  the  national 
spirit  by  means  of  the  Czar's  influence  as  pro- 
tector. The  Sublime  Porte,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  straining  every  nerve  to  maintain  the  pre- 
vailing state  of  affairs.  And  finally,  Austria,  the 
third  neighbour  of  the  Principalities,  hesitated 


MOLDAVIA  AND  WALLACHIA  5 

between  its  desire  to  gain  possession  of  the  mouths 
of  the  Danube  by  annexing  Wallachia  and 
Moldavia,  and  its  disinclination  to  increase  the 
number  of  its  Roumanian  subjects  by  four  or  five 
millions,  and  thereby  to  strengthen  those  incom- 
patible elements  beyond  the  limits  of  prudence. 
At  the  same  time  Austria  looked  upon  the  interior 
development  of  Roumania  with  an  even  more 
unfavourable  eye  than  Russia,  and  it  seemed  as 
though  Moldavia  and  Wallachia,  in  spite  of  the 
ever  increasing  desire  of  their  inhabitants  for  union 
and  for  the  development  of  their  resources,  so  long 
restrained,  were  condemned  to  remain  for  ever  in 
their  lamentable  condition  by  the  jealousy  of  their 
three  powerful  neighbours. 

At  length  came  the  February  Revolution  of 
1848  in  Paris,  the  effects  of  which  were  felt  even 
in  far  Roumania.  An  insurrection  arose  in 
Moldavia :  the  Hospodar  was  forced  to  abdicate ; 
and  a  Provisional  Government,  the  Lieutenance 
Princiere*  was  formed  at  Bucharest,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  frame  a  constitution  embodying  the 
freedom  of  the  Press,  the  abolition  of  serfdom  and 
all  the  privileges  of  the  nobility.  The  earlier 
state  of  affairs  was,  however,  restored  on  Sep- 
tember 25  of  the  same  year  by  the  combined 
action  of  the  Russians  and  the  Turks,  with  the 

*  The  so-called  Lieutenance  Princiere  was  a  kind  of  governor- 
ship or  regency  which  was  formed  after  Prince  Kusa's  fall,  and 
consisted  of  the  chiefs  of  all  the  recognised  political  parties 


6  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

result  that  the  Principalities  for  a  time  lost  even 
the  last  remnants  of  their  former  independence, 
and  the  power  of  the  Hospodars  was  hedged  in 
with  such  narrow  restrictions  by  the  Treaty  of 
Balta  Liman  (May  1,  1849)  that  they  could 
undertake  no  initiative  without  the  sanction  of 
the  Russian  and  Turkish  commissaries,  under 
whose  control  they  were  placed. 

The  Crimean  War  brought  with  it  emancipation 
from  the  Russian  protectorate,  but  although  the 
situation  was  now  improving,  much  was  still 
necessary  before  the  Roumanians  could  regain 
their  domestic  independence.  A  French  protector 
had  taken  the  place  of  the  Russian.  The 
pressure,  it  is  true,  was  by  no  means  so  severe, 
nor  was  it  felt  so  directly  as  formerly,  yet 
the  country  perforce  suffered  no  inconsiderable 
damage,  both  moral  and  material,  from  the  half- 
voluntary,  half-compulsory  compliance  with  the 
wishes  of  the  French  ruler.  Napoleon  wished  to 
elevate  Roumania,  the  "  Latin  sister  nation,"  into 
a  French  dependency,  and  thereby  to  make  France 
the  decisive  factor  in  the  Oriental  question.  A 
willing  tool  was  found  in  the  person  of  the  new 
Hospodar  of  the  now  united  Principalities,  and 
thenceforth  everything  was  modelled  upon  French 
pattern. 

An  international  Commission  assembled  in 
Bucharest  in  1857,  together  with  a  Divan  con- 
voked by  an  Imperial  Firman  for  Moldavia  and 


MOLDAVIA  AND  WALLACHIA  7 

Wallachia,  to  consider  the  question  of  the  future 
position  of  the  Danubian  Principalities.  The  de- 
liberations of  these  two  bodies,  however,  resulted 
in  nothing,  as  neither  the  Sublime  Porte  nor  the 
Great  Powers  were  inclined  to  agree  to  the  pro- 
gramme submitted  to  them,  the  main  features  of 
which  were :  the  union  of  the  two  Principalities 
as  a  neutral,  autonomous  state  under  the  here- 
ditary sovereignty  of  a  prince  of  a  European 
dynasty,  and  the  introduction  of  a  constitution. 
A  conference  held  at  Paris,  on  the  other  hand, 
decided  that  each  Principality  should  elect  a 
native  Hospodar,  subject  to  the  Sultan's  confir- 
mation. 

The  desire  for  national  unity  had,  however, 
become  so  strong  that  the  newly  elected  legis- 
lative bodies  of  both  countries  rebelled  against  the 
decision  of  the  Great  Powers,  and  elected  Colonel 
Alexander  Kusa  as  their  ruler  in  1859.  Personal 
union  was  thus  achieved,  though  the  election  of  a 
foreign  prince  had,  for  the  time  being,  to  be 
abandoned.  Still  Prince  Kusa  was  required  to 
pledge  his  word  to  abdicate  should  an  oppor- 
tunity arrive  for  the  closer  union  of  the  two 
countries  under  the  rule  of  a  foreign  prince. 

Guided  by  the  advice  of  the  Great  Powers,  the 
Sultan  confirmed  the  election  of  Prince  Kusa,  but 
by  means  of  two  Firmans,  a  diplomatic  sleight  of 
hand,  by  which  the  fait  accompli  of  the  irregular 
union  remained  undisturbed,  albeit  unrecognised. 


8  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Formal  sanction  to  the  union  was  not  conceded  by 
the  Sublime  Porte  until  1861.  Prince  Kusa, 
whose  private  life  was  by  no  means  above  re- 
proach, endeavoured  to  fulfil  in  public  the 
patriotic  ambition  of  furthering  his  people's  pro- 
gress. But  Boumania  at  that  period  was  not 
prepared  for  the  purely  parliamentary  form  of 
government  it  had  assumed,  and  the  well-meant 
reforms  initiated  by  the  Prince  and  the  Chamber 
achieved  no  immediate  result.  Prince  Kusa, 
therefore,  felt  himself  compelled  to  abolish  the 
Election  Laws  by  a  coup  d'etat,  and  to  frame  a 
new  one,  which  obtained  the  sanction  of  the 
Sublime  Porte,  and  eventually  the  approval  of  the 
majority  of  the  nation. 

The  increased  liberty  of  action  gained  by  the 
Prince  was  utilised  to  the  full  in  formulating  a 
series  of  necessary  and  excellent  reforms ;  he 
failed,  however,  to  place  the  budget  on  a  satis- 
factory footing,  and  the  finances  remained  in  the 
same  unfavourable  condition  as  before,  whilst 
several  of  his  measures  were  directly  opposed  to 
the  interests  of  certain  factions  and  classes  of  the 
population.  In  addition  to  these  difficulties, 
scandals  arose  which  were  based  only  too  firmly 
upon  the  extremely  lax  life  which  Prince  Kusa 
led,  and  a  conspiracy  was  formed  for  his  over- 
throw which  found  a  ready  support  throughout 
the  land.  The  Palace  at  Bucharest  was  surprised 
on  the  night  of  February  22,  1866,  by  a  band  of 


MOLDAVIA  AND  WALLACHIA  9 

armed  men,  who  forced  the  Prince  to  abdicate 
and  quit  the  country.  This  accomplished,  the 
leaders  of  the  various  parties  assembled  arid 
formed  a  Provisional  Government  under  the 
Lieutenance  Princiere,  or  regency,  which  consisted 
of  General  N.  Golesku,  Colonel  Haralambi  and 
Lascar  Catargiu. 

The  Chamber  at  once  proceeded  to  elect  a  new 
ruler,  and  their  first  choice  fell  upon  the  Count  of 
Flanders,  the  younger  brother  of  the  King  of 
Belgium.  Napoleon  III.,  however,  who  was  then 
still  able  to  play  the  arbitrator  in  the  affairs  of 
Europe,  hinted  that  the  Count  would  be  better 
advised  to  decline  the  proffered  crown.  The 
Emperor's  wish  was  acceded  to,  and,  although 
the  Provisional  Government  for  a  time  appeared 
to  persist  in  the  election  of  the  Count  of  Flanders, 
Roumania  was  ultimately  forced  to  look  for  a 
candidate  whose  election  would  not  be  opposed 
by  any  of  the  Great  Powers. 

The  choice  was  difficult,  if  not  impossible ;  for 
the  Paris  Conference,  which  had  reassembled  in 
the  meantime,  had  decided  against  the  union  of  the 
Principalities ;  and,  unless  Roumania  could  attain 
its  object  semi-officially  by  the  favour  of  the  Great 
Powers,  the  position  was  hopeless. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  serious,  not  to  say  alarming, 
situation  ;  for  a  war  between  Prussia  and  Austria 
for  the  hegemony  of  Germany  was  imminent,  and 
threatened  to  lead  to  further  complications  in  the 


10  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

East.  If  the  election  were  delayed  until  after  the 
outbreak  of  hostilities,  one  of  the  belligerent  parties 
was  certain  to  reject  the  candidate  whose  election 
the  other  approved,  whilst  Russia  would  take 
advantage  of  the  interregnum  to  stir  up  the 
whole  of  Roumania,  especially  Moldavia,  against 
the  union ;  for  anything  that  might  tend  to 
impede  the  Russian  advance  upon  Constantinople 
could  not  fail  to  evoke  the  most  lively  hostility 
in  St.  Petersburg.  It  was,  therefore,  upon 
France  and  her  Emperor  that  all  the  hopes 
of  the  Roumanians  reposed :  with  Napoleon  on 
their  side  everything  was  possible,  without  him 
nothing. 

The  leading  Roumanian  statesmen  were  well 
aware  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way,  and  eventually 
fixed  upon  Prince  Charles  of  Hohenzollern  as  their 
candidate,  for  he  was  related  to  both  the  French 
and  Prussian  dynasties,  upon  whose  goodwill  and 
support  he  might  confidently  reckon.  It  was  of 
the  utmost  importance,  therefore,  to  move  him 
to  accept  their  offer  at  once,  and  to  obtain  the 
sanction  of  the  nation  by  a  plebiscite. 


CHAPTER    II 

THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE 

THE  Roumanian  delegate,  Joan  Bratianu,  arrived 
at  Diisseldorf  on  Good  Friday  1866,  to  lay  the 
offer  of  the  Roumanian  people  before  Prince 
Charles  and  his  father.  In  an  audience  granted 
by  the  latter  on  the  following  day,  March  31, 
Bratianu  announced  the  intention  of  the  Lieu- 
tenance  Princiere,  inspired  by  Napoleon  III.,  to 
advance  Prince  Charles  Anthony's  second  son, 
Charles,  as  a  candidate  for  the  throne  of  the  Princi- 
palities. Bratianu  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  private 
interview  with  Prince  Charles  the  same  evening, 
in  order  to  acquaint  the  latter  with  the  political 
situation,  and  to  point  out  the  danger  which  must 
inevitably  be  incurred  if  the  present  Provisional 
Government  remained  in  power.  Prince  Charles 
replied  that  he  possessed  courage  enough  to 
accept  the  offer,  but  feared  that  he  was  not  equal 
to  the  task,  adding  that  nothing  was  known  of 
the  intentions  of  the  King  of  Prussia,  without 
whose  permission,  as  chief  of  the  family,  he  could 


12  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

not  take  so  important  a  step.  He  therefore 
declined  for  the  moment  to  give  any  definite 
answer  to  the  proposals  of  the  Roumanian  Gov- 
ernment. Bratianu  returned  to  Paris,  after 
promising  to  take  no  immediate  steps  in  the 
matter.  Prince  Charles  Anthony  without  delay 
addressed  a  memorial  regarding  this  offer  to  the 
King  of  Prussia,  and  clearly  defined  the  circum- 
stances which  had  led  to  his  taking  this  step.  A 
similar  communication  was  forwarded  to  the 
President  of  the  Prussian  Ministry. 

A  few  days  later  Prince  Charles  arrived  in 
Berlin,  and  at  once  visited  the  King,  the  Crown 
Prince,  and  Prince  Frederick  Charles,  as  he  re- 
ported in  a  letter  to  his  father  : 

"  The  King  made  no  mention  of  the  Roumanian 
question  at  the  interview,  but  the  Crown  Prince, 
on  the  other  hand,  entered  into  a  minute  discus- 
sion with  me,  and  did  not  appear  to  be  at  all 
against  the  idea.  The  only  thing  that  displeased 
him  was  that  the  candidature  was  inspired  by 
France,  as  he  feared  that  the  latter  might  demand 
a  rectification  of  the  frontier  from  Prussia  in  re- 
turn for  this  good  office.  I  replied  that  I  did  not 
consider  that  the  Emperor  Napoleon  had  thought 
of  such  a  bargain,  but  had  been  induced  to  take 
the  initiative  in  this  matter  by  family  feeling  rather 
than  by  any  selfish  consideration.  The  Crown 
Prince,  moreover,  considered  it  a  great  honour  that 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          13 

so  difficult  a  task  had  been  offered  to  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Hohenzollern,  Prince  Frederick  Charles 
also  at  once  started  upon  a  minute  discussion  of 
the  Roumanian  question.  He  seemed  to  be  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  the  issue,  and  volunteered 
the  opinion  that  I  was  intended  for  better  things 
than  to  rule  tributary  Principalities  :  he  therefore 
advised  me  to  decline  the  offer." 

The  following  telegram,  published  in  the  Press, 
was  handed  to  Prince  Charles  as  he  was  sitting 
with  his  comrades  at  the  regimental  mess-table  : 

"  BUCHAREST,  i  $ih  April. 

"  The  Lieutenance  Princiere  and  Ministry  have 
announced  the  candidature  of  Prince  Charles  of 
Hohenzollern  as  Prince  of  Houmania,  under  the 
title  of  Charles  I.,  by  means  of  placards  at  the 
street  corners  ;  it  is  rumoured  that  the  Prince  will 
arrive  here  shortly.  The  populace  appeared  de- 
lighted by  the  news." 

The  Prince  at  once  visited  Colonel  von  Rauch, 
who  had  been  entrusted  with  the  delivery  of 
Prince  Charles  Anthony's  memorial  to  the  King, 
and  learnt  that  an  answer  would  be  sent  on 
April  16.  The  following  report  was  despatched 
to  Prince  Charles  Anthony  by  his  messenger  on 
the  14th:  "I  was  commanded  to  attend  their 
Majesties  at  the  Soiree  Musicale  yesterday 
evening.  The  King  took  me  into  a  side  room 


14  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  expressed  himself  as  follows :  '  I  have  not 
yet  replied  to  the  Prince,  because  I  am  still 
waiting  for  news  from  Paris,  as  the  Porte 
has  declared  its  intention  of  recalling  its  am- 
bassador from  the  Conference  if  the  election  of 
a  foreign  prince  is  discussed. 

"  '  Should  the  protecting  States  have  regard  to 
this  declaration  of  the  Porte,  the  election  of  a 
Hohenzollern  prince  would  be  rendered  impossible; 
on  the  other  hand,  should  the  majority  decide  for 
a  foreign  prince,  and  the  coming  Chamber  in 
Bucharest  follow  their  example,  the  whole  matter 
would  enter  upon  a  new  phase.  However,  that  I 
may  not  keep  the  Prince  waiting,  I  shall  express 
my  opinions  shortly  as  to  the  future  acceptance  or 
refusal  of  the  Roumanian  crown." 

The  King  of  Prussia  forwarded  the  following 
autograph  letter  to  the  young  Hohenzollern  prince 
early  the  next  morning : 

"Your  father  has,  no  doubt,  imparted  to  you 
the  enclosed  (telegram  from  Bratianu).  You  will 
remain  quite  passive.  Great  obstacles  have  arisen, 
as  Russia  and  the  Porte  are  so  far  opposed  to  a 

foreign  prince. 

"  WILLIAM." 

The  telegram  ran  thus  : 

"  Five  million  Roumanians  proclaim  Prince 
Charles,  the  son  of  your  Royal  Highness,  as  their 
sovereign.  Eveiy  church  is  open,  and  the  voice  of 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          15 

the  clergy  rises  with  that  of  the  people  in  prayer 
to  the  Eternal,  that  their  Elected  may  be  blessed 
and  rendered  worthy  of  his  ancestors  and  the 
trust  reposed  in  him  by  the  whole  nation. 

"J.  C.  BRATIANU." 

The  long  expected  reply  from  the  Prussian 
monarch  arrived  at  Diisseldorf  on  April  16.  After 
discussing  the  probable  moral  and  material  bonds 
of  union  which  would  unite  Prussia  and  Roumania 
in  the  event  of  the  offer  being  accepted,  the  King 
continued  : 

"  The  question  is  whether  the  position  of  your 
son  and  his  descendants  would  really  be  as  favour- 
able as  might  otherwise  be  expected  ?  For  the 
present  the  ruler  of  Roumania  will  continue  as  a 
vassal  of  the  Porte.  Is  this  a  dignified  and 
acceptable  position  for  a  Hohenzollern  ?  And 
though  it  may  be  expected  that  in  future  this 
position  will  be  exchanged  for  that  of  an  indepen- 
dent sovereignty,  still  the  date  of  the  realisation 
of  this  aim  is  very  remote,  and  will  probably  be 
preceded  by  political  convulsions  through  which 
the  ruler  of  the  Danubian  Principalities  might 
perhaps  be  unable  to  retain  his  position !  With 
such  an  outlook,  are  not  the  present  position  and 
prospects  of  your  son  happier  than  the  life  which 
is  offered  him  ? 

"  Even  in  the  event  of  my  consenting  to  the 


16  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

election  of  one  of  your  sons  to  the  throne  of 
Roumania,  is  there  any  guarantee  that  this  elec- 
tive sovereignty,  even  if  it  becomes  hereditary, 
will  remain  faithful  to  him  who  is  now  chosen  ? 
The  past  of  these  countries  shows  the  contrary  ; 
and  the  experience  of  other  States,  ancient  and 
well  established,  as  well  as  newly  created  and 
elective  empires,  shows  how  uncertain  such  struc- 
tures are  in  our  times. 

"  But,  above  all,  we  must  take  into  consideration 
the  attitude  of  the  Powers  represented  at  the 
Paris  Conference  to  this  question  of  election. 
Two  questions  still  remain  undecided :  (a)  Is 
there  to  be  an  union  or  not  ?  (6)  Is  there  to  be  a 
foreign  Prince  or  not  ? 

"  Russia  and  the  Porte  are  against  the  union, 
but  it  appears  that  England  will  join  the  majority, 
and  if  she  decides  for  the  union  the  Porte  will  be 
obliged  to  submit. 

"  In  the  same  way  both  the  former  States  are 
opposed  to  the  election  of  a  foreign  Prince  as  the 
ruler  of  the  Danubian  Principalities.  I  have  men- 
tioned this  attitude  of  the  Porte,  and  yesterday 
we  received  a  message  from  Russia  to  say  that  it 
was  not  disposed  to  agree  to  the  project  of  your 
son's  election,  and  that  it  will  demand  a  resump- 
tion of  the  Conference.  All  these  events  prevent 
the  hope  of  a  simple  solution.  I  must  therefore 
urge  you  to  consider  these  matters  again.  Even 
should  Russia,  against  its  will  of  course,  consent 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          17 

to  the  election  of  a  foreign  Prince,  it  is  to  be 
expected  that  intrigue  after  intrigue  will  take 
place  in  Roumania  between  Russia  and  Austria. 
And  since  Austria  will  more  willingly  vote  for 
such  an  election,  Roumania  would  be  forced  to 
rely  upon  her  as  against  Russia,  and  so  the  newly 
created  country  with  its  dynasty  would  be  on  the 
side  of  the  chief  opponent  of  Prussia,  though  the 
latter  is  to  provide  the  Prince  ! 

"  You  will  gather  from  what  I  have  said  that, 
from  dynastic  and  political  considerations,  I  do  not 
consider  this  important  question  quite  as  couleur 
de  rose  as  you  do.  In  any  case  we  must  await  the 
news  which  the  next  few  days  will  bring  us  from 
Bucharest,  St.  Petersburg,  and  Constantinople,  and 
we  must  see  whether  the  Paris  Conference  will 
reassemble  immediately. 

"  Your  faithful  Cousin  and  Friend, 

«  WILLIAM." 

"  P.S. — A  note  received  to-day  from  the  French 
Ambassador  proves  that  the  Emperor  Napoleon  is 
favourably  inclined  to  the  plan.  This  is  very 
important.  The  position  will  only  be  tenable  if 
Russia  agrees,  as  she  is  influential  in  Roumania 
on  account  of  her  professing  the  same  religion 
and  owing  to  her  geographical  proximity  and 
old  associations.  These  constitute  an  influence 
against  which  a  new  Prince  in  a  weak  and  divided 
country  would  not  be  able  to  contend  for  any 


18  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

length  of  time.  If  you  are  desirous  of  prosecuting 
this  affair  your  son  must,  above  all  things,  gain 
the  consent  of  Russia.  It  is  true  that  up  to  now 
the  prospect  of  success  is  remote.  ..." 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  replied,  assuring  the 
King  that,  although  the  examples  of  such  enter- 
prises in  Greece  and  Mexico  had  proved  disastrous, 
yet  the  complications  which  might  arise  from 
Koumania  were  not  likely  to  affect  the  prestige 
of  Prussia,  and  he  therefore  begged  his  Majesty 
not  to  refuse  his  consent  so  long  as  there  was  a 
chance  of  arranging  the  matter.  A  most  im- 
portant interview  then  took  place  between  Count 
Bismarck  and  Prince  Charles  at  the  Berlin  resi- 
dence of  the  former,  who  was  at  that  time  confined 
to  his  house  by  illness. 

Bismarck  opened  the  conversation  with  the 
words  :  "I  have  requested  your  Serene  Highness 
to  visit  me,  not  in  order  to  converse  with  you  as  a 
statesman,  but  quite  openly  and  freely  as  a  friend 
and  an  adviser,  if  I  may  use  the  expression.  You 
have  been  unanimously  elected  by  a  nation  to  rule 
over  them ;  obey  the  summons.  Proceed  at  once 
to  the  country,  to  the  government  of  which  you 
have  been  called  !  " 

Prince  Charles  replied  that  this  course  was 
out  of  the  question,  unless  the  King  gave  his 
permission,  although  he  felt  quite  equal  to  the 
task. 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          19 

"  All  the  more  reason/'  replied  the  Count.  "  In 
this  case  you  have  no  need  for  the  direct  permis- 
sion of  the  King.  Ask  the  King  for  leave — leave 
to  travel  abroad.  The  King  (I  know  him  well) 
will  nott  be  slow  to  understand,  and  to  see 
through  your  intention.  You  will,  moreover, 
remove  the  decision  out  of  his  hands,  a  most 
welcome  relief  to  him,  as  he  is  politically  tied 
down.  Once  abroad,  you  resign  your  commission 
and  proceed  to  Paris,  where  you  will  ask  the 
Emperor  for  a  private  interview.  You  might 
then  lay  your  intentions  before  Napoleon,  with  the 
request  that  he  will  interest  himself  in  your  affairs 
and  promote  them  amongst  the  Powers.  In  my 
opinion  this  is  the  only  method  of  tackling  the 
matter,  if  your  Serene  Highness  thinks  at  all  of 
accepting  the  crown  in  question.  On  the  other 
hand,  should  this  question  come  before  the  Paris 
Conference,  it  will  not  take  months  merely,  but  even 
years  to  settle.  The  two  Powers  most  interested 
— Russia  and  the  Porte — will  protest  emphati- 
cally against  your  election  ;  France,  England,  and 
Italy  will  be  on  your  side,  whilst  Austria  will 
make  every  endeavour  to  ruin  your  candidature. 
From  Austria  there  is,  however,  not  much  to  fear, 
as  I  propose  to  give  her  occupation  for  some  time 

to  come ! As  regards  us,  Prussia  is  placed 

in  the  most  difficult  position  of  all :  on  account  of 
her  political  and  geographical  situation  she  has 
always  held  aloof  from  the  Eastern  Question  and 


20  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

has  only  striven  to  make  her  voice  heard  in  the 
Council  of  the  Powers.  In  this  particular  case, 
however,  I,  as  Prussian  Minister,  should  have  to 
decide  against  you,  however  hard  it  would  be  for 
me,  for  at  the  present  moment  I  must  not  come  to 
a  rupture  with  Russia,  nor  pledge  our  State 
interest  for  the  sake  of  family  interest.  By  inde- 
pendent action  on  the  part  of  your  Highness  the 
King  would  escape  this  painful  dilemma;  and, 
although  he  cannot  give  his  consent  as  head  of  the 
family,  I  am  convinced  that  he  will  not  be  against 
this  idea,  which  I  would  willingly  communicate 
to  him  if  he  would  do  me  the  honour  of  visiting 
me  here.  When  once  your  Serene  Highness  is  in 
Eoumania  the  question  would  soon  be  solved ;  for 
when  Europe  is  confronted  by  a,  fait  accompli  the 
interested  Powers  will,  it  is  true,  protest,  but  the 
protest  will  be  only  on  paper,  and  the  fact  cannot 
be  undone !  " 

The  Prince  then  pointed  out  that  Russia  and 
Turkey  might  adopt  offensive  measures,  but 
Bismarck  denied  this  possibility :  "  The  most 
disastrous  contingencies,  especially  for  Russia, 
might  result  from  forcible  measures.  I  advise 
your  Serene  Highness  to  write  an  autograph  letter 
to  the  Czar  of  Russia  before  your  departure,  say- 
ing that  you  see  in  Russia  your  most  powerful 
protector,  and  that  with  Russia  you  hope  some 
day  to  solve  the  Eastern  Question.  A  matrimonial 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          21 

alliance  also  might  be  mooted,  which  would  give 
you  great  support  in  Russia." 

In  reply  to  a  question  as  to  the  attitude  of 
Prussia  to  a  fait  accompli,  Bismarck  declared : 
"We  shall  not  be  able  to  avoid  recognising  the 
fact  and  devoting  our  full  interest  to  the  matter. 
Your  courageous  resolve  is  therefore  certain  to  be 
received  here  with  applause." 

The  Prince  then  asked  whether  the  Count 
advised  him  to  accept  the  crown,  or  whether  it 
would  be  better  to  let  the  matter  drop. 

"  If  I  had  not  been  in  favour  of  the  course  pro- 
posed, I  should  not  have  permitted  myself  to 
express  my  views,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  think  the 
solution  of  the  question  by  &fait  accompli  will  be 
the  luckiest  and  most  honourable  for  you.  And 
even  if  you  do  not  succeed  your  position  with 
regard  to  the  House  of  Prussia  would  continue 
the  same.  You  would  remain  here  and  be  able  to 
look  back  with  pleasure  to  a  coup  with  which  you 
could  never  reproach  yourself.  But  if  you  succeed, 
as  I  think  you  will,  this  solution  would  be  of 
incalculable  value  to  you  ;  you  have  been  elected 
unanimously  by  the  vote  of  the  nation  in  the 
fullest  sense  of  the  word ;  you  follow  this  summons 
and  thereby  from  the  commencement  earn  the  full 
confidence  of  the  whole  nation." 

The  Prince  objected  that  he  could  not  quite 
trust  the  plebiscite,  because  it  had  been  effected 
so  quickly,  but  Bismarck  replied : 


22  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  The  surest  guarantee  can  be  given  you  by  the 
deputation  which  will  shortly  be  sent  to  you,  and 
which  you  must  not  receive  on  Prussian  territory ; 
moreover,  I  should  place  myself  in  communication 
with  the  Roumanian  agent  in  Paris  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  communicated  this  idea  sous  discretion 
to  the  French  Ambassador,  Benedetti,  after  we 
had  learnt  that  Napoleon  wished  to  hear  our  views, 
and  he  declares  that  France  will  place  a  ship  at 
your  disposal  to  undertake  the  journey  to  Rou- 
mania  from  Marseilles,  but  I  think  it  would  be 
better  to  make  use  of  the  ordinary  steamer  in  order 
to  keep  the  matter  quite  secret." 

As  in  duty  bound,  Prince  Charles  proceeded  to 
the  Royal  Palace  after  this  interview,  to  ascertain 
the  King's  views  on  the  proposed  course  of  action. 
His  Majesty  did  not  share  Count  Bismarck's  view 
and  thought  that  the  Prince  had  better  await 
the  decision  of  the  Paris  Conference,  although, 
even  should  this  be  favourable,  it  would  still  be 
unworthy  a  Prince  of  the  House  of  Hohenzollern 
to  place  himself  under  the  suzerainty  of  the  Sultan ! 
To  this  Prince  Charles  replied  that,  although  he 
was  ready  to  acknowledge  the  Turkish  suzerainty 
for  a  time,  he  reserved  to  himself  the  task  of 
freeing  his  country  by  force  of  arms,  and  of  gaining 
perfect  independence  on  the  field  of  battle.  The 
King  gave  the  Prince  leave  to  proceed  to  Diissel- 
dorf,  embraced  him  heartily,  and  bade  him  God- 
speed ! 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          23 

Prince  Bismarck  sent  for  Colonel  Rauch,  who  had 
played  an  important  part  in  the  negotiations  with 
the  King,  and  informed  him  on  April  23  that  the 
Paris  Conference  had  decided  by  five  votes  to 
three  that  the  Bucharest  Chamber  was  to  elect  a 
native  prince,  and  that  France  had  declared  that 
she  would  not  tolerate  forcible  measures  either  on 
the  part  of  Russia  or  of  the  Porte.  The  President 
of  the  Prussian  Ministry  then  repeated  the  advice 
he  had  given  to  Prince  Charles,  viz.,  to  accept  the 
election  at  once,  then  proceed  to  Paris,  and  thence 
to  Bucharest  with  the  support  of  Napoleon,  and 
to  write  at  once  to  the  Czar  Alexander,  hinting  at 
the  projected  Russian  marriage.  If  Russia  was 
won,  everything  would  be  won,  and  the  interven- 
tion by  force  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  guaranteeing 
Powers  would  be  no  longer  to  be  feared.  As 
regards  the  consent  of  the  King,  which  of  course 
could  not  be  given  now,  it  would  not  be  refused  to 
a  final  fait  accompli.  Prince  Charles  must  decide 
for  himself  whether  he  felt  the  power  and  decision 
to  solve  the  problem  in  this  straightforward 
fashion ;  but  it  must  be  understood  that  no  other 
method  offered  any  prospect,  for  the  Powers  would 
eventually  agree  upon  a  native  prince,  and  the 
Roumanians  must  submit.  "  I  spoke,"  he  added, 
"  to  the  Roumanian  political  agent  in  Paris, 
M.  Balaceanu,  in  a  similar  strain  yesterday  evening, 
and  laid  stress  upon  the  fact  that  the  King  cannot 
at  present  decide  or  accept  the  election  of  Prince 


24  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Charles,  because  political  complications  might  be 
created  thereby." 

From  Paris  came  the  news  that  nothing  would 
be  more  agreeable  to  the  Emperor  and  his  Govern- 
ment than  to  see  Prince  Charles  on  the  throne  of 
Roumania,  but  that  nothing  could  be  done  in  the 
face  of  the  decision  of  the  Conference,  and  that 
the  Prince's  project  of  a  fait  accompli  was  so 
adventurous  that  the  Emperor  could  not  promise 
his  support.  An  interview  was  then  arranged  at 
the  house  of  Baroness  Franque  in  Ramersdorf, 
with  M.  Balaceanu,  who  declared  that  the  intention 
of  the  Roumanian  Government  was  to  adhere  to  its 
choice,  and,  if  necessary,  to  carry  on  the  govern- 
ment under  the  name  of  Charles  I.  Roumania 
would  allow  herself  neither  to  be  bent  nor  broken. 

Two  days  later,  on  April  29,  Colonel  von  Rauch 
returned  from  Berlin  with  the  royal  answer  to 
Prince  Charles  Anthony's  second  memorial,  which 
contained  a  repetition  of  the  King's  objections  to 
the  acceptance  of  the  offer,  and  still  more  to  the 
fait  accompli,  which  was  so  warmly  urged  from 
Paris.  The  "  Memorial  Diplomatique"  of  the  28th 
contained  this  suggestive  phrase  :  "...  V initiative 
de  la  France  n'a  pour  object  que  les  faits  a 
accomplir ! " 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  received  M.  Bratianu 
and  Dr.  Davila  on  May  1  at  Diisseldorf.  They 
came  to  announce  the  arrival  of  the  deputation 
with  the  verification  of  the  plebiscite,  and  to 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          25 

inquire  whether  or  no  Prince  Charles  intended  to 
decline  their  offer  definitely.  It  was  then  decided 
to  telegraph  in  cipher  to  Bucharest  that  the  Prince 
had  decided  to  accept  the  offer,  but  only  on  con- 
dition that  the  King  should  give  his  consent. 

In  answer  to  a  telegram  from  Prince  Charles 
Anthony,  the  King  of  Prussia  begged  him  to  come 
to  Berlin  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  fait  accompli. 
The  result  of  the  interview  was  that  the  King 
agreed  to  refrain  from  influencing  the  decision  of 
Prince  Charles  directly  and  to  permit  the  fait 
accompli  to  "take  place."  The  Prince  was  to 
resign  his  commission  as  a  Prussian  officer  after 
passing  the  Prussian  frontier. 

On  the  receipt  of  this  news  from  Berlin,  the 
Prince  at  once  sent  for  MM.Balaceanu  andBratianu, 
and  on  their  arrival  informed  them  that  he  was 
prepared  to  set  out  for  Roumania  without  delay. 
The  question  then  arose  as  to  which  route  was  to 
be  taken,  since  Prussia  might  declare  war  any 
day  with  Austria,  whilst  a  sea  journey  via 
Marseilles  or  Genoa  risked  a  possible  detention 
at  Constantinople.  The  Prince  eventually  decided 
on  the  shortest  route,  via  Yienna-Basiasch  ;  but 
this  plan  had  to  be  reconsidered,  as  owing  to  an 
indiscretion  the  proposed  itinerary  became  public. 

The  long  expected  mobilisation  order  of  the 
Prussian  Army  was  signed  by  the  King  on 
May  9,  and  Prince  Charles  in  consequence  received 
an  order  from  his  colonel  to  rejoin  his  regiment 


26  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

at  once,  from  which,  however,  he  was  exempted 
by  the  six  weeks'  leave  granted  by  the  King 
himself.  Balaceanu  urged  the  Prince  by  letter 
not  to  delay  his  departure,  and  reiterated  his 
entreaties  on  behalf  of  the  Roumanian  people, 
who  were  anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival  of  their 
chosen  ruler. 

The  last  day  at  home  was  Friday,  May  11, 
1866,  and  with  it  came  the  inevitable  anguish  of 
parting  with  his  dearly  loved  parents.  Repress- 
ing the  emotions  which  might  otherwise  have 
betrayed  the  pregnant  measure  he  had  under- 
taken, Prince  Charles,  clad  for  the  last  time  in 
the  uniform  of  the  Prussian  Dragoons,  rode  down 
the  avenue  towards  Benrath  Castle,  where  his 
eldest  brother  resided  and  awaited  him.  Upon 
arriving  there,  he  exchanged  his  uniform  for  mufti 
and  proceeded  to  the  station  with  his  sister, 
Princess  Marie,  who  accompanied  him  for  the  first 
few  hours  of  his  journey,  and  at  Bonn  the  Prince 
joined  Councillor  von  Werner,  with  whom  the 
momentous  journey  was  to  be  undertaken. 
Zurich  was  reached  at  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, when  the  travellers  broke  their  journey  for 
the  first  time  in  order  to  arrange  the  difficult 
question  of  passports.  Von  Werner  telegraphed  to 
a  Swiss  official,  whom  Prince  Charles  Anthony  had 
already  asked  about  the  passes,  to  arrange  a  meet- 
ing at  St.  Gallen,  but  as  the  official  was  not  at 
home  at  the  time,  a  delay  of  twenty-four  hours 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          27 

occurred,  which  Prince  Charles  spent  in  writing  to 
the  Emperors  of  Russia  and  France  and  the  Sultan 
of  Turkey. 

Baron  von  Mayenfisch  and  Lieutenant  Linche, 
a  Roumanian  staff  officer,  who  both  joined  the 
party  in  Zurich,  set  out  independently,  the  former 
for  Munich,  the  latter  for  Basiasch  on  the  Danube. 
The  Prince  and  Von  Werner  occupied  themselves 
with  erasing  the  marking  of  the  Prince's  linen 
and  reducing  the  quantity  of  his  baggage  to 
indispensable  limits.  The  following  day  (May  14) 
found  the  Prince  and  his  companion  at  St.  Gallen, 
where  a  passport  was  obtained  for  the  former 
under  the  name  of  "  Karl  Hettingen,"  travelling 
on  business  to  Odessa,  and  at  the  Prince's  request 
a  note  was  made  on  this  document  of  the  fact 
that  Herr  Hettingen  wore  spectacles.  The 
acquisition  of  these  passports,  however,  and  the 
fact  of  his  travelling  second-class,  were  not  alone 
sufficient  to  overcome  all  further  difficulties  and 
dangers,  for  on  reaching  Salzburg,  on  the  Austro- 
Bavarian  frontier,  on  the  16th,  a  customs  official 
gruffly  demanded  the  Prince's  name,  and  he  to 
his  horror  found  that  he  had  forgotten  it. 
Luckily  Yon  Werner,  with  great  presence  of 
mind,  flung  himself  into  the  breach  by  insisting 
on  paying  duty  for  some  cigars,  and  so  diverted 
the  intruder's  attention,  whilst  the  Prince  re- 
freshed his  peccant  memory  with  a  glimpse  at  his 
passport.  But  this  was  not  all,  for  scarcely  had 


28  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

this  little  manoeuvre  been  successfully  carried  out 
than  several  officers  of  the  "  King  of  Belgium's  " 
Regiment,  with  whom  the  Prince  had  served  in 
1864  in  Denmark,  entered  the  waiting-room  and 
caused  him  no  little  misgiving  lest  he  should  be 
recognised.  Here  fortune,  however,  again  favoured 
him,  and  all  passed  off  well,  the  travellers  con- 
tinuing their  journey  as  far  as  Vienna,  which  they 
found  crowded  with  troops.  Pressburg,  Pest, 
Szegedin  and  Temesvar  found  them  still  caged  in 
the  dismal  squalor  of  a  dirty  second-class  carriage, 
and  suffering  much  discomfort  from  an  icy  wind 
which  chilled  them  to  the  bone.  The  tedious 
railway  journey  at  length  ended  at  Basiasch,  from 
whence  they  were  to  proceed  down  stream  by 
steamer.  The  mobilisation  of  the  Austrian  troops 
had,  however,  completely  disorganised  the  river 
service,  and  a  most  unwelcome  delay  of  two  days 
took  place  at  this  unsavoury  spot. 

Joan  Bratianu  arrived  from  Paris  in  time  to 
accompany  his  future  sovereign  upon  the  last 
stage  of  his  journey,  but,  as  strict  secrecy  was 
still  imperative,  he  was  compelled  to  treat  the 
Prince  as  a  stranger.  The  Roumanian  frontier 
was  reached  at  last,  and  the  boat  lay  alongside 
the  quay  of  Turnu  Severin.  As  the  Prince  was 
about  to  hurry  on  shore,  the  master  of  the  steam- 
boat stopped  him  to  inquire  why  he  should  land 
here  when  he  wanted  to  go  to  Odessa.  The 
Prince  replied  that  he  only  intended  to  spend  a 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          29 

few  minutes  on  shore,  and  then  hurried  forward. 
As  soon  as  he  touched  Roumanian  soil,  Bratianu, 
hat  in  hand,  requested  his  Prince  to  step  into  one 
of  the  carriages  waiting  there.  And  as  he  did  so 
he  heard  the  captain's  voice  exclaim :  "  By  God, 
that  must  be  the  Prince  of  Hohenzollern ! " 

After  the  despatch  of  a  couple  of  telegrams  to 
the  Lieutenance  Princiere  and  the  Government, 
the  Prince  and  Bratianu  set  out  for  the  capital 
in  a  carriage  drawn  by  eight  horses  at  a  hand 
gallop,  which  never  slackened  its  headlong  pace 
throughout  the  ice-cold,  misty  night.  At  four 
o'clock  they  reached  the  river  Jiu,  but  lost  some 
time  there,  as  the  ferry  was  not  in  working  order. 
At  Krajowa,  where  the  news  of  his  arrival  had 
brought  together  an  enormous  and  enthusiastic 
multitude,  a  right  royal  welcome  awaited  the  new 
Prince,  and,  escorted  by  two  sections  of  Dorobanz 
Cavalry  (Militia  hussars),  he  reached  the  prettily 
decorated  town  of  Slatina  at  noon,  where  a  halt 
of  a  couple  of  hours  was  made  before  proceeding 
to  Piteschti.  En  route  the  Prince  overtook  the 
2nd  Line  Regiment  marching  on  Bucharest,  and 
was  greeted  by  them  with  enthusiastic  cheers.  A 
numerous  escort  of  cavaliers,  amongst  them  Dr. 
Davila,  met  the  Prince  outside  Piteschti,  where 
yet  another  most  enthusiastic  reception  was 
accorded  him.  General  Golesku  and  Jon  Ghika, 
the  President  of  the  Ministry,  were  presented  to 
the  Prince,  who  expressed  his  pleasure  at  greeting 


30  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  first  members  of  the  Government.  The  night 
was  passed  at  Goleschti,  where  the  Prince  entered 
upon  his  duties  by  signing  a  decree  pardoning  the 
Metropolitan  of  Moldavia  for  his  share  in  the 
Separatist  riots  of  April  15.  Prince  Charles  rose 
early  the  following  morning  to  make  all  necessary 
arrangements  for  his  triumphal  entry  into  the 
capital,  where  the  inhabitants  were  waiting 
impatiently  to  do  him  honour.  The  keys  of  the 
town  were  presented  by  the  Burgomaster,  who 
also  addressed  a  speech  to  the  new  ruler.  The 
procession  then  passed  along  the  streets  lined  by 
soldiers  of  the  Line  and  National  Guard,  until 
they  reached  a  house  outside  which  a  guard  of 
honour  was  posted.  "What  house  is  that?" 
asked  the  Prince  in  the  innocence  of  his  heart. 
"  That  is  the  Palace,"  replied  General  Golesku 
with  embarrassment.  Prince  Charles  thought  he 
had  misunderstood  him,  and  asked  :  "  Where  is 
the  Palace  ? "  The  General,  still  more  embar- 
rassed, pointed  in  silence  to  the  one-storeyed 
building. 

At  length  the  procession  halted  at  the  Metro- 
polie,  the  Cathedral  of  Bucharest,  where  the 
venerable  Metropolitan  received  the  Prince  and 
tendered  him  the  Cross  and  Bible  to  kiss.  After 
hearing  the  Te  Deum,  the  Prince,  with  his  suite, 
proceeded  to  the  Chamber,  which  stands  exactly 
opposite  the  Metropolie.  Here  he  took  the  oath 
to  keep  the  laws,  maintain  the  rights,  and  pre- 


THE  SUMMONS  TO  THE  THRONE          31 

serve  the  integrity  of  Roumania. — "  Jur  de  a  pazi 
legile  Romaniei,  d'a  mentine  drepturile  sale  si 
integritatea  teritoriului !  "  *  Then,  after  replying 
in  French  to  the  address  of  the  President  of  the 
Chamber,  Prince  Charles  repaired  with  his  suite 
to  the  Palace  to  refresh  himself  after  the  exertions 
of  the  day.  The  rooms,  though  small,  proved  to 
have  been  tastefully  furnished  by  Parisian 
upholsterers  during  the  government  of  Prince 
Kusa,  but  the  view  from  the  windows  was  primi- 
tive indeed ;  on  the  one  side  stood  an  insignificant 
guardhouse,  whilst  the  other  offered  the  national 
spectacle  of  a  gipsy  encampment  with  its  herd  of 
swine  wallowing  in  the  gutters  of  the  main  road 
— it  could  hardly  be  called  a  street.  Such  were 
the  surroundings  amongst  which  the  adventurous 
Hohenzollern  Prince  commenced  his  new  career ! 

*  Translation :  "  I  swear  to  protect  the  laws  of  Roumania,  to 
maintain  her  rights  and  the  integrity  of  her  soil." 


CHAPTER    III 

STORM  AND  STRESS 

THE  first  Roumanian  Ministry  under  the  new 
regime  was  composed  of  members  of  all  political 
parties,  Conservatives  and  Liberals,  Moldavians 
and  Wallachians,  Right,  Centre,  and  Left.  Lascar 
Catargui  was  appointed  President  of  the  Ministry, 
which,  amongst  others,  included  Joan  Bratianu 
(Finance),  Petre  Mavrogheni  (Foreign  Affairs), 
General  Prince  *  Jon  Ghika  (War),  and  Demeter 
Sturdza  (Public  Works). 

The  chief  task  of  the  new  Government  was  to 
secure  the  recognition  of  their  new  ruler  by  the 
Powers,  but  the  telegrams  from  the  Roumanian 
agents  abroad  showed  very  plainly  that  the  fait 
accompli  was  only  the  first  step  towards  the 
desired  end.  The  initiative  of  the  Prince  found 
favour,  it  is  true,  with  Napoleon,  but  his  Minister, 
Drouyn  de  L'Huys,  regarded  his  action  as  an  insult 

*  All  titles  and  privileges  of  the  Roumanian  nobility  were 
abolished  by  law  with  the  exception  of  the  title  of  Bey-Sade 
(Prince  or  "  Fiirst")  granted  to  the  sons  of  former  Hospodars. 


STORM  AND  STRESS  3S 

to  the  Paris  Conference,  whilst  the  Sultan  refused 
to  receive  the  letter  addressed  to  him  by  Prince 
Charles,  and  announced  his  intention  of  applying 
to   the    Conference   for    sanction   to  occupy   the 
Principalities   by    armed    force.     To    meet    this 
possibility,    the    immediate   mobilisation    of  the 
Roumanian    Army    was    decided    upon    by   the 
Cabinet,  and   the  Prince  seized  an  occasion   for 
reviewing  the  troops  on  May  24.     The  Turkish 
protest    against     the     election     was    submitted 
to    the    Conference    on    the   following   day,    but 
the     Powers     decided     that    Turkey    was     not 
entitled  to  occupy  Roumanian  territory  without 
the   previous   consent    of  the.  Powers,    and   also 
declared  that  they  had  broken   off  official  com- 
munications with  the  Prince's  Government.     As 
the  news  from  Constantinople  became  more  and 
more  threatening,  a  credit  of  eight  million  francs 
was  voted  by  the  Roumanian  Chamber  for  war- 
like  purposes,    and   orders   were   issued   for   the 
concentration    of    the    frontier    battalions    and 
Dorobanz  Cavalry.    The  former,  however,  mutinied 
and   refused   to  leave  their  garrisons,  whilst  an 
inspection  of  the  arsenal  showed  that  there  was 
scarcely  enough  powder  in  the  magazines  for  more 
than  a  few  rounds  to  each  soldier. 

The  deputation  sent  to  conciliate  Russia  met 
with  a  cold  reception  from  Prince  Gortchakoff, 
who  complained  that  France  had  been  consulted 
before  the  fait  accompli.  He  further  remonstrated 


34  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

against  the  collection  of  Polish  refugees  on  the 
Roumanian  frontier.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
did  not  appear  averse  from  an  alliance  between 
Prince  Charles  and  the  Russian  Imperial  family. 
Bismarck  received  the  members  of  the  deputation 
with  cordiality,  and  recommended  them  to  assume 
an  anti- Austrian  attitude  in  the  event  of  an  insur- 
rection in  Hungary.  In  the  meantime,  the  Paris 
Conference  declined  to  appoint  commissaries  for 
the  Principalities,  as  had  been  done  formerly 
under  the  Hospodars,  and  practically  decided  to 
leave  Roumania  an  open  question. 

The  finances  of  the  Principalities  were  com- 
pletely disorganised,  as  the  Public  Treasury  was 
empty,  the  floating  debt  amounted  to  close  on 
seven  millions  sterling,  arid  it  seemed  as  though 
the  year  1866  would  indicate  a  deficit  of  another 
six  millions.  To  complete  the  financial  ruin  of 
the  country,  a  proposal  to  create  paper  money 
was  set  on  foot,  but  was  thrown  out  by  the 
Chamber. 

The  chief  measure  laid  before  the  Chamber  was 
the  draft  of  a  new  Constitution.  The  Prince 
insisted  upon  an  Upper  and  a  Lower  House  as 
well  as  upon  an  unconditional  and  absolute  veto, 
whilst  the  Chamber  wished  to  grant  a  merely 
suspensive  veto,  such  as  is  exercised  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Owing  in  great  part  to  the  efforts  of  Prince 
Charles,  the  report  of  the  Committee  upon  the 


STORM  AND  STRESS  35 

Constitution  was  presented  on  June  28,  when  a 
series  of  heated  debates  arose  on  the  question 
of  granting  political  rights  to  the  Roumanian 
Jews.  The  excitement  spread  rapidly  throughout 
Bucharest,  and  a  riotous  mob  destroyed  the  newly 
erected  synagogue.  Thereupon,  the  unpopular 
sections  of  the  Constitution  were  hastily  abandoned 
by  the  Government  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of 
the  Jews  themselves.  A  better  fate,  however, 
befell  the  veto  question,  which  was  decided  in 
favour  of  the  Prince,  and  on  July  11  the  Con- 
stitution was  unanimously  passed  through  the 
Chamber  by  ninety-one  votes. 

On  the  following  day  the  Prince  proceeded,  with 
the  same  ceremonies  as  before,  to  the  Metropolie 
to  attend  the  Te  Deum  before  taking  the  oath  to 
the  new  Constitution  in  the  Chamber.  He  then 
seized  the  opportunity  of  reminding  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  nation  that  Boumania's  chief 
object  must  be  to  remain  neutral  and  on  good 
terms  with  the  neighbouring  Powers. 

The  Prince's  daily  routine  at  this  period  was 
calculated  to  tax  to  the  utmost  even  his  abnormal 
energy  and  strength.  After  a  ride  in  the  early 
morning,  the  correspondence  of  the  day  was  gone 
through  before  the  Ministers  were  received.  Then 
followed  miscellaneous  audiences,  and  the  inspec- 
tion of  some  Government  institution  or  school  in 
Bucharest.  The  organisation  of  the  Ministries 
and  Courts  of  Justice  was  modelled  on  those  of 


36 

France  :  the  hospitals,  thanks  to  the  liberality  of 
former  Hospodars,  were  well  endowed,  and  able  to 
treat  patients  free  of  charge.  In  many  cases, 
however,  the  hospital  buildings  were  insanitary ; 
the  prisons  were  in  the  most  unsatisfactory  con- 
dition, the  food  of  the  prisoners  was  of  very 
indifferent  quality,  while,  last,  but  by  no  means 
least,  among  the  many  points  which  demanded 
his  close  attention  at  this  time,  was  the  question 
of  barracks  and  military  establishments.  At 
six  o'clock  the  Prince  dined  with  his  household, 
and  often  some  ten  or  twelve  guests  of  opposite 
political  opinions  were  invited,  in  order  that  he 
might  become  more  closely  acquainted  with  the 
views  of  the  various  parties.  As,  however, 
punctuality  was  at  that  time  a  custom  more 
honoured  in  the  breach  than  the  observance  in 
Bucharest,  it  frequently  happened  that  the  Prince 
had  to  commence  dinner  without  one  or  other  of 
his  guests.  After  dinner  Prince  Charles  generally 
drove  along  the  chaussee,  which,  enclosed  on  either 
side  by  handsome  gardens,  formed  the  rendezvous 
of  the  fashion  of  the  capital.  On  other  days  the 
Prince  rode  to  one  or  other  of  the  numerous 
monasteries  and  cloisters  in  the  neighbourhood, 
such  as  Cernika,  the  burial-place  of  the  Metro- 
politans, Pasere  and  Caldaruschan. 

Prince  Jon  Ghika  returned  from  Constantinople 
on  the  15th  of  July  with  a  draft  of  the  conditions 
upon  which  the  Porte  was  willing  to  recognise 


STORM  AND  STRESS  37 

Prince  Charles.  A  Council  of  Ministers  was 
assembled  the  same  evening  to  consider  this  pro- 
ject, which  was  then  unanimously  rejected,  and  a 
counter-project  was  drawn  up  and  discussed  in  all 
its  bearings  on  the  17th.  The  main  features  in 
dispute  were  as  follows  :  The  Porte  wished  to 
retain  the  name  of  the  "  United  Principalities  of 
Wallachia  and  Moldavia,"  whilst  the  Ministry 
were  in  favour  of  either  "Roumania"  or  "The 
United  Roumanian  Principalities."  The  Porte 
declared  that  the  princely  dignity  must  continue 
to  be  elective,  whilst  the  Roumanians  in  return 
demanded  the  recognition  of  the  right  of  here- 
ditary succession  and,  in  the  absence  of  a  direct 
descendant  of  the  Prince,  his  brother's  family  was 
to  succeed.  In  reply  to  the  Turkish  demand  for 
military  aid  in  any  war,  the  Ministry  declared  that 
Roumania  would  only  render  assistance  in  a 
defensive  war.  The  proposal  of  the  Porte  to  send 
an  agent  to  protect  Turkish  interests  in  the 
Principalities  was  rejected  entirely,  as  was  also 
the  demand  that  Roumania  should  neither  coin 
money  nor  confer  decorations. 

Acting  on  his  father's  maxim,  "  A  wise  and  an 
honest  ruler  must  never  pursue  a  personal  policy, 
but  only  a  national  one,"  Prince  Charles  declined 
to  countenance  a  rebellion  in  Hungary  advocated 
at  a  private  interview  by  General  Tiirr,  the  well- 
known  Hungarian  patriot  and  agitator.  A  similar 
course  was  pursued  with  regard  to  a  Servian 


38  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

deputation,  which  assured  the  Prince  that  all  the 
Eastern  Christians  rested  upon  him  their  hopes  of 
deliverance  from  the  Turkish  yoke. 

The  first  Ministerial  crisis  occurred  on  July  25, 
1866,  owing  to  the  financial  troubles  and  the 
disagreement  existing  between  the  President  and 
MM.  Bratianu  and  Rossetti.  The  Prince  confided 
the  task  of  forming  the  new  Ministry  to  Jon 
Ghika,  who  had  proved  himself  an  able  and 
energetic  diplomat  in  conducting  the  negotiations 
with  the  Porte. 

In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties  the  sorrowful 
news  of  the  death  of  his  brother  Anthony,  from 
wounds  received  at  Koniggriitz,  reached  the 
Prince  early  on  August  7.  The  sympathy  which 
this  family  event  evoked  amongst  all  classes  of 
the  Roumanian  nation  was  the  surest  proof  of  the 
affection  and  regard  already  inspired  by  their  new 
ruler.  Ministers,  municipal  authorities,  officers 
of  the  Army  and  Militia,  and  all  the  nota- 
bilities of  the  country  hastened  to  express  their 
sympathy  with  the  Prince's  family  in  the  warmest 
manner. 

The  serious  condition  of  the  finances  forced  the 
Prince  to  diminish  the  strength  of  the  Army  by 
7000  men,  although  the  attitude  of  the  Porte 
still  rendered  it  advisable  to  concentrate  all  avail- 
able forces.  Prince  Charles  also  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  the  Emperor  Napoleon  to  induce 
him  to  favour  a  Roumanian  loan  in  Paris : 


STORM  AND  STRESS  39 

"  In  accepting  the  throne  of  Roumania,  I  knew 
that  the  duties  devolving  on  me  were  enormous  : 
still  I  confess  that  the  difficulties  to  be  surmounted 
are  even  greater  than  I  thought. 

"  The  most  complete  disorder  in  the  finances  as 
well  as  in  all  the  branches  of  the  Administration 
gives  rise  to  difficulties  against  which  I  have  to 
struggle  every  day,  and  which  render  my  task 
extremely  painful.  .  .  . 

"  A  greater  power  than  that  of  man — the 
Divine — sends  us  fresh  trials.  The  whole  countiy, 
especially  Moldavia,  is  threatened  with  a  famine 
.  .  .  The  only  means  of  succouring  the  populace 
is  by  means  of  a  loan.  .  .  Trusting,  Sire,  in  the 
affectionate  sentiments  of  your  Majesty,  I  ask 
you  for  the  aid  of  your  all-powerful  goodwill, 
because  it  is  the  knowledge  of  your  Majesty's 
constant  goodwill  to  the  Roumanians  and,  I 
venture  to  say,  to  me  personally,  that  has  sustained 
me  in  the  midst  of  the  difficulties  with  which  I 
have  had  to  contend.  .  ." 

The  Prince  concluded  with  the  words :  "  The 
happiness  of  the  Roumanian  nation  has  become 
the  aim  of  my  life :  I  have  devoted  to  this  mission 
all  my  time  and  all  my  aspirations." 

Owing  to  the  active  support  of  France,  the 
Sublime  Porte  declared  its  willingness  to  concede 
certain  points  of  the  Roumanian  counter-project, 
such  as  the  election  of  the  Prince,  the  hereditary 


40  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

succession  in  the  Prince's  family,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Army  at  30,000  men,  but  demanded 
in  return  the  recognition  of  Roumania  as  a  partie 
integrate  of  the  Ottoman  Empire. 

On  August  21,  Prince  Charles  set  out  on  a 
journey  through  Moldavia,  accompanied  by  General 
Prince  Ghika,  Mavrogheni,  and  his  aides-de-camp. 
The  route  ran  through  Busen,  Fokschani,  which 
was  devastated  by  cholera,  and  Ajud,  where  the 
long  awaited  rain  first  fell  on  the  dried-up  country, 
then  through  Kaitz  to  Okna,  where  the  Prince 
inspected  the  great  salt  mines  and  the  prison. 
The  next  important  halts  were  made  at  Botoschani, 
an  almost  wholly  Jewish  town,  and  at  the 
Moldavian  capital,  Jassy,  romantically  situated  on 
the  banks  of  the  Bachlui.  The  town  is  built  in 
terraces  on  the  hillside,  where  the  numerous  domes 
and  towers  scattered  amongst  the  green  trees  lend 
it  a  most  picturesque  and  almost  oriental  appear- 
ance. The  reception  accorded  to  the  Prince  was 
brilliant  and  hearty  in  the  extreme,  the  only  dis- 
cordant note  being  the  refusal  of  the  Rosnovanu 
family  to  share  in  the  public  rejoicings.  It  is, 
however,  pleasant  to  note  that  in  later  years  this 
family  sought  to  show  by  every  means  how  com- 
pletely their  opinions  had  changed. 

Important  and  urgent  news  from  Constantinople 
then  forced  the  Prince  to  bring  his  tour  to  an  end, 
and  Cotroceni,  near  Bucharest,  was  reached  on 
September  7,  after  some  920  miles  had  been 


STORM  AND  STRESS  41 

traversed  in  seventeen  days  by  means  of  about 
3000  post-horses.  The  result  of  the  journey  was 
altogether  favourable,  for  not  only  had  the  Prince 
gained  a  clearer  insight  into  the  affairs  of  Moldavia, 
but  the  Separatist  faction  had  been  considerably 
weakened  by  the  intercourse  of  Prince  Charles 
with  the  leading  men  of  the  Principality. 

The  following  day  the  Prince  received  the 
English  and  French  Consuls,  who  came  to  advo- 
cate compliance  with  the  demands  of  the  Sublime 
Porte,  which,  though- couched  in  far  more  moderate 
language,  still  contained  the  disputed  clauses  of 
the  former  project.  The  Ministry  thereupon 
decided  to  send  Ministers  Stirbey  and  Sturdza  to 
Constantinople  to  negotiate  better  terms  for 
Rou  mania. 

The  Prince  received  a  letter  from  his  father 
on  September  14,  1866,  containing  the  following 
significant  paragraph  : 

"The  political  horizon  is  still  very  overcast;  a 
war  with  France  is  unavoidable,  although  it  will 
not  take  place  this  year.  The  '  chauvinism  '  of  the 
French  Press  is  colossal,  and  the  Emperor,  who  is 
personally  inclined  for  peace,  will  probably  have  to 
give  way  to  the  pressure ! " 

The  news  from  Constantinople  now  became  more 
favourable,  as  both  General  Ignatieff  and  the 
Marquis  de  Moustier  brought  pressure  to  bear  on 


42  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Ali  Pacha  in  favour  of  Roumania.  Moreover,  the 
condition  of  Crete,  where  an  insurrection  had 
broken  out,  aided  and  instigated  by  Greece,  was 
in  itself  a  reason  why  the  Porte  should  come  to 
a  definite  settlement  with  Roumania.  Negotia- 
tions, however,  suffered  further  delays  owing  to 
the  departure  of  the  Marquis  de  Moustier  and  the 
renewal  of  impossible  demands  by  Ali  Pacha,  who 
was  now  supported  by  England  and  France.  The 
last  named  believed  that  Prussian  influence  caused 
the  Prince's  reluctance  to  comply  with  the 
Emperor  Napoleon's  advice  and  proceed  to  Con- 
stantinople before  receiving  recognition  by  means 
of  a  firman,  and  the  relations  of  Roumania  to 
France  became  consequently  cooler.  The  whole 
affair  turned  upon  the  words,  "  par tie  integrate  de 
mon  Empire,"  which  the  Roumanian  Ministry 
refused  at  first  to  accept,  but  now  sought  to 
modify  by  the  addition  of  "  dans  les  limites  fixees 
par  les' capitulations  et  le  Traite  de  Paris"  This 
addition  was  at  last  agreed  to  by  Ali  Pacha,  and 
the  long  struggle  ended  on  October  20.  An 
exchange  of  letters,  as  recommended  by  the 
French  Ambassador,  then  took  place  between 
the  Grand  Vizier  and  Prince  Charles,  who 
announced  his  intention  of  proceeding  to  Con- 
stantinople to  receive  the  firman  from  the  hands 
of  the  Sultan. 

The  Prince  granted  an  audience  to  the  Consuls 
of  the  Powers  on  the  following  day  to  receive  the 


STORM  AND  STRESS  43 

congratulations  of  their  Governments  upon  his 
recognition  by  the  Porte  before  setting  out  on  his 
journey  to  Constantinople.  At  Rustchuk  the 
Governor  of  the  Danubian  vilayet,  Midhat  Pacha, 
received  the  Prince  with  the  utmost  ceremony. 
On  arriving  at  Varna  Prince  Charles  embarked  at 
once  on  the  Imperial  steam  yacht  Issedin,  which 
had  brought  Djemil  Pacha  and  Memduh  Bey  to 
escort  him  to  the  Golden  Horn. 

On  his  arrival  at  Constantinople  the  Prince 
landed  at  Beglerby,  where  an  imperial  palace  had 
been  destined  for  his  reception.  Thence  the 
Prince,  in  the  uniform  of  a  Roumanian  general, 
proceeded  to  Dolma  Bagdsche,  where  the  Sultan 
came  to  the  door  of  his  cabinet  to  welcome  him. 
Next  the  sofa  on  which  the  Sultan  was  to  sit  a 
chair  was  placed  for  the  Prince,  but  he  pushed  it 
gently  aside,  and  as  a  Prince  of  Hohenzollern  sat 
down  next  to  his  Suzerain.  The  conversation  which 
then  ensued  turned  first  upon  the  Prince's  journey, 
and  afterwards  on  the  state  of  affairs  in  Roumania. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  audience  the  Sultan 
handed  Prince  Charles  a  paper,  which  he  laid  on 
the  table  without  looking  at  it,  and  then  asked  for 
permission  to  present  his  suite,  one  of  whom  took 
charge  of  the  firman.  The  Sultan  took  a  hearty 
leave  of  the  Prince,  who  then  visited  the  Sublime 
Porte,  where  the  Grand  Vizier  welcomed  him  and 
presented  to  him  the  various  Turkish  great  digni- 
taries of  the  Ottoman  Empire. 


44  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

On  October  26  Prince  Charles  received  the 
Ambassadors  of  the  Powers,  amongst  their  number 
Lord  Lyons,  who  had  been  of  material  assistance 
in  obtaining  the  recognition  of  the  Prince,  but  who 
was  strongly  opposed  to  any  slackening  of  the 
bonds  between  Turkey  and  the  Vassal  States. 

The  impression  left  in  the  Prince's  mind  by  the 
magnificent  reception  was  that  it  was  due  more  to 
his  descent  from  the  House  of  Hohenzollern  than 
to  the  fact  that  he  was  ruler  of  Roumania,  for  the 
Hospodars  had  been  treated  merely  as  highly 
placed  officials,  and  as  a  symbol  of  their  vassaldom 
were  obliged  to  hold  the  Sultan's  stirrup  as  he 
mounted. 

The  second  visit  to  the  Sultan  took  place  on 
October  28,  and  was  marked  by  the  same  hearti- 
ness as  before.  Prince  Charles,  on  leaving  the 
Palace,  en  route  for  a  review  specially  ordered  in 
his  honour,  passed  through  the  Marble  Gates, 
which  are  generally  opened  for  the  Sultan 
alone.  The  review  took  place  in  pouring  rain  on 
the  heights  of  Pancaldi,  where  six  battalions,  two 
cavalry  regiments,  and  four  batteries  were  drawn 
up.  Ali  Pacha  entertained  the  Prince  at  dinner 
the  same  evening,  when  Prince  Charles  proposed 
the  health  of  the  Sultan,  and  expressed  the  wishes 
he  shared  in  common  "  with  all  Roumanians  "  for 
the  welfare  of  the  Sultan  and  of  the  Turkish 
Empire.  In  reply  the  Grand  Vizier  laid  special 
stress  upon  the  deep  interest  his  Imperial  Majesty 


STORM  AND  STRESS  45 

took  in  the  Prince  and  "the  Moldo-Wallachian 
population."  Ali  Pacha  subsequently  offered  the 
Prince  a  number  of  Turkish  orders  of  the  various 
classes,  adding  that  the  patents  would  be  sent  to 
him  in  blank  every  year,  and  might  be  granted  as 
the  Prince  thought  fit.  This  offer  was,  however, 
declined,  and  the  permission  of  the  Porte  was 
obtained  for  the  institution  of  a  medal  for  the 
Roumanian  Army.  After  taking  leave  of  the 
Sultan  on  October  30,  Prince  Charles  returned  to 
Varna  in  the  Imperial  yacht  Issedin,  arriving  in 
Bucharest  on  November  2. 

The  impending  elections  now  claimed  the  atten- 
tion of  Prince  Charles,  who,  in  a  letter  to  the 
President  of  the  Ministry,  declared  that  "  not  even 
the  shadow  of  influence  "  must  be  brought  to  bear 
on  the  electors.  The  Government,  however,  mis- 
construed the  expression  of  this  wish  as  a  con- 
cession to  the  Liberal  Opposition.  The  result  of 
the  elections  was  a  bitter  disappointment  to  the 
Prince  and  his  advisers :  one-third  of  the  new 
Chamber  was  composed  of  partisans  of  the  ex- 
Prince  Kusa  and  Separatists,  a  second  of  sup- 
porters of  the  Government,  and  the  third  of 
Liberals.  Not  one  of  these  parties,  therefore, 
could  dispose  of  a  decisive  majority.  The  Chamber 
was  opened  on  November  27  by  Prince  Charles  in 
person,  who  adjured  the  Deputies  to  lay  aside  all 
jealousies  and  personal  interests,  and  to  aid  him 
in  reorganising  the  country  by  "  accepting  the 


46  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

wholesome  principles  of  honesty,  industry,  and 
economy,  which  alone  can  raise  the  civilisation, 
wealth,  and  power  of  the  nation." 

The  failure  of  the  crops  in  conjunction  with 
famine  and  cholera  had  added  to  the  already  heavy 
financial  difficulties  of  the  country.  The  paper 
currency  was  at  30  per  cent,  discount,  whilst  the 
pay  of  the  Army  and  the  officials  remained  in 
arrears.  In  spite  of  the  applause  with  which  the 
Prince's  speech  was  received,  the  Government 
measures  were  obstructed  at  every  turn  by  in- 
cessant intrigues  in  the  Chamber. 

The  following  most  interesting  letter  from  the 
Prince's  father,  bearing  on  the  difficulties  of 
Napoleon's  position,  was  received  on  December  24, 
1866: 

"The  position  of  France  is  at  present  most 
insecure.  Napoleon's  dynasty  must  struggle  with 
four  immense  difficulties : 

"  (l)  The  bitter  resentment  of  the  nation  at 
Prussia's  success  in  war.  The  Clericals  do  not 
cease  to  add  fuel  to  this  smouldering  fire,  and  it 
will  not  be  their  fault  if  the  national  hatred  does 
not  break  out  into  open  flames.  The  Emperor  is 
the  most  sober  and  reasonable  of  all  Frenchmen, 
but  it  is  quite  possible  that  he  may  allow  himself 
to  be  dragged  into  a  war  with  Prussia  in  order 
to  preserve  his  dynasty. 

"  (2)  The  Roman  question  is  one  of  equal  import- 


STORM  AND  STRESS  47 

ance.  The  withdrawal  of  the  French  force  from 
Rome  will  either  lead  to  the  instantaneous  down- 
fall of  the  Papal  State,  which  would  cause  an 
unbounded  agitation  by  the  very  strong  Ultra- 
montane party  in  France  against  the  Emperor,  and 
entail  the  most  serious  consequences  for  him,  or 
else  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  will  not  lead  to 
the  fall  of  the  Papal  State — in  which  case  a  great 
bitterness  would  arise  amongst  all  the  Liberal 
circles  of  France,  which  see  the  chief  obstacle  to 
national  progress  in  the  effete  government  of  the 
Pope. 

"  Under  any  circumstances,  the  solution  of  this 
question  is  dangerous  for  the  Emperor,  especially 
as  the  Empress  will  materially  hinder  the  settle- 
ment of  the  situation  by  her  Spanish  temperament 
and  bigoted  inclinations,  just  as  she  will  probably 
achieve  her  unnecessary  pilgrimage  to  Eome  in 
spite  of  the  Ministry,  calculating  on  the  domestic 
weakness  of  the  Emperor. 

"  (3)  The  Mexican  affair  is  the  first  and  most 
flagrant  defeat  of  the  French  Government.  It  is 
no  longer  a  secret  that  the  withdrawal  of  the 
French  troops  from  Mexico  is  the  result  of  an 
earnest,  even  menacing  pressure  from  North 
America.  If  this  pressure  should  be  ignored  in 
Paris,  the  weak  French  force  in  Mexico  would  be 
exposed  to  a  Sicilian  vesper.  The  troops  must 
therefore  retire,  and  with  them  probably  all 
Frenchmen  settled  in  Mexico. 


48  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  This  is  a  terrible  situation  for  the  Emperor. 
He  destroys  his  own  creation,  the  throne  of 
Maximilian,  and  so  offers  a  most  material  point 
d'appui  to  the  powerful  Opposition  in  France. 
In  other  words,  this  is  a  personal  defeat  of  the 
Empire,  than  which  none  greater  can  be  conceived ! 
Either  a  war  or  a  disgraceful  peace  with  North 
America  must  follow,  against  which  a  war  with 
Germany,  contrived  in  order  to  flatter  the  French 
and  wipe  out  the  bad  impression,  will  be  the  only 
means  of  salvation  and  safety.  Many  millions  of 
French  money  will  be  lost  over  this  business,  and 
the  shaken  and  impoverished  families  will  continue 
to  fan  the  fire  of  discontent.  The  Opposition, 
which  was  opposed  to  the  Mexican  expedition 
from  the  beginning,  will  now  be  justified  in  the 
eyes  of  the  nation,  and  the  prestige  of  the  Empire 
will  be  materially  injured. 

"  (4)  The  bad  condition  of  the  French  finances 
and  a  deficit  increasing  from  year  to  year  form 
another  great  danger.  The  French  Court  itself 
unfortunately  does  not  set  an  example  of  wise 
economy,  and  is  thereby  morally  responsible  for 
the  ever  increasing  immorality  of  the  Adminis- 
tration. .  .  . 

"The  Oriental  question,  though  theoretically 
dangerous,  does  not  at  first  appear  to  be  a  source 
of  real  danger.  Russia,  indeed,  might  make  it  so, 
but  England,  Austria,  Italy,  France,  and  Prussia 
have  a  too  substantial  interest  in  the  status  quo  to 


STORM  AND  STRESS  49 

exclude  the  hope  that  several  years  of  peace  will 
ensue  so  far  as  that  is  concerned.  .  .  . 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  now  that  Bismarck  is 
not  only  the  man  of  the  hour,  but  that  he  is  also 
indispensable.  Prussia  has  become  a  power  of  the 
first  rank,  and  from  henceforth  must  be  taken  into 
consideration. 

"  The  foreign  policy  of  Prussia  is  firm,  clear, 
decisive,  and  to  the  point.  At  home  various 
elements  of  wavering  and  contradiction  make  their 
influence  felt. 

"  The  annexed  territories  might  already  have 
become  more  Prussian,  were  not  the  fear  of 
democracy  so  great  in  Berlin.  .  .  .  The  Chambers 
are  willing,  everything  has  been  passed  and 
sanctioned  that  the  Government  demanded — but 
unheard-of  truths  have  been  told,  so  much  so  that 
the  feudal  party  has  not  quite  the  courage  to 
glorify  personal  government  beyond  reasonable 
limits. 

"  The  nation  has  obviously  matured,  politically 
speaking,  Political  extravagances  have  also  de- 
creased rather  than  increased  in  the  army,  owing 
to  the  consciousness  of  a  gloriously  ended  war. 

."In  Southern  Germany  public  opinion  is  still 
continually  excited,  especially  in  Wiirttemberg  ; 
Bavaria  sways  like  a  reed.  Prince  Hohenlohe 
Schillingsfiirst*  may  become  President  of  the 
Ministry  in  place  of  Pfordten ;  his  appointment 

*  The  present  German  Chancellor  [1899] 

D 


50  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

would  be  a  sign  in  favour  of  Prussia.  Baden's 
attitude  'is  the  most  correct ;  there  they  would 
prefer  the  supremacy  of  Prussia  to  that  of  Bavaria 
and  Wlirttemberg. 

"A  proof  of  the  want  of  earnestness  in  the 
unity  of  Southern  Germany  is  afforded  by  the  fact 
that  Bavaria  is  improving  its  Podewils  rifle,  Wlirt- 
temberg adopts  the  Swiss  arm,  Baden  the  Prussian 
needle  gun,  and  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse  retains 
the  Minie  I  And  yet  everybody  is  complaining 
of  the  want  of  unity  amongst  politicians  and 
soldiers.  .  .  ." 

In  reply  to  a  letter  from  Napoleon  III.  Prince 
Charles  explained  the  chief  difficulty  of  the 
situation  thus : 

"  The  Panslavonic  party  seeks  to  produce  com- 
plications in  the  East  by  all  possible  means.  They 
have  already  been  able  to  influence  Greece ;  the 
Cretans  have  rebelled,  and,  strong  in  the  aid  of 
nationalities  which  they  cannot  call  upon  in  vain, 
claim  the  assistance  of  Europe.  Agitators  under 
Greek  names  are  busy  amongst  the  Christian 
populations  and  fan  their  latent  courage.  .  .  . 
Emissaries  endeavour  to  incite  the  population  of 
Moldavia,  and  even  our  Chamber  of  Deputies  is 
prepared  to  create  difficulties  for  us. 

"  If  the  interest  and  sympathy  of  the  great 
Western  Powers  lead  us  to  hope  that  the  Eastern 


STORM  AND  STRESS  51 

Question  will  be  solved  in  our  favour,  we  must 
confess  that  we  are  not  yet  ready  to  obtain 
advantage  from  the  situation.  .  .  .  We  must, 
therefore,  expect  everything  from  the  support  of 
our  traditional  protectors,  and  especially  from  the 
friendship  of  your  Majesty.  It  appears  to  me, 
Sire,  most  desirable  that  France,  England,  and 
Prussia  should  from  now  come  to  an  understand- 
ing on  the  matter  of  Eastern  affairs.  A  close 
concert  between  these  three  Powers  would  be 
the  surest  guarantee  of  our  national  indepen- 
dence. ..." 

Prince  Charles  received  the  following  autograph 
letter  from  Queen  Victoria  on  February  13,  1867, 
a  propos  of  his  recognition  by  the  Sultan  : 

"  MY  DEAR  COUSIN, 

"  I  cannot  possibly  allow  the  formal  answer 
to  your  letter  to  be  despatched  without  adding  at 
the  same  time  a  few  lines  to  the  brother  of  my 
dear  and  never-to-be-forgotten  niece  Stephanie  and 
my  dear  nephew  Leopold. 

"  I  also  desire  to  offer  my  sincere  congratu- 
lations on  the  happy  solution  of  the  difficulties 
with  the  Sultan,  as  well  as  my  warmest  wishes 
for  your  future  and  lasting  happiness  and  welfare. 

"  I  shall  always  take  the  warmest  interest  in 
your  success,  and  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  will 
continue  faithful  in  the  future  to  the  principles  of 


52  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

moderation  and  wisdom,  which  you  have  hitherto 
pursued. 

"  I  remain  -always  your  sincere  cousin, 

"VICTORIA  REG." 

The  condition  of  Crete  and  the  consequent 
agitation  in  Greece  formed  the  chief  topic  of  a 
letter  addressed  to  Prince  Charles  by  the  King  of 
the  Greeks.  King  George  pointed  out  the  diffi- 
culties caused  by  the  patriotic  excitement  of  his 
people,  whose  longing  for  war  was  so  strong  that 
they  expected  him  to  fight  Turkey,  without 
money,  troops,  ships,  or  allies.  He  could  not 
appear  in  the  streets  without  being  greeted  with 
cries  of  "To  Constantinople"  from  men  and 
women  of  all  classes.  It  was  the  special  mis- 
fortune of  his  people  that  they  thought  every 
insurrection  must  bear  golden  fruit,  because  they 
themselves  had  always  gained  some  end  by  revo- 
lution. 

The  Cretans  formed  three  distinct  Corps  which 
were  kept  supplied  with  ammunition  and  recruits 
by  Greek  ships.  This  the  Turkish  fleet  was 
powerless  to  prevent,  as  it  had  no  coal,  and  was 
therefore  forced  to  remain  at  anchor.  The  Greeks 
reckoned  confidently  upon  an  insurrection  in 
Thessaly  and  Epirus,  though,  of  course,  they  were 
well  aware  that  Russia  only  fomented  this  move- 
ment in  order  that  the  Turkish  efforts  to  suppress 
it  might  indirectly  strengthen  the  Slav  element 


STORM  AND  STRESS  53 

by  exciting  sympathy  in  Eastern  Europe.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  the  Russian  Government 
announced  that  it  did  not  aim  at  the  destruction 
of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  but  only  desired  emanci- 
pation and  humane  treatment  for  the  Christian 
subjects  of  the  Sultan,  and  that  it  was  awaiting 
a  more  favourable  moment  for  the  release  from 
the  onerous  conditions  of  the  1856  Treaty  and  the 
re-acquisition  of  Bessarabia.  The  cession  of  Crete 
to  Greece  was,  however,  strongly  advocated  by 
the  Russian  diplomatists. 

A  ministerial  crisis  in  Eoumania  was  brought  to 
an  end  on  March  5  by  the  laconic  motion :  "  The 
Chamber  has  no  confidence  in  the  Ministry ! " 
which  was  passed  by  a  majority  of  three  votes. 
Eventually  a  new  Ministry  was  formed  under 
the  presidency  of  Cretzulesku,  a  moderate  Conser- 
vative, and  was  on  the  whole  well  received  by  the 
Chamber. 

A  Roumanian  statesman  sent  on  a  confidential 
mission  to  Vienna  by  the  Prince  reported  that  the 
feeling  of  the  Austrian  Government  was  now  far 
more  friendly  than  formerly,  and  that  the  questions 
of  extradition  and  commercial  treaties,  consular 
jurisdiction,  and  the  appointment  of  an  accredited 
agent  in  Vienna  would  find  more  favourable  con- 
sideration with  the  Austrian  statesmen. 

A  law  was  passed  by  the  Chamber  and  pro- 
mulgated in  the  official  Moniteur  conferring 
honorary  citizenship  on  W.  E.  Gladstone,  J.  A. 


54  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Roebuck,  Jules  Michelet,  Edgar  Quinet,  St.  Marc 
Girardin,  J.  E.  Ubicini,  and  P.  T.  Bataillard,  in 
recognition  of  their  efforts  on  behalf  of  the  Balkan 
States. 

About  this  time  Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote 
his  son  an  interesting  letter  referring  to  the 
Luxemburg  Question,  which  at  that  moment 
threatened  to  cause  a  war  between  Prussia  and 
France.  The  Prince  wrote  as  follows  • 

"  Once  more  we  are  on  the  threshold  of  great 
events — it  is  possible  that  a  continental  war  may 
soon  break  out  again,  and  equally  possible  that  we 
may  enjoy  a  lasting  peace.  This  much  at  least  is 
certain,  Napoleon's  star  is  sulking  "and  France  is 
seething  and  fermenting." 

A  letter  from  Paris  aptly  described  the  views  of 
the  French  Government  on  the  subject  of  Rou- 
mania  and  Prince  Charles. 

"  The  Prince  is  very  popular,  much  loved  and 
highly  esteemed  personally,  but  his  Government 
(that  of  Ghika)  is  unpopular,  wanting  in  initiative, 
foresight,  and  firmness,  so  that  its  position  is  not 
solid.  Reforms  make  no  progress,  Russian  in- 
trigues have  ample  play,  because  the  indecision  of 
the  Government  and  its  want  of  energy  throw 
doubt  on  its  stability.  Only  to-day  a  diplomat 
remarked  to  me  that  the  Russian  party  is  getting 


STORM  AND  STRESS  55 

the  upper  hand,  that  Russophile  officers,  such  as  a 
certain  Solomon  and  others,  have  regained  their 
influence  and  position,  and  that  those  who  helped 
to  elect  the  Prince  are  discouraged  at  seeing 
Russia,  the  eternal  enemy  of  the  country,  in  the 
ascendant." 

After  alluding  to  the  project  of  a  Russian 
marriage,  the  letter  continued  : 

"The  Prince  will  soon  be  convinced  that 
Russian  ambition  will  not  give  way  to  sentiment 
or  family  ties.  It  marches  straight  to  its  goal  in 
spite  of  opposition,  and  yields  to  nothing  but 
superior  force." 

Another  letter  from  the  same  quarter  addressed 
to  the  Prince  gives  the  following  quaint  definition 
of  the  faults  of  the  German  character : 

"  The  German  is  never  sympathetic  to  foreign 
nations,  he  is  deficient  in  charm,  in  grace.  The 
North  German  is  too  stiff;  the  South  German 
is  too  heavy  ever  to  awaken  feelings  of  sympathy. 
This  is  as  true  as  that  the  earth  turns  on  its  axis. 
Even  admitting  that  in  diplomacy  one  may  be 
ungrateful,  nevertheless  the  punishment  seldom 
fails,  as  witness  Austria,  which  has  paid  heavily 
for  its  ingratitude.  It  is  most  imprudent  to 
alienate  yourself  from  France." 


56  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

An  application  for  permission  to  return  to  Rou- 
mania  was  received  on  May  26,  from  the  exiled 
Prince  Kusa,  who  alleged  that  his  presence  was 
required  in  a  lawsuit  affecting  his  private  interests. 
Though  Prince  Charles  was  inclined  to  grant  this 
favour,  the  decision  was  left  to  his  Ministry, 
who  opposed  the  project,  as  they  had  reason  to 
believe  that  Prince  Kusa's  presence  might  provoke 
troubles. 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  to  assassinate  the  Czar 
was  made  on  June  7,  1867,  when  the  Prince  wrote 
to  congratulate  his  Imperial  Majesty  on  his  escape. 
The  Czar  replied  as  follows  : 

"  I  thank  your  Highness  for  the  sentiments 
which  you  have  expressed  in  your  letter  of 
June  10,  on  an  occasion  when  Divine  Providence 
has  deigned  to  manifest  its  protection  so  clearly. 
You  are  right  in  not  doubting  the  affectionate  inter- 
est which  I  feel  for  you,  and  the  warm  solicitude 
which  I  have  not  ceased  to  consecrate  to  the 
welfare  of  my  Christian  brethren  in  the  united 
Principalities.  The  hopes  which  I  entertain 
regarding  them  are  particularly  founded  on  the 
fact  that  a  spirit  of  order  and  authority  will  pre- 
vail over  the  passions  which  have  excited  them 
only  too  deeply  during  these  last  days.  It  is  for 
your  Highness  to  establish  these  principles  firmly, 
for  without  them  no  society  can  prosper;  and  I 
like  to  believe  that  you  will  display  therein  a 


STORM  AND  STRESS  57 

firmness   equal  to   the  wisdom  which   you   have 
shown  since  your  accession  to  power. 

"ALEXANDER.' 

The  news  that  Omar  Pacha  had  at  last  gained 
a  signal  victory  over  the  Cretan  insurgents  was  of 
the  greatest  interest  to  Prince  Charles,  who  was 
well  informed  as  to  the  general  situation  in  that 
quarter.  Whilst  the  majority  of  the  Powers  had 
proposed  as  early  as  April  the  cession  of  that 
island  to  Greece,  France  had  gone  still  further, 
and  demanded  the  cession  of  Thessaly  and  Epirus 
as  well.  Austria  and  Russia  were,  however, 
opposed  to  this,  for  though  Russia  desired  to 
weaken  Turkey  in  every  possible  respect,  it  was 
no  part  of  her  plan  to  help  in  strengthening 
Greece.  In  such  cases  the  diplomacy  of  the 
Turkish  statesmen  appears  to  lie  in  the  art  of 
giving  evasive  answers  and  in  skilfully  playing  off 
one  Power  against  the  other. 

The  recently  appointed  Russian  Ambassador  to 
the  Porte,  General  Ignatieff,  made  use  of  the 
energetic  demand  of  France  on  behalf  of  Crete  to 
persuade  the  Sublime  Porte  that  the  Western 
Powers  were  the  greatest  enemies  of  Turkey, 
whilst  Russia  was  her  only  true  friend  and  natural 
ally.  His  influence  was,  however,  lessened  by  the 
Sultan's  unexpected  invitation  to  visit  the  Paris 
Exhibition,  followed  by  another  from  England. 
Count  Ignatieff  was  forced  to  content  himself  with 


58  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  sarcastic  reflection  that,  though  every  Court 
in  Europe  might  in  turn  invite  the  Sultan,  Russia 
would  still  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  him 
ruined  financially. 

Prince  Charles  proceeded  to  Giurgiu,  on 
August  5,  on  his  way  to  meet  the  Sultan  at 
Rustschuk,  who  was  returning  from  Paris.  The 
interview  with  his  suzerain  lasted  about  half  an 
hour,  and  Ali  Pacha  acted  as  interpreter.  The 
Sultan  appeared  in  excellent  spirits  at  the  result 
of  his  visit,  and  delighted  with  the  reception  he 
had  met  with  on  his  travels. 

Owing  to  the  continued  hostility  of  France, 
especially  as  regarded  the  Jewish  Question, 
J.  Bratianu  was  forced  to  resign  his  portfolio,  and 
a  day  later  the  entire  Ministry  followed  him. 
The  news  of  this  step  spread  consternation 
throughout  the  country,  and  threw  the  greatest 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  Stephen  Golesku,  who 
was  entrusted  with  the  formation  of  the  new 
Ministry.  The  Separatists  also  seized  upon  this 
critical  state  of  affairs  to  reproach  the  Prince 
openly  with  having  sacrificed  his  Minister  to 
pressure  from  abroad ;  indeed,  the  whole  political 
situation  appeared  most  threatening.  Influential 
persons  in  France  were  inciting  ex-Prince  Kusa 
to  agitate  in  Roumania  :  the  Minister  of  Finance 
wanted  to  resign  because  there  were  no  funds  for 
most  necessary  expenses — e.g.,  the  officers  on  the 
half-pay  list  had  not  received  their  pay  for  two 


STORM  AND  STRESS  59 

months  ;  the  open  hostility  of  the  Austrian  and 
French  Press ;  the  anti-dynastic  and  separatist 
movement  in  Moldavia,  fomented  by  Russia :  all 
these  contributed  to  increase  the  difficulties  which 
beset  the  path  of  the  young  ruler. 

The  state  of  affairs  in  Crete  remained  practically 
unaltered ;  supported  by  Greece  and  Russia,  the 
Cretans  demanded  nothing  less  than  incorporation 
with  Greece,  whilst  England  and  France  viewed 
this  proposal  with  disfavour.  Ali  Pacha,  the 
Grand  Vizier,  was  sent  to  Crete  with  the  most 
extensive  powers  to  pacify  the  island ;  in  addition 
to  other  reforms,  a  Christian  Governor-General 
was  to  be  appointed.  A  sudden  change,  however, 
took  place  in  the  views  of  the  Porte,  for  the 
Sultan  at  last  recognised  the  futility  of  constantly 
giving  way  to  foreign  interference,  and  deter- 
mined to  hold  his  own  by  force  of  arms.  No  fewer 
than  80,000  men  were  to  be  despatched  to  the 
island,  though  the  season  was  by  no  means 
favourable  to  military  operations. 

In  the  meantime  a  special  session  of  the 
Roumanian  Chamber  was  convoked  on  Novem- 
ber 6  to  introduce  reforms  in  the  army,  to  con- 
firm certain  railway  concessions,  and  to  vote  the 
supplies  without  which  the  administration  had 
become  impossible.  In  spite  of  the  continued 
hostility  of  France  towards  J.  Bratianu,  the  Prince 
appointed  that  statesman  Minister  of  Finance. 
The  Chamber  was  then  dissolved  by  the  advice  of 


60  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  Ministry,  who  gave  the  following  considerations 
as  their  reasons : 

The  Chamber  had  been  elected  shortly  after  the 
accession  of  the  Prince,  at  a  period  when  the 
nation  scarcely  knew  what  policy  their  ruler 
intended  to  adopt,  or,  indeed,  the  details  of 
the  new  Constitution.  The  consequence  of  this 
ignorance  was  a  wrong  application  of  the  election 
laws — fully  half  the  elections  would  have  been 
annulled  had  they  been  strictly  investigated.  It 
was  evident  from  the  first  that  no  Ministry  could 
reckon  upon  a  majority  in  a  House  so  equally 
divided,  and  so  it  happened  that  the  Budget 
could  not  be  passed  at  the  proper  time.  In 
[February  the  factions  had  combined  so  far  as  to 
defeat  the  Ministry,  but  the  new  majority  was 
again  divided  into  three  factions,  and  unable 
therefore  to  do  its  duty.  The  Senate  was  dis- 
solved for  the  same  reasons. 

A  complete  victory  was  scored  by  the  Liberal 
Government  at  the  general  election,  both  in  the 
Chamber  and  the  Senate.  The  speech  from  the 
throne  on  January  15,  1868,  congratulated  the 
Deputies  on  the  peaceful  course1  of  the  elections ; 
and,  after  touching  on  the  Jewish  Question, 
insisted  upon  the  necessity  of  legislating  for  the 
army,  the  Church,  and  finance,  which  all  demanded 
their  closest  attention. 

Count  Bismarck  pointed  out  to  the  Prince  that 
Russian  support  would  be  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 


STORM  AND  STRESS  61 

Roumania,  an  opinion  shared  by  Prince  Charles 
Anthony,  who  remarked  that  Russia  was  either  a 
powerful  friend  or  a  dangerous  enemy.  The  future 
of  the  Orient  belonged  to  Russia  in  the  probable 
development  of  European  affairs.  "France  will  con- 
tinue to  lose  prestige ;  it  is,  therefore,  only  common 
sense  to  step  voluntarily  into  the  Russian  sphere  of 
influence  before  one  is  forced  to  do  so,  yet  at  the 
same  time  without  falling  out  with  France.  .  .  ." 
In  a  letter,  which  crossed  the  above,  Prince 
Charles  wrote  : 

"  The  greatest  danger  for  Roumania  is  a  Franco- 
Russian  Alliance.  The  former  Power  at  present  does 
its  utmost  to  effect  this.  To-day  France  is  forced  to 
make  friends  of  its  enemies,  for  nobody  sides  with 
it.  The  whole  Orient  is  against  France.  .  .  . 
Italy  will  have  need  of  Prussia,  and  Prussia  of 
Italy,  for  they  both  have  only  evil  to  expect  from 
France.  .  .  .  France  has  lost  much  ground  here, 
and  if  we  did  not  remember  that  she  has  done  much 
good  for  Roumania,  we  should  break  with  her 
entirely.  .  .  ." 

A  Treaty — purely  "platonic,"  as  the  Prince 
termed  it — was  ratified  with  Servia  on  February  2, 
1868,  to  "guard  the  reciprocal  interests  of  the 
two  countries  ...  and  to  develop  the  prosperity 
of  the  countries  in  conformity  with  their  legiti- 
mate and  autonomous  rights." 


(52 

The  ill-will  and  pique  of  the  French  Govern- 
ment led  to  an  official  request  for  information 
about  the  Bulgarian  rebel  bands,  which  were 
reported  to  be  assembling  along  the  Danube  pre- 
paratory to  invading  Turkish  territory,  aided  and 
abetted  by  the  Roumanian  Government.  These 
accusations,  it  must  be  confessed,  were  partly 
founded  on  fact,  for  it  was  impossible  to  prevent 
the  Roumanian  nation  from  testifying  in  a  prac- 
tical manner  to  its  sympathy  with  its  oppressed 
neighbours.  Besides  this,  many  influential  Bul- 
garian families  had  sought  refuge  in  Roumania 
from  the  pressure  of  Midhat  Pacha's  iron  hand. 
The  wave  of  hatred  and  enmity  of  the  Christian 
religion  which  at  the  time  appeared  to  sweep 
over  the  whole  Turkish  Empire  contributed  mate- 
rially to  incite  the  Bulgarians  in  Roumania  to 
undertake  reprisals  in  revenge  of  the  outrages 
inflicted  upon  their  native  country. 

The  following  letter  from  Count  Bismarck  was 
received  by  Prince  Charles  : 

"BERLIN,  27^  February,  1868. 

"  I  had  the  honour  to  receive  your  Highness's 
gracious  letter  of  the  27th  inst.,  and  make  use  to- 
day of  the  first  secure  opportunity  of  tendering 
your  Highness  my  humble  thanks  for  the  gracious 
sentiments  expressed  therein.  It  will  always  be 
a  pleasant  duty,  and  the  outcome  of  my  personal 
attachment,  to  be  of  service  to  your  Highness's 


STORM  AND  STRESS  63 

interests  here.  I  have  endeavoured  to  show  my 
devotion  in  the  latest  phase  of  politics  by  main- 
taining in  London  and  Paris  my  conviction  that 
the  rumours  about  the  warlike  undertakings  on 
your  Highness's  territory  are  malicious  inventions. 
The  origin  of  these  reports  appears  to  be  a  Belgian 
Consul,  whom  we  had  cause  to  complain  of  in 
Brussels.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  rumours  have  been  used  in  Paris 
to  make  your  Highness  feel  that  an  entente  with 
Russia  does  not  accord  with  the  intentions  of 
France.  This  does  not  affect  the  fact  that  every 
stable  Government  of  Roumania  has  need  of 
friendly  relations  with  Russia  as  much  and, 
indeed,  owing  to  its  geographical  situation,  even 
more  than  with  any  other  of  the  European 
Powers.  Your  Highness  must  expect  the  reaction 
which  will  result  from  pursuing  your  own  course. 
I  do  not  doubt  that  the  mission  to  St.  Petersburg 
will  result  the  more  favourably,  as  the  Bishop  of 
Ismail  succeeds  in  enlisting  the  active  sympathy 
of  his  brethren  and  fellow  priests  in  Petersburg, 
and  in  publicly  fostering  the  impression  that  this 
has  happened.  .  .  . 

"v.  BISMARCK." 

As  foretold  by  Bismarck,  the  mission  to  St. 
Petersburg  caused  the  Paris  Government  to  look 
upon  Roumania  as  lost  to  France.  Bratianu  was 
accused  of  having  thrown  himself  into  the  arms 


64  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

of  Russia,  backed  by  his  large  majority  at  the 
recent  elections.  Again  and  again  the  young 
Prince  was  warned  not  to  offend  the  French 
Emperor  by  base  ingratitude. 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote  to  his  son  that 
"Bismarck's.  .  .  observation  that  Roumania  is  the 
Belgium  of  South-Eastern  Europe  is  perfectly  cor- 
rect. E/oumania,  like  Belgium,  must  not  attempt 
foreign  politics,  but  must  live  on  the  best  possible 
terms  with  her  neighbours  :  she  will  then  share  hi 
the  fruits  which  in  due  season  will  fall  from  the 
tree  of  Europe.  But  she  must  not  pluck  them 
herself,  especially  while  they  are  unripe.  .  .  .  The 
situation  of  the  Jews,  such  as  prevails  on  the  Lower 
Danube,  is  an  evil  rash  upon  the  body  of  the 
State ;  but  it  is  as  impossible  to  solve  this 
Jewish  Question  with  one  blow  as  to  drive  a 
rash  away  at  once.  However,  I  have  complete 
confidence  in  your  ability  to  use  the  right  means. 
The  same  applies  to  the  dreaded  declaration  of 
independence.  Such  a  one-sided  action  would  be 
the  most  colossal  imprudence :  the  force  of  cir- 
cumstances and  not  the  wish  of  the  Roumanian 
nation  will  be  the  operative  factor."  This  sage 
counsel  prevailed,  although  the  declaration  of 
independence  was  strongly  advocated  by  many  of 
the  Prince's  advisers. 

In  June  1868  the  arrival  of  Prince  Napoleon 
on  a  visit  to  the  Prince  of  Roumania  was  heartily 
welcomed  by  the  whole  nation,  which  was  glad  of 


STORM  AND  STRESS  65 

an  opportunity  of  expressing  her  sympathy  and 
regard  for  France  and  the  Imperial  dynasty. 
Prince  Napoleon,  however,  created  a  very  indif- 
ferent impression,  for  not  even  the  utmost 
enthusiasm,  the  deafening  cheers,  the  showers  of 
bouquets  from  the  hands  of  fair  ladies,  were  able 
to  move  him  from  the  passive  and  icy  demeanour 
which  he  displayed  on  his  arrival.  Although  he 
had  barely  one  word  to  say  to  the  many  persons 
presented  to  him,  his  manner  to  Prince  Charles 
was  very  amiable,  and  he  frequently  repeated  his 
offer  of  assistance  to  the  Prince.  The  conversa- 
tion did  not  take  a  political  turn,  with  the 
exception  of  the  one  sentence :  "  Paris  considers 
you  wholly  in  the  Russian  camp." 

The  greatest  confusion  still  prevailed  in  Crete, 
where  the  inhabitants  persisted  in  their  demand 
for  union  with  Greece,  and  even  elected  sixteen 
Deputies  to  represent  the  island  in  the  Athenian 
Chamber.  This  step,  however,  created  a  great 
difficulty  for  the  Greek  Government,  for  if  these 
Cretan  Deputies  were  allowed  to  sit,  the  censure  of 
the  European  Powers  would  be  incurred,  whilst  if 
they  were  sent  about  their  business  the  excitement 
of  the  populace  might  easily  precipitate  a  crisis. 

The  news  of  the  assassination  of  Prince  Michael 
of  Servia,  who  had  always  preserved  the  most 
friendly  relations  with  Prince  Charles,  was  received 
on  June  11,  1868,  with  consternation  and  sincere 
regret  by  the  Roumanian  nation.  Prince  Milan 


66  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Obrenowitch  was  unanimously  elected  Prince  of 
Servia,  under  a  regency  composed  of  MM.  Blag- 
navatz,  Ristitch,  and  Gavrilovitch,  by  the  Skup- 
tchina  on  July  5,  1868. 

A  band  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  Bulgarians 
assembled  in  Roumanian  territory  and  crossed  the 
Danube  on  July  16  near  Petroschani,  abetted  by 
a  farmer,  who  concealed  their  rifles  on  an  island  in 
midstream.  Aided  by  the  Bulgarians  south  of 
the  river,  the  insurrection  spread  rapidly,  until 
Midhat  Pacha  defeated  the  rebels  at  Letzwitza. 
A  proclamation  of  the  provisional  government  of 
the  Balkans  was  found  among  them,  calling  the 
Bulgarians  to  shake  off  the  Turkish  yoke  and 
found  a  Bulgarian  kingdom.  With  barbarous 
severity  Midhat  Pacha  thereupon  ordered  all 
prisoners  to  be  executed  in  their  native  villages 
as  a  deterrent  to  the  remainder  of  the  population. 
The  Roumanian  Government  was  accused  of 
fomenting  the  insurrection,  or  at  least  of  having 
taken  no  steps  to  prevent  the  congregation  of 
insurgents  on  Roumanian  territory ;  but  the  real 
culprits  were  proved  to  have  been  Russian 
instigators.  Prince  Charles  refers  to  the  incident 
as  follows,  in  a  letter  to  his  father : 

"  The  insurrection  appears  to  be  wholly  sup- 
pressed for  the  present,  and  the  few  insurgents 
still  remaining  in  Bulgaria  have  retired  to  the 
Balkans.  How  long  the  peace  will  remain  undis- 


STORM  AND  STRESS  67 

turbed  I  cannot  say;  but  the  fact  remains  that 
the  bitter  feeling  of  the  Bulgarians  has  reached 
its  climax,  and  can  only  be  compared  to  religious 
fanaticism.  Numerous  bands  of  insurgents  are 
still  on  Roumanian  territory,  but  we  are  forcing 
them  to  disperse.  Much  anxiety  is  caused  by 
guarding  our  extended  frontier."  ..."  Public 
works  have  now  come  to  the  front :  a  law  has 
been  formulated  and  passed  by  the  Chamber  that 
each  Roumanian,  shall  work  three  days  or  pay 
for  three  days'  labour  in  the  year  on  the  roads  of 
the  country.  This  measure  was  at  first  opposed, 
as  it  was  considered  a  corvee,  but  we  succeeded  in 
refuting  this  argument.  ...  I  fully  realise  your 
advice,  that  my  chief  aim  must  be  directed  to 
the  development  of  the  material  interests  of  the 
country.  I  should  prefer  to  leave  politics  severely 
alone,  and  cut  myself  off  from  the  rest  of  the 
world  for  some  time  to  come,  but  the  foreign 
Powers  will  not  permit  it.  France  in  particular  is 
attempting  to  throw  difficulties  in  my  way  ;  the 
Marquis  de  Moustier  desires  at  all  costs  to  fix 
some  quarrel  on  Eoumania  and  to  turn  out  my 
Ministry,  which  no  longer  inspires  confidence  in 
France ;  for  this  I  am  sorry  ;  but,  nevertheless,  it 
will  not  induce  me  to  dismiss  a  Ministry  which 
possesses  my  entire  confidence.  I  forgot  to 
mention  that  Bouree,  d  propos  of  the  Bulgarian 
incident,  expressed  the  opinion  :  '  This  circum- 
stance must  be  utilised  to  demand  the  fall  of 


68  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  Roumanian  Ministry.'  I  think  it  more 
important  to  change  the  Ministers  in  France  than 
in  Roumania — the  events  in  Paris,  in  the  Sor- 
bonne,  the  Rochefort  trial  in  consequence  of  the 
violent  article  in  the  Lanterne,  &c.,  are  ominous 
portents.  The  Second  Empire  is  severely  shaken, 
and  can  only  be  maintained  by  radical  means  if 
the  fatal  sentence  '  il  est  trop  tard '  is  not 
to  come  true — as  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it 
will  be.  Sympathy  with  France  has  disappeared 
in  the  East,  and  she  has  only  herself  to  thank 
if  the  Christian  nations  throw  themselves  into 
the  arms  of  Russia.  Turkish  and  French  politics 
are  identical  here.  .  .  . 

"  Many  irregularities  and  embezzlements  still 
occur  in  the  various  branches  of  the  administra- 
tion, but  by  no  means  in  the  same  degree  as 
formerly ;  a  considerable  period  will  probably 
elapse  before  this  evil  can  be  wholly  remedied. 
.  .  .  The  juries  are  not  always  capable  of  ful- 
filling their  task ;  they  often  sentence  those  who 
have  been  guilty  of  minor  offences  and  acquit 
notorious  criminals.  ...  I  am  against  Press  prose- 
cutions in  Roumania,  for  what  the  papers  write  is 
valueless  ;  I  am  in  favour  of  unlimited  freedom  of 
the  Press ;  it  is  decidedly  less  dangerous  than 
limited  freedom,  the  consequences  of  which  are 
visible  in  France  to-day." 

Events  in  Spain  now  appeared  to  be  reaching  a 


STORM  AND  STRESS  69 

critical  period,  as  Marshal  Prim  and  Serrano  were 
engaged  in  the  task  of  selecting  a  ruler  for  the 
vacant  throne.  Rumour  pointed  to  the  following 
as  possible  candidates  :  The  King  of  Portugal,  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Hohenzollern,  Prince  Philip 
of  Coburg,  and  the  Due  de  Montpensier. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Crown  Prince  of  Prussia, 
thanking  him  for  a  communication  received 
through  Colonel  von  Krenski,^  Prince  Charles 
remarked : 

"  The  revolution  in  Spain  came  very  much  a 
propos,  for  France  will  now  be  forced  to  keep 
quiet.  As  an  old  acquaintance  I  deplore  the  fate 
of  the  poor  Queen,  but  honestly  confess  it  was  no 
more  than  was  to  be  expected.  I  should  like  to 
see  an  Orleans  or  Philip  of  Coburg  ascend  the 
Spanish  throne,  but  on  no  account  a  regent  put 
forward  by  Napoleon  !  If  the  Republic  is  vic- 
torious in  Spain  it  will  soon  break  out  in  France, 
and  at  the  present  time  this  would  be  a  lesser 
danger  for  the  development  of  Germany  than  the 
Napoleonic  dynasty." 

The  repeated  attacks  of  Austria,  or  rather  of 
Count  Beust,  on  the  Golesku  Ministry  and  on 
Bratianu  in  particular,  proved  that  the  retention 
of  the  latter  might  lead  to  the  most  serious  conse- 

*  A  Prussian  officer,  sent  in  October  1868  by  the  King  of 
Prussia  as  military  instructor  to  Roumania. 


70  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

quences.  The  nature  of  these  attacks  may  be 
recognised  from  the  missta-tements  in  the  Austrian 
Red  Book,  which  estimated  the  number  of  needle- 
guns  sold  to  Prince  Charles  at  50,000  instead 
of  10,000,  whilst  Roumania  was  termed  an 
"arsenal"  by  Count  Beust.  Shortly  after  the 
opening  of  the  Chamber  the  Ministry  resigned, 
and  Prince  D.  Ghika  was  entrusted  with  the 
formation  of  a  new  Ministry.  The  most  prominent 
member  was  M.  Cogalniceanu,  and  the  Ministry 
was  composed  of  statesmen  belonging  to  every 
political  party.  In  a  letter  to  the  President 
Prince  Charles  praised  his  programme  as  truly 
national,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  he  would 
succeed  in  effacing  all  differences  of  opinion  and 
those  intrigues  so  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of 
the  State. 

On  December  9,  18G8,  the  following  letter  was 
received  from  Prince  Charles  Anthony  : 

"  The  candidature  for  the  Spanish  throne  has 
hitherto  been  discussed  only  in  newspapers  ;  we 
have  not  ourselves  heard  a  single  word  about  it, 
and  even  should  this  project  be  placed  more 
closely  before  us,  I  should  never  counsel  the 
acceptance  of  this  hazardous  though  dazzling  posi- 
tion. Moreover,  France  would  never  be  able  to 
consent  to  the  establishment  of  a  Hohenzollern  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Pyrenees  on  account  of  our 
relations  with  Prussia  ;  nay,  it  is  already  swollen 


STORM  AND  STRESS  71 

with  jealousy  because  a  member  of  that  house 
rules  the  Lower  Danube.  .  .  . 

"  Bismarck  appears  to  me  just  now  to  possess 
rather  less  influence  in  Home  questions.  ...  In 
the  Foreign  Office,  however,  he  continues  undis- 
turbed, although  even  there  he  has  often  to  bow 
to  the  views  of  the  King." 

In  a  subsequent  letter  to  his  son  congratulating 
him  on  the  excellent  results  of  the  change  in  the 
Ministry,  Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote : 

"England,  which  now  possesses  a  new  Ministry, 
must  be  managed  with  tact,  for  the  independence 
of  the  Porte  is  the  corde  sensible  of  both  Tories 
and  Whigs.  If  England  is  convinced  that 
Roumania  does  not  wish  to  emancipate  herself,  you 
will  be  able  to  reckon  with  confidence  on  England's 
sympathy  and  friendship  for  Roumania." 

Since  Greece  on  December  18  declined  to  accept 
the  Turkish  ultimatum,  all  Greek  subjects  living 
in  Turkey  were  informed  that  they  would  have  to 
leave  the  country  in  fourteen  days'  time,  and  a 
Conference  assembled  in  Paris  for  the  purpose  of 
adjust  ing  the  differences  of  these  two  nations  and 
preventing  a  war.  Their  efforts  were  crowned 
with  success,  for  Greece  accepted  the  declaration 
of  the  Conference  on  February  6,  1869. 

Count  Andrassy,  the  Hungarian  statesman, 
endeavoured  to  convince  the  Roumanian  Govern- 


72  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

ment  that  its  chief  source  of  danger  lay  in  Russia 
and  that  the  interests  of  the  Austro-Hungarian 
Monarchy  were  centred  in  a  strong  Roumania, 
which  would  be  able  to  oppose  a  barrier  to  the 
Panslavonic  element.  After  offering  his  services 
in  the  way  of  smoothing  over  the  difficulties 
which  had  arisen  between  the  two  States,  Count 
Andrassy  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  best 
solution  of  the  Eastern  Question  would  be  a  Con- 
federation of  the  Eastern  nations  and  the  creation 
of  various  independent  States,  "  to  make  the  West 
understand  that  the  question  could  be  solved 
without  the  influence  and  beyond  the  aspirations 
of  Russia." 

In  reply  to  a  letter  of  Prince  Charles  regard- 
ing the  entente  cordiale  with  Hungary,  Prince 
Bismarck  wrote  on  February  2,  1869,  as  follows  : 

"  I  consider  it  a  very  fortunate  and  cleverly 
managed  turn  of  events  that  your  Highness's  rela- 
tions to  the  Porte  should  have  improved.  I  am  con- 
vinced that  if  the  Porte  believes  that  it  has  nothing 
to  fear  for  its  possessions  from  the  Roumanian 
Government,  it  will  be  a  more  useful  and  perhaps 
a  more  sincere  friend  to  your  Highness  than  the 
majority  of  the  European  Powers,  who  can  hardly 
interfere  with  your  Highness  so  long  as  you  are 
on  good  terms  with  the  Porte.  Turkey  has  much 
less  to  fear  from  a  strong  government  in  Roumania 
which  maintains  peace  and  quiet — than  from  a  weak 


STORM  AND  STRESS  73 

and  revolutionary  state  of  affairs  in  the  Princi- 
palities. I  therefore  consider,  if  your  Highness 
will  graciously  permit  me  to  give  expression  to  my 
long  and  active  political  experience,  that  the  first 
requirement  of  your  Highness's  policy  is  the  estab- 
lishment of  your  authority  in  the  interior,  and  the 
maintenance  of  confidential  relations  with  the 
Porte.  The  means  by  which  such  relations  can  be 
promoted  by  personal  intercourse  with  influential 
men  in  Constantinople  will  doubtless  be  known  to 
your  Highness's  agents  there.  The  maintenance 
of  your  Highness's  authority  at  home  rests  princi- 
pally upon  the  maintenance  of  an  absolutely 
reliable  force  of  a  couple  of  thousand  men  able  to 
enforce  obedience  wherever  they  are  assembled. 
The  result  of  such  obedience  will  then  render 
possible  a  regular  administration  and  a  certain 
execution  of  the  law.  If  your  Highness  achieves 
this  result,  the  glory  and  practical  success  of  your 
Government  will  be  greater  and  more  lasting  than 
any  extension  of  the  Roumanian  rule  in  the  East 
could  make  it.  The  ideal  for  Roumania  appears 
to  me  to  be  the  title  de  la  Belgique  des  touches 
du  Danube,  and  for  your  Highness  the  glory  and 
the  gratitude  of  Europe  such  as  King  Leopold 
left  behind  him.  The  Roumanians,  as  we  judge 
them  from  this  distance,  are  neither  essentially 
warlike  nor  ambitious  to  rule  other  nations.  .  .  . 

"  If  this  conception  meets  with  your  Highness's 
approval,  amicable  relations  with  Hungary  would 


74  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

arise  spontaneously.  I  by  no  means  advocate  the 
cooling  of  the  entente  with  Russia  ;  nor  need  it 
suffer  through  Roumania's  friendly  feeling  for 
Hungary,  if  your  Highness  only  succeeds  in  culti- 
vating relations  with  the  Czar  and  Chancellor  in 
St.  Petersburg,  without  employing  the  channel 
of  excited  and  exciting  consular  agents.  The 
Imperial  Government  itself  is  far  more  liberal  and 
moderate  than  its  agents  in  the  East.  .  .  . 

"  The  present  demands  of  all  nations  and  most 
of  the  Governments  of  Europe  are  secure  conditions 
of  peace,  and  everything  that  your  Highness 
may  do  to  maintain  these,  if  you  announce  at 
the  same  time  that  it  is  done  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
will  receive  the  applause  of  Europe,  though  at 
first  the  hired  papers  of  the  intriguers  for  war  may 
decry  your  action.  But  if  your  Highness  believes 
that  there  is  no  power  to  render  innocuous  those 
who  for  foreign  money  endanger  the  peace  and  the 
stability  of  your  Highness's  rule,  I  cannot  divine 
the  motives  which  persuade  a  scion  of  so  illustrious 
a  house  as  that  of  your  Highness  to  persevere  in 
so  ungrateful  a  task.  .  .  ." 

Prince  Charles  described  the  motives  which  led 
to  the  dissolution  of  the  Chamber  as  follows  to 
his  father : 

"  The  conflict  between  the  Chamber  and  the 
Ministry — sought  by  the  former  in  the  appoint- 


STORM  AND  STRESS  75 

ment  of  General  Macedonski  to  the  command  of 
the  Bucharest  Division — shows  clearly  how  the 
Chamber  endeavoured  to  prevent  the  consolidation 
of  the  present  Ministry  in  the  hope  of  undermining 
all  authority.  I  considered  this  a  great  danger, 
and  the  greater  the  danger,  the  more  rapidly  and 
energetically  must  one  intervene.  Europe  desires 
peace  ;  and  it  is  not  for  us,  a  little  State,  which  has 
such  an  endless  labour  of  development  yet  before  it, 
and  so  much  to  do  before  it  can  become  strong — it 
is  not  for  us  to  seek  and  agitate  for  war.  I  hope 
that  in  the  next  Chamber  the  quiet  and  reasonable 
element  of  the  country  will  be  represented,  for 
this  alone  can  ensure  its  future.  The  election 
struggles  will,  however,  be  hotly  contested,  as  the 
opposition  will  employ  every  means  to  victory. 
Two  days  before  the  dissolution  of  the  Chamber  I 
had  a  five  hours'  conversation  with  Bratianu.  .  .  . 
He  thought  that  the  situation  at  home  was  most 
serious,  and  that  a  catastrophe  was  imminent.  I 
replied  that  I  feared  nothing.  '  Un  Hohenzollern 
ne  se  laisse  pas  si  facilement  renverser  comme  un 
prince  parvenu' " 

Amongst  other  rumours,  that  of  an  intended  ab- 
dication gained  much  credence  at  this  time,  whilst 
several  letters  were  received  threatening  assassina- 
tion. Prince  Charles  declined  to  pay  the  least  heed 
to  these  menaces,  and  to  show  his  confidence  in  his 
adopted  country  rode  long  distances  daily  in  all 


76  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

directions.  It  was  only  natural  that  Prince  Charles 
Anthony's  paternal  anxiety  should  be  aroused  by 
the  gloomy  picture  of  the  affairs  of  Roumania  and 
their  effect  on  the  Prince's  health.  He  wrote: 

"  I  have  seen  Krenski  and  learnt  from  him 
much  that  is  new  and  interesting,  but  find  that 
he  regards  matters  in  too  gloomy  a  light  and 
views  everything  with  ultra-Prussian  eyes.  It  is 
a  real  calamity  that  the  Prussians,  despite  their 
qualities  of  spirit,  character,  and  knowledge,  are 
frequently  deficient  in  objective  conception  and 
judgment ! 

"  Krenski  draws  a  gloomy  picture  of  your 
situation,  and  I  had  to  restrain  him  from  painting 
the  matter  too  darkly  to  your  dear  mother.  You 
were  looking  ill,  had  no  appetite,  little  sleep,  and 
your  exhaustion  was  patent  to  every  one  !  .  .  . 

"  I  consider  it  absolutely  necessary  that  you 
should  come  here  as  arranged  in  April.  It  is  of 
the  utmost  importance  for  two  reasons  :  first  of 
all,  it  will  give  the  lie  to  the  current  reports  that 
you  dare  not  leave  the  country  for  a  moment 
owing  to  imminent  dangers.  It  is  politically  most 
important  that  it  should  be  seen  that  you  can 
safely  venture,  in  spite  of  all,  to  be  absent  for  a 
short  time.  Secondly,  you  will  never  be  able  to 
think  of  marriage  unless  you  take  steps  personally 
in  the  matter.  .  .  . 

"  There   is  no  news   at   all.     I    do   not    know 


STORM  AND  STRESS  77 

whether  I  shall  be  able  to  go  to  Berlin  for  the 
birthday.  My  foot  is  better,  but  it  is  not  com- 
pletely cured,  and  the  greatest  caution  is  necessary. 
It  is  depressing  for  me  to  feel  myself  an  invalid 
when  otherwise  in  perfect  health. 

"  After  a  spring-like  winter  we  are  now  having 
a  winter-like  spring.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
April  will  bring  us  the  inexpressible  happiness  of 
a  reunion  with  you  !  " 

Prince  Charles  replied  to  this  letter  as  follows : 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  angry  because  I  have  not 
complied  with  your  urgent  invitation  to  come  to 
Germany.  I  do  not  think  it  can  be  necessary  to 
assure  you  how  much  my  heart  draws  me  to  my 
deeply  loved  parents,  my  dearest  possessions  on 
earth.  But  he  who  assumes  so  great  a  responsibility 
as  I  have  must  not  be  ruled  by  his  heart,  but  by 
his  head.  I  fear  Krenski  has  described  the  situa- 
tion here  in  too  gloomy  a  light — it  is  not  so  serious 
as  he  thinks.  With  patience,  endurance,  and 
energy  everything  can  be  attained,  and  I  am 
convinced  that  I  shall  reach  my  appointed  goal. 
It  is  true  that  during  the  time  Krenski  was  here 
I  had  an  enormous  amount  of  work,  little  peace, 
and  much  annoyance.  This,  however,  did  not 
discourage  me  for  a  moment,  whilst  Krenski,  who 
has  much  too  soft  a  heart  for  a  man  and  a  soldier, 
often  despaired.  It  was  only  natural  that  I  should 


78  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

have  no  appetite  or  sleep,  as  the  many  wearisome 
tasks,  without  any  distraction,  exhausted  and 
excited  me.  At  present  I  am  in  excellent  health, 
and  await  the  result  of  the  elections  with  calmness 
and  less  excitement  than  my  entourage,  for  I 
know  what  I  have  to  do,  if  it  should  come  to  a 
serious  conflict.  Most  decidedly  I  shall  not  draw 
the  shorter  lot.  .  .  ." 

The  news  of  the  death  of  the  former  Hospodar 
of  Wallachia,  Barbu  Stirbey,  was  received  from 
Nice  in  April  1869.  Only  a  few  weeks  before 
he  had  written  to  the  Prince,  thanking  him  for 
some  photographs  of  his  native  country.  "God 
will  bless  the  labours  of  your  Highness  and  will 
grant  you  the  glory  of  being  the  founder  of  a 
new  Rou  mania.  Nobody  knows  better  than  I 
the  difficulties  in  the  path  of  a  Roumanian  Prince 
who  endeavours  to  attain  what  is  right ;  they 
will  not  discourage  your  Highness,  though  they 
may  defer  the  realisation  of  your  hopes.  To 
conquer  all  these  difficulties  at  once  would  be 
impossible.  ..." 

Prince  Charles  spent  his  thirtieth  birthday 
(April  20,  1869)  on  a  tour  in  Moldavia,  where  he 
inspected  the  progress  of  the  railways.  Thanks 
to  the  initiative  of  the  Prince,  the  great  bridge 
over  the  Buseu,  550  yards  long,  had  been  completed, 
and  communication  between  the  two  great  pro- 
vinces was  no  longer  exposed  to  interruption  by 


STORM  AND  STRESS  79 

bad  weather  or  floods.  No  less  than  five  bridges 
in  all  had  been  constructed  for  the  line  to  Fokschani, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  pleasure  that  the 
Prince  noticed  the  expression  of  the  gratitude  of 
Moldavia  in  the  inscription  on  the  triumphal  arch 
at  Bakau :  "  Welcome  to  the  founder  of  the 
Roumanian  railways." 

A  report  from  Paris  informed  the  Prince  that 
an  intrigue  was  on  foot  there  to  instigate  a 
revolution  in  Bucharest,  and  that  this  project  was 
also  known  at  Vienna.  A  suitable  pretender  had 
been  sought  for  in  the  Roumanian  capital,  ever 
since  the  recall  of  the  French  military  mission,  and 
a  son  of  a  former  Hospodar  was  now  said  to  have 
been  selected  to  replace  Prince  Charles.  The 
alleged  reason  for  this  Parisian  intrigue  was  the 
complaint  that  since  Bratianu's  resignation  Prussia 
practically  ruled  the  Principality  through  the 
North  German  Consul-General. 

It  was,  therefore,  with  the  greatest  joy  that 
Prince  Charles  turned  from  these  sordid  affairs 
and  devoted  himself  for  a  time  to  his  elder 
brother  Leopold.  After  a  separation  of  a  long  and 
anxious  three  years  the  brothers  met  on  April  27, 
shortly  before  Easter,  at  the  capital  of  Moldavia, 
Jassy.  Prince  Leopold  was  thus  able  to  witness 
a  striking  episode,  which  occurred  as  the  venerable 
Metropolitan  quitted  the  Church  on  Easter  morning 
to  announce,  in  accordance  with  traditional  custom, 
to  all  the  world  :  "  Christ  is  risen."  At  the  same 


80  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

moment  Prince  Charles  stepped  forward  on  the 
dais,  before  which  some  thirty  convicts  in  chains 
stood  waiting  the  clemency  of  the  Sovereign,  and 
ordered  their  fetters  to  be  struck  off  to  com- 
memorate the  holy  hour.  It  was  an  affecting 
moment !  The  clatter  of  the  falling  chains 
imparted  a  bitter-sweet  tone  of  gladness  and 
sorrow  amidst  the  universal  rejoicings  of  the 
great  festival  of  the  Eastern  Church. 

The  visit  of  the  Hereditary  Prince  was,  however, 
spoilt  by  the  terrible  downpour  of  rain,  which 
prevented  most  of  the  festivities  in  his  honour. 
Many  of  the  smaller  bridges  were  carried  away  by 
the  floods,  and  on  one  occasion  the  Hohenzollern 
Princes  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  swept 
away  by  a  mountain  torrent.  Prince  Otto*  of 
Bavaria  passed  through  Bucharest  on  his  way  to 
Constantinople  ;  but,  strangely  enough,  his  arrival 
was  announced  through  the  Consul-General  of 
Austria  and  not  by  the  North  German  Consul. 
At  a  dinner  given  in  his  honour  the  Prince  dis- 
played great  amiability,  but  Prince  Charles  noticed 
with  regret  the  great  melancholy  with  which 
Prince  Otto's  mind  appeared  to  be  surrounded. 

Prince  Leopold,  accompanied  by  his  brother,  set 
out  on  his  homeward  journey  on  June  7,  and 
visited  Kalafat,  Turnu  Severin,  and  Orsowa, 
where  a  monument  had  been  erected  to  com- 
memorate the  recovery  of  the  stolen  crown  of 
*  The  present  invalid  King  of  Bavaria. 


STORM  AND  STRESS  81 

Hungary.  After  taking  an  affectionate  farewell  of 
his  brother,  Prince  Charles  returned,  lonely  and 
rather  downcast,  to  his  work  in  Bucharest. 

Prince  Ypsilanti,  the  Greek  Ambassador  at 
Paris,  awaited  the  return  of  the  Prince  to  lay 
before  him  the  draft  of  a  treaty  between 
Roumania  and  Greece.  The  proposals  aimed  at 
nothing  less  than  the  "  complete  independence  of 
Roumania  and  the  Greek  provinces  of  Turkey  " 
by  means  of  a  combined  action  of  the  two  rulers, 
which  was  to  take  place  six  months  after  the 
necessary  arrangements  had  been  settled.  The 
numbers  to  be  employed,  and  the  support  of  an 
insurrection  in  Bulgaria  were  also  touched  upon. 

Prince  Charles,  however,  adopted  the  same 
reserved  attitude  towards  these  startling  proposals 
as  he  had  done  on  a  previous  occasion,  when  Prince 
Ypsilanti,  as  early  as  May,  brought  a  letter  from 
the  King  of  Greece  thanking  Prince  Charles  for  his 
sympathy  in  the  late  crisis,  and  excusing  the  delay 
in  replying. 

"  I  have  not  hesitated  to  comply  with  the 
decision  of  the  Paris  Conference  on  being  con- 
fronted by  the  alternative,  due  to  the  ill-will  of 
Europe  towards  the  heroic  struggle  in  Crete,  of 
either  allowing  the  insurrection  to  extend  in  that 
island  without  any  practical  result,  or  of  com- 
mencing a  war  with  Turkey,  which  was  fraught 
with  disadvantageous  conditions  for  Greece." 


82  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

This  bitter  decision  would  not  have  been  in  vain 
if  it  sufficed  to  prove  to  the  Christian  nations  of 
the  East  that  they  must  first  be  strong  enough 
to  achieve  their  rights  by  force  before  they  could 
attempt  to  throw  off  the  Turkish  yoke. 

Prince  Charles's  reply  ran  thus : 

"  You  cannot  doubt,  Sire,  that  I  share  with  all 
my  heart  the  sentiments  expressed  in  your  letter, 
and  sympathise  with  the  painful  impressions 
which  you  recall.  The  community  of  interests  in 
politics  and  religion  between  Greece  and  Roumania, 
as  well  as  the  identity  of  their  commercial 
interests  in  so  many  points,  naturally  imposes 
upon  us  the  duty  of  endeavouring  zealously  on 
both  sides  to  strengthen  the  bonds  which  already 
unite  the  two  nations.  This  tendency  will  respond 
to  my  dearest  wishes." 


CHAPTER    IV 

MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE 

EARLY  in  the  summer  of  1869  Prince  Charles 
received  a  very  cordial  invitation  to  visit  the  Czar 
at  Livadia  in  the  Crimea.  This  mark  of  regard 
was  the  more  welcome  as  a  project  was  on  foot  in 
St.  Petersburg  for  the  abolition  of  consular  juris- 
diction in  Roumania,  a  measure  which  Prince 
Charles  was  most  eager  to  see  adopted.  In 
writing  to  his  father  he  gratefully  referred  to  this 
topic :  "  Russia  has  very  wisely  taken  the 
initiative  in  this  most  important  question,  which 
will  be  unwelcome  to  France  ;  but  tant  mieux,  for 
the  French  Cabinet  is  still  very  conservative,  as  it 
wishes  to  keep  in  with  Turkey.  But  why  should 
it  agree  with  Turkey  only  about  Roumania  and 
not  about  Egypt  ?  Why  does  it  side  with 
England  in  Roumania,  and  oppose  England  a 
couteau  tire  in  Egypt  ?  This  policy,  in  one  word, 
is  based  upon  interest — material  interest.  It  is, 
therefore,  only  politic  to  endeavour  to  attract 
French  capital  for  our  great  undertakings  :  I  have 


84  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

already  discussed  this  idea  with  several  people. 
England  is,  on  the  whole,  neutral  to  Roumania, 
and  we  have  nothing  to  expect  from  that  quarter. 
Its  Eastern  policy  is  by  no  means  favourable  to 
the  Christian  nations." 

The  Ministry  were  empowered  by  a  decree, 
signed  on  August  9,  to  act  as  regents  during  the 
first  absence  of  Prince  Charles  from  Roumania, 
and  the  Prince  set  out  for  the  Crimea  on  August  14. 
After  a  smooth  sea  passage  Odessa  was  reached  on 
the  16th,  and  the  Prince  continued  his  journey  to 
Sebastopol  the  following  day  on  board  the  imperial 
yacht  Kasbek.  The  aspect  of  this  once  prosperous 
port  was  melancholy  in  the  extreme,  and  it  almost 
seemed  as  if  time  had  stood  still  since  the  date  of 
the  terrible  siege.  All  the  large  buildings  near 
the  harbour,  such  as  barracks  and  warehouses, 
remained  in  the  state  in  which  the  British  and 
French  shells  had  left  them.  In  riding  round  the 
south  front  of  the  fortress  the  Prince  easily  recog- 
nised the  approaches  and  parallels  of  the  Allies  : 
the  Malakhoff  Tower  had  been  so  effectually  bom- 
barded that  it  was  difficult  to  believe  how  strong 
a  work  it  had  once  been  ;  the  Redan,  on  the  other 
hand,  which  had  cost  England  so  many  lives,  was 
in  comparatively  good  condition. 

Continuing  his  journey  by  carriage  the  next 
morning,  Prince  Charles  reached  Livadia  at  five 
in  the  afternoon  after  a  long  and  fatiguing  drive. 
The  Czar  received  him  with  the  greatest  cor- 


85 

diality,  and  remarked  at  once  that  the  courteous 
attitude  of  the  Prince  was  enough  to  attract  the 
animosity  of  the  whole  of  Europe.  The  conver- 
sation then  turned  upon  the  affairs  of  Roumania, 
about  which  the  Czar  showed  himself  well  informed 
on  every  point.  Prince  Charles  was  then  pre- 
sented to  the  Czarina,  a  cousin  of  his  mother,  to  the 
Grand  Duchess  Marie,  and  later  on  to  the  Czare- 
vitch and  his  wife,  as  well  as  to  the  Grand  Duke 
Alexis.  Unfortunately  the  tropical  heat  affected 
both  the  Czar  and  his  guest  to  no  slight  degree, 
and  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting  was  thus  materially 
discounted.  As  early  as  August  22  Prince  Charles 
was  forced  to  bid  his  hospitable  hosts  good-bye, 
that  he  might  attend  the  Roumanian  manoeuvres 
before  his  visit  to  his  parents  in  Germany. 

The  fears,  which  had  been  openly  expressed,  for 
the  safety  of  Roumania  during  the  Prince's  absence 
proved  to  have  been  utterly  unfounded,  for,  though 
the  papers,  the  Romanul  and  the  Trajan,  emulated 
each  other  in  their  attacks  upon  the  dynasty,  their 
revolutionary  efforts  met  with  no  response  at  all, 
and  it  was  therefore  with  a  light  heart  that  Prince 
Charles  set  out  on  September  7  to  rejoin  his  dearly 
loved  parents  in  South  Germany.  Before  he 
quitted  the  territory  of  Roumania  an  amnesty  was 
granted  for  all  political  and  Press  offences,  in 
order  to  show  the  Prince's  confidence  that  no 
intrigue  was  able  to  shake  his  hold  upon  the  hearts 
of  his  people. 


86  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

The  journey  to  the  West,  which  was  to  exert 
so  potent  an  influence  on  the  Prince's  life,  was 
broken  first  at  Vienna,  where  the  Emperor  of 
Austria  had  announced  his  intention  of  receiving 
the  Roumanian  Prince.  For  the  first  time  since  the 
war  of  1866  the  Emperor  wore  the  ribbon  of  the 
Black  Eagle,  as  a  compliment  to  the  house  of 
Hohenzollern.  Prince  Charles  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity of  assuring  his  Majesty  that  it  would 
always  be  the  policy  of  Roumania  to  stand  on  the 
best  terms  with  Austria.  Count  Beust,  who  ven- 
tured to  remark  that  the  cost  of  the  Roumanian 
Army  was  out  of  all  proportion  to  its  Budget, 
received  the  apt  retort  that  the  arsenals  were 
unfortunately  empty,  a  reference  to  the  Count's 
statement  that  "  Roumania  was  simply  a  large 
arsenal."  The  reception  accorded  to  the  Prince 
was  so  hearty  that  the  Viennese  Press  expressed 
the  opinion  that  Prince  Charles  would  later  on 
have  to  answer  to  the  Porte  for  his  assumption  of 
sovereign  bearing. 

After  a  short  stay  in  Munich,  where  he  met 
Prince  Hohenlohe  Schillingfiirst  [the  present 
German  Chancellor],  Prince  Charles  rejoined  his 
parents  on  September  16,  after  a  separation  of 
more  than  three  years.  The  peace  and  quiet  of 
home  life,  however,  was  interrupted  the  very  next 
day  by  the  arrival  of  a  delegate  of  the  Spanish 
Cortes,  Don  Eusebio  di  Salazar,  who  came  to  offer 
the  Hereditary  Prince  the  Crown  of  Spain.  The 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  87 

idea  was  by  no  means  new,  for  several  papers 
had,  in  October  1868,  mentioned  the  Prince 
Leopold  as  a  likely  candidate  on  the  ground  that 
he  was  not  only  a  Catholic  and  the  son-in-law  of 
the  King  of  Portugal,  but  the  very  opposite  of 
his  "  amiable  brother,  the  Roumanian  Prince 
Carol,  by  the  Grace  of  Bratianu."  There  was  no 
lack  of  candidates  for  the  vacant  throne.  Napoleon 
favoured  the  aspirations  of  the  Prince  of  Asturia, 
the  Empress  Eugenie  those  of  Don  Carlos,  and 
the  Spanish  Ambassador  in  Paris  those  of  the 
Duke  of  Genoa.  Don  Salazar  mentioned  that  the 
eyes  of  the  Spanish  nation  had  first  turned 
towards  Prince  Charles,  who  had  shown  such 
courage  and  talent  in  a  similar  position.  The 
Hereditary  Prince  declared  that  he  would  only 
consider  the  offer  if  he  was  elected  unanimously 
and  without  rivals. 

On  September  28  Prince  Charles  left  the  Wein- 
burg  for  Baden,  where  he  was  to  meet  the  Prussian 
Royal  Family.  The  Crown  Prince  urged  him  to 
lay  aside  all  other  views,  and  to  seek  the  hand 
of  Princess  Elisabeth  of  Wied,  whom  he  knew 
intimately,  as  one  who  would  bring  the  same 
devotion  to  the  duties  of  her  position  as  the 
Prince  himself.  He  concluded  by  offering  to 
arrange  a  meeting,  as  if  by  chance,  at  Darmstadt 
on  the  13th,  to  which  proposal  Prince  Charles  at 
once  assented. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Prince  paid  a  promised 


88  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

visit  to  the  French  Emperor,  whom  he  found 
much  altered  in  personal  appearance  since  the  last 
time  he  had  seen  him  in  1863.  Napoleon 
received  him  with  great  cordiality  and  presented 
him  with  the  Grand  Cross  of  the  Legion  of 
Honour.  Prince  Charles  was  commissioned  to 
inform  King  William  of  the  peaceful  intentions  of 
France,  and  of  the  Emperor's  sincere  wish  to 
remain  on  the  best  terms  with  Prussia.  Napoleon 
declared  that  no  one  could  understand  the  diffi- 
culties of  Prince  Charles's  position  better  than  he, 
for  to  rule  a  Latin  race  was  no  easy  matter.  On 
hearing  of  the  projected  marriage,  Napoleon 
expressed  his  satisfaction,  and  added  with  em- 
phasis :  "  The  German  princesses  are  so  well 
brought  up  ! " 

As  the  interview  with  Princess  Elisabeth  was 
to  take  place  at  Cologne  instead  of  Darmstadt, 
Prince  Charles  set  out  for  the  former  city  on 
October  12.  The  meeting  took  place  at  the  Flora, 
where  the  Dowager  Princess  of  Wied  was  dining 
with  her  daughter  before  proceeding  to  Madame 
Schumann's  concert.  Prince  Charles  and  Princess 
Elisabeth,  who  had  already  met  once  or  twice 
before  in  Berlin  society,  walked  a  little  ahead  of 
the  remainder  of  the  party,  talking  over  old  times 
in  Berlin.  Before  the  promenade  came  to  an  end, 
Prince  Charles  had  fallen  sincerely  in  love  with 
Princess  Elisabeth,  and  was  resolved  to  risk  all, 
and  to  ask  for  her  hand.  A  private  interview  with 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  89 

her  mother  the  Princess  of  Wied  was  arranged, 
and  resulted  in  the  Princess  consenting  to  ascer- 
tain her  daughter's  wishes.  After  a  long  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  answer  "  Yes  "  was  brought  to  the 
Prince,  who  at  once  hastened  to  receive  the  reply 
from  the  lips  of  the  young  Princess  herself.  Affairs 
of  State  of  an  urgent  nature,  however,  prevented 
the  Prince  from  obeying  the  dictates  of  his  heart 
and  remaining  in  the  company  of  his  betrothed. 

After  an  absence  of  forty-eight  hours  Prince 
Charles  returned  from  Paris  to  Neuwied,  where  the 
betrothal  was  celebrated  on  October  15,  1869.  An 
enormous  number  of  congratulatory  telegrams 
were  received  by  the  young  couple,  including 
messages  from  the  King  and  Crown  Prince  of 
Prussia  and  the  Emperor  Napoleon.  The  general 
impression  created  by  Prince  Charles's  choice  was 
extremely  favourable,  as  an  alliance  with  a  reign- 
ing House  would  have  evoked  much  jealousy  and 
intrigue.  As  the  marriage  was  purely  one  of 
inclination  this  danger  was  avoided ;  and  the 
political  neutrality  of  Roumania  was  by  no  means 
affected. 

Affairs  of  State  demanded  the  speedy  return  of 
the  Prince  to  the  land  of  his  adoption,  and  the 
wedding-day  was  fixed  for  November  15.  A 
numerous  and  distinguished  company,  including 
the  Queen  of  Prussia,  accompanied  by  the  Grand 
Duchess  of  Baden,  attended  the  ceremony  at 
Neuwied,  which  was  first  celebrated  in  the  Roman 


90  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Catholic  Chapel  and  afterwards  according  to  the 
rites  of  the  Protestant  Church.  The  text  of  the 
sermon  was  aptly  chosen,  as  alluding  to  the 
difficulties  and  troubles  which  were  to  be 
encountered  in  the  far-off  Eastern  country : 
"  Whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go  :  and  where  thou 
lodgest,  I  will  lodge;  thy  people  shall  be  my 
people,  and  thy  God  my  God." 

Only  a  few  days  remained  before  the  stern  call 
of  duty  summoned  the  happy  pair  to  their  life- 
work  in  Roumania.  The  journey  to  the  Princess's 
new  home  in  Bucharest  was  commenced  on 
November  18.  After  a  short  stay  in  Vienna  the 
travellers  reached  Roumanian  territory  on  the 
22nd.  Every  town  through  which  they  passed  was 
profusely  decorated,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
Roumanian  nation  appeared  to  surpass  even  that 
with  which  they  had  welcomed  Prince  Charles  on 
his  accession.  A  hundred  and  one  guns  announced 
the  arrival  of  the  Prince  and  Princess  in  Bucharest, 
and  the  town  had  put  on  all  its  finery  in  honour 
of  the  occasion.  After  a  Te  Deum  had  been 
celebrated  by  the  venerable  Metropolitan  Niphon, 
fifty  happy  couples  who  had  been  married  at  the 
cost  of  the  State  defiled  past  their  Highnesses. 

The  following  day  deputations  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  were  received  in  the  throne-room, 
when  the  Princess  wore  for  the  first  time  the 
diamond  coronet  presented  by  the  people  of 
Bucharest. 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  91 

Princess  Elisabeth  at  once  commenced  to  take 
an  active  share  in  her  husband's  labours,  and 
visited  with  him  the  various  charitable  and 
educational  establishments  in  the  capital.  The 
innate  generosity  and  liberality  of  the  Prince  had, 
however,  made  such  inroads  upon  his  purse,  that 
many  of  their  cherished  designs  had  to  be 
abandoned  for  the  time  being  for  lack  of  funds. 
At  this  moment,  however,  the  most  prominent 
members  of  the  Chamber  were  on  the  point  of 
introducing  a  measure  granting  the  Princess  a 
yearly  sum  of  £12,000,  but  Prince  Charles  declined 
to  accept  this  offer  until  the  financial  situation  of 
Eoumania  had  improved.  The  Opposition  at  once 
seized  the  opportunity  of  representing  such  a 
proposal  as  a  "robbery,"  and  their  organs  vied 
with  each  other  in  the  most  violent  and  unworthy 
attacks  on  the  Prince  and  Princess.  Some  even 
lowered  themselves  so  far  as  to  send  the  grossest 
of  these  attacks  to  the  Princess  in  registered 
letters !  The  violent  scenes  and  the  obstruction 
in  the  Chamber  left  the  Budget  unvoted,  and 
again  placed  the  Ministry  in  a  most  unenviable 
position,  from  which  they  were  only  released  by 
their  resignation  in  February  1870. 

The  new  Ministry  under  A.  Golesku  displayed 
its  weakness  from  the  day  of  its  formation.  The 
Opposition  openly  used  threats  such  as :  "  This 
dynasty  cannot  be  endured,"  "  Golesku  will  be 
the  last  of  Prince  Charles's  Ministers,"  and 


92  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

declared  that  a  "  bloody  tragedy  "  would  shortly 
be  enacted  in  the  streets  of  the  capital.  A  far- 
spreading  conspiracy  against  the  peace  of  the 
country  made  itself  the  more  felt,  since  there  were 
no  police  worthy  of  the  name ;  the  National  Guard 
also  was  a  source  of  real  danger,  whilst  the  apathy 
of  the  Ministry  permitted  these  evils  to  flourish 
unchecked. 

The  question  of  the  Spanish  throne  appeared  to 
have  been  satisfactorily  dismissed,  to  judge  from  a 
letter  from  Count  Bismarck :  "  The  political 
horizon,  seen  from  Berlin,  appears  at  present  so 
unclouded  that  there  is  nothing  of  interest  to 
report,  and  I  only  hope  that  no  unexpected  event 
will  render  the  lately  arisen  hope  of  universal 
peace  questionable."  Eight  days  later,  on  March  1, 
Prince  Charles  received  the  news  that  Don  Salazar 
had  been  despatched  to  Berlin  to  urge  once  more 
upon  Prince  Leopold  the  acceptance  of  the  Spanish 
crown,  but  both  he  and  his  father  felt  disinclined 
to  accept  this  offer,  unless  it  was  considered 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  interests  of  the 
Prussian  State.  Bismarck,  on  the  other  hand, 
warmly  supported  the  offer  of  the  Spanish 
Regency,  and  pointed  out  to  the  King  the  benefits 
which  must  ensue  if  an  allied  country  lay  upon 
the  other  side  of  France.  The  commerce  of 
Germany  would  also  receive  a  great  impetus  if 
the  resources  of  Spain,  with  its  enormous  sea-board, 
were  developed  under  a  Hohenzollern.  King 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  93 

William,  however,  did  not  agree  with  his 
Minister's  opinion,  and  left  the  decision  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  Prince  Leopold,  whose  chief  objec- 
tion appeared  to  be  the  number  of  pretenders  to 
the  throne.  The  Crown  Prince  of  Prussia  had 
also  warned  him  that,  though  the  Government 
might  support  him  at  first,  it  was  by  no  means 
certain  that  this  support  would  be  continued  after- 
wards !  On  March  16  Prince  Leopold  informed 
the  King  that  he  felt  compelled  to  decline  the 
offer ;  but,  as  Bismarck  still  insisted  upon  the 
throne  being  accepted  by  a  Hohenzollern,  his 
younger  brother,  Prince  Frederick,  was  recalled 
from  Italy  by  telegram  to  take  the  place  of  his 
brother.  The  young  Prince,  however,  also  refused 
to  accept  the  offered  crown  unless  ordered  to  do 
so  by  the  King.  Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  opposi- 
tion, the  Chancellor  persisted  in  declaring  that 
the  necessities  of  politics  demanded  that  a  Hohen- 
zollern Prince  should  accede  to  the  wish  of  the 
Spanish  Regency. 

"  From  PRINCE  CHABLES  ANTHONY,  March  20,  1870. 

"  I  have  been  here  [Berlin]  for  a  fortnight  on 
most  important  family  business  :  nothing  less  was 
on  the  tapis  than  the  acceptance  or  refusal  of  the 
Spanish  crown  by  Leopold,  which  was  offered 
officially  by  the  Spanish  Government,  though 
under  the  seal  of  a  European  State  secret. 

"  This  question  preoccupies  everybody  here.  Bis- 


94  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

marck  wishes  it  to  be  accepted  for  dynastic 
and  political  reasons ;  whilst  the  King  asks 
whether  Leopold  will  willingly  accept  the  sum- 
mons. A  very  interesting  and  important  council 
took  place  on  the  15th,  under  the  presidency  of 
the  King,  the  Crown  Prince,  ourselves,  Bismarck, 
Boon,  Moltke,  Schleinitz,  Thile,  and  Delhi-tick 
being  present.  The  unanimous  decision  of  the 
councillors  was  in  favour  of  acceptance,  as  fulfilling 
a  Prussian  patriotic  duty.  For  many  reasons 
Leopold,  after  a  long  struggle,  declined.  But 
since  Spain  desires  avant  tout  a  Catholic  Hohen- 
zollern,  I  have  proposed  Fritz  in  the  event  of  his 
consenting.  He  is  at  present  between  Nice  and 
Paris,  but  has  not  been  reached  or  found  by 
telegraph.  We  hope,  however,  to  communicate 
with  him  shortly,  and  I  hope  that  he  will  then 
allow  himself  to  be  persuaded. 

"  But  all  this  is  in  the  future  and  the  secret 
must  be  preserved  for  the  present.  ..." 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  informed  his  son  of  the 
course  of  events  in  a  letter  dated  from  Berlin, 
April  22 : 

"  The  Spanish  Question  has  again  brought  me 
here ;  it  is  now  approaching  its  decisive  stage. 
After  Leopold  refused  the  offer  for  weighty 
reasons,  the  candidature  of  Fritz  was  seriously 
taken  in  hand.  An  immediate  settlement  was 
necessary,  as  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  from 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  95 

Madrid ;  your  brother,  however,  most  decidedly 
declared  that  he  could  not  undertake  the  task! 
The  matter  must  therefore  be  allowed  to  drop, 
and  an  historical  opportunity  has  thus  been  lost 
for  the  house  of  Hohenzollern,  an  incident  which 
has  never  occurred  before  and  which  probably  will 
never  occur  again.  ...  If  the  King  had  given  the 
order  at  the  last  hour,  Fritz  would  have  obeyed ; 
but  as  he  was  left  free  to  decide,  he  resolved  not 
to  undertake  the  task.  .  .  .  The  Spanish  secret 
has  been  kept  wonderfully  well ;  and  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  it  should  remain  unknown 
in  the  future — at  least  so  far  as  we  are  concerned. 
Olozaga*  in  Paris  was  not  initiated.  Serrano  and 
Prim  were  the  men  who  held  the  matter  in  their 
hands." 

A  month  later  Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote  : 
"Bismarck  is  very  discontented  with  the  failure  of 
the  Spanish  combination.  He  is  not  wrong  !  Still 
the  matter  is  not  yet  completely  given  up.  It 
still  hangs  by  a  couple  of  threads,  as  weak  as 
those  of  a  spider's  web  ! " 

To  return,  however,  to  the  affairs  of  Roumania ; 
Prince  Charles  opened  the  new  mint  at  Bucharest 
in  March,  when  the  first  Roumanian  coins  bearing 
a  profile  of  the  Prince  and  the  in  scrip  tion  "  Prince 
of  the  Roumanians  "  were  struck.  The  coins  con- 
*  The  Spanish  Ambassador. 


96  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sisted  of  Carols  d'w  in  gold  and  one  leu  (franc)  in 
silver.  Ali  Pacha  at  once  protested  formally 
against  the  illegal  coinage  with  the  Prince's  like- 
ness, and  refused  to  allow  it  to  circulate  in  Turkey. 
Owing,  however,  to  the  support  of  Austria  and 
France,  this  difficulty  was  eventually  smoothed 
over  satisfactorily. 

Financial  difficulties,  coupled  with  the  unsat- 
isfactory reports  on  the  Roumanian  railway 
concessions,  led  to  the  fall  of  the  Golesku  Ministry 
in  April.  M.  E.  C.  Jepureanu  succeeded  in 
forming  a  new  Cabinet,  which  received  cordial 
support  from  abroad  as  well  as  at  home.  The 
vexatious  Jewish  question  and  the  very  serious 
state  of  the  railway  finances,  for  which  the 
Opposition  sought  to  make  the  Prince  personally 
responsible,  were  the  chief  of  the  many  difficulties 
of  the  Government. 

The  result  of  the  general  election  was  by  no 
means  as  favourable  as  the  Prince  had  been  led  to 
expect,  and  a  serious  riot  occurred  at  Pite'schti. 
The  troops  were  called  out  and  ordered  to  fire 
upon  the  mob,  several  of  the  soldiers  having  been 
wounded  by  stones.  Similar  occurrences  took 
place  at  Plojeschti,  a  regular  hot-bed  of  seditious 
intrigue,  and  the  National  Guard  of  that  town  had 
to  be  subsequently  disbanded  for  taking  part  in 
the  political  demonstrations. 

The  attention  of  Prince  Charles  was  suddenly 
averted  by  a  change  in  his  eldest  brother's  views 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  97 

with  regard  to  the  Spanish  throne.  Prince 
Leopold  had  at  last  decided  to  accept  the  crown 
under  certain  definite  conditions,  as  he  had  become 
convinced  of  the  great  services  which  he  could 
thus  render  to  his  Fatherland.  King  William  at 
once  gave  his  consent,  and  Don  Salazar  returned 
to  Madrid  on  June  23  with  the  news  of  Prince 
Leopold's  readiness  to  accept  the  crown.  An 
unfortunate  mistake  in  a  cypher  telegram  caused 
the  Cortes  to  be  prorogued  from  June  24  to 
October  31,  and  the  election  of  Prince  Leopold 
was  therefore  delayed  until  late  in  the  autumn, 
thus  offering  ample  opportunities  to  malcontents 
for  the  prosecution  of  intrigues  and  agitations 
against  the  Hohenzollern  candidature. 

The  Agence  Havas  reported  from  Madrid  on 
July  3  that  the  Spanish  Ministry  had  decided 
upon  the  candidature  of  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Hohenzollern,  and  that  a  deputation  were  already 
on  their  way  to  the  Prince.  This  news  caused 
the  greatest  excitement  throughout  Paris,  and  the 
French  Ambassador  at  Berlin  was  commissioned 
to  express  to -the  Foreign  Office  the  "painful  sur- 
prise" caused  by  these  tidings.  The  Prussian 
Secretary  of  State  replied  that  the  matter  did  not 
concern  the  Prussian  Government.  The  excite- 
ment of  the  Parisian  Press  increased  from  hour  to 
hour,  whilst  the  Due  de  Gramont,  in  an  interview 
with  the  Prussian  Ambassador,  declared  that  the 
Emperor  would  never  tolerate  the  candidature  of 


98  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

a  Hohenzollern  Prince  ;  and  M.  Ollivier,  who  was 
also  present,  expressed  the  same  opinion.  Gramont 
also  openly  accused  Prince  Charles  of  having 
induced  his  brother  to  take  this  step,  and  re- 
marked to  M.  Strat,  the  Roumanian  agent :  "  As 
soon  as  Prince  Charles  conspires  against  the 
interests  of  France,  it  is  only  fair  that  we  should 
do  our  best  to  overthrow  him,  and  we  shall  at 
once  commence  action  in  the  event  of  a  war  with 
Prussia,  in  order  to  satisfy  public  opinion,  which 
has  so  often  reproached  the  Emperor  with  having 
sent  a  Hohenzollern  to  the  Danube." 

King  William  wrote  to  Prince  Charles  Anthony 
on  the  10th,  mentioning  that  France  was  obviously 
bent  upon  war,  and  that  he  was  as  willing  to  sanction 
Leopold's  withdrawal  as  he  had  formerly  been  to 
assent  to  his  acceptance  of  the  offered  throne. 
Two  days  later  the  Hereditary  Prince  withdrew 
his  name  by  means  of  a  telegram  from  his  father 
to  Marshal  Prim : 

"  Having  regard  to  the  complicated  interests 
which  appear  to  oppose  the  candidature  of  my  son 
Leopold  for  the  Spanish  throne,  and  the  painful 
position  which  recent  events  have  created  for  the 
Spanish  people  by  offering  them  an  alternative 
where  their  sense  of  liberty  alone  can  guide  them, 
and  being  convinced  that  under  such  circum- 
stances their  votes,  on  which  my  son  counted  in 
accepting  the  candidature,  can  neither  be  sincere 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  99 

nor  spontaneous,  I  withdraw  from  the  position  in 
his  name. 

«  PRINCE  OF  HOHENZOLLERN, 

"  SIGMARINGEN,  July  12th,  1870." 

The  unexpected  and  unheard-of  demands  which 
Benedetti  was  forced  by  his  Government  to  sub- 
mit to  King  William  at  Ems  shattered  the  last 
hopes  of  peace,  and  France  declared  war  against 
Prussia. 

In  spite  of  the  nationality  of  their  Prince,  the 
Roumanian  nation  sided  entirely  with  France : 
"  Wherever  the  banner  of  France  waves,  there  are 
our  sympathies  and  interests."  The  Chamber 
demanded  that  the  Government  should  explain 
the  policy  it  intended  to  adopt  with  regard  to  the 
belligerent  parties,  but,  though  the  Ministry- 
adhered  to  a  strictly  neutral  attitude,  a  motion 
was  passed  to  the  effect  that  the  sympathies  of 
Houmania  would  always  be  with  the  Latin  race. 

The  Roumanian  agent  in  Paris,  M.  Strat,  tele- 
graphed to  know  whether,  in  the  event  of  Russia 
taking  part  in  thewar,  the  Roumanian  Government 
would  conclude  a  treaty  with  France  or  not !  The 
apparently  peaceable  intentions  of  Russia  pointed 
to  a  treaty  merely  on  paper,  notwithstanding 
which  Roumania  would  reap  advantages  at  the 
conclusion  of  peace.  Austria  had  been  sounded 
on  this  question,  and  approved  of  supporting 
Prince  Charles. 


100  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

The  Roumanian  Government  replied :  "  If  France 
categorically  demands  from  us  the  signature  of  a 
treaty  to  influence  our  attitude  towards  Russia  in 
the  event  of  Oriental  complications,  you  are  em- 
powered to  conclude  such  a  treaty  on  the  follow- 
ing basis  :  the  Roumanian  Government  is  resolved 
to  oppose  any  hostile  movement  of  Russia  hand-in- 
hand  with  the  Western  Powers  and  Turkey. 
Mavrogheni  has  been  specially  sent  to  England 
to  negotiate  to  the  same  end.  We  can  place  a 
well-equipped  army  of  30,000  men  into  the 
field." 

The  Times,  on  July  26,  published  a  draft  of  a 
treaty  drawn  up  in  1867,  in  which  France  offered 
Prussia  the  union  of  the  North  German  Con- 
federation with  South  Germany  and  a  united  Par- 
liament in  return  for  the  sacrifice  of  Belgium  and 
Luxemburg.  This  epoch-making  announcement 
was  confirmed  by  a  despatch  from  Count  Bis- 
marck, received  on  the  29th.  Count  Benedetti, 
in  whose  handwriting  and  on  whose  paper  this 
draft  was  written,  maintained  that  he  had  merely 
put  down  the  Chancellor's  ideas,  "as  it  were  at 
his  dictation,"  a  statement  which  caused  the 
greatest  surprise  even  in  the  French  Press. 

The  minor  engagement  at  Saarbriicken,  the 
"  baptism  by  fire "  of  the  unfortunate  Prince 
Imperial,  was  reported  as  a  great  French  victory, 
and  greeted  as  such  with  unbounded  enthusiasm  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Bucharest.  These  rejoicings 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  101 

were,  however,  cut  short  by  the  news  of  the 
German  victories  at  Weissenburg,  Worth,  and 
Spichern,  when  the  Imperial  Army  was  forced 
to  retreat  on  Metz.  In  consequence  of  these 
disasters  the  Gramont-Ollivier  Ministry  was 
defeated,  and  a  new  Cabinet  formed  under  Count 
Palikao. 

A  most  interesting  letter  from  Prince  Charles 
Anthony  was  received  at  Bucharest  on  August  1 6  : 

"  I  decidedly  support  Strat,  for  he  has  proved 
himself  a  devoted  and  faithful  servant  to  you  and 
to  our  family. 

"  He  arrived  at  Sigmaringen  at  a  moment 
when  the  French  Government  was  peculiarly 
exasperated.  It  was  from  him  that  I  learnt  the 
actual  spirit  and  intention  in  Paris ;  it  was  due 
to  him  that  I  published  Leopold's  renunciation 
twenty-four  hours  earlier  perhaps  than  I  should 
have  done  without  his  urgent  advice.  In  neutral- 
ising the  French  pretext  for  war,  by  making  the 
renunciation  public  at  the  right  moment,  the 
Franco-Prussian  War  has,  perhaps,  become  a 
popular,  i.e.,  a  German,  war.  Any  delay  on  my 
part  would  have  given  the  war  a  dynastic  com- 
plexion, and  the  whole  of  Southern  Germany 
would  have  left  Prussia  in  the  lurch.  .  .  . 
Napoleon  has  brought  about  the  unity  of 
Germany  in  twenty-four  hours." 

The  excitement  in  Roumania  culminated  in  an 


102  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

attempted  revolution  in  that  hot-bed  of  sedition, 
Plojeschti,  on  August  29,  when  the  militia  bar- 
racks were  stormed  and  a  proclamation  issued, 
deposing  Prince  Charles  and  appointing  General 
A.  Golesku  regent  ad  interim.  A  deputy,  Can- 
dianu  Popesku,  at  the  head  of  the  mob,  entered 
the  telegraph  office  and,  revolver  in  hand, 
threatened  to  shoot  the  clerks,  unless  they  tele- 
graphed the  news  of  the  deposition  of  the  Prince 
to  the  foreign  countries  and  the  larger  towns  of 
Roumania.  With  admirable  presence  of  mind  the 
clerks  reported  the  occurrence  to  the  Ministry  at 
Bucharest  instead  of  complying  with  the  insur- 
gents' demands.  A  battalion  of  Rifles  under 
Major  Gorjan  was  immediately  despatched  to  the 
scene  of  the  insurrection,  which  they  promptly 
quelled.  Both  General  Golesku  and  J.  Bratianu, 
who  appeared  to  be  implicated  in  these  affairs, 
were  arrested  at  once,  but  were  soon  released  by 
order  of  Prince  Charles,  who  expressed  his  con- 
viction that  the  insurgents  had  used  their  names 
without  any  authorisation.  On  being  arrested, 
Bratianu  begged  that  his  papers  might  be  left 
undisturbed,  for,  as  he  remarked  with  a  smile,  he 
was  "too  experienced  a  conspirator"  to  retain 
possession  of  compromising  documents.  Some 
twenty  persons  were  arrested  in  connection  with 
this  aifair,  though,  as  Prince  Charles  wrote  to  his 
father,  it  seemed  improbable  that  there  was  suffi- 
cient evidence  to  convict  them. 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  103 

The  news  of  a  great  battle  fought  near  Sedan 
caused  the  wildest  excitement  in  Bucharest,  and 
elaborate  arrangements  were  made  to  celebrate  a 
French  victory.  Rumours  were  current  that  King 
William  had  been  taken  prisoner  with  a  force 
varying  from  20,000  to  60,000  men,  but  a  tele- 
gram announcing  the  voluntary  surrender  of  the 
Emperor  seemed  to  point,  at  any  rate,  to  an 
undecided  action.  When  the  truth  became 
known  the  greatest  consternation  prevailed  in 
the  Roumanian  capital,  where,  in  spite  of  the 
earlier  German  victories,  the  hope  of  the  eventual 
success  of  the  French  arms  had  never  been  quite 
relinquished.  The  crowning  defeat  of  the  Imperial 
Army  was  followed  by  the  flight  of  the  Empress  - 
Regent  and  the  fall  of  the  Napoleonic  dynasty. 

The  birth  of  a  daughter,  Marie,  on  September  8, 
at  a  moment  when  the  whole  of  Germany  stood 
shoulder  to  shoulder  against  their  foe,  was  wel- 
comed by  the  Prince  and  Princess  as  a  happy 
omen  for  the  future.  In  accordance  with  the 
Constitution  the  child  was  baptised  according  to 
the  rites  of  the  Orthodox  Church  in  the  church  of 
Cotroceni,  on  October  13,  in  the  presence  of  the 
heads  of  the  military  and  civil  departments.  A 
salute  of  twenty-one  guns  announced  the  moment 
of  the  ceremony  to  the  capital. 

The  joyful  news  of  the  birth  of  a  Princess  was 
communicated  to  the  various  Courts  and  to  the 
deposed  French  Emperor,  who  replied  as  follows  : 


104  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  MY  DEAR  PRINCE, 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  letter  which  you  have 
kindly  written  to  inform  me  of  the  birth  of 
Princess  Marie.  I  shall  always  take  a  lively 
interest  in  all  that  contributes  to  your  happiness  ; 
and  I  pray  that  family  joys  may  sweeten  the 
bitterness  inseparable  from  power.  I  am  much 
touched  by  the  memories  you  have  preserved  of 
your  visit  to  Paris,  and  I  again  assure  you  of  the 
sentiments  of  sincere  friendship  with  which  I 
remain 

"  Your  most  Serene  Highness's  cousin, 

"NAPOLEON." 

The  call  of  duty,  however,  prevented  Prince 
Charles  from  devoting  as  much  time  as  he  other- 
wise would  have  done  to  his  wife  and  daughter, 
for  the  disquieting  effects  of  the  German  victories 
upon  French  soil  were  felt  only  too  plainly  in 
Roumania.  The  work  on  the  railways,  too,  had 
suffered  in  consequence  of  the  war,  whilst  the 
exports  of  grain  had  practically  fallen  to  zero. 
Farmers  and  peasants  were  unable  to  sell  their 
produce  except  at  ruinous  prices,  and  were  wholly 
unable  to  pay  their  taxes.  As  the  Prince  had 
prophesied  six  weeks  before,  the  Plojeschti  insur- 
gents were  all  acquitted  by  the  jury.  The  Ministry 
wished  to  resign  as  a  proof  of  their  disapprobation, 
but  Prince  Charles  was  unable  to  accede  to  their 
request. 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  105 

The  acquittal  of  those  who  had  sought  to  over- 
throw the  Government  confirmed  the  Prince  in 
his  intention  to  abdicate  as  soon  as  he  could 
assure  himself  that  the  country  would  not  lapse 
into  absolute  anarchy.  He  had  already  assured 
the  representatives  of  the  Great  Powers  that  the 
present  state  of  affairs  in  Roumania  could  not 
and  must  not  continue.  Prince  Charles,  however, 
did  not  inform  them  that  he  would  not  be 
beholden  to  any  foreign  intervention  for  his  future 
career,  and  that,  in  his  father's  words,  he  would 
relinquish  his  self-imposed  task  if  he  could  not 
"anchor  his  power  solely  and  exclusively  in 
Roumania."  He  felt  that  it  would  be  impossible 
for  him  to  govern  the  country  after  foreign  inter- 
vention had  taken  place. 

Prince  Charles  had  taken  a  solemn  oath  to  the 
Constitution,  and  therefore  could  not  depart  from 
it,  though  Roumanian  statesmen  of  both  parties 
had  frequently  represented  to  him  that,  when  a 
choice  had  to  be  made  between  a  "  sheet  of  paper 
and  a  country's  ruin,"  one  must  not  hesitate 
to  tear  up  the  paper.  It  was,  however,  impossible 
for  Prince  Charles  to  agree  to  this  view,  for  the 
Constitution  was  more  to  him  than  a  piece  of 
paper,  even  though  it  offered  him  no  means  of 
securing  the  prosperity  and  development  of  the 
country. 

In  the  meantime  the  action  of  Russia  in  de- 
claring its  intention  of  disregarding  the  neutrali- 


106  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sation  of  the  Black  Sea,  decreed  by  the  Treaty  of 
Paris  in  1856,  threatened  to  create  yet  another 
European  crisis.  When  the  Note  containing  this 
information  was  handed  to  the  Grand  Vizier,  he 
at  once  asked  whether  M.  de  Stahl  was  bringing 
him  war.  "  On  the  contrary,"  replied  the  Ambas- 
sador, "  I  bring  you  eternal  peace."  Before  this 
General  Ignatieff  had  endeavoured  to  persuade 
the  Turkish  statesmen  that,  though  the  Western 
Powers  endeavoured  to  represent  Russia  as  the 
evil  genius  of  Turkey,  she  was  in  reality  the  most 
sincere  ally  of  the  Ottoman  Empire.  The  Sultan 
would  never  be  able  to  reckon  on  Germany,  whose 
policy  would  always  be  selfish  and  ambitious. 
Austria,  too,  was  only  intent  on  annexing  Bosnia 
and  Herzegowina,  whilst  France,  on  the  other 
hand,  as  soon  as  she  had  recovered  from  her 
reverses,  would,  next  to  Russia,  be  the  most 
effective  supporter  of  Turkey.  The  Sublime  Porte 
was  convinced  that  Russia  had  obtained  the  con- 
sent of  Germany,  though  Count  Bismarck  had 
telegraphed  that  the  Russian  declaration  had  been 
a  painful  surprise  to  him. 

The  Note  created  a  storm  of  indignation  in 
Austria  and  England,  which  Bismarck  increased 
still  more  by  proposing  the  assembly  of  a  Con- 
ference in  London  to  settle  the  vexed  question. 

After  a  long  discussion  with  the  President  of 
the  Ministry,  Prince  Charles  decided  to  explain 
the  situation  in  Roumania  to  the  guaranteeing 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  107 

Powers.  The  wording  of  the  document,  however, 
caused  great  difficulties,  for,  if  the  Prince  declared 
his  firm  intention  of  abdicating,  the  country  would 
be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  annexation,  whereas 
the  Prince  wished  above  all  things  to  preserve  the 
autonomy  of  the  State,  and  to  assure  its  future 
prosperity  by  strengthening  the  hands  of  the 
Government.  Prince  Charles  in  these  letters 
expressed  his  regret  that  he  was  no  longer  able 
to  curb  the  passions  of  the  various  Roumanian 
parties,  and  therefore  suggested  that  the  future  of 
Roumania  should  be  regulated  by  the  proposed 
Congress.  Only  a  stable  and  a  strong  government 
could  remedy  the  internal  and  external  evils  of 
the  country,  which  at  present  was  in  the  most 
deplorable  condition,  despite  the  wealth  of  its 
resources.  The  letters  for  the  sovereigns  of  the 
guaranteeing  Powers  were  handed  to  their  repre- 
sentatives on  December  7,  except  that  addressed 
to  the  Sultan,  which  was  kept  back  until  a  reply 
was  received  from  the  British  Ambassador,  who 
had  been  asked  to  present  it  to  the  Sultan,  to 
ensure  the  document  being  kept  strictly  secret. 

These  letters  had  hardly  been  despatched  when 
the  following  telegram  was  received  from  Count 
Bismarck  by  the  Prussian  Consul-General : 

"  Advocate  His  Highness  delaying  any  decision 
to  appeal  to  the  guaranteeing  Powers  until  after 
the  conclusion  of  peace.  Any  Roumanian  com- 


108  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

plication  would  be  doubly  undesirable  at  present : 
the  Prince  could  not  even  hope  for  our  moral 
support." 

Prince  Charles  replied  that  this  advice  had 
reached  him  too  late,  and  that  complications  in 
the  East  could  not  possibly  arise,  as  the  docu- 
ments in  question  were  to  be  kept  private.  So 
far  as  he  was  concerned  personally  his  position 
was  neither  of  service  to  Roumania  nor  to  Europe, 
whilst  he  himself  was  exposed  to  contumely ;  he 
therefore  could  not  much  longer  continue  to  bear 
the  responsibilities  of  government. 

To  crown  the  difficulties  of  the  Prince's  position 
information  reached  him  on  December  18  that 
the  railway  contractor  was  unwilling  or  unable  to 
pay  the  coupon  of  the  bonds  due  on  January  1. 
The  blow  was  indeed  a  bitter  one,  for  the  thought 
that  it  was  to  him  that  Roumania  owed  its  railway 
system  had  always  been  one  of  comfort.  It 
suggested  at  least  one  service  which  he  had  been 
able  to  render  his  adopted  country.  Now  that  even 
this  last  consolation  had  been  taken  from  him,  Prince 
Charles  was  still  more  firmly  convinced  that  he 
could  not  forsake  Roumania  in  its  day  of  peril, 
and  that  his  cherished  plan  of  abdication  must 
not  take  place  until  this  serious  financial  trouble 
had  been  settled. 

It  was  during  these  dark  days  that  he  poured 
out  his  innermost  thoughts  to  his  truest  friend, 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  109 

his  father  :  "  When  once  this  enormous  difficulty 
has  been  surmounted  I  shall  be  able  to  say  that 
I  have  stood  the  ordeal  of  fire ;  then  the  cruel 
sport  will  be  finished ;  then  you  will  find  me  some 
spot  where  I  can  rest  my  weary  head — some 
quiet  remote  corner  where  one  can  entirely  forget 
oneself  for  a  time.  Switzerland  would  be  the 
most  welcome  to  me ;  there  we  might  blot  out  the 
hard  separation  of  five  years  in  your  company, 
my  dearest  parents.  But  for  the  present  these 
are  but  pious  wishes,  since  I  cannot  to-day  fix  the 
moment  of  their  fulfilment :  may  it  not  be  long  in 
coming ! " 

The  Chamber  found  worthy  representatives — 
the  chief  instigators  of  the  recent  insurrection — to 
convey  the  scandalously  worded  address  to  the 
ruler  who  had  never  a  thought  save  for  the 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  his  country. 

In  reply  to  that  passage  of  the  Speech  from 
the  Throne  referring  to  the  Plojeschti  sedition — 
"  A  free  government,  that  is,  one  which  is  always 
in  agitation,  cannot  maintain  itself  without  laws 
capable  de  correction " — the  Chamber  declared 
that  "  the  best  means  to  prevent  such  occurrences 
in  the  future  would  be  compliance  with  the 
wishes  of  the  people  and  respect  for  the  law ! " 
Prince  Charles  informed  his  Ministers  that  he 
could  not  accept  an  address  couched  in  such 
terms,  but  eventually  gave  way  to  their  prayers 
and  entreaties  that  he  would  not  offer  the 


110  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Opposition  such  an  opportunity  for  attacking  the 
dynasty.  The  ill-considered  action  of  passionate 
and  reckless  Deputies,  they  urged,  would  only 
gain  an  importance  which  it  otherwise  would  have 
lacked,  from  the  fact  of  the  Prince  refusing  to 
acknowledge  it. 

A  most  interesting  document,  dated  Decem- 
ber 22,  1870,  the  publication  of  which  at  a  later 
period  had  so  far-reaching  an  effect  on  the 
Roumanian  nation,  contains  the  reasons  which  led 
Prince  Charles  to  confess  himself  beaten. 

"  Nearly  five  years  have  now  passed  since  I 
formed  the  bold  resolution  of  placing  myself 
at  the  head  of  this  country,  so  richly  endowed 
by  Mother  Nature,  and  yet,  in  other  respects,  so 
poor.  On  reviewing  this  period,  so  short  in  the 
life  of  a  nation,  so  long  in  the  existence  of  a  man, 
I  must  confess  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  be 
of  much  use  to  this  beautiful  country.  I  often 
ask  myself  the  question,  '  At  whose  door  does 
the  fault  lie — at  mine,  in  being  ignorant  of  the 
character  of  this  nation,  or  at  that  of  the  nation, 
which  will  neither  allow  itself  to  be  guided  nor 
understand  how  to  guide  itself  ? ' 

"  My  numerous  journeys  in  all  parts  of  the  two 
Principalities,  and  my  many-sided  intercourse  with 
all  grades  of  society  have  almost  convinced  me 
that  the  real  blame  rests  not  on  me  personally, 
nor  on  the  majority  of  the  nation,  but  rather  on 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  111 

those  who  have  constituted  themselves  the  leaders 
of  the  country  which  gave  them  birth.  These 
men,  the  greater  number  of  whom  owe  their 
social  and  political  education  to  foreign  countries, 
and  have  thereby  only  too  thoroughly  forgotten 
the  condition  of  their  own  country,  aim  solely  at 
transplanting  to  their  Fatherland  the  ideas  they 
have  gained  abroad  by  casting  them  into  Utopian 
form,  without  having  tested  them.  This  un- 
fortunate country,  which  formerly  suffered  so 
much  oppression,  has  thus  passed  at  one  bound 
from  a  despotic  government  to  a  Liberal  con- 
stitution such  as  no  other  nation  in  Europe 
possesses. 

"  My  experiences  lead  me  to  consider  this  the 
greater  misfortune  since  the  Roumanians  can 
boast  of  none  of  the  citizenly  virtues  which 
appertain  to  such  a  quasi-republican  form  of  State. 

"Had  I  not  taken  to  my  heart  this  magnificent 
country,  for  which,  under  other  circumstances,  the 
richest  future  might  have  been  foretold,  I  should 
have  lost  patience  long  ago  ;  but  I  have  now  made 
one  final  effort  which  will  perhaps  cause  me  to 
appear  unkind  to  my  country  in  the  eyes  of  the 
parties,  as  well  as  in  those  of  the  national 
Roumanian  leaders,  by  putting  all  personal  con- 
siderations behind  me,  and  possibly  by  completely 
sacrificing  my  popularity ;  it  would,  however,  have 
been  an  inexcusable  neglect  of  duty  to  conceal 
this  evil  any  longer,  or  to  permit  the  country's 


112  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

future  to  be  sacrificed  to  party  intrigues.  The 
man  who  has  the  courage  to  speak  the  truth  and 
to  call  things  by  their  right  names  will  often  get 
the  worst  of  the  bargain,  and  this  in  all  proba- 
bility will  be  my  fate.  Yet  I  gratefully  recognise 
this  difference,  that  I  am  at  liberty  to  return  to 
an  independent  life,  free  from  care,  to  the  joys  of 
home  and  family  in  my  native  land,  that  powerful 
magnet  which  has  never  ceased  to  attract  me  in 
the  heavy  hours  through  which  I  have  been 
passing. 

"  I  regret  with  my  whole  heart  that  my  good 
intentions  have  been  so  misconstrued  and  rewarded 
by  ingratitude  ;  but,  since  I  share  this  fate  with 
the  majority  of  mortals,  I  shall  learn  to  console 
myself  and  by  degrees  forget  what  once  I  aimed 
at,  in  intercourse  with  congenial  spirits.  I 
shall  accept  the  address  of  the  Chamber  to- 
morrow, a  masterpiece  of  Phanariot  perfidy,  the 
contents  of  which  will  reach  you  through  the 
papers.  The  only  circumstance  which  can  justify 
my  acceptance  of  a  document  in  which  a  legisla- 
tive body  dares  to  speak  to  the  Sovereign  of 
conditional  allegiance  is  the  serious  financial 
situation  of  the  country,  threatened  as  it  is  by 
bankruptcy.  Just  as  in  private  life  the  disapproval 
of  an  action  can  only  affect  the  agent,  so  in  this 
case  the  entire  responsibility  falls  on  the  shoulders 
of  those  who  do  not  understand  how  to  honour 
the  Prince  whom  they  have  themselves  chosen — a 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  113 

man  dishonours  himself  when  he  does  not  know 
how  to  respect  that  which  he  has  himself  created. 

"  C." 

A  series  of  passionate  debates,  which  at  times 
threatened  to  end  in  violence,  resulted  in  a  vote 
of  no  confidence  in  the  Ministry  on  December  24. 
Prince  Jon  Ghika  succeeded  in  forming  what  must 
under  the  circumstances  be  termed  a  strong 
Ministry,  and  declared  that  his  policy  lay  in 
effecting  a  compromise  between  the  Prince,  who 
had  lost  all  confidence  in  the  country,  and  the 
representatives  of  the  people. 

The  North  German  Consul- General  handed  the 
following  letter  from  Prince  Bismarck  to  the 
Prince  on  January  19,  1871,  dated  from  Versailles, 
January  10  : 

"...  I  cannot  form  an  opinion  of  the  internal 
conditions  of  Roumania,  nor  of  the  means  at  the 
disposal  of  your  Highness  for  conquering  the  pre- 
vailing difficulties  and  establishing  your  govern- 
ment on  a  secure  footing. 

"  I  must  assume  that  the  impediments,  due  to 
the  character  and  previous  history  of  the  nation, 
almost  prohibit  an  orderly  existence  for  the  State, 
since  the  noble  intentions  and  the  pure  ideals  which 
animate  your  Highness  have  hitherto  failed  to 
create  institutions  which  would  assist  the  execution 
of  your  plans.  Your  Highness  alone  can  judge 


114  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

whether  any  hope  still  exists  that  these  institutions 
may  yet  be  created.  .  .  . 

"  No  matter  what  the  causes  are,  nor  how  many 
misunderstandings  and  misrepresentations  have 
contributed  to  the  result,  it  is  certain  that  the 
distrust  of  the  Porte  has  not  been  allayed,  and 
that  it  is  still  unconvinced  that  the  union  of  the 
Principalities  under  the  rule  of  your  Highness  is 
not  dangerous  to  its  suzerainty.  Nor  is  it  con- 
fident that  the  conditions,  which  might  force 
your  Highness  to  abdicate,  will  be  more  dis- 
quieting to  the  peace  of  the  East  than  the  present 
situation. 

"  The  English  Government  has  never  taken  an 
interest  in  the  Danube  Principalities  nor  in  the 
fortunes  of  your  Highness  personally,  and  the 
attitude  of  its  representatives  abroad  does  not  at 
present  appear  to  inspire  confidence.  Although  I 
do  not  positively  pre-suppose  a  hostile  feeling  in 
London,  it  may  be  accepted  as  certain  that  on 
this  question  England's  policy  will  not  greatly 
differ  from  that  of  the  Sultan. 

"At  this  moment  France,  of  course,  need  not 
be  taken  into  consideration,  except  so  far  as  there 
is  a  possibility  of  her  opposing  your  Highness  by 
intrigues  and  secret  agitation  in  the  hope  of  doing 
Prussia  some  ill-turn  or  injury.  .  .  . 

"  I  have  for  a  long  time  cherished  the  hope  that 
your  Highness  would  find  effectual  support  in  St. 
Petersburg,  and  have  therefore  always  recom- 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  115 

mended  cordial  relations  with  Russia.  Even  now 
I  do  not  doubt  the  personal  views  of  his 
Majesty  the  Czar,  who,  I  am  sure,  retains  the  best 
and  most  friendly  wishes  for  your  person.  But 
I  have  been  regretfully  forced  to  recognise, 
especially  of  late,  that  this  personal  good-will  is 
out-weighed  by  the  traditional  conception  of 
Bussian  policy,  which  is  opposed  to  the  union  of 
the  Principalities.  The  fact  that  your  Highness 
must  expect  no  support  from  Eussia,  not  even  in 
diplomacy,  is  in  accordance  with  this  traditional 
policy,  whilst  the  hostile  attitude  towards  your 
Highness  in  Vienna  appears  to  me  to  lack  any 
logical  explanation,  considered  from  the  stand- 
point of  Austro-Hungarian  policy. 

"  It  is  only  natural  that  your  Highness  should 
look  to  the  illustrious  Head  of  your  house,  to 
Prussia  and  Germany.  Your  Highness  is  well 
aware  of  the  views  with  which  his  Majesty  the 
King  regards  your  person,  but  you  know  also  that 
the  present  military  situation  renders  it  impossible 
for  Germany  to  intervene  effectually  in  Eastern 
affairs  under  the  circumstances  we  have  been  con- 
sidering. 

"  On  reviewing  all  these  considerations  I  can 
only  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  your  Highness 
cannot  expect  any  outside  assistance,  but  rather 
ill-will,  and  that  your  decisions  must  be  based 
solely  upon  the  means  of  support  which  are 
still  left  to  you  in  your  own  country.  If  you 


116  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

expect  a  crisis,  for  the  defeat  of  which  you  consider 
the  better  elements  of  the  country  insufficient,  it 
appears  to  be  a  duty  to  yourself  and  to  your  house 
that  your  every  decision  should  be  really  indepen- 
dent and  voluntary,  and  should  not  seem  to  be 
forced  upon  you  by  foreign  force ;  and  the  high 
and  noble  motives  which  guide  your  Highness 
should  stand  prominently  forth. 

"  It  pains  me  to  be  able  to  give  no  other  counsel 
to  your  Highness  and  to  offer  you  no  better  hopes. 
But  I  know  that  your  patriotic  sympathy  and 
hearty  joy  at  the  successes  of  our  German  army, 
and  at  the  glory  which  surrounds  the  revered 
head  of  our  King,  will  not  be  affected  even  by  the 
painful  experience  your  Highness  has  endured, 
and  I  conclude  with  the  hope  that  your  wishes 
for  an  honourable  and  safe  peace  may  soon  be 
fulfilled." 

The  letter  addressed  to  the  Sultan,  which  had 
been  delayed  until  an  answer  was  received  from 
the  British  Ambassador,  was  eventually  forwarded 
by  the  Prince  with  a  voluntary  explanation  of  the 
delay.  Ali  Pacha  in  reply  expressed  the  concern 
with  which  the  Sultan  had  heard  of  the  critical 
situation  of  affairs  in  the  Principalities. 

At  the  same  time  Prince  Charles  was  informed 
from  a  trustworthy  source  that  in  Constantinople, 
as  well  as  in  other  places,  his  position  was  considered 
untenable.  "  The  Government  of  Prince  Charles 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  117 

is  universally  recognised  to  have  had  its  day,  and 
the  representatives  of  the  Powers  here  are  more 
occupied  in  considering  what  may  happen  after 
the  departure  of  the  Prince  than  in  any  scheme 
for  prolonging  his  rule.  Sir  H.  Elliott  goes 
furthest  of  all,  and  already  speaks  of  commissaries 
who  must  be  sent  to  the  Principalities,  and  whose 
departure  he  wishes  to  take  place  at  once.  .  .  ." 
The  same  writer,  Count  Keyserling,  also  adjured 
the  Prince  to  hope  for  no  outside  aid.  "  The  only 
choice,  therefore,  lies  between  the  continuance  of 
the  present  regime,  to  which  even  your  Highness's 
worst  foe  could  not  advise  you,  and  a  separation 
from  a  country  and  a  nation  which,  oblivious  of 
the  fact  that  their  Prince  has  shown  an  almost 
superhuman  devotion  to  his  duties,  have  sinned  a 
thousand  times  against  the  person  of  their  ruler, 
whom  they  themselves  elected,  and  to  whom  they 
took  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  obedience. 

"  The  Grand  Vizier  asked  me  in  a  very  signi- 
ficant manner :  '  Do  you  think  that,  after  Prince 
Charles's  experience,  another  Prince  of  a  reigning 
house  could  be  found  for  Roumania  ? ' — and  then 
answered  his  own  question :  '  Except,  perhaps, 
Prince  Napoleon,  I  can  think  of  no  one ;  and  we 
desire  to  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  him — as 
little  as  with  a  republic. ": 

Prince  Charles  replied  to  Count  Bismarck's 
letter  on  January  27,  1871,  thanking  him  for  the 
sympathy  he  had  shown  for  the  ruler  of  Roumania, 


118  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

if  not  for  the  country  itself,  and  assuring  him  of 
the  heartfelt  interest  and  joy  with  which  the 
recent  military  events  in  France  inspired  him. 
He  continued :  "  The  situation  here  is  serious ; 
for  the  present  I  can  avail  myself  of  the  Party 
intrigues  to  maintain  my  position  as  long  as  I 
consider  it  suitable  and  advisable.  I  have  to  act 
like  a  ship's  captain,  who  must  remain  at  his  post 
day  and  night  during  a  storm.  The  waves  now 
sweep  my  ship  to  the  skies,  now  dash  it  down  to 
the  depths,  but  as  surely  as  God  is  my  helper  I 
will  not  let  it  be  wrecked !  To-day  the  crew 
would  willingly  throw  me  overboard,  but  a 
few  of  them  still  possess  sufficient  intelligence 
to  know  that  I  alone  can  steer  them  safely  into 
port. 

"  I  will  not  lose  sight  of  two  points  ;  I  intend  to 
bring  my  name  clean  and  unspotted  out  of  this 
turmoil,  but  I  will  not  heartlessly  and  without  a 
conscience  leave  le  deluge  apres  moi.  This  refers, 
above  all,  to  the  finances,  the  desertion  of  which 
might  be  fraught  with  grave  danger  both  at  home 
and  abroad." 

The  letter  already  referred  to,  in  which  Prince 
Charles  set  forth  the  reasons  which  led  him  to 
think  of  abdicating,  was  published  in  the  columns 
of  the  Augsburger  Allgemeine  Zeitung,  and  created 
the  greatest  excitement  in  Eoumania.  A  discus- 
sion in  the  Chamber  upon  the  authenticity  of  this 
document  took  place  on  February  11,  1871,  when 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  119 

a  Deputy,  N.  Blaramberg,  declared  that  either  the 
letter  was  a  forgery,  or  that  the  Prince  was  about 
to  abdicate  and  leave  Roumania  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  its  enemies.  "A  Prince  who  quits  his 
country  in  its  hour  of  danger  may  be  compared  to 
a  deserter  or  a  traitor  to  the  State ! " 

The  President  of  the  Ministry  was  unable  to 
deny  the  authenticity  of  the  document,  but 
assured  the  Chamber  that  the  views  contained  in 
it,  if  they  were  ever  actually  current,  prevailed  no 
longer.  Cogalniceanu  then  proposed  the  follow- 
ing counter-resolution  :  "  The  Chamber,  deeply 
moved  by  the  explanations  communicated  by  the 
Ministry,  expresses  its  devotion  to  the  Throne 
and  Dynasty,  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution, 
and  proceeds  to  the  order  of  the  day  with  every 
confidence  in  the  future  of  the  country,  and  in 
the  firm  resolve  to  adhere  to  the  Constitution." 

An  infinitely  more  loyal  tone  prevailed  in  the 
Senate,  where  the  contents  of  Prince  Charles's 
letter  were  also  discussed.  A  resolution  was 
carried  with  only  four  dissentients  to  the  effect 
that  the  chief  duty  of  the  Senate  lay  in  support- 
ing the  Sovereign  whom  the  nation  had  so  enthu- 
siastically elevated  to  the  throne,  and  that  the 
consolidation  of  the  dynasty  was  indissolubly 
bound  up  with  the  peace,  existence,  and  political 
development  of  the  country. 

The  reports  of  the  Roumanian  agents  abroad 
showed  that,  though  the  Powers  were  unwilling 


120  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

to  take  any  steps  to  support  Prince  Charles,  they 
were,  nevertheless,  anxious  that  his  abdication 
should  be  deferred  for  the  present.  The  separa- 
tion of  the  two  Principalities,  each  under  a  native 
ruler,  would  be  acceptable  to  Russia,  Austria,  and 
England,  provided  no  anarchical  interregnum  took 
place.  The  Sublime  Porte,  accordingly,  was 
anxious  that  the  Prince  should  remain  at  his  post, 
until  the  question  of  his  successors  was  definitely 
settled.  As  the  great  German  Chancellor  re- 
marked, it  appeared  that  the  uncertain  possi- 
bilities of  a  catastrophe  on  the  Lower  Danube, 
coupled  with  the  fear  of  further  complications,  had 
resulted  in  a  sort  of  repentance  on  the  part  of  the 
Powers  for  the  intrigues  against  the  consolidation 
of  the  Roumanian  State.  Austria  in  particular  now 
saw  clearly  that  the  mistrust  with  which  Roumania 
had  always  been  regarded  under  Prince  Charles, 
owing  to  the  fear  that  she  was  merely  a  tool  in 
the  hands  of  Prussia,  was  utterly  unfounded. 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote  to  his  sorely 
tried  son : 

"  The  description  of  your  position  has  gone  to 
my  heart ;  I  have  sorrowed  and  suffered  with  you. 
...  I  have  always  found  that  a  healthy  constitu- 
tionalism is  the  corrective  for  caprice,  and  the 
support  of  a  strong  Government,  and  that,  where 
the  system  is  honestly  employed  by  both  sides,  it 
has  always  maintained  itself;  but  where  it  is 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  121 

only  used  as  a  cloak  for  anarchical  tendencies,  it 
is  noxious  and  confusing. 

•  •  •  •  • 

"  It  can  never  injure  your  personal  reputation 
if  you  lay  down  a  task  you  are  unable  to  com- 
plete. You  have  shown  the  whole  world  your 
good  intentions  and  your  qualifications  for  govern- 
ing Koumania.  You  did  not  force  yourself  upon 
the  country,  but  were  elected  and  summoned 
thither ;  you  have  founded  great  institutions, 
regenerated  the  army  and  created  a  new  system 
of  communications,  and  conferred  innumerable 
benefits  on  the  Church  and  the  poor ;  you  have 
protected  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  by  your 
family  happiness  testified  to  the  sanctity  of  mar- 
riage ;  liberality  of  all  kinds  has  been  supported 
by  your  purse — all  this  secures  for  you,  if  not  at 
present,  at  least  eventually,  a  blessed  memory, 
and  proves  to  your  contemporaries,  in  the  event  of 
your  abdication,  that  it  was  not  the  imaginary 
splendour  of  this  veritable  crown  of  thorns  that 
blinded  and  deceived  you,  but  that  it  was  the 
shipwreck  of  your  honest  intentions  and  your 
thirst  for  useful  labour  that  matured  your  decision 
and  helped  it  to  issue  in  act. 

"  I  already  dream  of  a  family  life  which  would 
be  the  consolation  of  my  old  age.  Looking  back- 
ward to  an  eventful  past,  you  would  find  the 
same  spiritual  compensation  that  I  find  in  the 
peaceful  life  that  lies  before  me,  but  with  this 


122  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

difference,  that  a  longer  life  than  mine  will  be 
vouchsafed  to  you.  .  .  .  Krauchenwies  offers  a 
suitable  and  comfortable  home,  in  forty  minutes 
you  can  reach  Sigmaringen.  ...  If  Krauchenwies 
does  not  suit  you,  you  might  live  at  Inzigkofen, 
and  if  not  at  Inzigkofen,  then  at  one  of  the 
Hechingen  manors,  such  as  Lindich  or  Villa 
Eugenia.  ..." 

Yet  even  darker  troubles  lay  before  Prince  Charles 
Anthony's  courageous  son,  in  the  defalcations  of 
Dr.  Strousberg  in  the  matter  of  the  Roumanian 
railways.  As  the  January  coupon  still  remained 
unpaid,  the  Prussian  Government  threatened  to 
use  pressure  to  force  the  Roumanian  Government 
to  act  in  accordance  with  its  guarantee.  Unfor- 
tunately the  Principalities  were  absolutely  unable 
to  comply  with  this  demand,  and  indignant  senti- 
ments prevailed  regarding  everything  that  was 
German.  The  passions  excited  amongst  the  popu- 
lation of  Bucharest  culminated  in  an  attack  on  the 
German  colony  on  the  occasion  of  a  banquet  given 
in  honour  of  the  German  Emperor's  birthday  on 
March  22,  1871.  A  riotous  mob  quickly  assembled, 
broke  the  windows  of  the  house,  and  attempted  to 
force  their  way  up  to  the  first  floor.  At  nine 
o'clock  Major  Skina  hastened  to  the  Prince  and 
informed  him  that  the  demonstration,  which  had 
been  started  half  an  hour  previously  by  a  few 
youths,  had  already  attained  serious  dimensions, 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  123 

that  the  windows  were  bombarded  with  stones, 
and  that  the  police  remained  entirely  passive. 
The  Prince  at  once  despatched  his  aide-de-camp  to 
find  the  President  of  the  Ministry  and  the  Prefect 
of  Police,  but  neither  of  them  was  to  be  found. 
The  excitement  increased  with  every  minute,  until 
at  length  the  mob,  having  extinguished  the  street 
lamps,  raised  the  cries:  "To  the  Palace!"  and 
"  Long  live  the  Republic  ! " 

General  Solomon,  the  Commandant  of  Bucharest, 
now  occupied  the  streets  with  troops,  in  spite  of 
the  efforts  of  the  President  of  the  Ministry, 
Jon  Ghika,  to  prevent  so  violent  a  course.  The 
mob  obeyed  the  order  to  disperse  after  having 
been  in  possession  of  the  streets  for  about  two  and 
a  half  hours. 

Prince  Charles  received  Consul-General  von 
Radowitz  the  same  night,  and,  after  expressing  his 
regret  at  this  disgraceful  occurrence,  mentioned 
that  he  had  already  taken  the  first  steps  towards 
replacing  the  guilty  Ministers.  At  one  A.M.  next 
morning  Jon  Ghika  arrived  at  the  Palace,  and 
eventually  succeeded  in  convincing  the  Prince 
that  the  cause  of  the  outrage  was  in  no  way  to 
be  attributed  to  him.  Prince  Charles,  however, 
demanded  his  resignation,  and  informed  him  that 
he  intended  to  summon  the  Lieutenance  Princiere 
in  the  morning  to  resign  the  reins  of  government 
to  them. 

Accordingly   at    ten    o'clock    D.    Sturdza   was 


124  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

commissioned  to  summon  the  members  of  the 
Zieutenance  Princiere  of  1866  to  meet  the  Prince 
at  the  Palace  at  half-past  eleven.  The  Prince 
then  informed  them  of  his  intention  to  place  the 
government  in  their  hands,  after  having  held  it 
for  nearly  five  years. 

Lascar  Catargiu  and  N.  Golesku  —  Colonel 
Haralambi  was  not  in  Bucharest  at  that  time — 
both  adjured  the  Prince  to  abstain  from  a  step 
which  they  felt  convinced  would  bring  the  greatest 
misfortune  upon  Roumania.  The  State  would  lapse 
into  complete  anarchy  after  such  an  action  on 
the  Prince's  part,  and  they  therefore  respectfully 
declined  to  accept  the  burden  of  such  a  responsi- 
bility. At  length  the  earnest  entreaties  of  the 
two  Roumanians  gained  the  day,  and  Prince 
Charles  consented  to  reconsider  his  decision,  if  a 
strong  and  loyal  Ministry  could  be  formed.  Should 
this  be  impossible,  or  should  the  Chamber  decline 
to  vote  the  Budget,  he  would  at  once  leave  the 
country. 

A  secret  sitting  of  the  Chamber  took  place  the 
same  afternoon,  when  Lascar  Catargiu  informed 
the  Deputies  of  the  interview  which  had  taken 
place  in  the  morning.  A  passionate  debate 
ensued  on  the  question  whether  further  negotia- 
tions with  the  head  of  the  State  should  be 
commenced  or  not.  In  spite  of  the  windy  utter- 
ances of  the  leaders  of  the  Extreme  Democrats 
and  Independents,  it  soon  became  apparent  that 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  125 

a  comparatively  large  majority  supported  the 
dynasty. 

Lascar  Catargiu  succeeded  in  forming  a  Ministry 
composed  of  men  who  had  already  won  their  spurs 
in  the  arena  of  politics ;  but  he  was  unable  to 
induce  the  Chamber  to  vote  the  Budget.  The 
Chamber  was  therefore  dissolved  forthwith,  and 
with  it  the  whole  agitation  ceased.  It  had  always 
been  confined  to  the  capital. 

The  following  letter  was  received  from  the 
Emperor  William  on  March  30,  1871  : 

"  Accept  my  heartiest  thanks  for  your  affec- 
tionate and  welcome  congratulations  for  the  22nd. 
This  time,  certainly,  the  day  overflowed  with 
feelings  of  gratitude  towards  Providence,  which 
decreed  that  I,  aided  by  my  army  and  the  self- 
sacrifice  of  my  people,  should  achieve  things,  to 
expect  or  demand  which  at  the  commencement 
of  this  glorious  but  bloody  war  would  have  been 
presumption.  The  Almighty  has  guided  and 
secured  all,  and  we  must  rejoice  that  He  has 
found  us  worthy  to  be  His  instruments.  The 
foundations  of  a  new  German  Empire  have  been 
laid,  and  the  blood  shed  has  been  made  into  a 
mortar  with  which  we  may  hope  that  a  strong 
house  will  be  built  upon  this  foundation,  under  the 
wise  guidance  of  my  successors. 

"  With  heartiest  greetings  to  the  Princess, 
"  I  remain,  your  faithful  Cousin  and  Friend, 

"  WILLIAM." 


126  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  P.S. — I  say  nothing  about  your  situation,  and 
can  only  pray  that  the  Lord  may  help  you  to 
choose  whatever  way  is  right  and  best." 

In  reply,  Prince  Charles  expressed  his  grief 
that  March  22,  an  anniversary  so  dear  to  him, 
should  have  been  troubled  by  such  an  occurrence 
in  Bucharest.  "Nothing  could  have  wounded  me 
more  deeply  than  that  this  particular  occasion 
should  have  been  seized  for  the  outbreak  of  a 
long-smouldering  intrigue.  .  .  .  Having  regard  to 
the  critical  situation,  especially  that  of  the  great 
and  calamitous  financial  question,  I  was  forced  to 
take  extreme  steps  to  rally  the  better  element 
from  its  apathy.  I  therefore  summoned  the 
Lieutenance,  from  whose  hands  I  had  received  the 
reins  of  government  in  1866,  in  order  to  return 
them  their  trust.  Terrified  by  this  imminent 
danger,  all  the  Conservative  factions  combined  to 
form  the  new  Ministry.  To-day  it  is  a  point  of 
honour  with  me  to  support  with  all  my  might 
those  men,  who  are  resolved  to  protect  the 
country  against  serious  complications,  and  in  con- 
junction with  them  to  carry  out  the  necessary 
reforms.  Should  these  prove  unattainable  with 
the  aid  of  such  supporters,  the  country  will  be 
irretrievably  lost. 

"  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  state  of  affairs  is 
very  serious,  and  that  the  creation  of  a  better 
state  of  things  is  beset  with  the  greatest  difficulties: 


MARRIAGE  AND  HOME  LIFE  127 

the  future  is  hidden  from  me  in  impenetrable 
darkness.  But  the  greater  the  danger,  the  less 
must  one's  courage  be  allowed  to  sink  ! " 

Catargiu  informed  the  Prince  that  an  attempt 
was  to  be  made  on  his  life  during  the  evening 
service  on  Good  Friday,  and  endeavoured  to  per- 
suade him  not  to  proceed  to  the  Metropolie. 
During  the  procession  the  Ministers  surrounded 
the  Prince  in  order  to  protect  his  person,  but  fortu- 
nately nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the  ceremony. 

Count  Keyserling,  who  in  many  ways  proved 
his  sincere  friendship  and  admiration  for  the 
Prince,  wrote  as  follows  : 

"Prince  Bismarck  lays  special  stress  on  your 
Highness's  maintaining  the  very  best  relations 
with  the  Porte  at  this  moment.  Ali  Pacha,  for 
his  part,  is  inclined  in  your  favour.  Your 
Highness  and  the  present  Cabinet  will  be  sin- 
cerely supported  in  Constantinople  by  the 
Austrians :  England's  attitude,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  thoroughly  ambiguous.  Lord  Granville 
has  spoken  to  the  Turkish  Ambassador  and  Count 
Apponyi  in  London  in  a  strain  which  suggests 
that  one  is  listening  to  Mr.  Green,  the  English 
Consul  in  Bucharest,  holding  forth  upon  his  own 
financial  interests." 

The  same  view  was  held  by  Prince  Charles 
Anthony : 


128  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  I  reserve  my  further  views  on  the  situation, 
because  I  have  been  unable  to  get  any  information 
about  your  own  opinions.  In  any  case,  it  was  well 
to  show  the  world  by  a  last  attempt  that  it  was 
not  from  want  of  courage  that  the  thought  of 
abdication  arose. 

"  You  must  hold  out  to  the  limits  of  possibility, 
and,  when  once  they  are  reached,  you  must 
demand  guarantees  that  a  period  of  stability  will 
then  commence,  for  to  allow  oneself  to  be  blown 
hither  and  thither  like  a  frail  reed,  and  to  depend 
upon  the  bon  vouloir  of  each  Ministry  is  no 
position  for  a  Hohenzollern. 

"  Under  prevailing  circumstances  I  can  only 
give  you  one  word  of  advice,  and  that  is  to  lean 
upon  Turkey :  this  Power  has  the  greatest  interest 
in  the  peace  of  Roumania — the  interest  of  self- 
preservation — and  she  will  inspire  none  of  the 
other  protecting  States  with  distrust.  .  .  . 

"  Nothing  can  be  done  in  the  Strousberg  affair ; 
an  independent  court  of  law  alone  can  succeed  in 
settling  this  impending  financial  difficulty.  More- 
over, this  Strousberg  question  is  only  an  empty 
pretext  and  means  of  agitation  against  you ;  the 
whole  movement  in  Roumania  is  based  upon 
hostility  towards  the  German  dynasty,  and  is  the 
result  of  socialist-republican  intrigue  ! " 


CHAPTER   V 

FINANCIAL  TROUBLES 

PERHAPS  the  chief  amongst  the  many  obstacles 
which  beset  the  path  of  Prince  Charles  in  his  task 
of  raising  Roumania  from  the  depth  to  which  it 
had  sunk  was  the  very  serious  state  of  the 
national  finances.  The  effect  of  the  previous 
drains  upon  the  country's  resources,  and  the 
expense  of  keeping  an  army  prepared  to  meet  any 
emergency,  caused  by  the  hostile  attitude  of 
Turkey,  were  thus  summed  up  by  the  Prince  in 
July  1866. 

"  The  worst  wound  of  the  country  is  at  pre- 
sent its  finances.  We  have  not  a  penny,  in  the 
literal  sense  of  the  word,  and  the  Ministry,  in 
order  to  restore  the  equilibrium  of  the  Budget, 
has  to  adopt  measures  which  will  scarcely  gain 
friends  for  us:  the  taxes  have  to  be  raised;  30  per 
cent,  of  salaries  and  pensions,  which  have  not  been 
paid  for  four  months,  have  to  be  kept  back.  For 
my  part,  I  have  surrendered  another  12,000  ducats 
of  my  Civil  List.  Only  a  loan  can  save  us  now ; 


130  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

we  are  in  communication  with  financiers,  but  their 
conditions  are  more  than  hard.  With  patience 
we  shall  yet  escape  from  this  calamity,  but  for 
the  moment  the  situation  is  very  difficult.  Re- 
trenchment must  be  made,  wherever  possible." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that,  whilst  the  receipts 
amounted  to  only  56,000,000  francs  in  the  first 
year  of  the  Prince's  rule,  they  reached  the  total  of 
180,000,000  in  1891,  being  thus  more  than  trebled 
in  twenty- five  years. 

Though  the  financial  situation  was  only  slightly 
improved  during  1867,*  Prince  Charles  entered 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year  into  negotiations 
with  the  Austrian  financier,  Herr  von  Ofenheim, 
for  the  construction  of  a  railway  from  Suceava  to 
Bucharest,  passing  through  Jassy  and  Galatz. 
These  negotiations,  commenced  as  far  back  as  1862, 
had  been  allowed  to  drop  ;  and  Roumania  had  thus 
lost  the  favourable  moment  for  appealing  to  the 
British  money  market,  which,  moreover,  was  never 
at  any  time  favourable  to  the  enterprise.  How- 
ever, Ofenheim's  Syndicate,  which  included  three 
Englishmen  (amongst  them  Mr.  T.  Brassey), 
arranged  for  the  construction  of  the  line,  which  was 
to  be  built  by  sections,  commencing  with  110  miles 
from  Suceava  to  Roman.  How  necessary  railways 
were  to  the  country  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
only  a  quarter  of  the  corn  and  wood  intended  for 

*  The  necessary  expenditure  was  met  in  October  1867  by 
the  issue  of  10  and  12  per  cent.  Treasury  bonds. 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  131 

export  that  year  could  be  moved  by  ship  to  its 
destination.  Eventually  the  Chamber  confirmed 
the  Ofenheim  concession,  voting  230,000  francs 
for  the  first  section,  and  a  subsidy  of  40,000  francs 
per  kilometer. 

Ofenheim  only  undertook  to  carry  out  the 
northern  half  of  the  concession,  and  ceded  the 
southern  portion  to  a  Prussian  syndicate,  of  which 
the  well-known  financier,  Strousberg,  was  Chair- 
man. This  syndicate  was  granted  a  concession  by 
the  Roumanian  Chamber  on  October  2,  1868. 

Unfortunately  for  the  progress  of  the  railways, 
the  question  soon  gave  rise  to  heated  debates  in 
the  Chamber.  For  example,  on  June  11,  1869? 
a  great  commotion  was  caused  there  by  a 
charge  brought  against  the  Syndicate  that  it 
had  extended  the  line  unduly  by  a  ten-mile  curve 
at  Barboschi  (payment,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  to  be  made  according  to  the  mileage). 
Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  all  this  petty  opposi- 
tion, the  Prince  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
the  first  section  of  the  Roumanian  railways,  con- 
necting Bukowina  and  Moldavia,  completed  on 
December  15,  1869,  whilst  no  less  than  130  miles 
of  much  needed  high  roads  were  opened  for  traffic, 
chiefly  on  the  western  frontier  of  Roumania. 

As  the  payment  for  the  railways  was  to  be 
governed  by  the  completed  mileage,  the  Finance 
Minister  instructed  the  Roumanian  Commissary 
in  Berlin,  Privy  Councillor  Ambronn,  to  control 


132  THE  KING  OF  ROUMAMA 

his  payments  by  the  certificates  of  the  engineer, 
countersigned  by  the  chief  of  the  newly  created 
Technical  Bureau.  This  evoked  an  immediate 
protest  from  one  of  the  concessionaries,  Dr.  Strous- 
berg,  who  threatened  to  appeal  to  the  law  courts 
against  so  unjustifiable  a  check  on  the  honesty  of 
the  contractors.  Councillor  Ambronn  reported 
that  he  felt  unable  to  refuse  payment,  although 
the  engineers'  certificates  were  not  countersigned, 
and  further,  that  the  proceeds  of  the  bonds  were 
deposited,  partly  in  cash,  partly  in  stocks  bearing 
interest,  at  the  Berlin  Kassenverein.  This  led  to 
a  Parliamentary  inquiry  into  the  state  of  the  funds 
entrusted  to  Councillor  Ambronn,  and  later  on  to 
a  unanimous  resolution  by  the  Ministry  relieving 
him  of  his  duties.  Prince  Charles,  however,  was 
of  the  opinion  that  this  measure  would  only  damage 
the  credit  of  the  railways,  and  declared  his  willing- 
ness to  accept  the  responsibility  for  the  railway 
construction  which  was  thus  thrust  upon  him  by 
the  country. 

However,  a  report  from  the  special  commissioner, 
Herr  Steege,  sent  to  Berlin  in  the  autumn  of  1870, 
placed  the  affair  in  a  different  light,  as  it  was  then 
discovered  that  the  money  realised  by  the  sale  of  the 
railway  bonds  (35,000,000  francs)  had  been  placed 
in  the  Joseph  Jacques  Bank  without  the  consent 
of  the  Roumanian  Government.  This  incorrect 
procedure  on  the  part  of  the  Commissary  placed 
the  Prince  in  a  most  unpleasant  position  ;  for, 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  133 

though  he  considered  it  in  no  way  desirable  that 
the  money  should  be  left  lying  idle,  he  had  never 
intended  that  it  should  be  invested  in  a  private 
company,  and  so  exposed  to  every  fluctuation  of 
the  market.  M.  Steege  was  therefore  appointed 
to  relieve  Councillor  Ambronn  of  his  duties  in 
connection  with  the  railway  funds. 

It  seemed  that  the  climax  of  the  railway  dis- 
pute must  have  been  reached  with  December  18, 
when  Strousberg  informed  the  Government  that 
he  was  neither  able  nor  willing  to  pay  the  coupon 
due  on  January  1,  and  further  maintained  that 
this  payment  should  be  made  by  the  State, 
though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  had  paid  the  July 
coupon  himself.  The  interest,  it  is  true,  was 
guaranteed  by  the  State,  but  the  terms  of  the 
concession  provided  that  the  interest  should  be 
paid  by  Strousberg  'whilst  the  line  ivas  in  course 
of  construction. 

The  entire  weight  of  the  blow  fell  on  Prince 
Charles ;  the  railways  were  his  pet  idea,  nay, 
even  his  consolation,  as  a  passage  in  one  of  his 
letters  to  his  father  shows.  "  I  have  at  least 
done  something  for  my  country — I  have  given  it  a 
railway  ! "  But  now  even  that  comfort  had  been 
taken  away. 

Prince  Charles,  however  anxious  he  was  at  that 
time  to  escape  from  his  almost  intolerable  position 
in  Roumania,  felt  that  he  could  not  quit  his 
adopted  country  until  he  had  procured  justice  for 


134  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

his  people,  and  removed  the  slur  which  appeared 
to  rest  upon  their  honesty. 

Early  in  March  1871  M.  Sturdza  thus  described 
the  financial  situation  of  the  Principalities.  The 
expenditure,  but  not  the  receipts,  of  the  State 
had  increased  threefold  during  the  last  thirteen 
years ;  the  public  debt,  which  in  Prussia  amounted 
to  2  francs  a  head,  reached  a  total  of  7  francs  in 
Roumania,  whilst  34,000,000  out  of  the  84,000,000 
francs  received  had  to  be  devoted  to  the  payment 
of  interest,  thus  leaving  only  50,000,000  available 
for  expenditure.  It  was,  therefore,  scarcely  a 
matter  for  surprise  that  the  Chamber  should 
openly  testify  to  the  general  indignation  felt  by 
the  nation,  when  the  fresh  burden  of  the  interest 
on  the  railway  bonds  was  thrust  upon  the 
resources  of  the  country.  In  their  wrath,  how- 
ever, the  deputies  forgot  to  be  just,  and  threw  the 
whole  blame  on  Prince  Charles.  Not  a  single 
voice  was  raised  to  point  out  that  the  Prince  him- 
self suffered  most  from  the  painful  situation  to 
which  dishonesty  and  carelessness  had  brought 
the  railways.  He  could  not  be  expected  to  know 
in  detail  all  the  requirements  of  such  concessions. 
The  only  just  reproach  which  could  be  made  against 
him  was  the  unconditional  confidence  which  he,  in 
his  youthful  enthusiasm,  had  placed  in  Strousberg 
and  Ambronn,  from  a  desire  to  procure  the 
benefits  of  the  railway  for  his  country  as  soon  as 
possible. 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  135 

The  attacks  turned  chiefly  on  the  circumstance 
that  Ambronn  had  been  for  a  long  time  in  the 
service  of  the  Prince  of  Hohenzollern,  though 
this  was  rather  a  reason  for  excusing  the  Prince, 
who  was  surely  justified  in  employing  a  man 
whose  honest  administration  had  already  gained 
the  confidence  of  his  father. 

As  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty  Prince  Charles 
thought  that  the  State  should  pay  the  January 
coupon  and  sue  Strousberg  for  the  amount,  in 
accordance  with  paragraph  7  of  the  concession. 
Unfortunately  the  Treasury  was  empty,  the 
Chamber  would  never  consent  to  such  a  measure, 
and  to  raise  a  loan  was  out  of  the  question. 

To  crown  the  disaster  an  official  intimation  was 
received  from  the  Prussian  Government  that  the 
coupon  due  must  be  paid  by  the  Roumanian  State, 
as  the  bonds  were  only  placed  on  the  market 
owing  to  the  confidence  inspired  in  the  Roumanian 
State  guarantee. 

Pressure  was  brought  to  bear  on  Roumania  by 
a  Note  maintaining  the  rights  of  the  German 
bondholders,  addressed  by  Prince  Bismarck  to  the 
Sublime  Porte  as  Suzerain  of  the  Principalities. 
The  Strousberg  affair  thus  threatened  to  become 
more  a  question  de  force  than  a  question  de  droit. 
It  appeared,  moreover,  that  a  lawsuit  against 
Strousberg  was  out  of  the  question,  as  the  bond- 
holders, and  not  the  Roumanian  Government, 
were  the  injured  parties.  Needless  to  say,  this 


136  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

opinion  of  the  Prussian  law-officers  evoked  great 
indignation  in  Rournania. 

Eventually,  on  January  2,  1872,  the  Chamber 
decided  to  offer  the  bondholders  two  alterna- 
tives : 

(a)  To  take  over  the  rights  and  obligations  of 
the  first  concession,  to  complete  the  railways  in 
three  years  with  an  annual  grant  of  nine  millions 
towards  the  coupons ;  the  payment  of  the  last 
year's  interest,  and  the  restitution  of  the  deposit 
to  be  obtained  from  Strousberg. 

(I)  To  transfer  all  their  rights  to  the  Rou- 
manian State,  which  pledged  itself  to  pay  off  the 
bonds  (to  be  exchanged  for  State  papers)  in  forty- 
nine  years'  time  by  an  annual  payment  of  eleven 
millions. 

Three  weeks  later  the  Prince  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  informing  his  father  that  the  vexed 
question  appeared  to  be  solved  at  last. 

"You  can  hardly  imagine  what  I  have  lived 
through  during  the  last  weeks  of  the  old  year  ! 
Excitements,  anxieties,  and  hopes  changed  with 
every  day.  Day  after  day  passed  without  any  re- 
sult, or  any  hope  of  solving  the  unfortunate  railway 
question  :  such  a  strain  on  the  nerves  might  have 
caused  the  strongest  man  to  give  way.  At  first 
weeks  passed  before  the  matter  reached  the  order 
of  the  day,  then  the  preliminary  debates  lasted 
fully  four  days ;  the  result  was  by  no  means 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  137 

certain  the  first  two  days,  as  the  Opposi- 
tion brought  all  its  batteries  into  action.  I 
breathed  again  on  the  evening  of  the  fourth  day, 
and  the  city  also  calmed  down  at  once  from  its 
former  feverish  excitement.  The  agitators  are 
afraid  that  the  settlement  of  the  railway  question, 
which  they  had  made  a  dynastic  one,  has  robbed 
them  of  their  last  dangerous  weapon.  .  .  . 

"  The  Opposition  used  Von  Radowitz's  declara- 
tion in  Constantinople — that  the  Emperor  was 
directly  interested  in  an  arrangement — with  much 
skill  and  perfidy,  drawing  the  deduction  that  the 
House  of  Hohenzollern  was  mixed  up  in  this  dirty 
business.  It  is  much  too  hackneyed  and  ridiculous 
to  be  even  annoyed  about !  " 

The  expense  of  the  many  reforms  initiated  by 
the  Prince  also  contributed  to  the  chronic  want 
of  money.  For  instance,  a  report  by  M.  Jepu- 
reanu  on  June  9,  1874,  showed  the  existence  of  a 
floating  debt  of  fifty-seven  million  francs,  which 
was  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  resources  of  an 
agricultural  country,  where  a  failure  of  the  crops 
occurred  about  once  in  six  years.  It  was  further 
stated  that  of  late  years,  in  spite  of  all  the  new 
taxation,  the  expenditure  had  always  exceeded  the 
receipts. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  January  26th,  1875. 
"  Only  a  few  days  ago  I  was  confidently  looking 


138  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

to  the  immediate  future,  and  hoped  that  the 
Roumanian  railway  system,  which  I  had  achieved 
for  the  country  after  such  severe  struggles,  would 
soon  be  opened  for  traffic.  I  believed  that  this 
intolerable  affair,  which  has  cost  me  several  years 
of  my  life,  was  finally  settled,  and  looked  forward 
to  enjoying  the  fruits  of  my  labour.  But  110  ! 
To-day  the  railways  are  again  the  disturbing 
element.  After  great  effort  I  had  achieved 
the  stability  and  peace  so  necessary  for  the 
development  of  the  country  :  domestic  affairs 
had  become  consolidated,  and  abroad  we  enjoyed 
respect  and  confidence.  All  this  may  again  be 
at  stake. 

" The  Berlin  Company  must  raise  a 

loan  of  seventy-five  million  francs  to  pay  the  debts 
incurred  in  construction ;  in  so  doing  they  want 
our  support,  and  ask  for  a  law  giving  this  loan 
preferential  rights  in  the  annuities.  This  is,  of 
course,  out  of  the  question,  as  the  former  creditors 

must  always  have  the  first  claim We 

do  not  conceal  the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  the 
more  so  since  the  German  Government  urgently 
requests  us  to  give  way  to  the  entreaties  of  the 
company,  and  so  prevent  a  catastrophe  which 
would  principally  be  felt  by  the  shareholders.  In 
the  event  of  our  inability  to  regulate  this  affair 
the  German  Government  would  in  future  be 
compelled  to  withhold  the  exercise  of  its  benevo- 
lent interest  in  Roumania ! 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  139 

"  This  threat  is  very  serious,  and  we  foresee 
its  evil  consequences." 

To  PRINCE  BISMARCK. 

"  For  several  weeks  we  have  been  exclusively 
occupied  with  the  difficulties  which  the  new  loan 
for  the  completion  of  our  railway  system  causes 
both  here  and  in  Berlin.  Animated  with  a  lively 
wish  to  bring  this  important  affair  to  a  satisfac- 
tory conclusion,  my  Government  has  commissioned 
the  Minister  of  Public  Works,  M.  Th.  Eosetti, 
to  proceed  to  Berlin,  and  to  place  himself  in 
personal  communication  with  the  railway  company. 

"  I  cannot  conceal  from  your  Serene  Highness 
that  the  proposals  of  the  company,  which  must  be 
settled  by  constitutional  methods,  encounter  no 
small  difficulties,  arising  from  the  very  nature 
of  the  affair.  Nevertheless,  my  Government  has 
every  wish  to  prepare  a  solution  which  would  be 
acceptable  to  both  parties,  and  which  could  be 
successfully  promoted  in  the  Chamber  here.  If 
we  may  hope  for  the  benevolent  interest  of  your 
Highness  in  this  delicate  question,  I  do  not  doubt 
that  it  will  soon  be  solved.  M.  Rosetti  is  able 
to  give  the  necessary  information  should  your 
Highness  desire  to  enter  more  fully  into  the 
question." 

From  PRINCE  BISMARCK,  March  1875. 
"  I  return  my  humblest  thanks  to  your  High- 


140  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

ness  for  the  gracious  letter  which  Minister  Rosetti 
has  handed  to  me.  The  knowledge  and  personal 
amiability  of  the  latter  has  made  a  favourable 
impression  on  all  circles  here,  and  he  has  brought 
the  negotiations  to  such  a  point  that  their  con- 
clusion may  be  expected,  provided  the  result  here 
gains  the  approbation  of  your  Highness's  Govern- 
ment. I  myself  entertain  the  hope  that  such  may 
be  the  case,  the  more  willingly  since  so  large  an 
amount  of  German  capital  is  placed  in  no  other 
foreign  enterprise,  and  the  solidly  assured  future 
of  the  railways  must  exert  a  decisive  influence  on 
the  development  of  the  rich  resources  with  which 
Roumania  is  blessed  by  nature.  The  protection 
afforded  to  the  enterprise  by  your  Highness  will 
contribute  materially  to  maintain  and  further 
public  interest  in  Germany  for  the  welfare  of 
Roumania." 

Whilst  these  delicate  negotiations  were  in 
progress,  the  question  of  the  right  of  Roumania  to 
enter  into  commercial  treaties  was  brought  to  a 
close.  The  intimate  relations  of  the  Principalities 
to  Austria-Hungary  rendered  it  desirable  that  the 
first  treaty  should  be  concluded  with  that  State, 
not  without  opposition  in  the  Chamber,  and  it  was 
actually  voted  on  July  10,  1875.  *'  This  inter- 
national act,"  the  Prince  wrote,  "  is  of  great 
importance,  as  it  contains  the  germ  of  Roumanian 
independence." 


FINANCIAL  TROUBLES  141 

The  Budget  of  1876,  which  announced  a  deficit 
of  30,000,000  francs,  was  received  with  a  storm  of 
indignation,  and  eventually  led  to  the  fall  of  the 
Catargiu  Ministry. 

To  PRINCE  CHAELES  ANTHONY,  April  26th,  1876. 

"  The  excitement  here  is  very  great ;  there  are 
rumours  of  conspiracies  and  revolutions;  but  all 
this  cannot  terrify  me,  for  I  go  straight  ahead  and 
do  my  duty.  The  condition  of  our  finances,  and 
the  serious  situation  in  the  East,  does,  however, 
make  me  anxious.  The  former  is  the  consequence 
of  the  latter  ;  for  months  no  money  has  come  into 
the  country,  and  trade  is  completely  at  a  stand- 
still. All  our  securities  have  fallen,  railway  and 
customs  returns  have  decreased,  farmers  cannot 
pay,  and  taxes  are  hard  to  collect.  Nevertheless, 
the  engine  of  State  must  not  be  allowed  to  stop, 
and  we  must  pay  the  interest  on  our  debts  in 
order  to  maintain  our  credit !  All  this  has 
materially  affected  our  finances,  which  were  in  a 
satisfactory  state." 

To  THE  SAME,  December  11th,  1876. 

"  Neither  the  approach  of  the  war,  nor  the 
probable  passage  of  foreign  troops  makes  me  really 
anxious  :  I  am  troubled  rather  by  the  comfortless 
state  of  our  finances,  which  have  reached  a  stage 
impregnated  with  danger  for  the  immediate 
future.  The  State  can  onlv  maintain  its  credit 


142  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

at  the  greatest  sacrifice,  by  paying  the  coupons 
of  the  foreign  debt  with  the  little  money  remain- 
ing in  the  country,  and  in  addition  it  must  raise 
sufficient  to  pay  the  army. 

"  Under  these  circumstances  only  a  well-assured 
peace,  or  a  war,  can  be  of  any  assistance ;  a  long 
extension  of  this  uncertainty  will  be  our  ruin  !  " 

To  THE  SAME,  January  20th,  1877. 

"  The  money  famine  increases  daily,  and  I 
cannot  see  how  we  are  to  be  helped  out  of  our 
difficulty.  Only  the  most  necessary  payments  are 
made.  Even  the  Civil  List  has  not  been  paid 
for  months." 

The  longed-for  war,  bringing  with  it  the 
independence  of  Roumania,  arrived  at  last,  and 
with  it  came  perhaps  the  lowest  point  touched  by 
Roumanian  finance.  All  payments  were  stopped 
both  at  home  and  abroad,  every  tax  was  doubled, 
and  30,000,000  francs  of  paper  money  were  issued 
on  the  security  of  the  Crown  lands,  to  be  redeemed 
at  10  per  cent,  above  par.  Such  were  the 
sacrifices  which  the  Roumanian  nation  offered  at 
the  shrine  of  patriotism  and  independence. 


THE  first  years  of  Prince  Charles's  rule  were  over- 
cast by  the  shadow  thrown  by  that  source  of 
constant  trouble  in  Eastern  Europe,  the  Jewish 
Question,  and  by  the  pro- Semitic  agitation  in  the 
Western  Press.  The  bulk  of  the  Jewish  popula- 
tion of  Roumania  was  settled  in  the  Province  of 
Moldavia,  where  it  held  mortgages  on  the  greater 
part  of  the  estates.  In  addition  to  this,  as 
"universal  providers "  they  almost  monopolised 
the  trade  in  spirits,  whilst  the  bulk  of  the  retail 
trade  also  lay  in  their  hands.  In  times  of  famine 
and  scarcity  they  were  always  ready  to  lend  money 
at  exorbitant  rates  to  the  heedless  landowner  and 
ignorant  peasant,  and  thus  acquired  a  hold  over 
them  which  could  not  be  shaken  off.  The  bitter 
hatred  with  which  the  Moldavian  population 
regarded  their  oppressors,  and  the  violence  caused 
by  that  feeling,  were  powerless  to  prevent  the 
constant  immigration  of  Jews  from  Poland  and 
Southern  Hussia,  where  they  experienced  a  far 


144  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

harder  lot  than  that  which  awaited  them  in 
Roumania.  That  the  anti-Semitic  feeling  was  not 
wholly  unjustifiable  is  shown  by  the  opinion  of 
M.  Desjardins,  who  had  ample  opportunity  of 
learning  the  rights  and  wrongs  of  the  case.  The 
French  savant  declared  that  the  Jews  were  not 
only  aliens  and  strangers  in  Roumania  by  their 
language,  religion,  and  customs,  but  that  they 
actually  desired  to  remain  so.  They  refused  to 
send  their  children  to  the  Roumanian  schools, 
though  entitled  to  do  so  free  of  expense,  and 
besides  monopolising  the  whole  retail  trade  of 
Moldavia,  they  exerted  a  most  evil  influence  on 
the  progress  of  the  country  by  their  usury.  The 
peasant  was  forced  to  pay  up  to  fifty  per  cent,  per 
mensem  on  loans,  as  there  were  no  other  means  of 
raising  money  in  times  of  scarcity.  The  Moldavian 
Jew  was  dirty  and  utterly  neglected,  and  could 
not  from  any  point  of  view  be  considered  a  desir- 
able acquisition  to  the  State. 

The  Jews  of  Eastern  Europe  in  general,  and  of 
Roumania  in  particular,  have  no  intention,  and, 
for  the  matter  of  that,  no  inclination  to  stoop  to 
handicraft  or  manufacture.  The  quicker  methods 
of  getting  money  appeal  to  them  more ;  and 
they  are  perfectly  content  to  live  on  the  needs 
and  necessities  of  the  original  inhabitants  of  the 
land,  though  at  the  same  time  they  bitterly  resent 
the  feeling  with  which  they  and  their  methods  of 
money-making  are  regarded.  The  first  outbursts 


THE  JEWISH  QUESTION  145 

of  racial  hatred  during  Prince  Charles's  reign 
proved  too  strong  for  the  good  intentions  of  the 
Government,  nor  was  it  to  be  expected  that  the 
Roumanian  legislature  would  grant  the  alien  race 
further  rights  or  further  liberty  than  Russia  or 
even  Austria  felt  inclined  to  do. 

Cre'mieux,  the  well-known  politician  and  founder 
of  the  Alliance  Israelite,  interviewed  the  Prince 
on  June  14,  1866,  to  try  to  obtain  an  alteration 
in    the    laws    enabling    Jews   to   hold    land   in 
Roumania,    and,    acting    on    the   time-honoured 
maxim  of  do  ut  des,  offered   in   return   for   this 
privilege  a  loan  of  £1,000,000   at  a  low  rate  of 
interest.       The   Prince   informed    him    that   the 
Government  had  already  remembered  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Jews  in  the  draft  of  the  Constitution, 
since  the  following  paragraphs  had  been  inserted  : 
"  Creed  is   no   impediment   to   naturalisation   in 
Roumania,"  and  "So  far  as  the  Jews  at  present 
domiciled  in  Roumania  are   concerned,  a   special 
law  will  provide  for  their  gradual   admission   as 
naturalised  citizens."     However,  as  soon  as  these 
proposals  were  laid  before  the  Chamber,  a  wave 
of  dissent  swept  over  Moldavia,  where  the  anti- 
dynastic    party    sought    to    create    trouble    by 
appealing  to  racial  hatred.     They  succeeded  only 
too  well,  for  a  riotous  mob  destroyed  the  recently 
completed  synagogue  at  Bucharest  in  June  1866. 
The   obnoxious   paragraphs   of  the    Constitution 
were  withdrawn  owing  to  the  representations  of 


146  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  Jews  themselves,  who  feared  further  excesses, 
if  the  Government  persisted  in  them.  The  foreign 
Press  eagerly  seized  the  opportunity  for  spreading 
the  report  that,  owing  to  the  weakness  of  the 
Government,  the  paragraphs  had  been  withdrawn 
in  obedience  to  the  wishes  of  the  mob.  The 
liberally  minded  Prince,  to  show  his  displeasure  at 
the  action  of  a  section  of  the  populace,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  prove  his  toleration  in  matters  of 
religion,  subscribed  6,000  ducats  from  his  own 
purse  for  the  restoration  of  the  wrecked  synagogue, 
but  at  the  same  time  the  Chamber,  by  passing  the 
clause  :  "  Only  Christians  can  become  Roumanian 
citizens,"  denied  the  Jews  the  possession  of  any 
political  rights. 

In  April  1867  the  Minister  of  the  Interior, 
J.  Bratianu,  addressed  a  circular  to  all  prefects, 
ordering  them  to  proceed  against  all  "vagabonds" 
in  their  districts  ;  as,  owing  to  the  abolition  of 
passes,  the  number  of  paupers  had  increased  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  add  seriously  to  the  already 
enormous  difficulties  of  the  Government  in  feeding 
the  starving  inhabitants.  England,  France,  and 
Austria  protested  vigorously  against  this  measure, 
which  was  chiefly  directed  against  immigrant 
Jews,  and  the  Emperor  Napoleon  addressed  the 
following  telegram  to  the  Prince  on  this  subject : 

"  I  must  not  leave  your  Highness  in  ignorance 
of  the  public  feeling  created  here  by  the  persecu- 


THE  JEWISH  QUESTION  147 

tions  of  which  the  Jews  of  Moldavia  are  said  to 
be  the  victims.  I  cannot  believe  that  the 
enlightened  Government  of  your  Highness 
authorises  measures  so  opposed  to  humanity  and 

civilisation. 

"  NAPOLEON." 

To  which  the  Prince  replied  at  once  : 

"  Your  Majesty  may  rest  assured  that  I  am  not 
less  solicitous  for  the  Jewish  inhabitants  than 
your  Majesty.  The  measures  which  the  Govern- 
ment has  thought  necessary  to  take  are  not 
exceptional,  and  are  a  matter  of  common  law.  I 
shall,  moreover,  institute  a  severe  inquiry  to  ascer- 
tain whether  the  subaltern  officials  have  exceeded 
their  instructions.  Those  guilty  will  be  punished 
with  all  the  rigour  of  the  law. 

"  CHARLES." 

All  the  laws  against  the  Jews  which  had  been 
passed  in  Moldavia  since  1804  were  published  in 
the  official  Moniteur  on  May  28,  1867,  to 
counteract  the  prejudice  which  the  recent  circular 
had  created.  It  was  thus  made  clear  that 
Jews  had  always  been  prohibited  from  becoming 
tenants  of  farms,  public-houses,  and  drinking- 
booths ;  and  that  the  sole  motive  of  the  Ministerial 
Circular  was  to  remind  the  prefects  of  the  existence 
of  these  regulations,  which  had  been  allowed  to 
fall  somewhat  into  abeyance. 


148  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  the  well-known  British 
merchant  and  philanthropist,  who  was  touring 
through  Eoumania  to  investigate  personally  the 
condition  of  the  Jews,  was  presented  to  the  Prince 
by  the  British  Consul  on  August  25,  1867.  Sir 
Moses  was  able  to  inform  his  Highness  that  he 
could  not  trace  any  persecution  of  the  Jews  in 
Wallachia,  and  on  his  return  to  England  declared, 
through  the  Press,  that  the  situation  of  his 
brethren  in  Roumania  had  been  painted  in 
colours  far  too  dark,  and  that  there  could  be  no 
question  of  their  ill-treatment,  as  both  the  Prince 
and  his  Ministers  were  very  tolerant,  and  had 
given  him  every  assistance  in  eliciting  the 
truth. 

The  Chamber,  however,  continued  to  persist  in 
anti-Semitic  legislation,  and  a  "  free  and  indepen- 
dent party  "  of  thirty -three  Moldavians  introduced 
a  measure  on  March  17,  1868,  which  contained 
the  following  provisions  :  "Jews  may  only  settle 
in  urban  districts  by  permission  of  the  town 
council,  but  on  no  condition,  and  for  no  length  of 
time,  in  the  rural  districts. 

"  They  are  not  allowed  to  possess  real  property 
in  towns  or  in  the  country.  Sales  and  purchases 
in  their  favour  are  null  and  void. 

"  They  are  also  forbidden  to  become  tenants 
of  farms,  vineyards,  public-houses,  hotels,  kilns, 
bridges,  &c.,  or  to  manage  the  same,  and  neither 
the  State  nor  Communalities  are  to  entrust  them 


THE  JEWISH  QUESTION  149 

with  contracts.  .  .  .  They  are  not  to  sell  food  or 
liquor  to  Christians,  but  only  to  Jews."  Bratianu, 
whom  the  foreign  Semitic  Press  hounded  down  as 
a  persecutor  of  the  Jews,  opposed  this  motion  with 
the  greatest  vigour,  and  openly  broke  with  its 
proposers.  He  was  in  consequence  overwhelmed 
with  contumely  and  reproaches,  and  was  on 
one  occasion  stoned  by  anti-Semitic  mobs  in 
Moldavia. 

The  Jewish  Question  was  ably  summed  up  by 
Prince  Charles  Anthony  in  a  letter  to  his  son, 
received  on  May  21,  1868. 

"The  Jewish  question  has  reached  a  stage 
which  attracts  the  rapt  attention  of  the  whole  of 
Europe.  It  is  a  most  unfortunate  episode  in  the 
otherwise  peaceful  development  of  Roumanian 
internal  economy,  and  is  at  the  same  time  a  great 
danger  to  the  dynasty.  I  have  already  pointed 
out  that  all  Jewish  affairs  are  a  '  noli  me  tangere.' 
This  fact  is  a  symptom  of  European  weakness ; 
but,  since  it  is  a  fact,  it  must  be  accepted  ;  nothing 
can  be  done,  as  the  whole  Press  of  Europe  is 
controlled  by  the  Jewish  financial  powers.  In  one 
word,  the  moneyed  Judaism  is  a  Great  Power, 
whose  favour  may  have  the  most  advantageous 
effect,  but  whose  opposition  is  dangerous.  From 
every  side,  from  all  corners  and  ends  of  the  earth, 
a  cry  of  horror  arose  in  unison  about  the  Bakau 
incident,  and  nothing,  not  even  the  official 


150  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

dementia,  could  mitigate  or  alleviate  the  impression 
created  by  these  incidents.  It  seems  to  me  that 
Bratianu  has  not  shown  sufficient  energy  in  this 
question,  and  is  inclined  to  stake  too  much  on  one 
card!"  .  .  . 

"  Innumerable  petitions  have  reached  me  from 
all  parts  imploring  my  support  in  this  unfortunate 
Jewish  affair,  especially  from  the  Alliance  Israelite 
(Cremieux) ;  Paris  has  made  the  most  noise  about 
it.  This  cannot  be  altered  ;  and  you  have  gained 
nothing  but  increased  experience." 

Advice  on  this  difficult  question  was  also 
tendered  from  a  quarter  whence  it  was  least 
expected.  Fuad  Pacha  pointed  out  to  the  Rou- 
manian agent  in  Constantinople  that  the  Princi- 
palities ought  to  take  Turkey  as  an  example  of 
tolerance  in  matters  of  religion,  for  at  Constanti- 
nople one  might  see  Jews  sitting  side  by  side  with 
Mohammedans  and  Christians  in  the  Council  of 
State! 

On  September  12, 1869,  Prince  Charles  received 
a  deputation  of  Jews  on  the  occasion  of  his  stay 
in  Vienna.  In  reply  to  their  representations  on 
behalf  of  their  brethren  in  Rou  mania,  Prince 
Charles  declared  that  the  alleged  persecution  only 
existed  in  the  imagination  of  agitators,  and  that 
the  condition  of  the  Roumanian  Jews  was  by  no 
means  so  miserable  and  abject  as  the  European 
Press  was  ready  and  anxious  to  believe. 


THE  JEWISH  QUESTION  151 

At  the  same  time,  the  anti-Semitic  element  in 
the  Chamber  sought  to  overthrow  the  Ghika 
Ministry  by  accusing  it  of  a  tendency  to  favour 
the  Jews.  The  Minister  of  the  Interior,  Cogalni- 
ceanu,  it  appeared,  had  recommended  two  Delegates 
of  the  Alliance  Israelite  to  the  prefects  of  the 
districts,  in  order  that  they  might  have  every 
opportunity  of  knowing  the  country  and  its 
inhabitants.  It  was  also  proved  by  statistics  that 
the  number  of  Jews  in  Moldavia  was  steadily 
increasing,  whilst  the  Roumanians  were  being 
forced  back  by  this  constant  stream  of  immigration. 
The  measure  of  their  success  and  increasing  influ- 
ence was  in  direct  proportion  to  the  corresponding 
weakness  and  poverty  of  the  Christian  tillers  of 
the  soil.  Cogalniceanu,  however,  showed  that  the 
Jews  were  not  favoured  at  the  expense  of  the 
Roumanians,  and  that  the  Government  had  no 
means  of  preventing  Jewish  immigration  from 
Russia  or  Galicia.  He  also  pointed  out  that  he 
had  proposed  to  allow  the  Jews  to  settle  near 
the  delta  of  the  Danube  ;  but,  as  that  proposal 
had  been  negatived,  he  could  only  suggest 
that  the  Chamber  should  formulate  some  other 
measure. 

Nearly  three  years  later  (May  1872)  a  petition 
from  the  Jews  of  Eastern  Prussia  was  laid  before 
the  German  Reichstag,  praying  that  Germany 
would  use  its  influence  in  putting  a  stop  to  the 
persecution  of  Jews  in  Roumania.  Dr.  Miquel 


152  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

pointed  out  that,  although  he  sympathised  deeply 
with  the  sufferers,  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  with 
caution,  as  otherwise  their  situation  might  become 
even  worse,  for  no  Government  was  ever  so  weak 
as  that  of  Roumania,  and  continual  exhortations 
would  only  incite  the  inhabitants  to  further  out- 
rages, which  might  eventually  lead  to  animosity 
against  their  German  Prince.  Von  Bunsen 
supported  Miquel's  view  and  showed  that  no  perse- 
cutions had  taken  place  between  1866  and  1872. 
Eventually  a  resolution  was  carried,  recognising 
the  previous  efforts  on  behalf  of  the  Jews,  and 
requesting  the  Chancellor  to  do  everything 
possible  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  incidents 
in  the  future. 

England  also  took  up  the  cudgels  on  behalf  of 
the  Jews,  and  proposed  to  the  various  guaranteeing 
Powers  to  comply  with  the  46th  Article  of  the 
Treaty  of  Paris,  and  grant  political  rights  to  the 
Jews.  Prince  Gortchakoff  came  to  the  assist- 
ance of  Roumania,  and  reminded  the  Western 
Powers  that  it  was  impossible  to  compare  the 
Jews  of  the  Orient  with  those  of  the  West. 
Russia  had  no  intention  of  interfering  in  the 
domestic  affairs  of  another  State,  though  she  would 
unite  with  the  Powers  in  representing  the  matter 
to  the  Roumanian  Government.  He  therefore 
advised  England  to  communicate  direct  with  the 
Roumanian  Government  before  invoking  the  aid  of 
the  other  Powers. 


THE  JEWISH  QUESTION  153 

A  letter  from  the  Prince  to  his  father  contained 
the  following  passage  about  this  difficulty  : 

"  My  only  fear  is  lest  the  Jews  *  should  con- 
tinue to  agitate  and  petition  the  guaranteeing 
Powers  for  the  concession  of  political  rights  to 
their  brethren  here,  until  the  Powers  at  last 
comply  with  their  wish,  and  force  our  hand.  This 
would  lead  to  the  overthrow  of  the  present,  or, 
indeed,  any  other  Ministry. 

"A  few  months  ago  the  Jews  here  received 
some  sympathy  from  certain  circles,  but  since  they 
have  raised  such  a  cry  throughout  Europe,  and 
since  the  Jewish  Press  in  every  State  has  attacked 
this  country  in  so  unworthy  a  manner  with  the 
object  of  forcing  the  equality  of  the  Jews  upon  us, 
the  latter  have  nothing  to  expect  here  for  the 
present.  ..." 

Another  letter  of  Prince  Charles  also  refers  to 
this  point : 

"  The  newspapers  again  accuse  us  of  perse- 
cuting the  Jews,  because  the  recent  licensing  law 
forbids  a  Jew  to  keep  a  public-house  in  a  village- 
This  is  a  reasonable  measure ;  and  we  are  deter- 
mined to  repel  any  representations  or  interventions 

*  Shortly  after  this  was  written,  a  Jewish  Congress 
assembled  at  Brussels  with  the  avowed  intention  of  obtaining 
political  rights  for  the  Jews  of  Roumania  by  pressure  from 
abroad. 


154  THE  KING  OF  BOUMANIA 

in  this  matter.  One  must  know  the  villages  of 
Moldavia  to  be  able  to  judge  the  noxious  influence 
exerted  on  the  rural  population  by  the  Jew 
with  his  adulterated  brandy.  In  Poland  and 
Hungary  the  Jew  is  to  this  day  forbidden  to  keep 
a  village  public-house — and  very  rightly  too  !  On 
the  other  hand,  it  is  a  pity  that  Roumania  has 
excluded  Jews  from  holding  licences  for  the  sale 
of  tobacco,  as  they  will  now  become  the  most 
arrant  smugglers." 

Russia  replied  to  the  Note,  addressed  by 
England  to  the  Great  Powers,  referring  to  the 
persecution  of  the  Moldavian  Jews,  with  a  cir- 
cular to  its  representatives  abroad  directing  them 
to  defend  the  Roumanian  measures. 

The  struggle  so  briefly  touched  upon  in  these 
pages  affected  the  welfare  of  Roumania  in 
its  young  days  very  keenly,  as  the  great  Jewish 
capitalists  supported  the  demands  of  the  Jewish 
population  for  the  franchise  by  refusing  to  aid  the 
young  State  in  its  financial  troubles.  Incalculable 
harm  was  done  by  the  Press  in  giving  a  too-ready 
credence  to  the  alarming  reports  of  wholesale 
expulsion  of  Jewish  families  from  Roumania  and 
the  confiscation  of  their  property.  The  anti- 
Roumanian  feeling  thus  caused  in  England, 
France,  and  in  part  of  Germany  was  for  many 
years  a  serious  stumbling-block  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Danube  Principalities. 


CHAPTER   VII 

PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT 

THE  day  selected  by  the  Prince  and  Princess 
of  Roumania  for  the  commencement  of  their 
tour  through  Moldavia — April  20,  1871 — was  one 
of  good  omen  for  the  result  of  that  journey. 
Prince  Charles  was  anxious  to  reinstate  the  close 
and  intimate  relations  which  had  existed  between 
him  and  his  people  before  the  recent  agitation, 
as  well  as  to  give  the  lie  to  the  calumny  that  he 
no  longer  took  an  interest  in  his  subjects.  The 
Princess,  too,  was  eager  to  become  more  closely 
acquainted  with  the  beauties  of  her  new  country 
under  her  husband's  guidance.  Unfortunately 
the  pleasure  of  the  trip  was  marred  by  the  con- 
stant downpour  of  rain,  which  laid  half  of  Jassy 
under  water.  But  the  Prince  and  Princess  did 
not  allow  the  weather  to  interfere  with  their 
plans,  and  succeeded  in  visiting  every  noteworthy 
place  or  institution.  At  their  departure  from  the 
Moldavian  capital,  as  on  their  arrival,  they 
received  a  most  enthusiastic  ovation,  to  which 


156  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Prince  Charles  replied  that  the  heartiness  of  their 
welcome  everywhere  had  convinced  him  that  the 
lately  dissolved  Chamber  had  in  no  way  expressed 
the  sentiments  of  the  nation.  The  memory  of  the 
heartfelt  sympathy  accorded  to  the  dynasty  in 
Jassy  had,  he  added,  given  him  fresh  courage  and 
energy  to  devote  to  the  high  duties  entrusted  to 
him  by  the  nation. 

Prince  Charles  expressed  the  same  views  to  the 
Ministry  on  his  return  to  Bucharest,  and  informed 
them  that  he  had  given  up  the  thought  of  abdica- 
tion, as  his  tour  through  Moldavia  had  satisfied 
him  that  the  nation  would  be  loyal  to  the  Sove- 
reign they  had  elected,  whilst  condemning  the 
revolutionary  aims  which  had  been  the  source  of 
the  recent  trouble.  The  marvellous  change  which 
had  taken  place  in  the  Roumanian  situation  in  the 
short  space  of  five  weeks  did  not  fail  of  prompt 
recognition  abroad.  The  Austrian  Ambassador  at 
Constantinople  remarked :  "If  Prince  Charles 
succeeds  in  managing  Koumania  with  his  own 
resources,  and  in  rendering  it  governable,  it  will 
be  the  greatest  tour  de  force  I  have  witnessed  in 
my  diplomatic  career  of  more  than  half  a  century. 
It  will  be  nothing  less  than  a  conjuring  trick  ! " 

Prince  Charles  thus  described  the  surprising 
change  of  situation  between  March  22  and  May  22  : 

"  Then  there  were  revolts  in  the  streets,  break- 
ing of  windows,  and  an  approaching  abdication. 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  157 

Now  there  is  rejoicing  throughout  the  country, 
ovation  after  ovation,  and  a  celebration  of  the 
anniversary  of  my  accession  in  a  more  hearty 
and  universal  fashion  than  I  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  for  a  long  time.  Everything  that  was 
possible  has  been  done  to  wipe  out  the  memory  of 
our  bitter  experiences  of  last  winter,  alike  during 
our  tour  through  Moldavia  and  on  our  return  and 
on  May  22.  ... 

"  Moldavia  has  recently  been  the  arena  of 
anarchical  and  separatist  intrigues  so  wide  in  ex- 
tent that  no  great  success  could  be  expected  at  the 
recent  elections,  the  more  so  as  a  rumour  had  been 
spread  throughout  Moldavia  that  I  had  decided 
to  turn  my  back  on  the  country  very  shortly. 
Our  tour  effected  a  complete  change.  Towns 
like  Galatz  and  Fokschani,  which  have  sent  anti- 
dynastic  Deputies  to  the  Chamber  for  four  years 
in  succession  to  advocate  my  deposition,  have  now 
elected  men  who  openly  declared  themselves  to  be 
on  the  side  of  my  dynasty  during  the  most  critical 
period.  The  elections  throughout  the  country 
have  resulted  satisfactorily,  and  my  Ministry  can 
count  upon  a  secure  majority.  .  .  .  Tell  voted 
against  a  foreign  prince  in  1866,  as  he  was  of 
opinion  that  such  a  ruler  could  neither  become 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  country,  nor  would 
enjoy  the  same  language  or  religion.  .  .  .  He  in- 
formed me  on  entering  the  Ministry  that  no  Prince 
had  ever  known  the  country  better  or  respected 


158  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  Church  so  much  as  I  had  done.  .  .  .  He 
says :  '  I  think  more  of  the  happiness  of  the 
country  than  of  its  liberties  ! '  .  .  . 

"  General  Solomon  and  Colonels  Slaniceanu, 
Lupu,  and  Sefcari  are  thorough  soldiers,  who  were 
all  at  their  posts  in  the  hour  of  danger  and  did 
their  duty  loyally.  The  army,  morever,  behaved 
excellently  at  the  critical  time,  which  gave  me 
great  pleasure,  as  I  have  always  given  it  special 
attention. 

"...  I  should  like  to  be  able  to  lengthen 
every  day,  for  none  suffices  for  my  continuous 
work.  Everything  that  is  performed  in  silence 
by  the  chiefs  of  departments  in  other  countries  is 
here  laid  before  me ;  no  decision  is  arrived  at 
without  my  being  consulted.  Every  one  wants 
an  audience  of  the  Prince  to  lay  a  grievance 
before  him.  But  the  more  work  I  have  the  better 
I  like  it,  and  I  by  no  means  wish  to  complain." 

Owing  to  the  sudden  illness  of  the  Grand 
Vizier,  Ali  Pacha,  through  overwork,  and  the  pre- 
vailing centralisation  of  the  Turkish  Government, 
all  affairs  of  State  came  to  a  standstill  for  the 
time  being.  The  Sultan  refused  to  appoint  a  sub- 
stitute, and  Ali  Pacha  refused  to  resign  :  "I  shall 
die,  if  needs  be,  but  I  shall  die  as  Grand  Vizier  !  " 

The  Prince  and  Princess,  with  their  little 
daughter,  sought  protection  from  the  climate  of 
Cotroceni  in  the  cloister  of  Sinaja  on  August  2. 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  159 

The  arrangements  made  for  them  were  extremely 
primitive  :  the  small  whitewashed  rooms,  or  rather 
cells,  were  connected  only  by  a  wooden  verandah 
on  the  inside  of  the  building,  round  the  inner 
court  of  the  cloister.  The  magnificent  view  over 
the  mountain  scenery,  however,  amply  com- 
pensated for  the  lack  of  comfort ;  whilst  a  heavy 
thunderstorm,  with  brilliant  flashes  of  lightningj 
cleared  and  cooled  the  atmosphere  shortly  after 
their  arrival.  The  weather  that  followed  left 
nothing  to  be  desired,  and  the  Prince  spent  the 
greater  portion  of  each  day  in  the  company  of 
his  wife  and  daughter  in  the  glorious  Carpathian 
woods  under  a  cloudless  sky.  The  Princess  of 
Wied  arrived  at  Sinaja  on  August  31  to  take  part 
in  the  festivities  of  the  first  birthday  of  the  little 
Princess  Marie,  who,  as  her  father  reported  with 
joy,  "has  already  two  teeth,  and  will  soon  be 
able  to  run  about." 

Almost  daily  some  expedition  or  picnic  in  the 
woods  was  arranged,  especially  at  that  spot  in 
the  valley  of  the  Pelesch  where  Prince  Charles 
thought  of  building  a  summer  residence.  This 
plan  had,  however,  to  be  given  up,  as  the  situation 
of  the  proposed  house  was  too  much  exposed  to 
the  violent  winds  which  swept  down  the  valley. 

These  happy  days  came  to  an  end,  only  too  soon, 
when  on  September  11  the  Prince  returned  to 
Cotroceni,  followed  two  days  later  by  the  remainder 
of  the  family.  The  Princess  of  Wied  was  forced 


160  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

to  commence  her  journey  home  on  October  28. 
The  Prince  and  Princess  accompanied  her  a  short 
distance  on  the  Giurgiu  line.  Prince  Charles 
Anthony  expressed  his  great  joy  at  the  favourable 
impression  which  the  Princess's  mother  had 
formed  of  their  surroundings  in  Bucharest.  "  Her 
impressions  are  generally  favourable  and,  best  of 
all,  she  has  gained  an  insight  into  your  home 
life,  which  could  not  be  happier.  That  is  of  the 
greatest  comfort  to  us,  since  other  circumstances 
remain  unchanged.  .  .  .  Moreover,  Princess  Wied 
is  satisfied  with  the  social  elements,  and  has 
everywhere  found  receptivity  for  what  is  nobler 
and  better ;  a  firm  mortar  alone  is  wanted  to 
prevent  the  good  from  dissolving  and  the  evil 
from  working  to  the  surface.  .  .  ." 

Prince  Charles  replied  the  same  day :  "  Elisabeth 
has  created  her  own  sphere  of  action ;  she  frequently 
visits  the  schools  and  communicates  the  remarks 
and  observations  made  whilst  the  instruction  is 
going  on  personally  to  the  conseil  permanent  de 
^instruction  publique.  By  this  method  she  has 
already  succeeded  in  introducing  several  minor 
improvements  ;  in  addition  to  this,  she  is  transla- 
ting some  school-books  for  children  into  Roumanian, 
with  the  aid  of  some  young  ladies  ;  and  once  a 
week  she  presides  over  the  Society  for  the  Poor, 
which  has  done  good  work  since  its  institution  a 
year  ago.  .  .  .  We  are  all  well.  Little  Marie  is  full 
of  life,  and  runs  from  room  to  room.  When  I  have 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  161 

a  minute  to  spare,   I  play  with  her.     The  dear 
child  is  my  greatest  joy  !  " 

Prince  Charles  and  his  family  decided  to 
celebrate  the  Christmas  festivities  of  1871  accord- 
ing to  the  Eastern  calendar,  on  December  24 
(January  5).  Prince  Charles  Anthony's  Christmas 
letter  contained  the  following  interesting  allusion 
to  German  affairs : 

"On  the  whole  everything  is  satisfactory  in 
Germany.  The  Prussian  officers  sent  to  Wlirt- 
temberg  and  Baden  find  it  difficult  to  grasp  the 
situation  of  South  Germany  ;  but  all  is  satisfac- 
tory, since  necessity  knows  no  law.  Manteuffel 
plays  a  great  part  in  France,  and  is  endeavouring 
to  traverse  Bismarck's  plans  and  intentions.  But 
it  is  really  of  no  importance ;  everything  succeeds 
with  us.  Both  Military  Cabinet  and  Govern- 
ment of  State  go  their  own  way,  and  yet  finally 
effect  a  junction,  because  the  National-Prussian 
principle  outweighs  all  else. 

"  May  Thiers  and  the  Republic  long  steer 
France  I  any  so-called  dynastic  revolution  would 
cause  a  war  with  Germany — not  that  we  fear  one, 
but  we  need  peace  and  development." 

The  Chambers  passed  a  law  on  January  5  by 
which  Roumania  undertook  to  pay  the  coupons 
commencing  from  January  1,  1872,  and  all  that 
remained  to  end  the  matter  was  the  consent  of 
the  Berlin  Syndicate  to  the  proposed  compromise. 


162  THE  KIN7G  OF  ROUMANIA 

On  January  28,  1872,  Prince  Charles  was  able  to 
inform  his  father  that  the  unfortunate  dispute 
about  the  railways  had  at  last  been  settled : 
"  A  telegram  has  just  been  received  from  Berlin 
informing  us  that  the  shareholders  have  accepted 
the  first  part  of  the  Jaw ;  you  can  imagine  our 
delight !  The  history  of  this  suffering  has  now 
reached  its  end — thirteen  months  of  anxiety, 
excitement,  and  fears,  form  a  long  episode  ! " 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"  My  chief  news  to-day  is  that  the  condition 
of  Elisabeth's  health  renders  a  journey  to  the 
South  an  absolute  necessity ;  she  has  never 
quite  recovered  from  the  violent  attacks  of  fever 
of  last  summer,  and  in  spite  of  all  precautions 
has  recently  been  ill  again  ;  this  might  lead  to 
serious  consequences  if  often  repeated.  Since 
change  of  air  is  the  only  really  effective  remedy, 
she  will  go  to  Italy,  and  meet  her  Nassau  relatives 
and  Therese  of  Oldenburg  in  Rome  before  Easter. 
Should  the  climate  there  not  suit  her,  she  will  go 
on  to  Naples.  The  two  months'  separation,  which 
lies  before  us,  is  indeed  very  hard,  the  harder  for 
Elisabeth,  since  she  must  part  with  both  husband 
and  child  !  It  is  satisfactory  for  me  to  know  that 
she  will  meet  relations  in  Rome,  whom  she  will  be 
very  glad  to  see  again.  I  must  submit  to  the 
inevitable  ;  but  I  shall  feel  my  solitude  very  much. 

"  We  shall  then  spend  the  whole  summer  in 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  163 

Sinaja,  where  we  shall  be  more  comfortable  this 
time  than  we  were  last  year.  Abegg  is  at  present 
negotiating  the  purchase  of  some  meadow  and 
wood  lands  so  that  we  can  build  a  country  house 
on  our  own  estate,  and  have  a  refuge  in  the 
healthy  mountain  air  from  the  fevers  of  the 
marshes.  .  .  . 

"  The  following  incident  will  show  you  the  anti- 
German  feeling  here  :  The  Court  of  Appeal  has 
acquitted  the  rioters  of  the  10th-22nd  March  for 
want  of  evidence.  Costa-Foru  in  consequence 
demanded  the  removal  of  the  judges,  but  I  refused 
my  consent,  to  avoid  further  unpleasantness.  He 
then  laid  a  decree  before  me,  which  made  the 
President  of  the  Court  responsible  for  the  acquittal 
and  transferred  him  as  a  punishment  •  this  I  signed. 
The  result  of  this  measure  was  the  resignation  of  a 
large  number  of  the  best  judges  both  of  the  first 
and  second  instance,  a  demonstration  which  has 
caused  great  excitement  and  has  been  received 
with  satisfaction.  The  gentry  in  question  are  con- 
sidered as  victimes  de  la  Prusse,  and  only  a  few 
have  the  courage  to  agree  with  Costa-Foru.  This 
is,  of  course,  water  to  the  opposition  mill,  and  the 
affair  is  exploited  in  every  kind  of  way.  ..." 

In  a  long  letter,  received  March  8,  1872,  Prince 
Charles  Anthony  minutely  discussed  the  Prussian 
and  Roumanian  views  about  the  recently  settled 
railway  dispute,  and  devoted  particular  attention  to 


164  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the    attitude    of    Bismarck     and    the     Imperial 
Government. 

"  I  dp  not  believe  that  the  writer  of  the  reports 
you  forwarded  to  me  can  take  an  active  share  in 
politics,  since  he  gives  so  free  a  rein  to  his  dislike 
towards  Bismarck  and  Radowitz. 

"  The  German  Empire  to-day  is  a  given  factor, 
which  the  practical  politician  is  forced  to  take  into 
consideration.  If  you  look  back  upon  the  scenes 
which  took  place  nearly  a  year  ago  in  Bucharest  on 
the  occasion  of  the  Emperor's  birthday,  you  cannot 
expect  that  Germany  should  meet  the  Roumanian 
population  with  much  sympathy.  Such  incidents 
have  a  lasting  and  estranging  influence.  Moreover, 
the  continual  demonstration  of  the  Roumanians  in 
favour  of  France  cannot  but  displease  Germany, 
who  has  lost  many  thousands  of  her  best  sons  in 
a  war  which  was  forced  upon  her  against  her  will. 

"  I  am  no  blind  eulogist  of  Bismarck,  but  he  is 
indispensable  to  Germany  and  Prussia,  and  aims 
solely  at  great  ends  and  means. 

"  He  steps  courageously  over  every  bound  ;  just 
as  he  passed  over  us  in  the  Spanish  question,  he 
has  now  proved  the  correctness  of  his  views  and 
his  courage  in  the  retirement  of  Mlihler,  and  in 
insisting  on  the  School  Inspections  Bill,  which 
were  both  fundamentally  opposed  to  the  King's 
wish  and  opinion.  It  is  easy  to  understand  that  he 
must  neglect  you  in  striving  for  great  political  aims. 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  165 

"  It  is  not  because  you  are  a  Hohenzollern,  but 
in  spite  of  your  being  one,  that  no  consideration 
could  be  paid  to  your  name  and  race  in  the  recent 
solution  of  the  railway  question. 

"  I  am  convinced  that,  now  that  Roumania  has 
regained  her  international  position  with  glory,  the 
relations  with  the  German  Empire  will  take  a  more 
peaceful  form.  At  all  events,  the  advances  lie  on 
the  shoulders  of  the  smaller  and  weaker  State: 
that  is  the  ordinary  course  of  events  in  politics. 

"  For  that  reason  I  dislike  the  following  sen- 
tence in  the  report  you  sent  me  :  '  Because  certain 
capitalists  are  pleased  to  put  their  money  into  an 
industrial  speculation,  is  it  necessary  that  it 
should  become  a  matter  for  the  two  Governments  ? 
If  this  principle  is  admitted,  where  will  it  lead  ? ' 

"The  participation,  therefore, in  a  loan  guaranteed 
by  the  State  is  called  an  '  industrial  speculation  ' ! 
Germany,  accordingly,  is  peaceably  to  allow  her 
subjects  to  suffer  loss  through  the  Roumanian 
State,  and  if  she  complains  about  such  treatment, 
where  should  the  complaint  be  addressed  if  not  to 
the  State,  that  is  the  Government,  which  does  not 
act  in  accordance  with  its  pledges  ?  On  the  other 
hand,  one  might  well  ask :  '  If  this  principle  is 
admitted,  where  will  it  lead?  .  .  .' 

"The  importance  of  the  names  connected  with  the 
Strousberg  Syndicate  was  by  no  means  the  reason 
for  the  decided  steps  that  were  taken  in  Berlin.  The 
action  was  rather  due  to  consideration  for  the  many 


166  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

thousands  of  smaller  men,  who  had  confidently 
invested  in  the  Roumanian  bonds ;  the  high  rate 
of  interest,  it  is  true,  was  the  chief  inducement, 
but  nobody  imagined  that  his  money  was  invested 
in  a  dishonest  business. 

"  I  now  come  to  the  end  of  this  long  letter,  in 
which  I  have  spoken  my  mind  so  freely,  but  in 
which  I  hope  you  will  only  recognise  a  proof  of 
my  affectionate  sincerity.  I  make  no  claim  to  be 
infallible,  but  I  should  like  to  impress  upon  you  that 
the  Teuton  element  to-day  possesses  the  greatest 
vitality  and  the  richest  future,  and  that  Roumania 
can  only  remain  the  master  of  her  own  future  by 
a  sensible  union  with  it.  Let  society,  the  Press, 
and  the  general  instinct  of  the  nation  be  anti- 
German  if  they  will — they  must  not,  if  they  intend 
to  put  their  feelings  into  practice,  throw  down  the 
gage  to  the  Teuton  spirit." 

Princess  Elisabeth  was  forced  to  tear  herself 
away  from  her  husband  and  daughter  on  March  12, 
to  seek  health  under  the  cloudless  sky  of  Italy. 

At  Trieste  the  Princess  of  Hohenzollern  was 
awaiting  her  arrival  in  order  to  accompany  her  to 
Rome,  and,  later  on,  to  Naples,  where  the  King 
and  Queen  of  Denmark,  and  the  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Wales,  with  other  Royal  personages, 
were  spending  the  Spring.  The  Prince  of  Wales 
discussed  politics  earnestly  with  Princess  Elisabeth, 
and  asked  with  which  side  Roumania  would  be 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  167 

ranged  in  the  event  of  a  war.  The  Princess 
quickly  replied :  "  With  the  strongest,  of 
course ! " 

A  very  plain  and  straightforward  letter  was 
received  from  Prince  Bismarck  on  April  25,  1872,  in 
reply  to  an  explanation  which  Prince  Charles  had 
sent  him  on  the  railway  question. 

"  Your  Highness  can  have  no  cause  to  doubt 
my  devotion  to  your  person.  I  am  sincerely 
pleased  that  your  Highness  has  reason  to  look 
towards  the  future  with  greater  confidence  and  a 
more  joyful  assurance.  My  former  respectful 
letters  will  have  shown  your  Highness  how  highly 
I  rate  the  difficulties  of  your  position,  and  I  hope 
that  your  present  hopes  will  not  be  disappointed. 

"  In  the  railway  crisis,  which  is  now,  we  hope,  so 
fortunately  ended,  the  Government  of  his  Majesty 
could  adopt  no  other  attitude  than  that  of  guard- 
ing the  rights  and  interests  of  German  subjects. 
The  appeal  to  the  suzerain  power  of  the  Porte, 
which  your  Highness  complains  of,  was  necessary 
on  account  of  the  position  of  these  German  inter- 
ests and  the  principles  of  international  law ;  and 
only  the  blindness  of  the  parties  in  E-oumania 
could  see  in  it  any  damage  to  the  autonomy  of  the 
country  as  established  by  the  conventions." 

After  alluding  to  the  anti-German  demonstra- 
tions in  1871  and  the  acquittal  of  the  rioters  of 
March  22,  Bismarck  continued  : 


168  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  It  is  therefore  a  surprise  to  us  to  learn  that, 
as  your  Highness  remarks,  the  hope  is  cherished 
in  Roumania  that  the  autonomy  may  be  extended 
by  the  mediation  of  Germany,  and  new  rights 
acquired,  and  that  by  this  means  friendly  rela- 
tions may  be  re-established.  I  am  afraid  that 
public  opinion  in  Germany  will  scarcely  appreciate 
the  reconquest  of  the  favour  of  the  Roumanian 
nation,  since  we  may  say  to  ourselves  that  we  have 
neither  desired  nor  brought  about  its  loss.  Your 
Highness  knows  how  unconditionally  you  may 
reckon  on  the  good  will  of  H.  M.  the  Emperor 
and  King  and  of  his  Government,  and  that  we 
all  entertain  the  best  wishes  for  the  prosperity 
and  welfare  of  your  country ;  but  at  the  same  time 
your  Highness  has  too  clear  an  insight  into  the 
wants  of  your  country  not  to  recognise  that  the 
conditions  of  that  prosperity  and  that  welfare 
must  be  sought  in  the  development  of  its  internal 
politics,  and  in  the  faithful  fulfilment  of  the 
obligations  it  has  undertaken,  and  that  the  influ- 
ence exerted  in  Europe  by  the  German  Empire 
may  be  of  great  use  to  the  Roumanian  nation,  if 
the  latter  in  any  way  responds  to,  or  even  acknow- 
ledges, the  friendly  feeling  for  Roumania  which 
still  exists  here." 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE. 

"  My  best  thanks  for  the  photographs  ;  your 
child  must  have  charming  and  interesting  features  : 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  169 

she  reminds  one  of  both  the  families  to  which 
her  parents  belong !  The  surroundings  amused 
us,  and  we  greatly  admired  Elisabeth  in  the 
national  costume.  In  spite  of  photographs,  how- 
ever, I  can  hardly  imagine  my  old  friend  Charles 
as  a  married  man  and  father  with  a  child  on  his 
arm  !  It  is  an  indescribable  happiness  to  be  a  father, 
and  I  can  only  too  readily  imagine  how  you  spend 
every  free  hour  in  the  society  of  your  child,  and 
that  you  found  the  little  mite  the  only  consolation 
for  her  mother's  absence  during  your  first  separa- 
tion. .  .  . 

"  When  I  reflect  on  the  course  of  events  in 
Germany,  since  the  Diippel  assault  first  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  world  to  us  Prussians, 
it  always  seems  to  me  as  though  I  had  listened 
with  rapt  attention  to  a  long  history  lesson — that 
I  was  called  to  witness  the  reality  appears  a 
marvel.  May  our  people  in  future  preserve  the 
same  becoming  earnestness  and  humility  which  up 
to  now  they  have  not  laid  aside  in  spite  of  all  their 
successes  !  So  long  as  that  feeling  is  not  abandoned 
we  show  ourselves  worthy  of  the  deeds  we  have 
witnessed. 

"  You  will  remember  that  the  thought  of  a 
reconstitution  of  the  Empire  as  the  finishing 
touch  in  the  work  of  German  unity  has  always 
occupied  me,  and  been  among  my  sincerest  wishes  ; 
truly,  my  aim  was  directed  at  a  peaceable  and 
bloodless  achievement  of  this  fact,  and  perhaps 


170  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  same  object  might  have  been  reached  without 
a  war.  But  these  are  idle  questions  which  can  no 
longer  be  considered  :  we  have  rather  to  look  to  a 
systematic  and  thorough  completion  of  the  Empire, 
the  external  form  of  which  is  perhaps  attained, 
but  many  a  year  must  pass  before  its  southern 
component  parts  have  quite  found  their  place  in 
the  new  building.  The  peoples,  especially  that 
portion  which  took  active  part  in  the  war,  are  far 
more  favourable  to  the  new  situation  than  the 
Cabinets  ;  I  shall  therefore  not  be  at  all  surprised 
if  the  next  few  years  bring  us  some  most  dis- 
agreeable conflicts  of  aim.  The  peculiarities  of 
each  separate  country  forming  the  Empire  will 
always  be  respected  and  interference  with  their 
internal  affairs  must  be  avoided  ;  I  therefore  do 
not  at  all  like  the  expression  '  a  uniform  State.' 
But  it  is  for  that  very  reason  that  earnest  pains 
must  be  taken  that  perfect  unity  may  be  shown  in 
military,  legal,  and  foreign-political  fields,  and  that 
these  elements  may  become  more  and  more  firmly 
welded  together. 

"  To  my  joy  our  neighbour  States  do  not  appear 
to  view  our  union  with  unfavourable  eyes,  and 
that  is  in  itself  a  great  deal — we  shall  certainly  not 
be  loved  by  any  of  them.  The  revengeful  feeling 
of  France  is  only  natural  and  explicable,  though 
much  water  will  flow  between  the  banks  of  the 
Rhine  before  that  feeling  will  issue  in  act.  .  .  . 

"You    would    hardly   recognise    my    children 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  171 

again.  William^  is  growing  and  is  hard  at  work, 
Henry  has  become  stronger  than  he  was.  Char- 
lotte does  not  seem  to  grow  at  all,  yet  she  is  pretty, 
like  her  fair-haired  sister.  The  youngest  you  do 
not  know  at  all— they  are  already  very  well-deve- 
loped little  atoms  mentally." 

Princess  Elisabeth  reached  Genoa  on  her  way 
home  to  Bucharest  on  April  30.  She  had  left 
Naples  only  a  few  days  before  a  terrible  eruption 
of  Vesuvius,  accompanied  with  earthquakes,  which 
caused  the  death  of  some  two  hundred  persons. 
At  Vienna  the  Princess  was  visited  by  the  Emperor 
of  Austria,  Count  Andrassy,  and  a  number  of  her 
relations.  Prince  Charles  met  the  Princess  near 
Orschowa  and  was  delighted  to  find  her  completely 
restored  to  health.  Their  entry  into  Bucharest 
was  greeted  in  every  way  as  heartily  as  on  their 
return  from  Germany  in  1869.  The  streets  of 
the  capital  were  so  densely  packed  by  a  most 
enthusiastic  multitude  that  the  carriage  could 
only  proceed  at  a  walk. 

The  following  letter  from  the  German  Emperor 
was  brought  by  M.  Mavrogheni : 

"  MY  DEAREST  COUSIN, — 

"  I  have  to  thank  you  for  two  letters,  one  for 
March  22  handed  me  by  your  father,  and  the 
other  by  the  bearer  of  this  letter.  Let  me  first 

*  The  present  German  Emperor. 


172  THE  KING  OF  ROUMAMA 

thank  you  heartily  for  your  loyal  wishes  on 
my  birthday ;  since  recent  events  took  place 
that  day  has  certainly  gained  more  prominence 
than  formerly,  but  it  also  reminds  us  to  return 
thanks  to  Him  who  set  us  so  unexpected  a  task, 
and  who  gave  us  strength  to  execute  it.  The 
feelings  expressed  to  me  on  March  22  are  in  this 
respect  of  value  and  joy  to  me,  since  it  is  assuredly 
of  God's  mercy  that  one  is  selected  to  execute  His 
will  on  earth  on  behalf  of  a  nation  and  its  army. 

"  Your  last  letter  gave  me  an  occasion  only 
yesterday  to  speak  with  your  Minister,  as  I  am 
suffering  from  an  injured  knee  and  cannot  dress 
myself  well.  We  discussed  the  Strousberg  affair, 
which  appears  to  be  favourably  settled  on  the 
whole,  but  which  has  had  a  very  susceptible  and 
aggravating  effect  at  times.  The  Jewish  question 
was  then  discussed.  It  is  a  hard  task  to  have  to 
side  with  a  race  of  men  whose  character  I  know 
only  too  well  from  the  Russian  Poles.  Although 
hi  the  most  examples  the  guilt  of  the  Jews, 
according  to  your  own  Government's  showing, 
was  not  at  all  as  heinous  as  it  appeared  at  first, 
still  the  punishment  was  severe,  and  some  show  of 
mercy  would  certainly  be  advisable  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  it  must  be  regretted  that  the  repression  of 
riots  and  Jew-baiting  was  not  employed  quickly 
or  effectually  enough.  This,  of  course,  again 
creates  the  impression  abroad  that  the  internal 
politics  of  Roumania  are  not  yet  stable,  and  you 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  173 

will  never  eradicate  this  impression  until  you  have 
created  a  well-organised  and  disciplined  army,  able 
to  enforce  obedience  to  the  orders  of  the  Govern- 
ment, not  by  strength  of  numbers,  but  by  quality. 
I  expressed  this  opinion  years  ago  to  you  through 
Colonel  Krenski,  and  I  regret  that  you  still  do 
not  grasp  this  point — i.e.,  that  you  still  place  more 
value  on  the  quantity  of  your  forces  than  in  their 
quality. 

"  I  realise  the  difficulty  of  your  task,  but  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  if  Europe  is  to  gain  con- 
fidence in  your  Government  through  the  prevalence 
of  order  and  security  in  Houmania. 

"  I  am  indeed  sorry  that  your  wife's  health 
made  a  separation  necessary,  but  it  was  certainly 
high  time  to  overcome  the  fever  :  nothing  under- 
mines the  health  more  than  lingering  ill-health ; 
I  therefore  hope  the  best  from  the  Princess's 
change  of  air  ! 

"  Farewell,  and  preserve  a  friendly  memory  of 

your  very  sincere  Cousin, 

"  WILLIAM." 

The  Roumanian  Court  moved  to  Sinaja  on 
May  29,  1872,  where  the  fresh  mountain  air  com- 
pletely restored  the  Prince  and  his  family  to 
robust  health.  The  Prince  wrote  the  following 
description  of  a  great  bear-hunt  to  his  father  : 

"  I  went  bear-hunting  a  week  ago.  Three 
hundred  beaters  with  drums  and  trumpets,  the 


174  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sound  of  which  re-echoed  tenfold  in  the  rocky 
valleys,  and  close  on  thirty  hunters,  who  com- 
pleted a  circle  of  several  miles,  and  secured  our 
quarry.  Two  drives  were  arranged,  each  of  which 
lasted  from  two  and  a  half  to  three  hours. 

"  After  leaving  Sinaja  about  five  o'clock  I 
climbed  the  first  summit,  Furnica,  which  I  reached 
at  seven.  It  was  just  here  that  a  large  she-bear 
had  killed  several  sheep  three  days  before,  and 
devoured  them  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
shepherds,  who  looked  on  trembling.  I  posted 
myself  at  this  point  behind  a  rock  overlooking  two 
deep  ravines.  The  drive  then  began,  accompanied 
by  the  penetrating  cries  of  the  beaters,  who 
descended  the  slopes  on  all  sides  in  an  unbroken 
chain.  Suddenly  the  sky  clouded  over  and  a 
terrible  storm  broke,  so  that  you  could  not  see  ten 
paces  before  you.  As  nothing  was  to  be  seen  after 
a  wait  of  two  hours  we  sought  refuge  in  a  hut ;  in 
a  short  space  of  time  the  weather  cleared  up, 
and  the  pretty  Prachova  valley  lay  at  our  feet 
bathed  in  the  brightest  sunshine. 

"  This  change  in  the  weather  encouraged 
Elisabeth  and  her  ladies  to  leave  Pojani  Zapului, 
whither  she  had  driven  that  morning,  and  proceed 
to  meet  me  with  the  luncheon.  After  I  had  sat 
three  hours  in  the  hut  waiting  for  the  bear,  or 
rather  the  luncheon,  the  latter  arrived  about  noon, 
and  we  sat  down  to  it  together  on  a  greensward  ; 
the  hunters  and  beaters,  the  Dorobanzi  and  their 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  175 

horses  camped  round  about  us.  All  the  groups 
were  indescribably  picturesque  ;  in  the  background 
the  bare  rock  summits  of  the  Kairaman,  Omul, 
&c.,  appeared  like  veritable  ghosts.  At  two 
o'clock  we  again  descended  to  Pojana  Zapului,  a 
little  village  at  the  entrance  of  the  valea  babei, 
the  rendezvous  of  the  bears.  I  separated  from 
Elisabeth  here,  and  climbed  down  into  this 
haunted  valley,  where  we  came  across  a  primeval 
wood.  Again  I  found  a  position  which  overlooked 
two  ravines.  The  greatest  bear-hunter  of  the 
neighbourhood  was  close  to  me,  and  assured  me 
that  I  should  catch  sight  of  some  bears.  I  waited 
patiently  for  close  on  three  hours  behind  a  decayed 
tree  ;  the  cries  of  the  beaters  had  long  since  died 
away,  single  shots  were  heard  in  the  distance,  a 
portion  of  the  beaters  had  finished  their  task,  and 
still  nothing  was  to  be  seen.  I  laid  my  rifle  aside 
discontentedly,  but  the  huntsman  whispered  to 
me  to  have  patience  for  another  half-hour.  I  took 
up  my  rifle,  and  ten  minutes  had  barely  sped 
when  I  heard  a  loud  rustling,  stones  rolled  down 
the  sides  of  the  ravine,  and  two  young  bears 
crossed  our  field  of  sight,  and  one  after  the  other 
descended  the  slope,  breaking  the  rotten  boughs 
with  their  broad  paws.  The  distance  was  not 
great,  and  I  could  easily  have  put  a  bullet  into 
one  of  them  if  boughs  and  tree-trunks  had  not 
impeded  my  aim.  I  therefore  quitted  my  position, 
and  climbed  down  a  little  way  to  get  a  free  field 


176  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

of  fire,  but  the  huntsman  had  in  the  meantime 
reached  the  edge  of  the  ravine  and  killed  one  of 
the  bears  with  his  first  shot ;  the  other  would 
certainly  not  have  escaped  him  if  he  had  had  a 
double-barrelled  rifle.  The  great  excitement  now 
commenced,  as  the  she-bear,  which  had  already 
been  fired  on  by  the  beaters  higher  up,  was 
expected  to  arrive,  but  no  one  could  say  whether 
she  had  been  wounded,  or  whether  her  cubs 
had  preceded  her.  The  circle  of  beaters  and 
hunters  now  drew  closer  in,  the  matador  of  the 
hunters  placed  himself  close  by  my  side,  and  drew 
my  attention  to  the  danger  of  an  attack  by  so 
savage  an  animal.  We  waited  half  an  hour  for 
the  decisive  moment ;  unfortunately  the  she-bear 
did  not  turn  up,  and  the  hunters  declared  it 
probable  that  she  had  been  wounded  and  had 
hidden  herself  in  some  rocky  crevice,  as  otherwise 
we  should  certainly  have  had  a  shot  at  her. 

"  On  the  way  home  we  witnessed  another  inte- 
resting scene.  At  least  thirty  large  golden  eagles 
had  assembled  round  a  carcase  on  the  far  side  of 
a  ravine,  but  the  distance  was  far  beyond  our 
range.  I  fired  at  one  which  was  hovering  over 
my  head,  but  only  hit  one  of  his  feathers,  which 
fluttered  to  the  ground.  The  shot  frightened  the 
interesting  inhabitants  of  the  mountains  from 
their  meal,  and  they  flew  in  all  directions  between 
the  rocky  spurs,  where  we  were  able  to  follow 
them  with  the  naked  eye  for  a  long  time." 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  177 

The  same  letter  also  contained  a  most  interest- 
ing picture  of  the  situation  of  Roumania,  both  at 
home  and  abroad. 

"  Since  my  last  letter  to  you  on  April  30 
many  things  have  improved  here,  and  every  day 
shows  more  and  more  the  advantages  of  a  firm 
Government,  which  alone  can  secure  progress  and 
increase  the  prosperity  of  the  country.  The  loyal 
and  frank  attitude  of  Catargiu's  Ministry  has 
practically  crippled  the  intrigues  of  the  parties, 
the  more  so  since  they  have  no  burning  question 
to  exploit.  The  Opposition  Press,  it  is  true,  is 
not  ashamed  to  publish  the  grossest  calumnies 
about  the  Government,  or  to  prophesy  that  the 
fate  of  King  Otto  or  the  Emperor  Maximilian  will 
befall  me  unless  I  dismiss  the  Ministry  soon  ! 
Fortunately  their  sallies  are  so  violent  that  no  one 
places  any  belief  in  their  screed.  As  affairs  stand 
at  present  only  some  external  crisis  can  affect  the 
resignation  of  the  Cabinet ;  luckily  it  is  in  such 
favour  with  the  Great  Powers  that  even  this 
anxiety  disappears.  ...  It  is  the  immediate  duty 
of  my  Government  to  maintain  order  at  all  costs, 
and  to  aim  during  the  coming  session  at  putting 
an  end  to  the  abuse  of  liberty,  which  only  damages 
and  discredits  us  in  the  eyes  of  foreign  countries. 
As  E/oumania  is  the  spoilt  child  of  Europe  and 
has  been  permitted  to  do  so  much,  it  knows 
nothing  of  reflection  or  fear.  It  is  like  an 

M 


178  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

unbroken  foal,  which  is  imbued  with  liberty,  and 
ignores  every  danger.  Gruizot  says  :  '  There  are 
times  when  nations  are  swayed  by  their  desires 
beyond  all  else,  and  others  where  they  act  solely 
in  accordance  with  their  fears.  According  as 
the  one  or  the  other  of  these  dispositions  pre- 
vails, nations  are  intent  on  liberty  or  security  for 
preference.  It  is  the  first  degree  in  the  art  of 
government  to  distinguish  between  those  senti- 
ments.' To  Roumania  liberty  is  more  than 
security  :  she  only  knows  her  own  desires,  and 
is  fearless.  I  have  not,  therefore,  been  deceived 
hitherto  about  her  sentiments,  which  in  the  eyes 
of  the  French  statesman  is  the  height  of  states- 
craft.  For  my  part  I  consider  that  I  have  com- 
mitted an  error  and  that  I  should  have  achieved 
more  if  I  had  sometimes  gone  against  the  desires 
of  the  nation ! 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  have  from  the  com- 
mencement devoted  my  whole  energy  to  the 
development  of  the  material  welfare  of  these 
richly  endowed  countries.  My  groundwork  was 
the  execution  of  the  net  of  roads  and  railways. 
This  is  the  national-Roumanian  policy  which  I 
have  so  far  pursued,  and  which  I  shall  continue 
in  the  future.  Perhaps  this  is  the  very  reason  of 
the  great  wrath  of  those  to  whom  the  existence 
of  Roumania  is  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  The  enmity 
to  which  it  is  exposed  by  a  paid  Press  is  therefore 
well  founded,  for  even  a  small  country  which 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  179 

makes  material  progress  daily  may  in  time  become 
a  factor  with  which  perhaps  the  world  may  be 
forced  to  reckon.  I  have  observed  two  currents 
in  the  policy  of  Austria-Hungary  regarding  us  : 
the  official  circles  appear  at  present  to  favour  the 
stability  and  peaceful  development  of  Roumania, 
whilst  others — I  know  not  how  to  define  them : 
clerical,  financial,  Jewish — show  their  animosity 
by  an  incessant  paper- warfare  against  the  country. 
The  Austrian  and  Hungarian  papers  compete  with 
each  other  in  this  rivalry.  What  lasts  too  long 
ends  by  becoming  tedious,  and  one  may  hope  that 
the  world  will  some  day  have  had  enough  of  this 
tangled  web  of  printed  lies.  It  may  also  be  that 
much  of  this  arrogance  is  based  on  Stock  Exchange 
speculations.  The  Jewish  haute  finance  has  de- 
clared that  it  will  not  embark  upon  any  business 
with  "  Jew-devouring"  Rou mania,  and  will  oppose 
with  all  its  might  any  of  the  country's  aims.  In 
the  meantime  we  have  concluded  a  tobacco 
monopoly  with  a  great  Hungarian  Jewish  house, 
and  obtained  an  unexpected  bid  of  8,000,000 
francs  a  year,  a  brilliant  piece  of  business  for  both 
parties." 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  August,  31st,  1872. 

"  Our  stay  at  Sinaja,  which,  if  the  weather 
holds  good,  we  shall  prolong  for  another  four  weeks, 
suits  us  excellently.  The  life  here  is  pleasant  and 
unconstrained ;  every  day  brings  fresh  interests. 


180  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

A  bevy  of  young  girls  adds  much  liveliness  to  our 
circle  ;  in  addition  to  the  lately  appointed  maid  of 
honour,  Mile.  Valeanu,  we  recently  had  seven 
young  ladies  to  dinner,  with  a  dance  and  round 
games  in  the  evening.  Even  nonsense  refreshes 
the  mind,  and  it  was  a  real  benefit  to  us  all  to  let 
ourselves  go.  We  made  Costa-Foru  dance  and 
D.  Ghika  played  with  us.  This  is  a  very  different 
matter  from  sitting  head  over  ears  in  work.  Until 
to-day  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  accuse  me 
of  playing  with  my  present  and  former  Ministers, 
and  hence  it  is  a  real  satisfaction  to  me  to  have 
done  so  in  Sinaja.  Moreover,  our  stay  here  is  of 
great  benefit  to  us  in  many  ways  :  it  brings  us 
into  closer  contact  with  people  than  would  be 
possible  in  the  city,  where  everything  is  red  tape  ; 
we  have  also  had  the  pleasant  experience  that,  in 
spite  of  the  difficulty  of  communication,  everybody 
seems  delighted  to  come  here.  We  have  had 
numerous  visitors  even  from  Moldavia.  .  .  . 

"  On  September  8  our  little  Marie  will  be  two 
years  old,  but  she  might  easily  pass  for  three,  for 
her  mental  and  physical  development  is  far  more 
mature  than  that  of  most  children  of  two  years  old. 
You  ought  to  see  my  little  daughter  now,  my 
dear  parents.  You  would  certainly  take  as  great  a 
pleasure  in  her  as  we  do  ourselves ;  she  already 
speaks  three  languages — Roumanian,  German,  and, 
above  all,  English  ;  is  very  independent,  runs  about 
alone,  calls  everybody  by  his  proper  name,  and 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  181 

on  Sundays  goes  to  the  chapel  of  the  Monastery, 
where  she  keeps  quite  quiet  during  the  service. 
Her  character  is  amiable  and  gentle ;  she  obeys 
every  order,  and  gives  up  all  her  little  possessions 
with  pleasure." 

The  birthday  of  the  little  Princess  was  cele- 
brated in  the  same  way  as  the  year  before,  with 
the  ceremony  of  breaking  a  cake  over  her  little 
fair  head,  and  with  serenades,  and  fireworks.  The 
childlike  grace  and  charm  with  which  her  Serene 
Highness  accepted  the  homage  captivated  all 
hearts. 

To  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  October  8th,  1872. 

"  We  have  been  permitted,  after  many  storms, 
to  spend  a  quiet  and  happy  summer,  admiring 
nature  and  art,  and  visited  by  people  of  all  kinds 
and  of  all  nationalities  —  mutable  and  merry, 
despite  the  stillness  of  the  cloister  surrounded  by 
giant  mountains.  Even  a  few  Englishmen  put  in 
an  appearance,  and  I  gave  them  the  heartier 
welcome  for  the  hope  that  they  will  now  spread 
healthier  ideas  about  Oriental  countries  amongst 
their  fellow  countrymen.  Unfortunately  the  shade 
of  Palmerston  still  moves  amongst  England's  diplo- 
matists, and  her  inhabitants  are  more  Turkish 
than  the  Turks  themselves,  which  fact  you  will  be 
able  to  estimate  correctly,  as  you  are  acquainted 
with  Turkish  rule.  I  have  said  this  to  all  who 


182  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

came,  and  I  hope  that  the  Foreign  Office  will 
acquire  a  more  just  appreciation,  particularly  of 
the  territories  of  the  Danube. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  October  28th,  1872. 

"We  fared  very  well  during  the  summer; 
my  wife  and  I  and  our  two  youngest  children 
enjoyed  the  Alps  in  Berchtesgaden  and  Salzburg, 
a  region  which  we  find  extraordinarily  attractive. 

"  There,  as  in  the  whole  of  South  Germany, 
where  later  on  I  inspected  troops,  a  reception  was 
prepared  for  me  as  hearty  and  brilliant  as  any  in 
the  old  Mother  Country.  The  feeling  of  cohesion 
amongst  all  German  races  since  the  re-establish- 
ment of  the  German  Empire  has  spread  in  those 
parts  extraordinarily,  broadly,  and  quickly.  All 
feel  themselves  elevated  and  strengthened ;  they 
see  themselves  as  members  of  a  nation  which  com- 
mands a  respect  such  as  the  former  thirty  Father- 
lands could  never  have  commanded.  The  enemies 
of  our  union,  against  whom  we  struggle,  cannot  pre- 
vail in  face  of  this  political  power,  but  they  will  leave 
no  means  of  damaging  it  untried.  Only  we  must 
not  make  a  mistake  in  our  choice  of  weapons,  for 
otherwise  we  shall  make  martyrs  of  our  opponents, 
and  shall  reap  neither  thanks  nor  advantage." 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  November  2(>th,  1872. 

"  The  burning  question  in  the  new  German 
Empire  is  the  Church.  This  question  is  making 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  183 

a  great  stir  and  embittering  family  life ;  it 
undoubtedly  points  to  future  danger,  since  the 
Ultramontane  Party  will  use  it  as  a  lever  to 
intrigue  against  the  new  German  Empire  and  the 
Protestant  Emperor.  Simply  to  oppose  Germany, 
France  is  highly  in  favour  of  Rome  and  everything 
connected  with  it,  and  so  she  is  enlisting  the 
sympathies  of  our  Ultras,  who  believe,  or  wish  to 
have  it  believed,  that  France  is  the  only  sanctuary 
of  Catholicism,  and  that  Prussia's  policy  is  uni- 
versal evangelisation.  This  tendency  in  France 
is  at  present  a  means  of  agitation,  inspired  by 
revenge  and  not  by  the  glorification  of  the  Church. 

"The  boundaries  between  the  powers  of  the 
State  and  the  Church  are  to  be  regulated  by 
legislation  in  Berlin.  This  problem  may  possibly 
be  solved  in  theory,  but  never  in  practice.  When 
my  opinion  was  asked,  I  advised  the  Emperor  to 
decide  each  concrete  case  with  the  utmost  rigour, 
but  never  to  embark  upon  disputes  about  theo- 
retical dogmas  —  history  teaches  that  in  such 
struggles  the  State  invariably  comes  off  the  worst. 
The  introduction  of  civil  marriage,  the  separation 
of  the  schools  from  the  Church,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  State  examinations  for  the  clergy  are 
alone  excepted  from  this.  The  Church  must  be 
left  to  herself;  the  State  has  nothing  to  do  with 
dogmas,  which  depend  entirely  upon  the  con- 
science of  Catholics. 

"  You  have  no  idea  of  the  agitation  which  these 


184  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

questions  are  causing  just  now,  or  of  the  prevailing 
misconceptions. 

"It  is  well  that  the  Jesuit  law  is,  so  to  speak, 
an  already  surmounted  vantage-point ;  but  those 
who  expect  improvement  from  it  are  mistaken ; 
the  greater  part  of  the  Catholic  priesthood  of  to- 
day has  been  educated  by  the  Jesuits.  The  whole 
struggle  is  grievous. 

"  If  the  contending  parties  had  long  ago  arrived 
at  an  understanding,  particularly  in  the  time  of 
King  Frederick  William  IV.,  that  the  Throne 
and  the  Altar  are  two  irreconcilable  conceptions, 
it  might  have  been  possible  to  regulate  their 
relation  without  the  intervention  of  force.  But 
that  ruler's  absolutist  tendencies  sought  and  found 
in  the  absolutism  of  Borne  an  alliance  which  is 
still  a  heavy  burden  upon  our  national  development. 

"  You  will  certainly  have  followed  the  debates 
on  the  '  Kreisordnung '  in  the  Upper  House  with 
interest.  To  myself  it  is  a  brilliant  satisfaction 
for  the  wrongs  suffered  in  1859  and  1860  ;  what 
I  then  prophesied  has  happened  to-day — the 
Upper  House  is  an  institution  whose  entire  com- 
position stands  in  urgent  need  of  reform. 

"  The  situation  in  Bavaria  and  Wurttemberg, 
especially  in  the  dynastic  spheres,  is  scarcely  yet 
intelligible.  Particularism  is  as  obstinate  as 
possible.  The  unification  of  the  Empire  from  a 
military  point  of  view  is  proceeding  smoothly,  and 
will  not  recede  ;  but  the  minor  Sovereigns  take  it 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  185 

very    ill   that  they  are   to   be   mediatised    in   a 
military  and  diplomatic  sense  at  once.  ..." 

The  unexpected  news  of  the  death  of 
Napoleon  III.  was  received  at  Bucharest  on 
January  10,  1873.  Prince  Charles  and  the 
Roumanian  nation  were  deeply  moved  by  this  sad 
event,  for  the  dead  Emperor  had  been  the  cham- 
pion and  protector  of  the  national  existence  of 
Houmania  in  its  darkest  days.  Throughout  the 
whole  land  memorial  services  were  held,  though 
the  Metropolitan  at  first  objected  on  the  ground 
that  the  late  Emperor  was  not  a  member  of  the 
Orthodox  Church.  The  universal  expression  of 
sympathy  with  the  widowed  Empress  and  the 
Prince  Imperial  created  a  certain  friction  with  the 
Republican  Government,  and  the  Foreign  Minister 
reminded  M.  Strat  that  the  Roumanians  ought 
not  to  forget  that,  after  all,  "  it  was  to  France, 
and  not  the  Emperor,  that  gratitude  was  due " ! 
M.  Thiers,  the  President,  also  expressed  his  vexa- 
tion that  the  Roumanian  Chambers  should  have 
sent  messages  of  condolence  to  the  Prince  Imperial 
as  well  as  to  the  Empress,  since  the  former  had 
never  had  anything  to  do  with  Roumania.  This 
measure  was  considered  to  indicate  that  Roumania 
held  the  French  Republic  "  nul  et  non  avenu." 
M.  Thiers  concluded  with  the  remark  :  "  If  I  had 
acted  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  rules  of 
international  custom,  I  should  have  recalled  all 


186  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

mv  agents  and  broken  off  all  communication  with 
you ! "  M.  Strat  was  able,  however,  to  convince 
the  President  that  Roumania  had  only  paid  a 
debt  of  gratitude  to  a  benefactor,  and  had  no 
intention  of  insulting  France. 

The  situation  in  Paris  at  the  commencement  of 
1873  was  described  by  M.  Strat  as  "the  same 
struggles,  the  same  defiance  in  every  camp,  and 
the  same  uncertainty  about  the  future  as  in  the 
past."  A  sort  of  armistice  existed  between  M. 
Thiers  and  the  Majority  of  the  National  Assembly, 
who  were  anxious  to  foist  a  King  upon  France, 
whilst  the  adherents  of  the  Republic  were  divided 
into  two  camps.  "  Those  who  desire  a  moderate 
and  conservative  republic  do  nothing  to  bring 
it  to  pass,  and  those  who  wish  for  a  regime  on 
the  lines  of  Gambetta  &  Co.  do  everything  in 
their  power  to  render  it  permanently  impossible." 
Gambetta's  school,  which  unfortunately  had  made 
proselytes  throughout  the  whole  of  Europe,  aimed 
at  "  governing  by  inane  discourses,  banquets, 
harangues,  demonstrations  in  the  streets,  and  all 
the  customary  trappings  of  a  vulgar  democracy." 
Hampered  by  all  these  conflicting  elements,  M. 
Thiers  was  confronted  by  the  task  of  maintaining 
order,  paying  milliards,  and  raising  the  commerce 
of  the  country.  He  would  only  secure  peace  with 
the  National  Assembly  if  he  gave  it  complete 
liberty  "  to  play  upon  that  instrument  which  they 
call  universal  suffrage." 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  187 

On  February  13  King  Amadeo  of  Spain 
announced  in  a  special  message  to  the  Cortes 
that  he  had  laid  the  crown  aside,  under  the  con- 
viction that  the  incessant  struggles  of  the  parties 
were  frustrating  all  his  efforts  for  the  peace  and 
happiness  of  his  country.  The  Cortes,  by  a  large 
majority,  proclaimed  the  Republic  pour  I'eternite, 
and  elected  as  their  President  a  well-known  and 
thorough-going  Republican,  Senor  Fiqueras.  And 
so  the  saying  of  Napoleon  III.,  that  a  Latin  race 
is  almost  ungovernable,  received  a  melancholy  con- 
firmation, wnich  was  only  partly  refuted  by  the 
Prince  Charles's  unquestioned  success  in  ruling 
the  "  Latin  sister-nation."  Public  opinion  was 
only  now  beginning  to  realise  the  great  merit  of 
the  Prince  in  achieving,  by  patience,  abnegation, 
and  perseverance,  a  stable  Government,  which 
only  a  few  years  before  had  appeared  to  be  an  aim 
Utopian  and  altogether  beyond  realisation  to  all 
those  who  were  acquainted  with  the  people  and 
the  affairs  of  Roumania. 

Prince  Charles  was  invited  by  the  Emperor  of 
Austria  to  attend  the  Vienna  Exhibition,  where 
Roumanian  commerce  was  to  be  represented  by 
exhibits  of  tobacco,  wool,  silk,  wood,  salt  and  other 
minerals.  There  were  scarcely  any  manufactures, 
but  the  Prince  was  confident  that  they  would 
soon  follow  in  the  track  of  the  railways. 

The  Princess,  whose  health  had  not  been  at  all 
satisfactory,  and  her  little  daughter,  set  out  on 


188  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

a  visit  to  the  Princess  of  Wied  on  May  31,  1873. 
Little  Marie  soon  became  accustomed  to  the  motion 
of  the  yacht,  and  took  the  greatest  interest  in  her 
first  long  journey.  Neuwied  was  reached  safely, 
and  the  first  news  which  Prince  Charles  received 
on  June  23  in  Vienna  was  that  they  were  delighted 
to  be  home,  and  that  the  German  Crown  Prince  had 
given  them  a  most  hearty  welcome. 

Prince  Charles  received  the  same  treatment  at 
Vienna,  where  he  found  his  brother,  the  Here- 
ditary Prince  Leopold,  awaiting  him.  He  could 
not  fail  to  notice  that  the  reception  accorded  to 
him  in  1873  was  far  more  cordial  than  that  in 
1869,  and  he  found,  too,  that  his  labours  and 
sacrifices  during  the  last  four  years  had  at  last 
received  due  recognition  in  the  Press. 

Count  Andrassy  had  a  long  and  important 
interview  with  Prince  Charles  on  June  25,  when 
the  Prince  mentioned  his  project  of  declaring 
Koumania  an  independent  State,  because  the 
relations  with  the  Porte  only  led  to  constant 
friction,  and  were  prejudicial  to  the  welfare  of  his 
country.  Moreover,  a  free  Roumania,  he  held, 
would  be  a  better  friend  to  Turkey  than  it 
could  possibly  be  under  the  existing  circumstances. 
Count  Andrassy  pointed  out  that  Roumania,  as  an 
independent  State,  would  be  exposed  to  danger 
from  outside,  while  at  present  her  safety  was 
guaranteed  by  conventions  and  treaties.  At  the 
same  time  he  gave  emphatic  denial  to  the  rumour 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  189 

that  Austria  had  any  intention  of  annexing 
Roumanian  territory.  "  We  should  be  acting 
against  our  own  interests,  were  we  to  increase  the 
number  of  our  discontented  Roumanian  subjects, 
and  extend  our  frontier  against  Russia."  Prince 
Charles  replied  that  it  would  always  be  his  aim 
to  remain  strictly  neutral  between  his  two  all- 
powerful  neighbours,  Austria  and  Russia. 

The  Roumanian  section  in  the  exhibition  was 
altogether  successful ;  the  centre  of  attraction  was 
a  portrait  by  an  American  painter,  Healy,  of  the 
Prince  in  cavalry  uniform,  and  of  the  Princess  in 
national  costume.  The  many-coloured  carpets  and 
woven  silks  also  received  great  commendation,  as 
well  as  the  wines  of  the  country. 

The  Prince  quitted  Vienna  on  July  1  by  the 
train  which  carried  the  German  Empress  back  to 
Germany.  The  Empress  expressed  herself  greatly 
pleased  at  the  reception  accorded  her  by  the 
Austrian  capital,  especially  by  the  amiability  of 
the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph.  After  a  short  stay 
at  Neuwied  Prince  Charles  proceeded  to  Ems  to 
see  the  Czar  before  the  latter  left  for  Russia,  and 
to  congratulate  him  in  person  upon  the  approach- 
ing marriage  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Marie  to  the 
Duke  of  Edinburgh.  A  couple  of  days  later  the 
Prince  and  Princess  again  visited  Ems,  this  time 
to  see  the  German  Emperor,  en  route  for  Imnau, 
where  they  expected  to  rejoin  the  Princess  of 
Wied.  The  Emperor  William  welcomed  his 


190  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Roumanian  guests  with  the  utmost  cordiality  and 
affection,  and  declared  himself  delighted  with  the 
improved  relations  of  the  Prince  to  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  State.  He  again  pointed  out  to  his 
young  cousin  the  necessity  of  paying  particular 
attention  to  his  army,  and  reminded  him  that  a 
small  but  well-disciplined  force  was  far  superior  to  a 
more  numerous  though  less  highly  trained  army. 

An  amusing  adventure  happened  to  the  Prince 
and  Princess  on  their  way  to  Imnau  at  Giessen, 
where  they  had  the  misfortune  to  miss  their 
train,  and  were  forced  to  spend  the  night  at  a 
small  hotel  near  the  railway  station,  without 
either  luggage  or  sufficient  money  to  pay  for 
their  railway-tickets.  As  they  desired  to  preserve 
their  incognito,  they  determined  to  make  use  of 
their  "  honest  looks  "  to  induce  the  hotel-keeper 
to  advance  the  necessary  sum  of  money.  This 
hope,  it  is  pleasant  to  note,  was  not  cherished  in 
vain,  and  Imnau  was  reached  on  July  8.  The 
Prince's  parents  remained  at  Hechingen,  which 
lies  only  a  short  distance  from  Imnau,  but  met 
every  day  either  at  one  place  or  the  other,  so  that 
Prince  Charles  Anthony's  favourite  wish  was  at  last 
fulfilled.  In  this  peaceful  fashion  a  month  passed 
only  too  quickly,  and,  after  a  couple  of  days  spent 
at  Krauchenwies  the  wanderers  returned  to  Sinaja 
on  August  28,  touching  Vienna  en  route,  so  that 
the  Princess  might  also  have  an  opportunity  of 
visiting  the  exhibition. 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  191 

The  affairs  of  Roumania  were  absolutely  un- 
eventful, and  the  efforts  of  the  Prince,  warmly 
supported  by  the  Ministry,  made  satisfactory 
progress  towards  the  attainment  of  the  high  ideal 
which  Prince  Charles  had  kept  before  him  ever 
since  he  first  took  up  his  arduous  task.  In  a 
letter  written  to  his  parents  at  Christmas  the 
Prince  remarked  :  "Roumania  has  never  witnessed 
so  peaceful  or,  in  many  respects,  so  happy  a  year 
as  1873.  The  general  progress  is  excellent,  and 
the  good  understanding  between  the  Government 
and  the  Chambers  still  continues." 

The  early  part  of  1874  was  darkened  by  the 
illness  of  Princess  Elisabeth,  who  was  seized  by  a 
contagious  disease  whilst  supervising  the  distri- 
bution of  gifts  to  the  poor  children  of  Bucharest. 
Fortunately  the  trouble  abated  in  time  to  enable 
the  Princess  to  enjoy  the  visit  of  her  brother-in- 
law,  Prince  Frederick.  Princess  Marie,  too,  was 
not  spared  by  the  epidemic,  and  for  a  few  days 
her  condition  caused  the  gravest  anxiety  to  her 
parents. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  March  21st,  1874. 

"You  will  certainly  have  followed  with  sym- 
pathy the  course  of  the  lamentable  religio- 
political  struggle  between  our  Government  and 
the  Papal  Curia.  I  am  sorry  that  it  should  have 
occurred ;  but  I  foresaw  it,  as  the  custom, 
established  these  thirty  years,  of  giving  way  to 


192  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  demands  of  Rome  rather  than  maintaining  a 
firm  position  could  not  possibly  continue.  I 
think,  perhaps,  a  different  sequence  in  the  legisla- 
ture might  have  been  observed ;  but  since  the 
struggle  has  been  undertaken  we  must  carry  it 
through.  Austria,  very  opportunely  for  us,  is 
beginning  to  adopt  a  similar  attitude. 

"I  am  sorry  that  there  should  be  a  current 
report  that  the  Government  wishes  to  attack  the 
Catholic  Church  and  its  dogmas  for  their  own  sake. 
Every  one  who  is  capable  of  calm  deliberation  must 
know  that  nothing  is  further  from  our  thoughts." 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  April  7th,  1874. 

"  I  write  to  you  oppressed  by  care  and  anxiety 
on  account  of  our  dear  child,  who  is  suffering  from 
scarlet  fever.  On  Saturday  she  was  quite  well, 
and  drove  out  with  us  in  the  warm  spring 
weather ;  early  on  Sunday  she  complained  of  not 
being  well.  Her  malady  increased  towards  mid- 
day, and  was  accompanied  by  sickness.  Towards 
evening  she  became  very  restless  and  feverish, 
and  Dr.  Theodori  recognised  the  symptoms  of  a 
dangerous  illness.  The  poor  child  passed  a  very 
bad  night,  moaning  and  sleepless,  whilst  we 
watched  by  her  bedside ;  at  2  A.M.  her  skin 
became  deep  red,  and  her  temperature  rose  con- 
siderably. Theodori  came  at  eight  o'clock  and 
pronounced  it  to  be  scarlet  fever.  At  noon  her 
whole  body  was  burning  with  heat,  and  her  head 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  193 

was  affected.  The  doctor  then  informed  me  that 
the  illness  was  so  dangerous  that  he  should  like 
another  opinion.  A  consultation  took  place  the 
same  evening  in  the  sick-room,  to  which  the  local 
medical  authorities  were  summoned.  They  did 
not  conceal  her  serious  condition  from  us,  and 
declared  that  her  age  added  to  their  anxiety. 

"  Another  bad  night  was  passed,  but  the  fever 
was  less  intense  the  following  morning ;  there 
was  no  question  of  sleep.  We  do  not  lose  our 
courage,  and  trust  in  God,  who  will  not  abandon 
us  in  the  hour  of  our  trouble.  ..." 

After  a  slight  improvement  on  the  8th  the 
condition  of  the  child  became  so  alarming  at 
midnight  that  her  parents,  who  had  not  left  her 
side  till  eleven  P.M.,  were  again  summoned  to  her 
bed.  They  found  their  little  daughter  gasping 
for  breath.  The  hastily  summoned  physicians 
declared  the  condition  of  their  patient  to  be 
hopeless.  As  she  lay  in  the  lap  of  her  English 
nurse,  the  child's  strength  seemed  to  ebb  with 
every  minute,  and  as  the  first  rays  of  the  rising 
sun  touched  the  windows  of  the  room,  the 
despairing  parents  were  kneeling  by  the  lifeless 
body  of  their  only  child.  Only  a  short  time 
could  be  given  them  to  be  near  her ;  the  little 
coffin  was  closed,  and  carried  by  the  grief-stricken 
father  out  of  the  death-chamber.  A  long  pro- 
cession accompanied  the  body  of  the  little  Princess 


194  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

to  the  Church  of  Cotroceni,  where  it  was  to 
remain  until  the  morrow,  which  was  Good 
Friday.  At  two  o'clock  the  last  sad  rites  of  the 
Orthodox  Church  were  celebrated  in  the  presence 
of  an  enormous  concourse  of  sympathetic  repre- 
sentatives of  every  class  of  society. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE. 

"  We  have  just  received  the  unexpected  and 
afflicting  news  of  the  terrible  misfortune  that 
has  befallen  you.  May  God's  grace  be  with  you 
and  grant  you  strength  to  bear  the  desperate 
sorrow,  the  burden  of  which  we  know  from  our 
own  experience!  In  thought  I  put  myself  in 
your  frame  of  mind,  and  realise  that  you  must 
both  be  numbed  with  grief  at  seeing  your  sweet 
child  lifeless  before  you,  and  at  knowing  that  you 
can  never  again  see  a  light  in  her  dear  eyes, 
never  again  a  smile  on  her  face  ! 

"  These  are  hours  in  which,  in  spite  of  all  Chris- 
tian principles,  one  still  asks :  why  need  it  have 
been  ?  And  certainly  it  is  hard  to  say  :  c  Thy  will 
be  done  ! ' 

"  I  wrote  this  text  on  the  tomb  of  my  son  Sigis- 
mund,  your  god-child,  because  I  know  of  no  other 
consolation :  and  yet  I  cannot  conquer  that  pain 
to-day,  though  many  years  have  already  passed, 
and  though  God  has  given  me  a  large  family. 
Time  does  certainly  blunt  the  keenest  edge  of  a 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  195 

parent's   anguish,    but   it    does   not   remove   the 
burden,  which  remains  a  companion  for  life.  .  . 

"Your  grief  is  also  ours,  and  you  are  both  the 
object  of  our  anxiety  and  our  prayers  ;  for  that 
my  wife  is  at  one  with  me  in  these  thoughts  of 
sympathy  you  know  as  well  as  that  these  lines 
are  for  poor  Elisabeth  no  less  than  for  you.  God 
be  with  you,  and  be  merciful  to  you  !  " 

In  the  following  letter,  addressed  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Ministry,  Prince  Charles  endeavoured 
to  thank  his  people  for  their  sympathy. 

"  The  Almighty  has  summoned  our  only  and 
dearly  loved  child  from  this  world  of  trouble. 

"  If  a  proof  of  my  country's  devotion  had 
been  needed,  it  could  not  have  been  shown 
in  a  more  affecting  manner  than  in  these 
days  of  sorrow,  when  the  sense  of  the  sincere 
sympathy  of  all  has  been  our  chief  consolation  in 
distress. 

"  And  so  I  desire  to  assure  my  country  that 
just  as  it  has  supported  me  by  its  affection  in 
the  hardest  moment  of  my  life,  so  I  shah1  endeavour 
to  repay  in  good  measure  the  kindness  which  it 
has  manifested  towards  me. 

"  The  sweetest  memory  which  our  lost  daughter 
has  left  us  as  an  inestimable  treasure  is  her 
boundless  love  for  the  country  in  which  she  was 
born,  a  love  so  strong  that  despite  her  tender  age 


196  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

she  felt  the  pangs  of  home  sickness  during   her 
first  stay  abroad. 

"Our  child's  faith  and  the  language  which  she 
spoke  have  assumed  a  new  sanctity  in  our  eyes, 
for  every  Roumanian  word  will  from  henceforth 
be  to  us  the  echo  of  that  voice  which  we  shall 
never  again  hear  on  earth. 

"  Though  the  dearest  and  most  intimate  bond  of 
our  family  circle  has  been  severed,  a  still  stronger 
tie  unites  us  now  with  our  greater  family,  the 
Roumanian  nation,  which  joins  with  us  in  mourn- 
ing the  loss  of  our  and  their  child. 

"It  is  a  sacred  duty  with  the  Princess  and 
myself  to  express  to  one  and  all,  from  the  depth 
of  our  sorely  tried  hearts,  our  cordial  gratitude, 
together  with  the  hope  that  all  will  unite  with  us 
in  prayer  that  the  Almighty  may  grant  us  strength 
and  patience  in  the  trial  which  He,  the  Father  of 
All,  has  in  His  inscrutable  wisdom  sent  to  us." 

From  PBINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  April  litth,  1874. 

"  What  terrible  news  !  Though  yesterday  we 
awaited  your  telegram  not  without  anxiety,  still 
we  were  reassured  towards  evening.  As  long  as 
I  live  I  shall  not  forget  to-day's  awakening — I 
opened  the  telegram  without  agitation — speech- 
less, and  with  the  keenest  heartache,  I  read  it 
again  and  again.  For  a  long  time  I  could  not 
believe  in  the  possibility  of  the  destruction  of  your 
domestic  happiness.  God's  ways  are  inscrutable  ! 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  197 

He  has  for  only  too  short  a  time  entrusted  to  you 
a  being  whom  He  loved  so  much  that  he  could 
not  but  recall  her  to  Him.  These  lines  are  not 
meant  to  console  you,  for  at  such  moments  there 
can  be  no  consolation:  they  are  only  to  remind  us 
all  that  we  must  humbly  submit,  come  what 
may  ! " 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  May  5th. 

"  We  established  ourselves  here  (Cotroceni) 
yesterday,  and  we  hope  to  find  more  peace  and  a 
little  consolation  for  our  sorrowing  hearts,  since 
we  shall  now  be  close  to  the  resting-place  of  our 
loved  child.  The  palace  in  the  capital  seemed  so 
empty  and  melancholy  to  us  that  we  awaited  with 
impatience  the  day  when  we  could  leave  it.  But 
we  shall  feel  our  loss  bitterly  even  here.  Our 
daily  walk  is  to  her  grave,  where  we  sit  and  talk 
over  the  legacy  of  rich  and  manifold  memories  left 
us  by  our  dear  child.  The  whole  country  mourns 
for  little  Marie ;  this  you  know,  and  will  have 
seen  from  our  newspapers ;  many  expressions  of 
sympathy  have  also  reached  us  from  abroad.  The 
German  Emperor  wrote  me  a  very  kind  letter  in 
which  he  shows  his  true  kindness  of  heart.  I  also 
received  a  letter  from  the  King  of  Italy,  and 
Elisabeth  one  from  the  Queen  of  England,  which 
was  couched  in  very  warm  and  affectionate  terms. 
The  Empress  Eugenie  also  telegraphed  her 
sympathy  with  me. 


198  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  *  •  *  Elisabeth's  nerves  are  so  shaken  that  the 
greatest  care  is  necessary.  I  must  confess  to  you 
that  I  am  often  anxious  myself,  and  am  much 
depressed  by  pain,  sorrow,  and  apprehension.  I  get 
but  very  little  sleep  at  night,  and  have  repeatedly 
heard  my  poor  Elisabeth  cry  out  in  her  dreams : 
'  Dead,  dead ! '  This  cry  of  pain  is  each  time  a 
fresh  stab  in  my  wounded  heart !" 

Whilst  Princess  Elisabeth  sought  to  conquer 
her  grief  by  distraction  in  translating  Roumanian 
legends  and  fairy  tales,  Prince  Charles's  time  was 
claimed  by  affairs  of  State.  Great  Britain,  in 
pursuit  of  its  Turkophile  policy,  wished  to  accredit 
its  new  agent,  Mr.  Vivian,  with  a  letter  in  which 
mention  was  made  of  the  "  good  relations  which 
exist  between  England  and  the  Sublime  Porte  and 
the  territory  governed  by  your  Highness."  The 
Roumanian  Government  declined  to  receive  this 
communication,  but  the  incident  was  eventually 
settled  by  an  exchange  of  Notes  between  the 
English  Consul-General  and  the  Minister  for 
Foreign  Affairs.  Mr.  Vivian  had  a  private 
audience  on  May  4  with  the  Prince,  who  expressed 
his  opinion  very  plainly  on  the  Oriental  policy  of 
England. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  May  2Gth,  1874. 

"We  are  impatiently  awaiting  Leopold's  arrival, 
which  is  promised  for  Monday.  The  Prince  of 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  199 

Servia  will  have  left  us  by  then  ;  he  has  truly 
Oriental  ideas  of  hospitality !  We  hold  aloof 
from  all  public  entertainments  in  his  honour,  and 
only  invite  him  now  and  again  to  dinner  or  tea. 
Every  time  he  comes  to  Cotroceni  he  brings  a 
wreath,  which  he  places,  either  with  his  own  hand 
or  by  another's,  on  the  grave  of  our  child.  He  is 
a  very  pleasant,  bright,  and  handsome  man,  an 
excellent  talker ;  he  is  by  nature  gifted  with 
understanding,  but  is  deficient  in  higher  culture. 
His  visit  here  is  making  a  great  impression  in 
Constantinople,  which  he  quitted  in  anger.  The 
Servians  are  now  on  a  worse  footing  with  Turkey 
than  we  are,  since  they  have  been  refused  Swornik. 
After  voting  us  addresses  of  condolence  in  corpore 
the  Chambers  are  endeavouring  to  overthrow  the 
Ministry  and  to  form  a  coalition." 

On  June  7  a  law  was  passed  providing  for  the 
allotment  of  land  in  Bessarabia  to  the  Bulgarians 
expelled  from  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  This 
measure  was  warmly  advocated  by  the  Russian 
Consul-General,  but  Prince  Charles,  mindful  of 
[Russia's  declaration  in  1871,  was  disquieted  by 
the  discovery  that  the  Russian  Government  had 
not  surrendered  its  hopes  of  the  reacquisition 
of  Bessarabia. 

After  a  short  stay  in  the  pleasant  groves  of 
breezy  Sinaja  the  journey  to  Franzensbad  was 
commenced  on  July  15  in  the  company  of  the 


200  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Hereditary  Prince.  The  Princess  of  Hohenzollern 
arrived  a  few  days  later  alone,  Prince  Charles 
Anthony's  infirmities  keeping  him  practically  a 
prisoner  in  his  room.  Prince  Charles  was 
delighted  to  find  that  his  mother's  health 
was  unaffected  by  her  exertions  :  "  We  are  in- 
expressibly happy  to  have  her  here,  but  reproach 
ourselves  for  having  taken  her  from  you,  and  we 
are  grieved  that  you  should  remain  alone  at 
Krauchenwies.  We  fully  appreciate  the  sacrifice 
you  have  made  for  us,  and  thank  you  with  all 
our  hearts. 

"  The  Empress  had  been  so  kind  as  to  inquire 
from  the  Queen  of  England  what  watering-place 
would  suit  us  best.  The  latter  replied  by 
telegraph  that  her  physician,  Sir  W.  Jenner, 
recommended  Eastbourne  for  Elisabeth  '  and  her 
husband.' 

"  When  ladies  of  so  high  degree  look  after  a 
watering-place  for  us,  we  ought  certainly  to  reap 
the  full  benefit  from  our  stay !  We  shall, 
therefore,  probably  go  to  Eastbourne  or  Hastings. 

"  One  day  is  very  much  like  another,  and  we 
live  solely  according  to  the  '  Kur.'  ....  These 
places  in  Bohemia  are  fortunately  so  accustomed 
to  Royal  visitors  that  a  Queen  and  an  Oriental 
Prince  create  very  little  stir/'* 

After    paying   a   flying    visit   to    the   German 

*  The  Queen  of  Saxony  [his  cousin]  was  staying  at 
Marienbad 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  201 

Emperor  at  Eger  the  Prince  and  Princess  arrived 
in  London  on  August  19.  The  Marchioness  of 
Lome  came  to  express  the  Queen's  regret  at  her 
inability  to  receive  the  travellers,  as  she  was  about 
to  set  out  for  Scotland.  The  Prince  of  Wales 
and  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Edinburgh  wel- 
comed Prince  Charles  and  his  wife  with  warm 
sympathy.  The  young  Duchess  of  Edinburgh 
had  changed  greatly  since  the  first  time  Prince 
Charles  saw  her  at  Livadia  in  1869.  Then  she 
left  the  impression  of  a  charming  child,  but  now 
she  appeared  with  all  the  character  of  a  young 
mother. 

During  their  three  weeks'  stay  at  St.  Leonard's 
the    Prince    and    Princess    made    manv   excur- 

•/ 

sions  to  Brighton,  Oxford,  Woolwich,  Chislehurst, 
and  the  neighbouring  country  seats  of  the 
nobility.  The  visit  to  Oxford,  with  Professor 
Max  Mliller  as  cicerone,  was  of  especial  interest 
to  the  Prince,  who  was  much  impressed  by  the 
ancient  University,  with  its  glorious  colleges.  By 
the  courtesy  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Gathorne 
Hardy,  Prince  Charles  was  able  to  make  a  minute 
inspection  of  the  Woolwich  Arsenal.  The  Prince 
was  astonished  to  find  that  the  heaviest  naval 
guns  for  the  British  fleet  were  still  built  on  the 
muzzle-loading  principle,  and  endeavoured,  with- 
out much  success,  to  convince  his  guide,  Major- 
General  Simmons,  of  the  advantages  of  the 
breechloading  system. 


202  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Several  very  pleasant  hours  were  spent  at  Lord 
Brassey's  castle  and  on  board  his  yacht.  Lord 
Brassey  had  visited  Roumania  on  several  occa- 
sions, as  he  was  interested  in  the  Offenheim 
railway  concession,  and  was,  therefore,  no  stranger 
to  the  Prince.  A  couple  of  visits  were  also  paid 
to  Holmebury  House  to  Lady  Mary  Anne 
Alford  and  her  brother,  Mr.  Leveson-Gower,  whose 
brother,  Lord  Granville,  had  formerly  been  in 
communication  with  Roumania  as  Secretary  of 
State  for  Foreign  Affairs. 

"  To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"  We  shall  commemorate  in  quiet  and  grief  the 
birthday  of  our  dear  daughter  on  the  8th  of  Sep- 
tember. She  was  the  light  of  our  home  life.  Now 
this  anniversary  will  only  teach  us,  as  each  year 
comes  round,  that  this  earthly  life,  with  all  its 
pleasures  and  sorrows,  is  but  the  preparation  for 
a  better  life,  and  that,  therefore,  we  must  not  cling 
too  much  to  the  things  of  this  world.  England  by 
no  means  seems  full  of  this  sentiment.  I  believe 
that  in  no  other  country  has  materialism  gone  to 
such  a  length  as  here.  People  live  solely  to  enjoy 
their  lives — et  voila  tout.  Commerce  and  industry, 
therefore,  flourish,  which  bring  in  money,  and 
money  is  the  essential  requisite  for  English 
comfort ! 

"  I  discussed  the  social  condition  of  England 
with  Max  Mliller,  and  derived  much  benefit  from 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  203 

the  insight  into  the  situation  here  which  I  owe  to 
him. 

"  Roumania  is  a  terra  incognita  here,  and  the 
sympathy  with  Turkey  is  so  great  that  it  is  useless 
to  struggle  against  this  folly.  Nevertheless,  I 
have  placed  myself  in  communication  with  several 
influential  Englishmen. 

"  In  spite  of  the  cutting  cold  winds,  we  con- 
tinue our  sea-bathing,  and  derive  much  benefit 
from  it " 

Lord  Derby,  in  reply  to  a  letter  from  Prince 
Charles,  who  expressed  his  regret  at  not  having 
met  the  Foreign  Secretary  in  London,  professed 
his  deep  concern  at  being  unable  to  pay  the 
Prince  a  visit  before  his  departure  from  England. 

On  the  way  home  Prince  Charles  visited  the 
Oriental  Congress  in  London,  where  representa- 
tives of  all  Eastern  nations  were  assembled. 
Amongst  others,  the  Prince  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Sir  Henry  Kawlinson,  the  decipherer  of 
the  cuneiform  inscriptions ;  of  L6on  Rosnez,  the 
learned  exponent  of  Semitic  languages;  of  Sir 
Henry  Bartle  Frere ;  of  Sir  John  Lubbock  and 
Charles  Kingsley.  The  majority  of  these  were 
presented  to  Prince  Charles  at  a  Mansion  House 
banquet  given  in  honour  of  the  Oriental  Congress. 
The  quaint  ceremonies,  the  ancient  costumes  of 
the  civic  dignitaries,  the  luxury  and  wealth  of 
the  table  appointments,  and  the  excellent  music 


204  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

discoursed  during  the  dinner  all  contributed  to 
attract  the  Prince's  attention  and  interest. 

The  homeward  journey  lay  through  Paris,  where 
the  ruins  of  the  Tuileries  awakened  melancholy 
reflections  ;  Strassburg,  which  still  bore  plain  traces 
of  siege,  to  the  Weinburg  where  Prince  Charles 
Anthony  was  feverishly  awaiting  their  arrival. 
The  meeting  was  most  affecting,  and  the  memories 
awakened  by  the  deep  mourning  of  his  children 
almost  overcame  the  aged  Prince,  whose  bodily 
infirmities  were  increasing  with  every  year.  The 
stay  at  the  Weinburg  ended  on  October  8.  Prince 
Charles  Anthony's  bodily  suffering,  though  borne 
with  heroic  courage,  threw  a  melancholy  shadow 
over  the  otherwise  happy  home  life  of  the 
Hohenzollern  family. 

With  their  return  to  Sinaja  the  grief  of  the 
unfortunate  parents  was  constantly  aroused  by 
the  absence  of  their  dear  one  from  the  rooms  which 
once  were  enlivened  by  her  presence  ;  the  very 
gloom  of  the  weather  seemed  to  encourage  this 
melancholy  mood. 

From  the  GERMAN  EMPEROR,  September  26th,  1874. 

"  I  was  very  pleased  to  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  bearer  of  these  lines  (the  Roumanian 
Minister  of  War)  and  to  see  him  at  our 
manoeuvres,  which  appeared  to  interest  him 
greatly.  My  best  thanks  to  you  for  the  letter  he 
brought  me.  I  think  it  most  natural  that  your 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  205 

journey  this  time  should  have  been  undertaken 
solely  on  account  of  the  health  of  both  of  you,  and 
that,  moreover,  your  mood  was  not  such  as  to  care 
to  make  any  visits  except  in  the  narrowest  family 
circle.  Let  us  hope  that  another  time  you  will 
give  us  the  pleasure  and  joy  of  seeing  you  here. 
In  any  case  I  am  happy  to  have  spoken  with  you, 
though  only  for  a  short  time  in  Eger. 

["  With  a  thousand  greetings  to  your  wife, 
"  Your  sincere  Cousin, 

"  WILLIAM." 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  November  2Slh. 

"  We  quitted  Sinaja  three  weeks  ago  with 
heavy  hearts  to  return  to  Bucharest.  The  weather 
remained  beautiful  until  a  week  ago,  and  our 
longing  for  the  mountains  was  increased ;  the 
more  so  as  the  empty  rooms  of  the  Palace  can 
never  appear  lively.  We  endeavour  to  distract 
ourselves  as  much  as  possible  and  invite  people  to 
dinner  every  day,  but  nothing  can  make  us  forget 
the  dear  voice  of  our  child,  which  we  miss  every- 
where and  at  all  times. 

"  I  opened  the  Chamber  yesterday.  My  speech 
was  short,  and  touched  only  on  practical  questions. 

"  The  question  of  the  commercial  treaties  is  on 
the  high  road  to  an  immediate  solution,  the  only 
difficulties  are  matters  of  detail.  We  are  now 
negotiating  with  Austria-Hungary,  whose  interest 
it  is  to  enter  on  closer  relations  with  us  both 


206  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

politically  and  commercially.  Even  now  the  Porte 
cannot  grow  resigned  to  a  defeat  which  is  due  to 
its  own  lack  of  skill.  England,  France,  and  Italy 
will  have  no  course  left  but  to  adopt  the  same  line 
as  the  three  other  Great  Powers ;  their  representa- 
tives here  are  quite  willing  to  influence  their 
Governments  in  our  favour.  We  have  every 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  our  Diplomatic  Corps  ; 
France  and  England,  in  particular,  have  sent  us 
amiable  and  experienced  men,  who  have  already 
travelled  throughout  the  country,  and  can  judge 
of  our  circumstances  with  intelligence.  They  have 
both  pleaded  for  the  commercial  conventions  in 
their  reports." 

A  most  interesting  and  important  report  on  the 
condition  of  the  Servian  forces  in  1874  was 
received  on  January  9,  1875.  M.  Sturdza  prefaced 
his  remarks  by  insisting  upon  the  extreme  difficulty 
of  ascertaining  the  truth  about  Servia :  Chau- 
vinism and  love  of  exaggeration  conspired  to  keep 
strangers  in  the  dark.  He  had,  however,  been 
able  to  discover  enough  to  prove  that  the  Servian 
troops  were,  strictly  speaking,  no  army  at  all. 
Both  quality  and  quantity  left  much  to  be  desired, 
whilst  the  standing  force  of  5000  men  was  hardly 
sufficient  to  keep  order  in  the  interior.  The  per- 
manent force  of  cavalry  amounted  to  but  one  soli- 
tary squadron,  whilst  only  one  battery  was  armed 
with  modern  guns.  The  fortresses  were  in  an 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  207 

indefensible  condition,  as  their  sole  armament  con- 
sisted of  the  guns  which  the  Turks  had  left  there. 
The  Territorial  Army  was  of  still  less  value  than 
the  standing  army.  Without  officers  and  without 
equipment  or  proper  arms  it  in  no  way  deserved 
serious  consideration.  The  political  situation  of 
Servia  also  gave  rise  to  considerable  doubt  as  to 
the  stability  of  Prince  Milan's  Government.  The 
Press  constantly  urged  the  Croats,  Slavonians,  and 
Hungarian  Servians  to  rebel  against  Austria. 
Prince  Milan  had  flouted  Germany  by  his  openly 
expressed  sympathy  with  France,  whilst  England's 
favour  had  been  lost  by  the  anti-Turkish  policy  of 
the  Ministry.  Russia,  Servia's  best  friend,  had 
supported  the  Ministry,  until  it  applied  to  the 
French  Ambassador  in  Constantinople  for  his 
assistance  in  the  Swornik  question.  Count  Igna- 
tiew  was  so  much  exasperated  by  this  step  that 
he  counselled  the  Porte  to  resist  the  demands  for 
the  withdrawal  of  the  Turkish  troops  from  that 
fortress. 

The  attitude  of  the  populace  of  Montenegro  and 
Herzegowina  towards  Turkey  threatened  most 
serious  complications  in  January  1875.  The  mas- 
sacres of  Christians  at  Podgoritza  late  in  1874  still 
remained  unpunished,  though  the  instigators  had 
already  been  sentenced  by  Turkish  Courts.  Repre- 
sentations to  the  Sublime  Porte  resulted  in  the 
preposterous  demand  that  the  Montenegrins,  who 
had  been  the  cause  of  the  disturbance,  should  be 


508  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

tried  by  a  Turkish  Court  before  the  sentences  on 
the  Ottoman  officials  were  carried  out.  Even- 
tually the  Ambassadors  of  the  Powers  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  the  Porte  to  abandon  this 
claim. 

Prince  Milan's  popularity  had  suffered  greatly 
by  his  favouritism  and  caprice,  whilst  his  Ministry 
seemed  to  aim  either  at  forcing  him  to  abdicate, 
or  at  least  at  putting  such  difficulties  in  his  way 
that  the  Powers  would  be  forced  to  intervene,  and 
thus  effect  his  fall.  His  long  stay  in  Paris  in  1874, 
together  with  his  unbounded  extravagance,  gave 
rise  to  most  unfavourable  comment.  "  It  is 
asserted  that  the  Prince's  debts  now  amount  to 
the  whole  of  his  private  fortune.  Bills  of  exchange 
arrive  every  day  from  abroad  and  cannot  be  paid. 
His  landed  property  in  Wallachia  will  be  invaded. 
Expedients  for  borrowing  from  all  sides  are  seen 
at  the  Palace.  Many  people  here,  even  peasants, 
are  owed  money.  The  civil  list  has  been  spent  six 
months  in  advance." 

From  PROFESSOR  MAX  MIJLLER. 

"...  I  only  now  realise  the  magnitude  of  the 
work  your  Highness  has  undertaken,  a  work  which 
demands  the  highest  form  of  heroism,  the  heroism 
of  patience !  To  sow  without  the  hope  of  enjoy- 
ing the  harvest  demands  a  degree  of  faith  such  as 
is  not  common  in  the  present  day.  If  I  were 
younger,  I  would  enthusiastically  offer  my  services 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  209 

to  the  warden  of  European  culture  on  the  Danube, 
and  would  leave  him  no  peace  until  the  schools 
and  universities  had  become  the  pride  of  his 
people  and  an  example  to  the  whole  world.  Guns 
are  wanted ;  railways  are  wanted ;  but,  above  all, 
schools  are  wanted ;  they  are  the  most  sacred 
duty  of  all !  It  is  often  hard  to  love  or  to  benefit 
our  neighbours,  but  we  can  all  love  and  benefit 
our  own  posterity.  When  the  Budget  of  Love 
(education)  is  as  high  as  the  Budget  of  Hatred 
(war),  the  Eastern  Marches  will  be  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Europe  even  without  treaties. 

"Public  opinion  in  England  remains  unaltered 
— the  arrival  of  a  telegram  from  the  Danube 
makes  us  tremble  in  every  limb.  Two  reasons  for 
this  are  apparent.  Humanity  is  the  slave  of 
phrase,  and  the  phrase,  '  integrity  of  the  Ottoman 
Empire,'  is  as  much  a  matter  of  course  to  the 
English  as  'Britannia  rules  the  waves.'  Such 
phrases  have  a  firmer  hold  on  English  policy  than 
on  French  or  German.  The  Turkish  funds  form 
the  second  reason.  ..." 

On  February  14,  1875,  Prince  Charles  received 
the  Spanish  Ambassador,  who  came  to  announce 
the  accession  of  Alfonso  De  Borbon  y  Borbone  "  by 
the  Grace  of  God  and  the  National  Will  King  of 
Spain."  Don  Gherardi  was  received  with  every 
honour  usual  on  such  occasions  at  the  European 
Courts.  Though  this  step  of  the  King  of  Spain 


210  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

was  entirely  due  to  his  personal  relations  to 
the  Roumanian  Court,  and  not  to  any  political 
motive,  it  nevertheless  caused  much  excitement 
in  diplomatic  circles,  as  it  was  practically  tanta- 
mount to  the  recognition  of  the  independence  of 
Roumania.  The  Sublime  Porte  at  once  demanded 
satisfaction  from  Spain,  and  declared  that  Turkey 
would  not  recognise  the  new  kingdom  until  such 
satisfaction  had  been  given. 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"One  of  the  most  ridiculous  and  narrow- 
minded  of  political  interests  is  the  unbounded 
importance  attached  to  the  Spanish  notification 
to  Bucharest,  which  is  treated  as  seriously  as 
though  the  whole  Eastern  Question  depended 
upon  it.  The  English  papers,  followed  by 
those  of  Berlin,  never  tire  of  discussing  this 
matter  from  every  point  of  view.  It  is  truly 
ridiculous,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  discloses 
the  still  prevailing  aversion  from  your  eman- 
cipation." 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  March  19ih,  1875. 

"  We  lost  all  communication  with  abroad  and 
the  interior  for  a  whole  month  in  consequence  of 
heavy  snowstorms.  Many  accidents  and  consider- 
able losses  have  occurred  which  will  be  more 
severely  felt  here,  where  misfortunes,  as  well  as 
prosperity,  are  ascribed  to  the  Government, 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  211 

than  elsewhere.  It  is  hard  to  realise  the 
sufferings  of  the  poor  peasants :  famine  and 
typhus  raged  in  several  villages ;  and  it  was 
impossible  to  send  them  help !  No  one  dared  to 
go  out  of  doors  on  account  of  the  multitude  of 
wolves  which  infested  every  locality  in  search 
of  food.  According  to  official  reports,  these 
brutes  have  devoured  a  number  of  human 
beings  and  cattle,  whilst  the  bears  have  done 
equal  damage  on  the  mountains !  The  total 
suspension  of  railway  traffic  has  caused  a  most 
unwelcome  loss  of  3,000,000  francs  to  the  State 
at  a  moment  when  the  deficit  had  been  covered 
with  difficulty.  Trade  also  has  suffered  mate- 
rially, as  all  business  was  interrupted ;  the 
Exchequer  has  had  no  money  for  the  last  ten 
days,  as  no  remittances  arrived  from  the  districts 
— and  all  payments  had  to  be  suspended  in  con- 
sequence !  All  this  had  a  serious  effect  on  every 
one ;  discontent  and  ill-humour  prevail  every- 
where !  .  .  . 

"  The  slowness  of  the  present  thaw  will,  it  is  to 
be  hoped,  prevent  larger  inundations ;  the  streets 
in  town,  however,  are  in  an  incredible  state  ;  loco- 
motion is  only  possible  in  sleighs — which  are  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  capsized.  This  hap- 
pened to  us  last  week,  but  we  escaped  unhurt. 
Elisabeth  was  delighted  at  the  adventure,  but  I 
am  ashamed  at  having  been  upset  in  my  capital ! 
Our  hound,  Mentor,  was  so  terrified  by  this  acci- 


212  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

dent  that  he  refused  to  get  into  the  sleigh  again, 
and  went  home  on  foot.  .  .  . 

"  Russia  and  Germany  have  declared  them- 
selves willing  to  negotiate  commercial  and  con- 
sular conventions  with  us.  England  regrets  that 
she  has  not  been  able  to  frustrate  the  fait 
accompli,  but,  nevertheless,  makes  a  bonne  mine 
ct  mauvais  jeu.  Yet  she  could  not  help  inciting 
the  Sublime  Porte,  by  her  very  anti-Roumanian 
representative  in  Constantinople,  to  issue  the 
ridiculous  protest  about  the  Spanish  notification. 
This  was  an  ill  turn  to  Turkey,  as  an  innocent 
affair  was  expanded  into  a  cause  celebre.  .  .  . 
The  expenditure  of  5,000,000  francs  (for  warlike 
purposes)  produces  not  a  little  disquiet,  and  has 
set  England  against  us ;  and  yet  England  is  one 
of  the  keenest  competitors  for  the  contract !  Very 
significant ! " 

On  March  28,  1875,  the  Chamber's  legislative 
period  of  four  years  came  to  an  end.  Not  only 
was  it  the  first  time  that  one  and  the  same 
Chamber  had  sat  for  the  full  term,  but  it  was  also 
the  first  time  that  the  same  Ministry  had  both 
opened  and  closed  the  Chamber,  an  achieve- 
ment which  speaks  volumes  for  the  progress  and 
development  of  the  Principalities  during  this 
period. 

Prince  Charles  accepted  the  presidency  of  the 
Bucharest  Jockey  Club,  founded  by  Mr.  Vivian, 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  213 

the  English  Consul-General,  in  April  1875.  At  a 
banquet  on  April  18  the  Prince  expressed  the 
hope  that  the  foundation  of  the  Club  would  be 
beneficial  to  horse-breeding  in  Roumania,  and 
restore  the  industry  to  the  position  it  held  in  the 
time  of  Frederick  the  Great,  who  procured  part  of 
his  remounts  from  Moldavia. 

From  PKINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"  My  life  is  so  quiet  and  lonely  that  my 
connection  with  the  outer  world  is  actually  based 
on  confidential  letters  and  the  newspapers  alone. 

"  Nevertheless,  I  am  very  well  posted,  and 
am  daily  better  able  to  appreciate  that  one  sees, 
hears,  and  judges  all  the  more  clearly  for  being 
more  concentrated  and  quiet.  Unfortunately  I 
cannot  say  that  the  policy  of  the  young  German 
Empire  satisfies  me  at  present. 

"  The  demand  on  the  Italian  Government  about 
the  Papal  Guarantee  law  appears  to  me  to  be 
out  of  place.  Difficulties  increase  every  day  in 
the  religious-political  field,  and  it  does  not  seem 
clear  how  we  are  to  get  out  of  it  without 
entrenching  on  matters  of  Catholic  belief.  I 
certainly  am  no  Ultramontane  ;  but  my  objective 
sense  of  justice  revolts  against  our  tactics,  groping 
wholly  in  the  dark  against  a  power  which  possesses 
an  unparalleled  spiritual  influence.  Our  alliances 
at  present  are  more  of  a  personal  nature  than 
based  upon  mutual  interests.  Fortunately  the 


214  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

universal   desire  for  peace   has   now   gained  the 
upper  hand  everywhere. 

"  Everything  seems  to  be  going  well  and  quietly 
with  you  ;  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  elections 
will  not  cause  too  great  excitement  in  the  country. 
However,  you  are  already  more  or  less  accustomed 
to  these  agitations  :  and  with  sangfroid  one  may 
regulate  much  which  at  first  appears  to  be  over- 
whelming." 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  with  the  exception  of  a 
couple  of  student  demonstrations  in  Bucharest, 
the  elections  took  place  in  perfect  peace  and 
order,  and  resulted  again  in  a  large  majority  for 
the  Conservative  Government.  The  Opposition, 
it  is  true,  attempted  to  prove  that  the  Ministry 
had  influenced  the  elections,  and  twelve  Liberal 
judges  of  the  first  instance  resigned  as  a  protest. 

One  of  the  first  duties  of  the  new  Chamber 
was  the  election  of  a  successor  to  the  venerable 
Niphon,  the  Metropolitan  of  Bucharest,  who  died 
suddenly  on  May  17,  1875,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
four.  The  body,  in  accordance  with  a  strange  old 
custom,  was  seated  on  the  archiepiscopal  throne 
in  the  Metropolie,  dressed  in  full  canonicals — a 
picture  of  peaceful  and  spiritual  dignity.  Count- 
less numbers  of  orthodox  believers  thronged  the 
church  to  kiss  the  Metropolitan's  hand  for  the 
last  time.  All  through  the  night  priests  chanted 
before  the  altar,  whilst  high  and  low,  rich  and 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  215 

poor,  passed    in    one   long  line   before   the  dead 
Prince  of  the  Church. 

Owing  to  the  great  heat  it  was  found  impos- 
sible to  comply  with  the  custom  of  carrying  the 
seated  corpse  to  the  monastery  of  Cernica.  Four 
priests  therefore  held  the  chair  on  a  hearse  open 
on  all  four  sides,  and  thus  bore  the  venerated 
priest  to  the  burial-place  of  his  predecessors. 
Many  of  the  spectators  threw  themselves  to  the 
ground  as  the  procession  passed  them. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  June  21st,  1875. 

"  I  write  to  you  to-day  with  painful  emotion, 
after  an  escape  from  a  great  danger.  .  .  .  The 
railway  journey  to  Giurgiu,  when  I  was  accom- 
panied by  a  number  of  senators  and  deputies,  as 
well  as  the  return  journey  as  far  as  Filaret,  passed 
uneventfully  ;  at  the  last-named  station  the  train 
crossed  over  to  the  loop  line.  The  engine  had  the 
tender  in  front. 

"  I  looked  out  of  the  window  and  noticed  that 
the  train  was  moving  on  to  a  line  at  Dealu-Spirei, 
where  a  ballast  train  was  already  standing.  I 
sat  down  quickly  and  said  to  those  who  were 
with  me  in  the  saloon-carriage  :  '  Sit  down,  there 
is  going  to  be  a  collision ! '  At  the  moment  a 
violent  shock  took  place,  throwing  my  companions 
on  to  the  floor;  I  was  thrown  in  my  armchair 
against  the  table  opposite.  A  second  shock 
threw  me  backwards,  breaking  the  chair;  my 


216  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sword  was  bent  round  my  knee  and  probably 
caused  the  contusion,  but  unquestionably  saved 
my  leg.  Every  one  hastened  to  help  me,  but  I 
got  up  unaided  and  said  a  few  reassuring  words. 
We  had  all  blows  about  the  head  ;  Davila  was 
bleeding.  .  .  . 

"  The  tender  and  the  engine  were  both  derailed 
and  ran  into  the  sand.  Three  carriages  of  the 
ballast  train  were  destroyed  and  a  couple  of  our 
carriages  were  much  damaged.  .  .  .  We  were 
about  one  mile  from  Cotroceni,  and  walked  there 
in  spite  of  the  heat.  .  .  .  Fortunately  Elisabeth 
first  heard  what  had  happened  from  my  own 
lips  I " 

From  PKINCB  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"  God  has  clearly  protected  you !  You  can 
imagine  the  tremendous  play  that  imagination 
possesses  when  so  great  a  distance  divides  us.  ... 

"  I  know  from  experience  how  tedious  injuries 
to  the  shin  bone  are  ;  on  reckoning  up  my  own 
threefold  experiences  of  that  kind  I  find  that  I 
spent  a  good  six  months'  time  on  the  chaise 
longue  /  .  .  . 

"  I  prefer  to  be  silent  about  our  policy — it  is 
most  unpleasant  for  us  that  the  Czar  of  Russia 
should  be  hailed  on  all  sides  as  the  apostle  of 
peace.  Radowitz  is  said  to  have  conducted 
himself  passionately  and  without  tact :  his  imme- 
diate transfer  to  Athens  is  discussed.  I  con- 


PEACEFUL  DEVELOPMENT  217 

gratulate  you  on  your  successful  elections ;  it  is 
quite  clear  that  the  longing  for  material  develop- 
ment has  gained  the  upper  hand  over  the  empty 
aims  of  the  dreamers  !  " 

From,  THE  SAME. 

"The  excitement  over  the  Church  struggle  is 
beginning  to  abate. 

'  "The  blunders  of  the  Government  and  the 
Ultramontane  party  mutually  set  each  other  off. 
It  is  a  pity  that  they  are  not  confined  to  one 
side,  for  then  the  crisis  would  be  hastened  to  the 
general  benefit. 

"  I  had  an  opportunity  of  going  thoroughly 
into  these  questions  with  the  Emperor  during 
his  visit  here.  He  is  inclined  to  a  conciliatory 
attitude,  but  is  not  sufficiently  informed.  I  have 
made  him  understand  much,  for  which  he  was 
grateful,  and  which  he  is  the  readier  to  believe 
since  I  adhere  to  the  basis  of  the  May  laws,  but 
condemn  the  petty  method  of  carrying  them  out. 
The  Emperor  was  full  of  touching  sympathy  with 
us,  asked  minutely  after  you,  and  was  very  well 
pleased  with  the  course  of  your  policy." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THREATENING  CLOUDS 

DURING  the  month  of  August  1875,  the  situa- 
tion in  Eastern  Europe  suddenly  assumed  a 
threatening  aspect,  through  the  outbreak  of  an 
armed  insurrection  argainst  the  Turkish  rule  in 
Herzegowina,  actively  supported  by  Servia,  Mon- 
tenegro, and  Bosnia,  and  countenanced  (at  any 
rate  in  secret)  by  Russia.  The  Servians  were 
foremost  in  clamouring  for  war,  hoping  by  the 
prowess  of  their  own  army  in  the  field  of  battle 
and  the  assistance  of  Austria  and  Russia  to  shake 
off  finally  the  hated  rule  of  the  Sultan. 

The  oppressed  and  persecuted  Christians  of  the 
north-western  portion  of  the  Balkan  peninsula  had 
watched  the  steady  progress  and  constant  develop- 
ment of  their  brethren  in  Croatia,  Servia,  and 
Montenegro  with  curious  eyes,  whilst  they  them- 
selves were  still  groaning  under  the  heavy  Otto- 
man yoke.  Nor,  indeed,  was  this  feeling  of  despair 
and  exasperation  confined  to  the  Christian  inhabi- 
tants alone,  for  the  Bosnian  Mohammedans,  who 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  219 

had  hitherto  fought  for  the  Sultan  and  whose 
ancestors,  in  order  to  retain  their  possessions,  had 
embraced  Islam,  now  joined  the  Christian  insur- 
gents in  aiming  at  the  separation  of  Bosnia  and 
Herzegowina  from  the  Ottoman  Empire.  The 
secret  debates  in  the  Servian  Skuptschina  resulted 
in  the  presentation  of  two  addresses  to  Prince 
Milan,  one  advocating  the  proclamation  of  peace  to 
be  published,  the  other  offering  him  3,000,000 
ducats  and  an  army  of  40,000  men  to  support  the 
rebellion — to  be  kept  secret.  Montenegro  was  only 
waiting  for  a  signal  from  Servia  before  commencing 
open  hostilities. 

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 


220  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

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  tlie  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE. 

"  Matters  are  progressing  slowly  but  surely  in 
the  Empire.  The  German  nation  adheres  to  the 


THREATENING  CLOUDS 

Emperor  and  the  Empire,  whilst  many  Cabinets 
only  yield  to  force  of  circumstances.  In  South 
Germany  the  Wiirttemberg  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  Wiirttem- 
berg 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  uncom- 
monly 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 


222  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

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  manoeuvres  in  Wiirttemberg,  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*  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." 

The  declaration  of  the  agents  of  the  guaran- 
teeing Powers  that  they  would  not  protect  Servia 
from  invasion  unless  the  aggressive  policy  of  the 
Ristitch  Ministry  was  abandoned  led  to  the 
fall  of  the  Ministry  towards  the  end  of  September. 
This  event  was  regretted  by  none  except  the 
adherents  of  the  Red  Party,  who,  however, 
retained  the  reins  of  power.  A  saying  current 
at  the  time  made  the  following  striking  com- 

*  The  present  German  Emperor. 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  223 

parison  :   "Servia  is  peopled  with  Ministers,  like 
Roumania ! " 

To  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  October  22nd,  1875. 

"Your  kind  letter  was  a  source  of  real  joy  to 
me.  God's  best  gift  to  humanity  is  loyalty ; 
and  I  think  He  must  have  given  you  a  double 
measure.  That  we,  who  are  separated  from  all 
our  loved  ones  for  life,  are  doubly  rejoiced  to  find 
ourselves  remembered,  I  need  not  tell  you,  nor 
that  your  sympathy  with  our  eternal  regret  has 
comforted  us.  At  this  moment  we  are  suffering 
an  unexpected  and  uncommon  trial ;  Elisabeth 
felt  an  ever  increasing  difficulty  in  walking  this 
summer,  which  we  attributed  to  malaria,  damp- 
ness, and  a  tendency  to  rheumatism.  For  the 
last  few  days  she  has  remained  in  bed,  lame  in 
both  feet.  I  need  not  tell  you  how  great  is  our 
terror  after  the  experiences  of  both  our  families ! 
The  affair,  however,  has  now  taken  a  turn  for  the 
better.  .  .  . 

"  I  was  greatly  interested  by  what  you  wrote 
about  your  children  :  so  intelligent  and  simple  an 
education  must  certainly  make  them  thorough  in 
every  way.  I  find  it  hard  to  think  of  you  sur- 
rounded by  such  big  sons.  .  .  . 

"  Great  excitement  prevails  just  now  in  Servia  ; 
I  think  the  young  Prince  is  either  steering 
towards  a  war  or  a  revolution !  It  is  true  at 
present  he  is  enjoying  his  honeymoon  with  his 


224  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

pretty  wife,  who  is  closely  related  to  all  the  great 
families  of  Moldavia.  The  Servians  would  cer- 
tainly have  preferred  to  see  their  ambition  satis- 
fied by  the  choice  of  a  '  real  Princess '  as  a  consort 
for  the  Prince.  .  .  ." 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  November  27th,  1875. 

"...  So  long  as  the  suzerainty  was  merely 
an  empty  form,  restricted  to  the  payment  of 
tribute  or  to  impediments  in  affairs  of  treaties, 
mints,  and  orders,  Europe  was  justified  in  declin- 
ing to  hear  our  complaints ;  but  from  the  moment 
that  our  dependence  on  the  Porte  hinders  our 
economical  development,  hampers  our  financial 
reforms,  and  damages  our  credit,  we  can  reason- 
ably demand  that  a  sharp  political  line  of  demar- 
cation be  drawn  between  an  Empire  which  is 
incapable  of  any  reform  and  a  flourishing  young 
State  which  has  given  Europe  material  guarantees 
during  the  last  few  years  !  I  recently  had  a  con- 
versation on  the  subject  with  the  Austrian  repre- 
sentative, who  admitted  that  this  was  the  correct 
view  of  the  situation,  but  that  a  precipitate  step 
might  compromise  the  excellent  position  which 
Roumania  occupies  to-day.  I  replied  that,  before 
all  else,  I  desired  the  preservation  of  peace,  in 
order  to  gain  time  for  the  execution  of  all  neces- 
sary reforms,  the  re-acquisition  of  the  railways, 
and  the  construction  of  connecting  lines,  and  that 
it  was  the  business  of  the  Great  Powers  to  secure 


THREATENING  CLOUDS 

us  a  position  which  corresponded  to  the  interest 
and  dignity  of  the  country. 

"Unfortunately  the  result  of  this  Eastern 
tangle  cannot  be  foreseen.  Do  the  three  great 
Northern  Powers  really  desire  peace  ?  And  will 
they  ever  succeed  in  restoring  peace  ?  There  are 
too  many  factors  to  be  taken  into  consideration ; 
Turkey  seems  to  have  been  given  up  at  last  (in  the 
public  opinion  of  Europe) ;  even  the  English  are 
being  forced  to  accustom  themselves  slowly  to  this 
idea,  which  will  certainly  cost  them  much.  When 
once  considerations  for  the  Porte  are  abandoned, 
the  solution  of  the  Eastern  Question,  which 
frightens  the  diplomats  of  Europe,  will  be  mate- 
rially simplified.  Roumania  is  destined  to  become 
the  Belgium  of  the  Lower  Danube ;  why  do  the 
Cabinet  hesitate  to  declare  this  ?  We  can  wait ; 
but,  as  far  as  Europe  is  concerned,  it  would  be  a 
guarantee  of  peace  in  the  East. 

"  I  opened  the  Chambers  to-day  with  a  short 
and  powerful  speech  from  the  throne,  which  I  am 
sure  will  make  no  unfavourable  impression  in 
Europe.  The  disturbances  in  Herzegowina  could 
not  be  passed  over  in  silence,  but  were  mentioned 
with  such  caution  that  public  opinion  cannot  be 
disquieted.  Our  relations  with  the  Turks  are 
strained  :  they  will  not  grant  us  even  the  smallest 
concession  ;  they  actually  refuse  to  concede  us  the 
name  Roumania ;  all  this  is  to  their  own  dis- 
advantage. .  .  .  Greece  has  begun  to  stir ;  depu- 


THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

tations  from  Thessaly,  Epirus,  and  Crete  have 
appeared  in  Athens,  and  their  proposals  have 
been  very  favourably  received.  The  aggrandise- 
ment of  Greece  is  the  only  salvation  for  that 
unfortunate  country." 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  December  1875. 

"  The  Eastern  Question  will  shortly  be  solved  ; 
what  could  only  have  been  expected  to  happen 
in  the  course  of  years  will  have  already  come 
to  pass.  The  chief  point  is  that  France  and 
England  have  at  length  begun  to  realise  that  the 
*  sick  man '  can  no  longer  be  helped.  Turkey 
perishes  through  the  financial  ruin  she  has  brought 
upon  herself!  For  the  distant  observer  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  the  eyes  of  all  are  turned 
towards  Roumania,  whose  moderation  is  highly 
appeciated  everywhere.  This  moderation  is  the 
only  means  by  which  Europe  can  be  prepared  for 
the  approaching  independence  of  your  country — 
an  independence  which  must  be  founded  on  the 
belief  of  its  necessity,  and  when  it  comes,  must 
come  as  a  surprise  to  nobody.  I  congratulate  you 
on  your  political  reserve  and  on  the  art  of  waiting, 
the  exercise  of  which  you  seem  to  have  mastered 
in  opposition  to  the  character  of  the  Roumanian 
nation.  Precipitate  action  would  be  a  great  mis- 
take, and  could  not  be  excused,  even  were  the 
peace  of  the  country  at  stake ;  the  whole  of 


THREATENING  CLOUDS 

Europe  would  discountenance  Roumania  if  she 
were  to  arouse  a  Continental  war.  .  .  . 

"  I  would  willingly  send  the  Crown  Prince  an 
extract  from  your  letter,  but  I  must  tell  you  that 
he  has  at  present  no  influence  either  on  home 
or  on  foreign  policy,  the  direction  of  which  lies 
exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  Chancellor. 

"  In  this  Eastern  Question  Germany  only 
occupies  the  third  place  after  Russia  and  Austria  ; 
but,  when  the  decisive  moment  for  weighing  the 
respective  interests  of  those  two  States  arrives, 
you  will  find  that  Germany  has  reserved  for 
herself  the  option  of  placing  her  weight  on  that 
side  of  the  balance  which  seems  most  advan- 
tageous to  the  development  of  the  German 
Empire.  .  .  ." 

The  projected  reforms,  which  were  to  place 
Christians  and  Mohammedans  on  an  equal  foot- 
ing— on  paper — were  published  by  the  Sublime 
Porte  in  December,  but  failed  to  awaken  much 
appreciation  either  abroad  or  at  home,  where  the 
financial  crisis  assumed  threatening  proportions. 
The  Sultan's  mind  was  at  this  time  apparently 
occupied  chiefly  by  the  idea  that  he  had  been 
bewitched,  and  by  constant  demands  for  money, 
regardless  of  the  fact  that  his  troops  were  dying 
by  thousands  from  cold  and  hunger  in  Herze- 
gowina,  and  that  the  salaries  of  all  officials 
remained  months  in  arrear. 


228  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

In  spite  of  the  so-called  entente  of  the  Powers, 
a  strong  rivalry  was  noticeable  between  Russia 
and  Austria,  especially  with  regard  to  the  eventual 
attitude  of  Roumania. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  February  8th,  1876. 

"  The  Austrian  representative  inquires  what 
we  shall  do  in  the  event  of  Russian  troops 
occupying  the  country  ;  the  Russian  sounds  us  to 
find  out  whether  we  repose  any  confidence  in 
Austria-Hungary ;  but  both  adjure  us  not  to  act 
hastily.  They  desire  peace,  because  they  grudge 
each  other  the  solution  of  the  Eastern  Question, 
and  because  neither  is  prepared  for  war.  It 
cannot  be  denied  that  we  are  suffering  from  this 
indecision,  and  are  exposed  to  every  possible 
danger.  So  much  is  certain,  that  Russia  is 
concentrating  troops  on  the  Moldavian  frontier, 
and  that  General  Ignatieff  declared  to  the  Turkish 
Ministers  in  the  presence  of  my  representative, 
Prince  Jean  Ghika,  that  his  Government  would 
seize  the  Danube  Principalities  as  a  pledge  as 
soon  as  the  Turks  occupied  Servia  and  Monte- 
negro !  It  is,  of  course  notorious  that  you  cannot 
weigh  every  word  of  the  Russian  Ambassador  in 
Constantinople  in  a  goldsmith's  scales  ;  yet  we 
must  not  ignore  these  heedless  comments.  .  .  . 
We  are  resolved  to  repel  with  armed  force  any 
occupation,  no  matter  from  which  side  it  comes. 
We  naturally  cannot  hold  out  against  a  Great 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  229 

Power,  yet  we  shall  be  able  to  preserve  our 
standing  point  without,  as  formerly,  meeting  the 
army  of  occupation  as  our  saviours.  .  .  . 

"  Matters  are  not  progressing  favourably  in 
Servia.  The  population  of  that  portion  of  the 
East  has  fixed  its  eyes  on  Montenegro,  which 
enjoys  great  authority  amongst  the  Slavs,  and 
great  respect  from  the  Turks.  Prince  Nicholas, 
with  whom  I  am  on  the  best  terms,  is  treated 
with  especial  consideration  and  leniency  by 
Russia  and  Austria,  a  thing  which  unfortunately 
cannot  be  said  of  the  young  Milan." 

On  April  6,  1876,  Prince  Milan  sent  his  uncle, 
M.  Catargiu,  to  inform  Prince  Charles  that  he 
had  decided  on  war  with  Turkey,  and  hoped  that 
Roumania  would  not  remain  content  with  the 
role  of  a  passive  spectator,  as  it  was  to  the 
interest  of  both  countries  to  free  themselves  from 
the  Turkish  suzerainty.  Prince  Charles,  however, 
did  not  abandon  the  strict  reserve  with  which  he 
had  hitherto  received  similar  communications. 

The  startling  news  of  a  deficit  of  30,000,000 
francs,  at  a  time  when  the  political  situation 
rendered  an  increased  expenditure  on  the  army 
essential,  led  on  April  11,  1876,  to  the  fall  of  the 
Catargiu  Ministry,  which  for  five  eventful  and, 
on  the  whole,  prosperous  years  had  assisted 
Prince  Charles  in  the  consolidation  of  the  Princi- 
palities. General  Floresku  was  entrusted  with 


230  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  formation  of  the  new  Cabinet,  which,  as  it 
included  two  other  generals,  was  promptly  dubbed 
the  "  Cabinet  of  Generals "  by  the  Opposition 
Press.  Strange  to  say,  the  life  of  this  quasi- 
military  government  depended  on  the  votes  of 
the  eight  bishops,  as  the  supporters  of  the 
Government  disposed  of  thirty-seven,  and  the 
Opposition  thirty-four  votes  in  the  Senate. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  April  2Gth,  187G. 

"  The  greatest  excitement  prevails  here,  and 
there  are  rumours  of  conspiracies  and  revolutions, 
which  do  not,  however,  daunt  me.  I  go  straight 
ahead  and  do  my  duty.  My  chief  anxieties  are 
the  condition  of  our  finances  and  the  serious 
situation  in  the  East.  .  .  .  Servia  is  in  a  state  of 
great  agitation,  and  is  driving  with  all  sails  set 
towards  war.  I  warned  Prince  Milan  not  to 
expose  his  throne  and  country  to  danger  by  a 
hasty  step ;  but  he  declared  that  he  could  no 
longer  master  the  current,  and  had  to  choose 
between  a  war  and  a  revolution  !  Quite  recently 
I  called  upon  him  to  delay  taking  action,  and 
informed  him  that  he  must  not  reckon  on 
Boumania,  which  would  observe  the  strictest 
neutrality.  He  received  this  exhortation  in  a 
very  bad  humour." 

Yet  another  step  towards  the  coming  war  was 
the  outbreak  of  a  revolution  in  Bulgaria,  where  a 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  231 

petition  had  been  circulating  for  several  weeks  to 
induce  the  Sultan  to  convert  that  Vilayet  into  a 
constitutional  kingdom.  A  manifesto  was  issued 
by  the  secret  National  Government  of  Bulgaria 
in  Bucharest,  calling  all  Bulgarians  to  arms,  as 
the  hour  of  their  liberation  had  arrived.  This 
manifesto  was  published  broadcast  throughout 
the  Bulgarian  Vilayet,  and  met  with  enthusiastic 
response  everywhere. 

In  the  meantime,  the  "  Cabinet  of  Generals " 
was  forced  to  resign  owing  to  its  inherent  weak- 
ness, and  a  "  Ministry  of  Conciliation,"  as  Prince 
Charles  termed  it,  was  formed  by  M.  Jepureanu 
on  May  8,  1876. 

Prince  Charles  welcomed  the  two  Vice-Presi- 
dents  of  the  Senate,  Prince  Jon  Ghika  and 
Demeter  Sturdza,  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  more 
than  five  years,  with  a  few  friendly  words  on  the 
presentation  of  an  address  from  the  Senate  on 
May  14.  A  few  days  later  the  Prince  expressed 
his  regret  to  M.  Sturdza  that  he,  whom  he  had 

o 

always  trusted,  should  have  adopted  during  the 
past  five  years  an  anti-dynastic  policy  in  personal 
opposition  to  the  Sovereign.  The  Roumanian 
statesman  replied  that  the  only  excuse  he  could 
offer  was  that  he  had  misunderstood  the  Prince's 
motives,  and  thought  that  he  had  allowed  himself 
to  be*  induced  by  the  views  of  one  party  to 
measures  which  would  be  of  no  benefit  to  the 
country. 


232  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

From  tlie  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  May  22nd,  1876. 
"Ever  since  your  last  letter  reached  my  hands 
the  rapt  attention  of  Europe  has  been  fixed  on 
Stamboul  and  the  seething  Turkish  provinces. 
This  state  of  affairs  reminds  me  of  the  time 
before  1864,  when  every  conversation  about  the 
solution  of  the  Schleswig-Holstein  Question 
ended  thus  :  '  Let  us  wish  the  Danish  King  long 
life,  that  the  conflict  may  be  delayed  as  long  as 
possible.'  But  Frederick  VII.  died  suddenly,  and 
misfortune  was  at  the  doors.  The  situation  to- 
day is  the  more  favourable  in  that  none  of  the 
Great  Powers  have  any  longing  to  fight,  because, 
God  knows,  enough  blood  has  been  shed  these 
last  few  years.  So  far  as  we  Germans  are  con- 
cerned, the  Eastern  Question  possesses  no  imme- 
diate interest  for  us :  our  only  care  is  the 
protection  of  our  countrymen,  on  whose  account 
our  iron-clad  squadron  is  now  manoeuvring." 

A  revolution  in  the  palace  at  Constantinople 
resulted  in  the  deposition  of  Abdul  Aziz  in  favour 
of  Murad  V.  on  May  30,  1876  ;  but,  though  the 
accession  of  the  new  Sovereign  brought  with 
it  plenty  of  promises  of  reform,  the  situation 
remained  as  threatening  as  before.  Almost  every 
day  fresh  reports  of  unheard-of  cruelties  and 
massacres  were  received  from  Bulgaria,  where 
bashi-bazouks  were  suppressing  the  insurrection 
with  barbarous  severity. 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  233 

The  attitude  of  England  now  engrossed  the 
attention  of  Prince  Charles,  as  the  following 
extracts  will  show : 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  June  9<A,  1876. 

"  The  most  noteworthy  incident  of  the  present 
day  is  the  energetic  awakening  of  England,  which 
has  suddenly  assumed,  so  to  speak,  a  position  '  on 
guard/ and,  relinquishing  its  passive  attitude,  is  com- 
mencing an  aggressive  policy  against  Hussia.  Should 
this  positive  attitude  of  England  secure  the  peace 
of  the  world,  she  will  deserve  the  highest  apprecia- 
tion ;  but  whether  the  future  position  of  Roumania 
will  be  bettered  by  it  is  quite  another  question ! 
The  disclosure  of  the  Russian  aims,  contained  in 
Ignatieff's  proposals  (if,  indeed,  they  are  the  least 
true),  is  very  curious,  and  the  gain  to  Roumania 
by  its  elevation  to  a  kingdom  is  very  problematical. 
The  connection  with  the  Porte  is  by  no  means  as 
heavy  a  burden  as  the  supremacy  of  Russia ! " 

To  PKINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  June  2±th,  1876. 

"  The  situation  in  Constantinople  remains  un- 
altered by  the  change  of  rulers  or  the  assassi- 
nation* of  the  Ministers.  The  system  of 
corruption  is  so  deeply  rooted  in  every  branch  of 
the  Turkish  administration  that  no  Government 

*  A  fanatic  forced  his  way  into  the  Turkish  Council 
Chamber  on  June  15  and  killed  two  Ministers — Hussein  Avni 
and  Reschid,  besides  wounding  the  Minister  of  Marine. 


234  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

will  ever  succeed  in  exterminating  it.  The  pro- 
posed reforms  are  and  will  remain  empty  promises, 
which  gain  no  credit  either  with  Mohammedans 
or  Christians.  The  insurrections  will,  therefore, 
even  in  the  most  favourable  circumstances,  con- 
tinue to  exist  until  the  Ottoman  Empire  is  shaken 
to  its  foundations,  if  it  is  not  overthrown  entirely. 
Smaller  States  will  then  arise,  which  will  possess  a 
more  or  less  protracted  vitality. 

"England  has  at  last  gauged  the  situation 
correctly  :  Lord  Derby's  declaration  in  the  Upper 
House,  maintaining  that  the  Treaty  of  Paris  only 
guarantees  the  integrity  of  Turkey  from  attacks 
from  abroad,  but  that  none  of  the  signatory 
Powers  can  intervene  between  the  Porte  and  the 
Tributary  States,  is  most  significant.  If  all  the 
Great  Powers  were  to  adopt  this — the  only  correct 
point  of  view — the  Oriental  conflict  would  be 
localised,  and  we  should  thus  avoid  serious  com- 
plications. The  vassal  States  and  the  various 
Provinces  must  be  allowed  to  break  their  horns. 
If  they  succeed  in  emerging  victorious  from  the 
struggle  with  their  suzerain,  tant  mieux  !  If  not, 
they  do  not  deserve  to  be  independent  countries. 

"  The  Servians  will  not  wait  for  the  '  green- 
table  '  decisions  of  diplomacy  :  they  will  decide 
their  fate  themselves.  Bulgaria  is  in  a  state  of 
great  agitation ;  revolutionary  committees  have 
been  formed  everywhere  to  incite  the  populace  to 
throw  off  the  Turkish  yoke.  We  are  saddled 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  235 

with  the  thankless  task  of  impeding  the  communi- 
cations of  the  committees  here  with  those  in 
Bulgaria,  and  with  preventing  the  invasion  of 
Turkey  by  armed  bands.  We  had  repeatedly  to 
act  with  energy,  and  arrest  the  leaders  with  their 
troops  ;  they  were,  of  course,  liberated  in  a  couple 
of  days,  but  their  weapons  were  seized. 

"...  Servia  is  ready  for  war,  and  inquiring 
what  will  be  the  attitude  of  Roumania  in  the  event 
of  Turkish  warships  steaming  up  the  Danube  ? 
The  Servians,  moreover,  are  not  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  Roumania  owing  to  our  strictly 
neutral  attitude.  Germany,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  convinced  that  the  Turks,  in  spite  of  the  con- 
dition of  their  finances,  are  still  capable  of  con- 
siderable military  efforts,  and  will  annihilate  the 
Servians  in  a  war;  and  she  has,  through  the 
medium  of  her  agent,  congratulated  the  Roumanian 
Government  on  its  attitude.  ..." 

The  insurgents  in  Herzegowina  proclaimed  the 
Prince  of  Montenegro  as  their  ruler,  whilst  the 
Bosnians  placed  themselves  under  Prince  Milan, 
who  now  forwarded  a  quasi-ultimatum  to  the 
Porte,  demanding  the  incorporation  of  Bosnia  in 
the  Principality  of  Servia  under  the  suzerainty  of 
Turkey.  Roumania  seized  the  opportunity  of 
reminding  the  Sublime  Porte  of  certain  disputes 
which  still  remained  unsettled,  in  spite  of  the 
loyalty  shown  by  the  Prince's  Government  to  the 


236  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

conventions.      The    following   seven    points   were 
then  submitted  to  the  Porte : 

(1)  The  recognition  of  Roumania's  individuality 
as  a  State. 

(2)  The  addition  of  the  Roumanian  Agent  to  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  in  Constantinople. 

(3)  The  regulation  of  the  position  of  Roumanians 
in   Turkey,    and   the   recognition   of   Roumanian 
consular  jurisdiction  over  them. 

(4)  The  recognition  of  the  inviolability  of  Rou- 
manian territory. 

(5)  The  conclusion  of  extradition,  commercial, 
and    postal    conventions    between    Turkey    and 
Roumania. 

(6)  The  recognition  of  Roumanian  passports. 

(7)  The  definition  of  the  Roumanian  frontier  at 
the  Delta  of  the  Danube. 

Servia  declared  war  on  June  30, 1876,  followed  a 
couple  of  days  later  by  Montenegro.  The  Servian 
forces  amounted  to  56,000  men,  concentrated  on 
the  line  Alexinatz  and  Deligrad,  whilst  Prince 
Nicholas  mustered  24,000  men,  in  addition  to  4000 
insurgents  from  Herzegowina.  The  Turkish  force 
consisted  of  97,000  men,  divided  into  four  columns, 
under  Suleiman,  Mehemed,  Achmed  and  Osman 
Pachas,  the  commander-in-chief  being  Abdul 
Kerim.  The  fortune  of  war  did  not  favour  the 
Servian  insurgents  under  the  Russian  General 
Tschernaiew,  who  were  beaten  near  Babinaglawa 
on  July  9,  and  eventually  forced  to  fall  back 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  237 

behind  the  Servian  frontier.  The  Montenegrin 
troops,  however,  defeated  Selim  Pacha  on  the  16th 
and  17th  July,  and  compelled  Moukhtar  Pacha  to 
retire  on  Trebinje  on  the  29th.  The  course  of  the 
war  showed  that  the  Servians  had  completely  over- 
estimated both  their  military  spirit  and  their 
material  resources  for  war,  and  they  were  only 
saved  from  annihilation  by  the  intervention  of  the 
Powers  on  their  behalf  in  obtaining  an  armistice 
for  fourteen  days,  from  September  16  to  October  1. 
In  Roumania,  in  the  meantime,  a  most  inoppor- 
tune attack  was  made  on  the  late  Conservative 
Government  by  the  Radicals,  who  demanded  a  full 
inquiry  into  the  causes  of  the  deficit,  and  the  pro- 
secution of  twelve  former  Ministers  for  the  three 
following  offences  : 

(1)  Violation  of  the   Constitution   and   public 
liberty. 

(2)  Extravagance  in  the  expenditure  of  public 
money. 

(3)  Abuse  of  power  when  in  office. 

The  debates  in  the  Chambers  proved  conclu- 
sively that  the  Ministry  was  no  longer  able  to  stem 
the  tide  of  party  passion  ;  and  on  M.  Jepureanu 
handing  in  the  resignation  of  the  Cabinet  on 
August  4,  1876,  M.  Bratianu  was  entrusted  with 
the  formation  of  the  new  Liberal  Cabinet. 

The  reports  of  the  Daily  News  about  the  "  Bul- 
garian Horrors,"  confirmed  by  Mr.  Baring's  report, 
caused  a  complete  revolution  in  the  Turkophile 


288  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sympathies  of  Great  Britain.  Mr.  Baring  stated 
that  fifty-four  Bulgarian  villages  had  been  burnt 
down,  and  about  10,000  people  massacred  ;  no  less 
than  2500  corpses  were  counted  in  Batak  alone. 
The  English  Secretary,  however,  pointed  out  that 
the  Bulgarians  had  also  committed  intolerable 
outrages  on  the  Mohammedan  population,  and  took 
considerable  pains  to  expose  .Russian  intrigues  in 
the  Vilayet. 

Yet  another  change  of  rulers  took  place  in  Con- 
stantinople on  August  31,  1876,  when  Abdul 
Hamid  succeeded  his  brother,  who  was  no  longer 
responsible  for  his  actions.  The  new  potentate 
wisely  adopted  many  economies,  and  endeavoured 
successfully  to  gain  popularity  with  the  army. 

The  situation,  however,  became  more  and  more 
serious,  and  a  suggestion  was  received  from  St. 
Petersburg  that  the  Roumanian  Government 
should  be  sounded  as  to  its  attitude  towards  a 
Russo-Turkish  war.  An  evasive  answer  was  sent, 
to  the  effect  that,  whilst  Roumania  hoped  for  the 
continuance  of  peace,  her  sympathies  were  with 
the  Bulgarians  and  all  Christians  who  suffered 
under  the  Turkish  rule ;  the  Principalities  would 
always  value  the  friendship  of  Russia. 

M.  Cantacuzino,  the  Roumanian  Agent  in 
Russia,  reported  that  influential  circles  in  Russia 
were  antagonistic  to  Roumania,  because  she  had  not 
taken  up  a  decided  attitude  towards  the  present 
struggle.  The  whole  of  Russia,  with  the  exception 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  239 

of  the  Czar  himself,  was  intent  on  war.  Prince 
Charles  decided  at  once  to  send  Bratianu  and  Col. 
Slaniceanu  (Minister  of  War)  to  Livadia,  where 
the  Czar,  the  Czarewitch,  Prince  Gortchakoff, 
and  the  Minister  of  War,  Miliutin,  had  assembled. 
On  arrival  at  Livadia,  M.  Bratianu  was  immediately 
pounced  upon  by  Count  Ignatieff  to  explain  to  him 
the  absolute  necessity  of  an  agreement  regulating 
the  passage  of  the  Russian  army  through  Roumania. 

Prince  Gortschakow  also  referred  to  this 
question,  and  suggested  a  non-political  military 
convention  between  the  two  countries.  Bratianu 
replied  that  no  difficulties  would  ensue  if  the  war 
met  with  the  approval  of  the  guaranteeing  Powers, 
but  that  this  consent  must  be  clearly  and  defi- 
nitely expressed.  The  Russian  Chancellor  met 
this  opposition  with  the  threat  of  treating 
Moldavia  and  Wallachia  as  integral  parts  of  the 
Ottoman  Empire,  and  therefore  liable  to  invasion 
without  further  parley.  Bratianu,  by  no  means 
disconcerted,  represented  that  Russia  could  hardly 
commence  the  liberation  of  the  Turkish  Christians 
by  defeating  a  Christian  army,  and  declared  that 
the  Roumanian  forces  would  oppose  the  passage  of 
the  Prut  by  an  invading  force. 

On  parting,  Prince  Gortchakoff  remarked:  "We 
shall  soon  come  to  terms  if  war  ensues ;  and 
Roumania  can  only  gain  by  it ! "  To  this  Bratianu 
replied  that  a  complete  understanding  would 
be  in  the  interests  of  both  States  ;  and  that  he 


240  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

would  willingly  enter  upon  negotiations  to  that 
effect. 

The  opinions  of  the  Roumanian  Ministers  were 
divided  on  this  point ;  Bratianu  considered  an 
understanding  with  Russia  to  be  the  best  policy, 
D.  Sturdza  advocated  the  strictest  neutrality, 
whilst  Jonesku,  the  Foreign  Minister,  urged  close 
adherence  to  Great  Britain. 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  October  16th,  187G. 

"  I  heard  to-day  of  the  mobilisation  of  the 
Roumanian  army  and  its  concentration  in 
Northern  Moldavia  !  What  is  to  be  understood 
by  that  ?  Is  the  march  of  the  Russians  through 
the  country  to  be  opposed  ;  or  will  Roumania  side 
with  Russia  ?  All  this  is  not  clear  to  me !  The 
pusillanimous  policy  of  England  has  completely 
entangled  the  whole  Turkish-Christian  Question. 
Austria- Hungary  is  crippled  by  its  dualism,  the 
German  Empire  is  shrouded  in  aristocratic  silence, 
and  only  Russia  perseveres  with  an  iron  persist- 
ence in  her  far-reaching  aims." 

In  reply  to  an  ultimatum  presented  by  General 
Ignatieff,  the  Sublime  Porte  conceded  an  arm- 
istice of  two  months,  commencing  on  November 
1,  to  apply  to  the  Servian  and  Montenegrin 
forces  alike.  Prince  Milan's  troops,  under  the 
command  of  Tschernaiew,  had  suffered  defeat 
after  defeat  at  the  hands  of  the  Turkish  troops, 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  241 

and  were  again  saved  from  annihilation  only  by 
the  direct  intervention  of  Russia. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  November  18th. 

"...  I  received  the  following  from  Prince 
Bismarck  :  '  The  situation  of  the  Prince  is  serious, 
although  I  am  not  convinced  that  Russia  will 
proceed  to  war,  if  nobody  endeavours  to  restrain 
her  from  doing  so. 

"  '  In  the  event  of  war,  I  do  not  think  Prince 
Charles  ought  to  resist  the  Russian  proposals  too 
seriously,  nor  throw  himself  into  their  arms.  It 
would  be  best  if  he  shielded  himself  behind  his 
duty  towards  the  Porte,  and  then  yielded  to  force, 
which  will  probably  be  applied  from  the  North 
long  before  Turkey  assumes  the  offensive. 

"  '  He  must  not  allow  himself  to  be  led  away 
by  ambition,  but  must  adhere  to  the  treaties :  his 
resources  are  not  sufficient  in  the  face  of  two  such 
armies  to  secure  him  the  respect  of  the  victor,  if 
he  employs  his  forces.  So  long  as  he  adheres  to 
the  treaties,  he  can  always  appeal  to  Europe. 
That  will  always  be  a  claim,  though  not  perhaps 
an  indisputable  one ;  still  it  will  carry  great  weight 
should  the  Russian  campaign  prove  unfortunate 
eventually.  I  offer  my  opinion  here  as  if  I  were  a 
Roumanian,  and  not  a  German  Minister,  solely  on 
account  of  my  personal  interest  for  his  Highness  ! '" 

Six  Russian  Army  Corps  were   mobilised  and 

Q 


242  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

placed  under  the  command  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Nicholas,  as  the  Army  of  the  South,  on  November 
14,  1876.  A  circular  note  to  the  Powers  assigned 
as  the  reason  for  this  step  the  futility  of  all 
diplomatic  efforts  to  protect  the  Christians  of 
Turkey  from  the  attacks  of  the  Mohammedans. 
The  Czar,  though  desirous  of  peace,  had  therefore 
mobilised  a  portion  of  his  army,  in  order  to  obtain 
guarantees  for  the  execution  of  the  principles 
proposed  by  Europe. 

M.  de  Nelidow  arrived  at  Bucharest  from 
Constantinople  on  November  28,  to  negotiate 
with  the  Roumanian  Government  about  the 
passage  of  the  Russian  army,  and  the  possible 
part  which  Roumania  was  to  play  in  the  war 
with  Turkey.  The  presence  of  the  Russian  agent 
was  naturally  kept  absolutely  secret.  Curiously 
enough,  a  Turkish  agent,  AH  Bey,  arrived  on  the 
same  day  to  arrange  a  combination  with  Roumania 
against  Russia.  Prince  Charles  declined  to  meet 
either  of  these  messengers,  and  instructed  his 
Ministers  to  adopt  a  reserved  attitude,  and  to 
refer  both  to  the  Treaty  of  Paris. 

Dem.  Bratianu  was  sent  to  Constantinople  in 
November  to  put  the  Roumanian  demands  before 
the  Conference  which  had  assembled  there,  and 
to  endeavour  to  arrange  a  peaceful  settlement. 
The  Roumanian  demands  were  :  the  recognition  of 
their  neutrality ;  the  regulation  of  their  attitude 
in  the  event  of  a  war  between  Turkey  and  one  of 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  243 

the  Guaranteeing   Powers ;  and   the    cession    to 
Roumania  of  a  part  of  the  Delta  of  the  Danube. 

The  efforts  of  the  Conference  to  avoid  the  war 
came  to  a  definite  end  on  January  19,  1877,  when 
the  Turkish  Government  declined  every  proposal 
of  the  Conference  as  being  opposed  to  the 
"integrity,  independence,  and  dignity  of  the 
Empire." 

To  PKINCE  CHARLES  ANTHOXY,  January  20th,  1877. 

"The  hour  of  danger  is  approaching,  and  Rou- 
mania will  shortly  be  the  scene  of  great  political 
and  military  events,  which  Europe  will  follow  not 
without  agitation.  In  any  case  our  position  will 
be  difficult,  as  we  shall  be  drawn  into  the  com- 
plication whether  we  wish  it  or  no.  Politicians 
here  are  much  more  anxious  about  the  result  of  a 
Russo-Turkish  conflict  and  the  future  of  Roumania 
than  I  am,  as  I  have  marked  out  my  path  from 
the  beginning :  *  to  conclude  a  military  conven- 
tion with  Russia,  and,  if  necessary,  to  fight  with 
Russia  against  the  Turks.  It  is  true  that  opinion 
here  is  much  divided  on  this  subject,  and  that 
every  effort  is  being  made  to  separate  us  from 
Russia.  There  are  Powers  that  demand  that  we 
should  protest  against  the  entry  of  the  Russians, 
and  that  we  should  retire  our  army  to  Little 
Wallachia !  You  can  imagine  how  I  received  such 

*  All  words  in  italics  are  written  in  ciphered  French  in  the 
original. 


244  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

a  suggestion !  Andrassy,  with  whom  I  am  on 
friendly  terms,  is  acquainted  with  my  views  on  this 
subject,  and  is  not  much  edified  by  them.  The 
conflict  with  the  Porte  which  the  Constitution  has 
forced  upon  us  was  very  welcome  to  me;  Midhat 
is  endeavouring  to  allay  it  by  every  means  ;  but 
since  we  demand  more  to-day  than  he  has  the 
courage  to  give  us,  it  is  still  an  open  question. 
The  Turks  are  concentrating  considerable  forces  in 
Bulgaria,  and  are  arming  the  Danubian  fortresses, 
which  are  in  a  miserable  condition,  with  feverish 
haste  ;  the  heavy  guns  are  being  brought  up  from 
the  arsenal  at  Constantinople  and  mounted  in  the 
forts,  with  much  expenditure  of  trouble,  labour 
and  money.  All  sorts  of  rumours  are  spread 
abroad  about  the  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the 
Russian  army,  but  my  information  shows  that  it 
is  ready  for  action,  and  certainly  equal  to  its 
opponent.  ...  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that 
Servia  can  take  no  part  in  the  war;  it  is  only  with 
the  greatest  exertion  that  a  corps  of  15,000  men 
can  be  assembled,  and  they  would  assuredly  show 
no  enthusiasm." 

From  PRINCE  CHAHLES  ANTHONY,  January  22nd,  1877. 

"  On  looking  back  over  recent  events  the  con- 
viction is  borne  in  upon  me  that  the  fear  which 
the  Russian  Colossus  inspires  in  Europe,  coupled 
with  the  natural  differences  in  the  interests  of 
the  Powers,  have  been  the  causes  of  the  pitiful 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  245 

end  of  the  Congresses  which  started  with  such  a 
flourish  of  trumpets.    Had  Europe  been  united  and 
less  timorous,  it  might  have  intervened  and  begun 
those   Conferences   at  the   time   of  the   Servian 
War,  instead  of  a  whole  year  later.    Turkey  could 
hardly   have   resisted    if  a   pressure   of   all   the 
Powers  had  been  applied  at  that  time  even  with- 
out Russia,  and  she  would  have  conceded  more 
than   she   can   now   afford    to   do  after  her  un- 
questionable successes  in   the  Servian  War  and 
the   complete    change   in   her   interior   economy. 
So   much   is   certain   after   a    long   and   anxious 
period   that    the    Conferences    have   resulted   in 
a  fiasco,  and  that  this  fiasco  has  materially  raised 
and   strengthened   the  morale  and   authority  of 
the   Porte.  .  .  .  Roumania  will   be  most   deeply 
affected    by   such   a   war,    as   the    Russian   base 
of  operations   can   only  be    Roumania  ;    there  is 
no  other  at  her  disposal.      Resistance  to   Russia 
is    out    of    the    question ;    you    must    therefore 
endeavour  to   reap  the  greatest  possible  benefits 
from    this   impossibility.      The    material    advan- 
tages develop  spontaneously,  for  the   acquisition 
of  money  and  the  increased  value  of  all  country 
produce  will   assume  enormous  dimensions ;    the 
political  benefits   are,  however,  more  difficult  to 
formulate.      The    permission   to    march    through 
Roumanian     territory,    and     the     establishment 
there  of  all  that   an  army  on  an  active  footing 
requires,    is    already    half    a    declaration   of  war 


246  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

from  Roumania  to  Turkey.  The  latter,  however, 
must  recognise  that  Roumania  cannot  prevent 
the  entry  of  two  or  three  hundred  thousand 
Russians ;  the  only  question  that  remains  is 
whether  Roumania  will  co-operate  with  the 
advance  of  the  Russian  army  and  cross  the 
Danube.  I  should  consider  this  most  unwise, 
for  in  doing  so  Roumania  will  place  herself 
between  two  stools.  If  the  Turks  preserve  their 
proverbial  powers  of  resistance,  and  so  protract 
the  war  to  an  indefinite  and  costly  length,  we 
have  no  guarantee  that  the  Russians  would  not 
conclude  peace  with  the  Turks  in  one  way  or 
another  and  abandon  Roumania,  who  would  then 
be  overwhelmed  by  Turkish  malevolence. 

"It  is  more  than  probable  that  both  sides  will 
soon  become  exhausted  in  a  localised  war ;  the 
only  question  is,  which  of  the  two  will  give  in 
first.  Russia's  eyes  will  always  be  fixed  on  her 
own  interests,  never  on  those  of  Roumania ;  and, 
since  there  is  no  such  thing  as  gratitude  in 
politics,  I  recommend  you  to  exercise  the  utmost 
caution. 

"  Europe  will  not  interest  itself  in  a  defeated 
and  fallen  Roumania — it  will  only  have  regard  for 
a  free  country  which  is  not  tied  down  by  treaties. 
Prudence  and  moderation  are  therefore  necessary 
at  so  critical  a  period,  which  will  either  prove  to 
be  a  wholesome  era  of  transition  for  your  country, 
or  will  bear  the  seeds  of  its  annihilation." 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  247 

The  efforts  of  the  Russian  diplomats  in  Con- 
stantinople now  appeared  to  be  confined  to  de- 
laying the  advance  of  the  Russian  army  until  a 
more  favourable  season  of  the  year  should  have 
arrived.  Prince  Charles  Anthony  thus  sketched 
the  possible  results  of  the  coming  war  in  a  letter 
to  his  son  dated  March  1,  1877  : 

"  Russia  will  hardly  gain  great  triumphs — a  few 
military  successes  may  be  achieved,  but  certainly 
none  of  any  political  importance.  The  army  and 
the  Slav  element  must  content  themselves  with  a 
small  modicum  of  glory,  whilst  the  Czar  Alex- 
ander may  think  himself  lucky  in  returning  to 
peaceful  and  normal  circumstances,  and  in  having 
mastered  a  movement  which  is  of  the  greatest 
danger  to  Russia.  The  only  tangible  result  of 
the  whole  Russian  initiative  will,  perhaps,  be  that 
the  suzerainty  of  the  Porte  over  Roumania  is 
transferred  to  Russia. 

"  Roumania  would  thereby  be  supported  by  a 
stronger  and  more  stable  Power,  with,  perhaps, 
more  freedom  at  home  and  abroad,  but  would 
certainly  not  achieve  her  longed-for  recognition  as 
an  independent  and  equal  State. 

"  The  forms  of  the  suzerainty  would  perhaps  be 
more  equable  and  more  pleasant,  but  the  depend- 
ence, though  tolerable,  would  always  be  felt. 

"  This  would  merely  be  an  exchange  of  roles. 
Europe  would  then  admire  Russia's  moderation, 


248  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  would  doubtless  concede  every  demand  made 
along  the  lines  I  have  suggested.  The  sacrifice  of 
Roumania  would  thus  be  a  message  of  peace,  on 
which  would  hinge  the  return  to  the  universal 
entente" 

A  final  attempt  to  settle  the  Eastern  Question 
by  means  of  the  London  Protocol  met  with  as 
little  success  as  the  efforts  of  the  Conference  ;  and 
the  Russo-Roumanian  Convention  was  signed  on 
April  16,  1877,  by  Baron  Stuart  on  behalf  of  the 
Czar,  and  M.  Cogalniceanu  on  behalf  of  Prince 
Charles.  The  following  were  the  chief  articles  of 
the  Convention  : 

(1)  The   Russian  army  to   be   granted    a   free 
passage  through  Roumania,  the  Russian  Govern- 
ment paying  all  expenses  connected  therewith. 

(2)  The  Government  of  the  Czar  pledges  itself 
to  maintain  and  protect  the  actual  integrity  and 
political  rights  of  Roumania. 

(3)  The  special  regulations  as  to  the  march  of 
the  Russian  troops  to  form  the  subject  of  a  special 
treaty. 

(4)  The  Roumanian   Government  to  obtain  the 
ratification  required  by  the  Constitution,  arid  to 
proceed  at  once  to  the  execution  of  the  stipula- 
tions of  the  treaty. 

The  Turkish  reinforcements  of  the  forces  at 
Rustchuk  and  Schumla  caused  the  greatest 
excitement  in  Bucharest,  indeed  in  the  whole  of 


THREATENING  CLOUDS  249 

Roumania.  Public  opinion,  influenced  perhaps  by 
the  recent  failure  of  the  Servian  army  in  the  field, 
declined  to  place  any  confidence  in  the  military 
efficiency  of  the  Roumanian  troops.  The  incessant 
and  exaggerated  rumours  of  Turkish  raids  and 
passages  of  the  Danube  created  something  like  a 
panic  in  the  capital,  and  several  over-anxious 
inhabitants  quitted  the  country  rather  than  run 
the  risk  of  experiencing  the  horrors  of  a  Turkish 
invasion.  Prince  Charles,  however,  had  every 
trust  and  confidence  in  the  ability  of  his  army  to 
prevent  the  Turks  from  crossing  the  Danube. 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE   ARMY 

BY  no  means  the  least  of  the  Prince's  tasks  was 
the  reorganisation  and  training  of  the  Roumanian 
army,  which  at  the  time  of  his  accession  was  in 
the  most  deplorable  condition.  Moulded  on  the 
pattern  of  the  French  army  of  1859,  and  trained  by 
a  French  mission  militaire,  it  reproduced  many  of 
the  defects  of  the  army,  which  failed  so  utterly  in 
1870,  and  yet  missed  those  qualities  which  saved 
the  Imperial  army  of  France  from  dishonour  in 
the  field.  The  young  Prince  was  fully  aware  of  the 
potent  influence  for  good  that  a  well-disciplined 
army  exerts  upon  the  welfare  of  a  nation,  and 
determined  from  the  first  to  employ  the  highest 
moral  and  material  resources  of  his  country  to 
establish  an  army  which,  if  not  formidable  in  num- 
bers, should  at  least  be  worthy  of  respect  in  point 
of  quality.  His  nine  years'  service  in  the  Prussian 
artillery  and  cavalry  had  given  him  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  minutiae  of  military  routine  and 
discipline,  whilst  his  active  service  on  the  staft' 


THE  ARMY  251 

of  the  Crown  Prince  in  1864,  and  his  familiar 
intercourse  with  the  leaders  of  the  Prussian  army 
had  helped  to  train  him  in  the  art  of  command. 
Prince  Charles  realised  that  a  weak  State  like 
Roumania,  surrounded  by  its  powerful  neighbours, 
Russia,  Austria,  and  Turkey,  must  place  its  army, 
on  a  thoroughly  satisfactory  footing,  unless  it  were 
content  to  play  the  unsatisfactory  part  of  being 
forced  to  side,  possibly  against  its  will,  with  what- 
ever State  was  first  to  mobilise  its  forces,  whilst 
its  very  weakness  might  be  the  cause  of  a  war. 
The  safety  and  welfare  of  Roumania,  he  was 
firmly  convinced,  rested  on  a  sound  military  con- 
stitution, by  means  of  which  its  independence 
would  some  day  be  achieved  on  the  field  of  battle. 
No  pains,  therefore,  and  no  exertions  were  too 
great  to  devote  to  the  training  of  his  troops,  who 
soon  learnt  to  look  up  to  him  as  their  example  in 
all  that  a  soldier  should  be.  His  absolute  impar- 
tiality and  justice,  his  care  for  their  well-being, 
and  his  knowledge  of  every  detail  of  warfare, 
made  him  as  popular  with  his  ofiicers  as  with  his 
men. 

From  the  outset  Prince  Charles  endeavoured 
to  mould  the  spirit  of  his  officers  on  that  to  which 
he  had  been  accustomed  in  Prussia.  Shortly 
after  his  accession,  he  received  a  round  robin 
from  the  officers  of  the  army,  desiring  that  those 
officers  who  had  taken  part  in  the  Revolution  of 
February  23,  1866,  should  be  dismissed  from  the 


252  THE  KIN7G  OF  ROUMANIA 

army.     Prince  Charles  received  the  deputation  in 
the  Palace  and  addressed  them  as  follows  : 

"  I  have  accepted  your  address,  first,  because 
I  respect  the  feeling  which  has  dictated  this  step  ; 
and  secondly,  that  I  might  have  an  occasion  of 
informing  you  of  my  views  upon  military  honour 
and  the  duties  of  a  soldier. 

"  An  address  is  apt  to  assume  the  appearance 
of  moral  pressure,  such  as  no  soldier  can  be  per- 
mitted to  exercise  over  the  supreme  head  of  the 
army. 

"  The  soldier's  oath  demands  absolute  obedience. 
Neither  the  acts  of  the  head  of  the  army,  nor  the 
motives  which  lead  to  them,  admit  of  criticism  ; 
politics  must  have  no  influence  on  the  soldier, 
whose  sole  duty  it  is  to  defend  with  his  last  breath 
his  Sovereign  and  his  country  against  every  enemy. 

"  I  am  fully  convinced  that  you  share  my  views, 
and  recognise  that  your  action  is  from  every  mili- 
tary standpoint  inadmissible.  It  is  on  that 
account  that  I  desire  you  to  trust  to  my  military 
judgment,  and  to  leave  to  me  to  act  in  all  that 
concerns  the  army  according  to  my  own  conviction 
and  sense  of  duty. 

"  At  the  same  time,  I  repeat,  I  appreciate  the 
honourable  feeling  on  which  this  address  is  based  ; 
but  I  also  again  urge  that  I  demand  at  all  times 
devotion  and  unreserved  obedience  from  each  one 
of  you. 


THE  ARMY  253 

"  I  have  been  and  am  still  a  soldier  by  inclina- 
tion; and  it  is  for  that  reason,  as  well  as  on 
account  of  the  importance  to  the  country  of  a 
well-disciplined  army,  that  one  of  my  most 
cherished  aims  will  be  to  secure  for  it  the  position 
to  which  it  has  every  right  to  aspire.  I  shall 
endeavour  to  become  well  acquainted  with  the 
army  and  its  leaders,  that  I  may  be  able  to  decide 
according  to  merit  and  justice,  by  utterly  rejecting 
all  party  or  personal  interest. 

"Reckon  confidently  on  this  promise,  and  re- 
member that  I  have  come  to  create  a  future,  and 
not  to  rely  upon  the  precedents  of  a  past  which  I 
ignore,  and  of  which  I  would  even  prefer  to 
remain  ignorant." 

The  spirit  of  insubordination  was  even  more 
rife  amongst  the  National  Guard,  as  the  following 
incident  will  show.  Prince  Charles  ordered  the 
National  Guard  of  Bucharest  to  assemble  at  the 
parade-ground  of  Cotroceni  on  July  2,  1866.  The 
President  of  the  Ministry  reported  to  the  Prince 
the  day  before  that  the  National  Guard  would 
refuse  to  muster  as  ordered,  as  a  rumour  had 
gained  currency  that  they  were  to  be  disarmed  on 
account  of  their  party  tendencies.  They  intended, 
therefore,  to  parade  before  the  Chamber,  and  in- 
voke the  protection  of  the  Deputies  against  such 
a  step.  The  Prince,  however,  refused  to  change 
his  order,  and  insisted  upon  its  execution.  On 


254  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

arriving  at  Cotroceni  the  following  day,  he  found 
that  only  a  couple  of  hundred  men  had  assembled 
there.  An  aide-de-camp  was  at  once  despatched 
to  Bucharest  to  enforce  the  order,  whilst  Prince 
Charles  set  himself  at  the  head  of  those  present 
and  marched  with  bands  playing  into  the  capital. 
Companies  then  appeared  from  all  sides,  until 
some  three  thousand  men  were  collected  on  the 
Theatre  Square.  The  Guard  then  marched  past 
and  cheered  their  Sovereign  again  and  again, 
though  their  behaviour  had  given  him  every 
reason  to  consider  them  an  element  of  danger 
rather  than  of  safety  to  the  State. 

The  projected  army  reforms  were  hampered  at 
every  turn  by  the  want  of  money  ;  on  one  occasion 
the  Prince  was  even  obliged  to  advance  money 
out  of  his  private  purse  for  the  purchase  of  two 
batteries  of  rifled  guns  from  Krupp's  factory. 

The  strength  of  the  army,  which  the  Sublime 
Porte  had  limited  to  30,000  men,  was  to  be  organ- 
ised into  a  standing  force  of  20,000  with  a  reserve 
of  10,000  men;  whilst  a  Militia  of  30,000  and 
a  Landsturm  of  50,000  were  to  be  instituted. 
Every  Roumanian  who  was  fit  for  service  was 
liable  to  serve  from  the  ages  of  twenty  to  forty  in 
one  or  the  other  category.  Though  the  total 
number  of  men  available  thus  amounted  to  over 
100,000,  the  great  bulk  remained  untrained, 
and  of  very  little  value  for  service  in  the  field. 
The  frequent  reviews  and  inspections  which  Prince 


THE  ARMY  255 

Charles  initiated  proved  that  the  troops  lacked 
cohesion,  and  their  officers  the  ability  to  lead 
their  men  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of 
modern  warfare. 

The  first  attempt  at  practical  and  systematic 
manoeuvres  for  the  Roumanian  troops  took  place 
near  Cotroceni  on  October  14  and  15,  1867,  when 
the  garrison  of  Bucharest,  consisting  of  five 
battalions,  three  batteries  of  four  guns  each,  and 
one  regiment  of  cavalry,  practised  the  three  phases 
of  an  engagement.  The  operations  were  directed 
by  the  Prince  in  person,  who  also  bivouacked  with 
his  troops  after  a  inarch  of  about  twenty -two  miles. 
The  march  back  to  Bucharest  the  following  day 
gave  an  opportunity  for  skirmishing  and  manoeu- 
vring. Before  entering  the  town  Prince  Charles 
assembled  the  superior  officers,  and  pointed  out 
the  great  want  of  training  displayed,  and  how 
much  remained  to  be  done  before  the  army  could 
be  fit  to  take  the  field ;  he  did  not,  however,  forget 
to  mention  that  the  officers  had  hitherto  had  but 
little  opportunity  to  practise  themselves  in  leading 
their  men,  and  none  at  all  in  handling  a  force  of 
the  three  arms  at  manoeuvres. 

On  the  occasion  of  these  first  manoeuvres  a 
number  of  officers  received  special  promotion,  but 
considerable  excitement  was  caused  by  this  step, 
as  two  of  them  were  not  on  the  best  of  terms  with 
the  Ministry.  The  Minister  of  War  also  com- 
plained that  his  opinion  was  not  asked  before  the 


256  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

promotions  took  place.  Prince  Charles,  however, 
exercised  the  right  of  promotion  intentionally  in 
order  to  make  good  several  cases  of  injustice  which 
had  arisen  from  party  feeling.  The  effect  of  this 
independent  action  on  the  army  was  excellent,  as 
it  was  clearly  seen  that  from  henceforth  the  army 
would  not  be  affected  by  the  influence  of  the 
political  party  of  the  day. 

The  rifle  selected  by  Prince  Charles  for  the  re- 
armament of  his  infantry  was  the  celebrated  needle- 
gun  of  Prussia,  5000  of  which  were  to  be  delivered 
in  March  1868,  to  be  followed  by  another  15,000 
during  the  course  of  the  year.  The  ready  aid 
offered  by  King  William  to  Prince  Charles  was 
promptly  recognised  by  the  Roumanians :  "  The 
Prussians  have  sent  us  their  best,  whilst  the  French 
send  us  what  they  have  cast  off." 

Even  in  the  matter  of  uniform  the  Prince  in- 
sisted rather  on  utility  than  show.  The  heavy 
gold  lace  of  the  officers  was  abolished :  the 

o 

infantry  received  blue  tunics  (the  artillery  brown 
tunics),  grey  trousers,  and  greatcoats  ;  the  cavalry 
were  clothed  as  Hussars  instead  of  as  Lancers. 

The  degrading  corporal  punishment  of  the 
bastinado  was  abolished  by  a  letter  from  Prince 
Charles  to  the  Minister  of  War,  dated  May  21, 
1868,  and  published  in  the  official  Moniteur. 
Prince  Charles  retorted  to  the  increasing  interfer- 
ence of  the  foreign  Powers  in  Roumanian  affairs 
with  a  redoubled  zeal  for  the  improvement  of  his 


THE  ARMY  257 

army,  and  hoped  to  raise  the  feeling  of  military 
honour  among  his  troops  by  abolishing  so  bar- 
barous a  punishment. 

Another  organisation  for  the  army  was  passed 
by  the  Chamber  on  June  13,  1868,  according  to 
which  the  following  five  classes  were  to  be  created 
for  the  defence  of  the  country  : 

(1)  The  Standing  Army  and  its  Reserve. 

(2)  The  Active  Militia  (Dorobanz  and  Frontier 
Battalions). 

(3)  The  Sedentary  Militia. 

(4)  The  Citizen  Guard,  and 

(5)  The  Landsturm. 

Service  in  the  first  category  was  to  consist  of 
three  years  with  the  colours  and  four  in  the 
reserve ;  only  a  third  of  the  second  category  was 
to  serve  with  the  colours  whilst  the  remainder 
were  allowed  furloughs  ;  the  third  class  only  were 
called  upon  during  a  war ;  the  fourth  was  of  no 
military  importance,  as  it  was  formed  from  the 
census  classes,  and  permitted  to  elect  its  own 
officers ;  while  the  fifth  comprised  the  whole  male 
population  from  the  age  of  seventeen  to  fifty  not 
included  in  the  former  categories.  This  important 
increase  in  the  armed  strength  of  the  nation  was 
achieved  at  the  trifling  cost  of  £192,000,  the  total 
vote  for  the  army  amounting  to  £320,000. 

The  8th  Infantry  Regiment  was  raised  on 
August  18,  1868,  when  the  existing  Line  Regi- 
ments received  their  3rd  battalions,  and  no  less 


258  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

than  thirty- three  Militia  battalions  were  also  to  be 
organised.  One  hundred  and  fifty  non-commis- 
sioned officers  were  promoted  to  fill  the  vacancies 
caused  by  this  increase  to  the  army. 

A  tradition  had  arisen  in  Roumania  that  the 
Minister  of  War  was  ex-officio  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  army,  and  this  led  to  the  political 
fluctuations  and  struggles  being  transplanted  to 
the  army  itself.  Prince  Charles,  therefore,  ap- 
pointed a  civilian,  Bratianu,  Minister  of  War,  to 
show  that  the  Command  in  Chief  was  vested  in 
the  person  of  the  Sovereign,  thereby  enabling  the 
army  to  devote  itself  to  its  work  of  preparation 
for  war  without  becoming  involved  in  the  politics 
of  the  day. 

Lieut. -Colonel  von  Krenski,  of  the  Prussian 
army,  arrived  on  October  8,  1868,  to  assist  the 
Prince  in  his  work  of  reorganisation  ;  this  step 
caused  the  greatest  excitement  in  French  official 
circles,  where  the  absurd  rumour  gained  ground 
that  6000  Prussian  soldiers  had  found  their  way 
into  Roumania  in  disguise  !  The  French  mission 
militaire,  under  Colonel  Lamy,  was  thereupon 
withdrawn,  and  a  formal  crusade  against  Colonel 
Krenski,  the  "  representative  of  this  foreign 
policy,"  was  set  in  motion.  On  his  return  to 
Berlin  the  gallant  Colonel  was  greeted  with  the 
pointed  remark  from  his  General  that  his  mission 
to  Bucharest  had  caused  more  correspondence  than 
all  the  North  German  forces  put  together  I 


THE  ARMY  259 

Prince  Charles  determined  to  establish  a  stand- 
ing camp  of  instruction  for  his  troops,  and  finally 
settled  on  Furceni,  in  Moldavia,  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Seret,  where  plenty  of  wood  for  huts  was 
available.  The  regiments  moved  into  camp  in 
succession,  commencing  in  April  1869.  In  a 
letter  to  his  father  the  Prince  alludes  to  his  camp 
life  as  follows  :  "  I  am  fairly  well  satisfied  with 
my  stay  in  camp.  The  troops  are  capitally  housed 
in  the  barracks  they  have  built  themselves.  The 
situation  is  fairly  healthy,  as  proved  by  the 
number  of  sick — 200  out  of  12,000  men  ;  whilst  at 
Bucharest  the  proportion  is  230  to  3000.  Those 
troops  whose  barracks  are  not  completed  remain 
under  canvas.  On  my  arrival  I  found  seven  Line 
Regiments,  four  Rifle  and  two  Engineer  bat- 
talions, the  2nd  Artillery  Regiment,  one  squadron 
of  gendarmes,  and  two  of  Dorobanz  Cavalry,  in 
addition  to  the  Train,  Sanitary,  and  Supply 
Departments.  I  inspected  a  regiment  every  day, 
and  lunched  with  the  officers  of  the  various  corps. 
.  .  .  Both  officers  and  men  like  the  camp,  and  the 
prevailing  spirit  is  excellent.  I  promise  myself 
favourable  results  from  camp  life,  especially  with 
regard  to  discipline  and  esprit  de  corps."  .  .  .  On 
his  return  from  Livadia  the  Prince  attended  the 
manoeuvres  before  closing  the  camp,  and  noticed 
a  very  marked  progress,  especially  on  the  occasion 
of  the  passage  of  the  river  Seret  being  forced. 

The  following  year,  1870,  Prince  Charles  de- 


260  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

manded  an  even  higher  standard  of  efficiency  at 
his  inspections,  as  the  troops  had  had  ample  time 
to  become  acquainted  with  their  new  drill  and 
regulations.  Though  the  spirit  of  the  regulars 
and  militia  left  little  to  be  desired,  the  National 
Guard  repeatedly  proved  their  worthlessness  and 
want  of  reliability,  especially  during  the  excite- 
ment of  elections  at  Plojeschti,  where  the  local 
National  Guard  had  to  be  disbanded. 

Some  slight  changes  in  organisation  took  place 
in  April  1871,  when  the  term  of  service  with  the 
colours  was  increased  to  four  years.  The  Doro- 
banz  and  Frontier  units  were  now  formed  into  a 
Territorial  Army,  the  infantry  of  which  was  now 
termed  "  Dorobanzi,"  and  the  cavalry  "  Calar- 
aschi,"  the  cavalry  of  the  Line  being  named 
"Roschiori,"  The  Fire  Brigades,  hitherto  organ- 
ised in  companies  and  battalions,  now  formed  part 
of  the  Territorial  Army,  and  were  trained  as 
gunners. 

Prince  Charles  made  the  acquaintance  of  Colonel 
Charles  Gordon,  who  was  then  a  member  of  the 
European  Commission,  on  April  20,  1872.  The 
conversation  turned  chiefly  on  military  matters, 
particularly  the  great  strategical  value  of  Galatz, 
which  Gordon  declared  could  easily  be  made  into 
a  strong  fortress,  as  its  position  between  the 
Danube,  the  Prut,  and  the  Seret  would  only 
render  necessary  works  against  the  approaches 
from  the  north.  Colonel  Gordon  created  a  most 


THE  ARMY  261 

favourable  impression  upon  the  Prince,  who  showed 
the  greatest  interest  in  his  many  war  services  in 
the  Crimea  and  in  China. 

A  Roumanian  military  decoration  for  long  and 
loyal  service  for  officers  was  founded  in  June  1872, 
in  silver  for  eighteen,  and  in  gold  for  twenty-five 
years'  service.  The  oval  medal  was  to  be  worn 
with  a  blue  ribbon,  bordered  with  yellow.  A 
similar  medal  in  silver,  to  which  a  pension  of 
300  francs  was  added,  was  struck  for  the  benefit 
of  non-commissioned  officers  who  had  served  as 
such  with  credit  for  twelve  years. 

Late  in  September  1872,  11,000  men  were 
assembled  in  a  bivouac  at  Baneassa,  north  of 
Bucharest,  to  take  part  in  manoeuvres  near  Tir- 
goveschte.  A  series  of  engagements  was  practised 
over  a  deeply  intersected  and  wooded  country, 
and  gave  the  artillery  in  particular  an  opportunity 
of  distinguishing  itself.  At  the  close  of  the 
exercises  Prince  Charles  presented  the  first 
medals  for  good  conduct  to  a  number  of  deserving 
non-commissioned  officers. 

In  reply  to  the  Prince's  inquiry  as  to  the  best 
method  of  spending  the  8,000,000  francs  voted  by 
the  Chamber  for  either  barracks  or  fortifications, 
Count  von  Moltke  replied,  in  the  spring  of  1874, 
that  he  could  not  understand  the  Roumanian 
desire  for  a  large  standing  army,  as  a  peace 
strength  of  10,000  men,  to  be  increased  to  25,000 
men  in  war,  would  be  ample,  as  their  only  task 


262  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

was  to  maintain  order  at  home.  Roumania  was  in 
the  happy  situation  of  not  requiring  an  army  at 
all,  and  could  employ  the  vast  sums  which  military 
establishments  required  elsewhere  in  furthering  the 
progress  of  the  country.  "  How  happy  should  we 
be,  if  we  were  not  forced  to  keep  up  so  large  an 
army,  and  could  employ  the  hundreds  of  millions 
for  other  purposes  !  "  He  declared,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  a  Landwehr  system  would  be  of  excellent 
service  in  educating  and  disciplining  the  nation. 

A  longer  report  from  the  General  Staff  advo- 
cated the  contrary  view  :  "In  the  event  of  a  war 
with  Turkey  it  would  appear  most  suitable  for  the 
Roumanian  army  to  concentrate  at  Bucharest  or 
near  the  Danube,  to  oppose  invasion  at  that  point, 
and  to  stop  or  delay  the  hostile  advance. 

"  Turkey  will  make  use  of  the  Varna-Rustchuk 
railway  to  effect  the  concentration  of  her  forces, 
and  will  attempt  to  cross  the  Danube  near 
Rustchuk,  making  Bucharest  her  first  objective. 
...  If  the  Roumanian  army  is  assembled  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war  in  a  fortified  camp  near 
the  Carpathians  instead  of  near  the  Danube,  it 
might  easily  happen  that  the  enemy  would 
seize  the  opportunity  of  raiding  the  exposed 
capital.  .  .  . 

"It  would  be  better  to  avoid  delusion  and  the 
expenditure  of  large  sums  on  projects  from  which 
the  country  can  expect  neither  safety  nor  utility. 
The  army  is  the  support  of  the  State,  and  in 


THE  ARMY  263 

Roumania,  where  so  many  possibilities  have  to  be 
considered,  the  training  and  care  of  the  army  is 
of  paramount  importance." 

The  manoeuvres  of  1874  were  attended  by 
Russian,  Austrian,  Prussian,  Servian,  Dutch,  and 
English  officers.  The  First  Division  was  to  force 
the  passage  of  the  Buseu  River  and  occupy  the 
town  of  Buseu,  which  the  Second  Division  was  to 
defend.  The  leading  of  the  troops  on  the  first  day, 
however,  was  not  very  satisfactory,  and  Prince 
Charles  was  forced  to  speak  very  plainly  at  the 
critique.  But  the  operations  of  the  following  days 
gave  great  satisfaction,  and  Colonel  Asis  Bey  re- 
marked to  Colonel  Morris :  "  This  is  serious.  I 
had  not  expected  so  much  ! "  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  manoeuvres  Prince  Charles  presented  thirty- 
two  colours  and  standards  to  various  regiments,  and 
afterwards  reviewed  the  troops.  Colonel  Morris, 
in  replying  to  a  toast  given  at  a  gala-dinner  the 
same  evening,  remarked :  "  All  that  I  have  seen 
of  this  young  army  has  filled  me  with  astonish- 
ment, and  I  shall  report  to  my  Government  how 
Roumania  has  progressed."  Prince  Charles  wrote 
his  father  the  following  account  of  the  incident : 
"  I  thanked  him  for  his  praises,  and  said  that, 
coming  from  the  mouth  of  an  Englishman,  they 
possessed  especial  value,  as  his  countrymen  were 
in  absolute  ignorance  of  the  state  of  our  affairs. 
.  .  .  The  Turk  remarked  to  the  Englishman  that  it 
would  be  best  to  give  Roumania  her  independence, 


264  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  to  conclude  a  treaty  of  alliance  with  it.  Most 
significant  1  " 

The  threatening  situation  in  Eastern  Europe  in 
October  1876  led  to  a  partial  concentration  of 
the  Eoumanian  army  in  anticipation  of  the 
mobilisation  order,  which  it  was  felt  could  not  be 
long  delayed.  Four  Divisions  were  made  up  to 
their  war  strength  to  take  part  in  manoeuvres, 
and  at  .the  same  time  to  be  ready  to  meet  any 
eventuality.  A  report  from  the  Minister  of  War 
showed  that  only  25,000  Peabody  rifles  with 
insufficient  ammunition  were  available.  Prince 
Charles  wisely  insisted  that  the  First  and  Second 
Division  should  be  armed  with  this  rifle,  and  the 
Third  and  Fourth  should  receive  the  now  practi- 
cally obsolete  needle-gun.  The  greatest  activity 
prevailed  in  the  War  Office,  and  eight  new  Doro- 
banz  Regiments  of  two  battalions  each  were  raised 
at  once. 

The  unceasing  care  with  which  Prince  Charles 
had  watched  the  training  of  his  army  in  peace  was 
to  bear  its  fruit  in  the  great  war  which  now  ensued. 
The  Roumanian  troops  proved  that,  though  they 
lacked  the  glorious  traditions  of  the  older  armies, 
they  were  fully  their  equals  in  discipline,  courage, 
and  endurance ;  and  they  more  than  justified  the 
confidence  which  their  Prince  placed  in  them. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY 

THE  long-expected  declaration  of  war  between 
Russia  and  Turkey  took  place  on  April  23,  1877, 
accompanied  by  a  proclamation  to  the  Roumanian 
nation  from  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  announcing 
his  intention  of  entering  their  territory  in  the  hope 
of  finding  the  same  welcome  as  in  the  former  wars. 
A  special  sitting  of  the  Chamber  assembled  on  the 
26th  of  the  same  month  to  confirm  the  Convention 
with  Russia ;  and  a  council  of  war  held  the  same 
evening  decided  to  occupy  the  line  of  the  Sabar, 
to  reinforce  the  troops  on  the  Danube,  and  to 
garrison  Calafat,  as  the  precipitate  advance  of  the 
Russians,  coupled  with  the  assent  of  the  Chamber 
to  the  Convention,  rendered  Roumania  liable  to  a 
Turkish  invasion.  The  question  now  to  be  solved 
was  whether  the  Roumanian  army  under  Prince 
Charles  was  to  take  an  active  share  in  the  cam- 
paign, and,  if  so,  on  what  terms.  It  was,  how- 
ever, eventually  decided  to  remain  passive  for  the 
present,  though  the  Grand  Duke  seemed  anxious 


266  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

to  draw  Prince  Charles  into  co-operation  with  the 
Russian  army.  The  mobilised  Roumanian  troops 
were  organised  as  follows,  under  the  supreme 
command  of  Prince  Charles,  with  Colonel  Slani- 
ceanu  as  Chief  of  his  Staff : 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS  :   General  Lupu. 

First  Division,  Colonel  Cerchez :    2  brigades,  1  cavalry 

brigade,  3  batteries. 
Second  Division,  Colonel  Logadi :  2  brigades,  1  cavalry 

brigade,  3  batteries. 
Corps  Artillery — 6  batteries. 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS  :   General  Radovici. 

Third  Division,  Colonel  Angelesbu  :  2  brigades,  1  cavalry 

brigade,  3  batteries. 
Fourth  Division,  General  Manu :  2  brigades,  1  cavalry 

brigade,  3  batteries. 
Corps  Artillery — 6  batteries. 

The  total  strength  of  the  army  amounted  to 
50,000  men  with  180  guns,  with  a  reserve  of 
about  70,000  men  of  the  National  Guard  and 
Militia. 

An  important  resolution,  adopted  by  the 
Chamber  on  May  11,  1877,  declared  that  a  state 
of  war  existed  with  Turkey,  and  expressed  con- 
fidence in  the  justice  of  the  Powers,  authorising 
the  Government  to  use  every  endeavour  to  obtain 
the  recognition  of  Roumanian  independence  at  the 
close  of  the  war.  The  desire  of  the  Russian 
Commander-in- Chief  for  the  assistance  of  the 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  267 

Roumanian  army  found  frequent  expression  even 
in  these  days.  At  an  interview  at  Plojeschti 
the  Grand  Duke  demanded  active  support  from 
Prince  Charles,  as  he  felt  convinced  that  his  own 
force  was  not  sufficient  to  cope  with  its  task,  and 
added  that  at  the  first  council  of  war  he  had  asked 
for  reinforcements  amounting  to  another  three 
or  four  Army  Corps.  The  least  he  expected  was 
that  Prince  Charles  would  hold  the  left  bank  of 
the  Danube  until  the  Russians  had  finished  their 
strategical  deployment. 

Prince  Charles  replied  that  he  intended  to  keep 
his  troops  under  his  own  command,  but  that  the 
Russians  would  be  benefited  by  having  their 
right  flank  secured.  The  Roumanian  garrisons 
of  Oltenitza  and  Giurgiu  would  not  retire  until 
relieved  by  Russian  troops.  At  the  same  time  he 
declared  himself  anxious  to  take  an  active  part  in 
the  war,  but  only  on  condition  that  his  proposals 
were  agreed  to. 

The  Grand  Duke  returned  the  Prince's  visit  on 
the  following  day,  May  15,  accompanied  by  his 
son  and  a  numerous  suite,  which  included  M. 
de  Nelidow,  who  had  conducted  the  negotiations 
with  Roumania,  and  was  now  in  charge  of  the 
diplomatic  correspondence  at  headquarters. 

In  reply  to  an  inquiry  in  the  Chamber  on 
May  21,  Cogalniceanu  declared  that  Roumania  was 
practically  independent,  as  Europe  would  not 
force  her  to  return  to  her  former  bondage.  It 


268  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

was  then  decided  by  a  large  majority  to  create  an 
order,  "  The  Star  of  Roumania,"  as  the  first  act  of 
Roumanian  independence.  This  order  consists  of 
five  classes — viz.,  Knight,  Officer,  Commander, 
Grand  Officer,  and  Grand  Cross, — whose  members 
wear  a  star  of  eight  rays  depending  from  a  crown 
and  surcharged  with  a  cross  in  blue  enamel,  which 
displays  the  eagle  of  Wallachia.  The  ribbon  is 
red,  bordered  with  blue,  and  the  motto  runs :  In 
fide  solus. 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  entirely  agreed  with 
his  son's  attitude  towards  Russia,  and  stigmatised 
the  mooted  co-operation,  with  its  inevitable 
subordination  and  incorporation  in  the  Russian 
army,  as  a  "  political  felo  de  se." 

"  The  possibility  of  a  Russian  defeat,"  he  wrote, 
"  no  matter  how  improbable,  must  also  be  con- 
sidered :  an  untouched  reserve  on  this  side  of  the 
Danube,  which  could  only  consist  of  the  Rou- 
manian army  intact,  would  in  that  case  possess  an 
immense  importance ! " 

Prince  Charles,  accompanied  by  his  Staft',  set 
out  on  the  27th  to  inspect  his  troops  at  Crajowa 
and  Calafat,  and  found  them  in  excellent  order  and 
discipline.  At  7  r.M.  the  Prince  ordered  the 
bombardment  of  Widin  to  commence,  and  a  lively 
cannonade  ensued,  during  which  three  Turkish 
shells  exploded  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of 
the  Prince.  The  sangfroid  of  their  ruler  did 
not  fail  to  arouse  a  feeling  of  appreciation  in  the 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  269 

Roumanian  nation,  who  on  his  return  greeted  him 
everywhere  with  indescribable  enthusiasm. 

The  Czar  in  the  meantime  declared  that,  if  the 
Roumanian  Government  wished  to  take  part  in 
the  campaign,  it  must  do  so  at  its  own  expense 
and  risk,  and  must,  moreover,  place  the  army 
under  the  command  of  the  Grand  Duke.  "Russia 
has  no  need  of  the  support  of  the  Roumanian 
army.  The  force  which  has  been  put  into  the 
field  against  Turkey  is  more  than  sufficient  to 
achieve  the  high  object  which  the  Czar  had  in 
view  in  commencing  the  present  war." 

Prince  Charles  attended  a  council  of  war  at  the 
Russian  headquarters  in  Plojeschti  on  June  1,  1877, 
and,  whilst  discussing  the  advance  into  Bulgaria, 
casually  pointed  out  the  strategic  importance  of 
the  junction  of  the  roads  at  Plevna.  The  Grand 
Duke  urged  the  Prince  to  cross  the  Danube  near 
Widin  as  soon  as  possible,  but  Prince  Charles  was 
unable  to  comply  with  this  request  until  the 
material  necessary  for  bridges  had  been  collected. 

The  Czar  arrived  at  Plojeschti  a  few  days  later 
with  a  suite  of  over  700  persons,  amongst  them 
Prince  Alexander  of  Battenberg,  then  a  subaltern 
in  the  Hessian  Dragoons.  In  a  private  interview 
with  Prince  Charles  the  Czar  expressed  his  inten- 
tion of  lending  Roumania,  which  already  owed  so 
much  to  Russia,  a  helping  hand,  but  declined  to 
enter  into  the  vexed  question  of  Roumanian  co- 
operation in  the  war.  A  curious  incident  occurred 


270  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

during  the  Czar's  return  visit  to  Bucharest,  when 
a  large  bouquet,  thrown  from  a  house,  fell  close 
by  his  carriage.  The  Czar  started  back,  fearing 
a  bomb,  and  only  the  ready  tact  of  Princess 
Elisabeth  covered  his  confusion. 

An  important  conversation  took  place  between 
Prince  Charles  and  Gortchakoff,  who  definitely 
expressed  the  opinion  that,  though  the  Delta  of 
the  Danube  was  essential  for  the  development  of 
Roumania,  Russia  wants  one  of  its  arms,  the  Kilia. 
The  Prince  declared  that  his  first  object  was  to 
preserve  the  integrity  of  his  country,  and  that 
any  extension  of  the  frontier  after  the  war  would 
be  only  a  secondary  consideration.  Gortchakoff 
appeared  to  be  firmly  of  opinion  that  the  war 
would  be  short  and  glorious.  He  could  not,  there- 
fore, agree  with  the  openly  expressed  wish  of  the 
Headquarters  Staff  for  the  co-operation  of  the 
Roumanian  army.*  The  reports  of  the  first 
engagements  did  not,  however,  fully  bear  out 
this  belief ;  for,  though  successful  at  other  points, 
the  Russians  were  beaten  in  Asia  at  Bajaset,  and 
were  forced  to  withdraw  from  that  town,  whilst 
Mukhtar  Pacha  compelled  General  Tergukassoff 
to  retire  to  Igdir. 

"  From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  June  llth,  1877. 
"  At  last  the  situation  has  somewhat  cleared, 

*  The  Grand  Duke,  on  hearing  of  this  conversation,  declared 
that  diplomatists  were  much  too  eager  to  interfere  in  affairs 
which  did  not  concern  them. 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  271 

and  the  presence  of  the  Czar  under  existing 
conditions  may  possibly  be  an  important  starting- 
point  for  future  developments.  The  declara- 
tion of  independence  is  perfectly  justified;  it 
is  a  fait  accompli,  which  must,  in  any  case, 
be  reckoned  with  hereafter.  At  the  time  this 
declaration  took  place,  four  weeks  ago,  I  feared 
a  considerable  increase  of  the  complications  already 
existing,  and  could  hardly  become  reconciled  to  it. 
However,  I  always  remembered  that  your  course 
of  action  must  be  based  on  motives  of  which  we 
must  be  ignorant.  Your  wisdom  in  seizing  the 
right  moment  is  again  confirmed.  The  foreign 
Press,  although  extremely  surprised,  has  become 
more  or  less  reconciled  to  the  altered  situation, 
and  even  the  English  papers  have  bridled  them- 
selves with  decency.  .  .  . 

"  In  my  opinion  the  material  military  successes 
of  the  Russians  will  be  in  Asia ;  the  moral  suc- 
cesses in  Europe ;  and  the  conception  of  a  moral 
victory  is  so  elastic  that  1  see  no  reason  why  the 
war  should  be  prolonged  beyond  reasonable  limits. 

"  The  creation  of  a  united  State — Roumania- 
Bulgaria — of  course  with  the  freedom  of  the 
Danube  to  the  sea,  would  be  a  magnificent  crea- 
tive idea,  only  the  deep-seated  difference  of  the 
nationalities  gives  rise  to  weighty  considerations." 

On  June  28,  1877,  the  Grand  Duke  arrived  at 
Simnitza,  where  the  Fourteenth  Division  had 


272  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

collected  a  number  of  boats  preparatory  to  effect- 
ing a  crossing,  aided  by  a  vigorous  cannonade  the 
day  before  along  the  whole  line  of  the  Danube. 
The  Volhynian  Regiment  embarked  at  2  A.M. 
in  absolute  silence,  and  had  barely  landed  when 
an  alarm  shot  was  fired.  A  short  engagement 
terminated  in  the  retreat  of  the  Turkish  force, 
and,  in  spite  of  hostile  fire  from  the  artillery, 
General  Dragomirow  succeeded  in  assembling 
the  whole  of  his  Division  on  the  farther  bank  of 
the  river,  with  the  loss  of  about  30  officers  and 
700  men.  The  construction  of  a  bridge  was 
commenced  from  both  banks  simultaneously, 
though  several  sections  were  destroyed  by  a 
sudden  storm.  The  bridge  at  Braila  remained 
intact,  and  was  crossed  by  Prince  Charles  on  foot 
the  following  day. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Roumania  had 
so  far  taken  but  a  small  share  in  the  campaign, 
Prince  Charles  was  able  to  supply  the  Russian 
headquarters  with  trustworthy  information  about 
the  enemy's  movements,  especially  with  regard 
to  the  garrison  of  Widin,  under  Osman  Pacha, 
who  was  now  reported  to  be  on  the  march  to 
Rahova  with  fifteen  battalions  and  two  batteries. 
Though  an  advanced  party  of  Cossacks  seized 
Plevna  on  July  8,  they  were  unable  to  retain 
possession  of  that  town,  a  couple  of  Turkish 
battalions  from  Nikopoli  forcing  them  to  retire  on 
the  following  day. 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  273 

Prince  Charles  now  quitted  Schimnik  to  rejoin 
his  headquarters  at  Pojana,  near  Calafat,  where 
he  was  better  able  to  superintend  the  movements 
of  his  army.  In  a  letter  to  the  Princess  he 
alludes  to  the  Russian  estimate  of  his  army  as 
follows  :  "  The  Russians  do  not  want  to  recognise 
the  services  we  have  rendered  them  ;  Grand  Duke 
Nicholas  has  sent  a  long  report  to  the  Czar, 
dealing  with  the  course  of  events  from  the 
beginning  of  the  war  to  the  crossing  of  the 
Danube,  and  does  not  give  a  single  word  to  the 
Roumanian  army.  '  The  only  thing,'  he  says 
about  the  country,  '  is  that  the  Roumanian  rail- 
ways are  indifferent.'  That  may  be  so ;  but 
without  our  indifferent  railways,  and  without  the 
Roumanian  troops,  the  Russians  would  not  be  in 
Bulgaria  by  now." 

On  July  13  General  Gourko  succeeded  in 
crossing  the  Hainkioi  Pass,  after  encountering 
very  great  difficulties  on  the  narrow  mountain 
paths.  The  guns  barely  managed  to  keep  up 
with  'the  columns.  On  the  other  hand,  serious 
news  was  received  from  Plevna  on  July  20,  for, 
though  the  Russians  succeeded  in  occupying 
Lowtscha,  General  von  Schilder-Schuldner  was 
forced  to  beat  a  speedy  retreat  halfway  to 
Nikopoli,  screened  by  his  cavalry,  leaving  the 
Turks  in  possession  of  Plevna.  The  Russian 
headquarters  now  requested  that  the  Roumanian 
army  might  occupy  Nikopoli  and  take  .charge  of 


274  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  prisoners  of  war,  but  Prince  Charles  declined 
to  accede  to  this  without  some  definite  agreement 
about  the  employment  of  his  troops.  The 
attitude  of  the  Russian  diplomats  now  appeared 
to  suffer  considerable  change,  so  far  as  the 
employment  of  the  Roumanian  army  was  con- 
cerned. Prince  Gortchakoff  permitted  himself 
to  remark  to  the  Princess,  with  marked  sarcasm  : 
"  Toujours  pas  de  blesses  Roumains ! "  to  which 
she  readily  replied :  "  Non,  Dieu  merci,  nous 
riavons  que  ires  peujusqu'ti  present !  " 

The  Prince  wrote  as  follows  to  his  consort : 

"Yesterday,  General  Sefcari,  commissioned  by 
the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  arrived  here  to  inform 
me  that  the  defeat  of  the  Russians  at  Plevna  was 
caused  by  us  :  '  Dites  au  Prince  que  les  Roumains 
sont  cause  que  nous  avons  ete  battus  a  Plevna ! ' 
The  Russian  headquarters  maintain  that  a  portion 
of  General  Kriidener's  troops  were  retained  at 
Nikopoli  because  we  had  refused  to  occupy  that 
fortress  and  guard  and  transport  the  Turkish 
prisoners.  This  is  true ;  I  always  mean  to  refuse 
such  police  duties  ;  my  army  is  too  good  for  that. 
On  the  other  hand,  I  have  declared  my  willing- 
ness to  occupy  Nikopoli  and  advance  with  the 
Russians  against  the  35,000  to  45,000  Turks  at 
Plevna.  This  offer  does  not  find  favour  with  the 
Russians,  as  they  do  not  wish  to  share  a  victory 
with  us.  .  ." 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  275 

Roumanian  troops,  however,  proceeded  at  once 
to  garrison  Nikopoli,  where  the  Roumanian  flag 
was  hoisted  on  July  29,  and  a  message  was  sent 
to  the  Grand  Duke  demanding  a  separate  base 
of  operations  in  Bulgaria,  and  the  undivided 
command  of  the  Roumanian  army  as  the  only 
condition  which  Prince  Charles  could  accept. 

A  report  was  received  at  4  P.M.  on  the  31st 
that  the  Russians  had  suffered  a  severe  defeat 
at  Plevna,  and  were  retiring  panic-stricken  on 
Sistow ;  this  was  confirmed  at  9  P.M.  by  the 
following  despatch  in  cipher : 

"WEDNESDAY,  July  19-31,  1877,  3.35  P.M. 

"  PRINCE  CHARLES  OP  ROUMANIA. 
"  Headquarters  of  the  Roumanian  Army. 

"The  Turks  having  assembled  in  great  force 
at  Plevna  are  crushing  us.  Beg  you  to  join, 
make  a  demonstration,  and,  if  possible,  cross 
the  Danube,  as  you  wish.  This  demonstration 
between  Jiul  and  Corabia  is  indispensable  to 
facilitate  my  movements. 

"  NICHOLAS." 

Prince  Charles  replied  that  the  Fourth  Division 
would  hold  Nikopoli,  and  that  the  Third  would 
occupy  the  position  quitted  by  the  Fourth  ;  the 
want  of  torpedoes  would  prevent  the  passage  of 
the  river,  as  a  Turkish  monitor  was  stationed  near 
Rahova.  The  headquarters  of  the  Prince  were  now 


276  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

transferred  to  Corabia,  where  the  bridge  was  to 
be  constructed,  and  a  fresh  ordre  de  bataille  drawn 
up  in  accordance  with  the  altered  conditions  : 

The  First  Corps,  consisting  of  three  infantry 
brigades,  one  cavalry  brigade,  and  six  batteries 
was  to  form  a  general  reserve. 

The  Second  Corps  suffered  no  alteration. 

The  Corps  of  Observation,  under  General  Lupu, 
consisting  of  two  Divisions  with  six  batteries  and 
two  cavalry  regiments,  remained  at  Calafat. 

The  Russian  advance,  in  the  meantime,  had 
come  to  a  complete  standstill,  whilst  some  forty 
battalions  and  200  guns  under  General  Sotow 
awaited  the  arrival  of  six  farther  Divisions  before 
attempting  to  drive  Osman  Pacha  away  from  his 
entrenched  position  at  Plevna.  A  prolonged 
series  of  despatches  now  passed  between  the 
Russian  and  Roumanian  Headquarters  with  refer- 
ence to  the  bridge  over  the  Danube.  If  the  latter 
was  constructed  at  Nikopoli,  the  army  would 
probably  be  merged  in  that  of  the  Grand  Duke, 
whilst  at  Magura  it  would  secure  independent 
action,  at  the  same  time  cutting  off  Osman's  com- 
munications with  Sofia  and  the  East. 

The  impatience  of  the  Grand  Duke  at  the 
repeated  delays  led  to  the  following  despatch 
from  Colonel  Gherghel,  attached  to  his  Staff,  on 
August  16  : 

"By  order  of  H.I. H.  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  277 

I  have  the  honour  to  communicate  to  your  High- 
ness that  H.I.H.  desires  the  Third  Eoumanian 
Division  to  cross  the  Danube  at  once  at  Nikopoli 
to  unite  with  the  Fourth.  H.I.H.  will  visit  the 
two  Divisions  as  soon  as  they  are  concentrated." 

Prince  Charles  refused  to  allow  the  Third  Divi- 
sion to  cross,  as  he  had  no  intention  of  allowing 
his  army  to  be  incorporated  with  the  Russian. 
This  burning  question  of  the  command  was,  how- 
ever, satisfactorily  settled  by  the  25th,  when  the 
passage  commenced  at  Corabia  opposite  Magura. 
Prince  Charles  crossed  the  Danube  on  the  20th, 
and  arrived  at  the  Imperial  Headquarters  at 
Gornija  Studena  at  half-past  seven  in  the  evening, 
where  he  was  heartily  welcomed  by  the  Czar  and 
the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas.  The  latter  at  once 
inquired  whether  he  intended  to  command  his 
Corps  in  person,  and  received  a  reply  in  the  affir- 
mative. The  Grand  Duke  then  objected  that 
this  decision  would  give  rise  to  difficulties,  as 
Prince  Charles  could  not  be  placed  under  the 
command  of  a  Russian  General.  The  Prince 
retorted  that  that  was  certainly  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, but  ten  Russian  Generals  might  easily  be 
placed  under  his  command. 

Whilst  Prince  Charles  was  resting  from  the 
fatigues  of  his  journey,  the  Grand  Duke  entered 
his  tent,  and  on  behalf  of  the  Czar  offered  him 
the  command  of  the  Russian  troops  before  Plevna, 


278  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

which  the  Prince,  after  some  hesitation,  accepted. 
A  council  of  war  was  held  the  following  day  at 
ten  o'clock  under  the  shade  of  a  large  tree  to 
discuss  the  future  plans  of  operation,  when  it  was 
decided  that,  after  the  passage  of  the  Roumanian 
army,  the  bridge  at  Corabia  should  be  broken  up 
and  transferred  to  Nikopoli,  where  it  would  be  of 
further  use  to  the  Russian  army.  Prince  Charles 
maintained  that  Osman  was  stronger  than  the 
Russians  supposed,  and  that  for  the  present  it  was 
useless  to  resume  the  offensive. 

As  Prince  Charles  returned  to  Sistow,  a  terrible 
picture  of  the  horrors  of  war  presented  itself  to 
his  eyes.  Long  columns  of  "ladder"  wagons, 
laden  with  wounded  soldiers  from  the  desperate 
struggles  for  the  Shipka  Pass,  encountered  the 
supply  columns  bringing  up  food  and  ammunition. 
The  most  terrible  confusion  arose,  as  neither 
column  could  pass  the  other.  The  groans  and 
shrieks  of  the  wounded  under  a  burning  sun 
increased  every  minute,  and  it  was  only  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  the  Prince's  escort  could 
force  its  way  through  the  disorganised  mass. 

From  Corabia  Prince  Charles  bade  farewell  to 
his  wife  in  a  letter  dated  September  1st,  1877, 
which  frankly  recognised  the  importance  of  the 
task  which  lay  before  him  : 

"The  command  before  Plevna  is  no  easy 
matter :  it  will  cost  many  a  bloody  battle  before 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  279 

the  Turks  are  conquered ;  nay,  it  may  be  ques- 
tioned whether  we  shall  succeed  in  this  struggle  ! 
But  I  could  not  refuse  the  Emperor's  offer, 
although  I  should  have  preferred  my  army  to 
fight  in  its  own  sphere  of  operations.  Now  my 
troops  will  form  the  right  wing,  the  Russian 
Ninth  Corps  the  centre,  and  the  Fourth  the  left 
wing.  The  Roumanian  troops  will  cross  our 
bridge  over  the  Danube  to-day.  I  shall  review 
them  first  and  then  set  out  for  Turnu-Magurele 
to  proceed  via  Nikopoli  to  my  headquarters  at 
Poradim  (27  miles  from  Nikopoli)." 

Prince  Charles  found  his  new  headquarters  at 
Poradim  a  long  straggling  Bulgarian  village  about 
four  and  a  half  miles  from  the  Turkish  line  of  en- 
trenchments round  Plevna.  Only  one  house  at 
the  entrance  to  the  village  seemed  fit  to  live  in,  but 
at  the  best  it  was  but  a  poor  apology  for  a  house. 
Half  ruined,  without  doors  or  windows,  it  offered 
every  opportunity  for  a  study  of  the  discomforts 
of  campaigning.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  the  noisome 
odour  of  corruption,  caused  by  the  hundreds  of 
unburied  carcases  of  horses  and  other  animals, 
made  the  air  terrible  to  breathe. 

The  following  morning  the  Prince  found  the 
troops  of  the  Russian  Fourth  Corps  greatly  reduced 
in  strength,  as  their  effective  strength  present  for 
duty  only  amounted  to  from  12,000  to  14,000  men 
for  twenty-one  battalions.  On  inspecting  the  out- 


280  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

posts  on  the  heights  of  Grivitza,  Raditschewo, 
and  Tutschenitza,  the  Prince  realised  to  the  full 
the  strategical  importance  of  Plevna,  and  also 
the  immense  difficulties  in  attacking  the  Turkish 
entrenchments.  Osman  Pacha's  communications 
with  Suleiman  Pacha  were  seriously  affected  by 
the  capture  of  Lowtcha  by  Prince  Imeritinski  and 
General  Skobeleff  on  September  6,  and  it  then 
became  possible  to  attack  Plevna  from  the  south 
as  well. 

A  General  Order  was  drafted  by  the  Prince  and 
his  Staff  with  a  view  to  the  attack  on  the  position, 
which  was  so  warmly  urged  by  the  Grand  Duke 
and  his  Staff,  but  which  was  to  be  postponed  for 
the  present. 

The  troops  now  under  the  command  of  Prince 
Charles  amounted  to  107  battalions,  74  squadrons, 
and  442  guns.  Total,  75,000  men  and  8000 
horses. 

The  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  whose  temperament 
had  suffered  much  during  the  last  few  weeks, 
declared  bluntly  :  "  H  faut  attaquer  absolument" 
to  all  the  representations  of  the  Prince,  who  was 
firmly  convinced  that  Plevna  could  not  be  taken 
before  the  arrival  of  the  expected  Russian  rein- 
forcements. The  Grand  Duke,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  afraid  that,  unless  Plevna  was  taken  at  once, 
Suleiman  Pacha  would  effect  a  junction  with 
Osman,  and  thus  outnumber  the  Russian  force. 

The   preliminary   bombardment   of  Plevna    by 


281 

146  guns  commenced  on  September  7,  and  con- 
tinued throughout  the  night.  Little  or  no 
damage  was  done  by  this  cannonade,  to  which  the 
Turkish  guns  only  replied  from  time  to  time. 
Fire  was  again  opened  the  following  morning 
with  226  guns,  chiefly  concentrated  against  the 
Grivitza  redoubt. 

About  noon  Prince  Charles  noticed  that  the 
guns  of  his  Fourth  Division  were  forced  to  retire 
before  the  fire  of  a  Turkish  redan  some  900  yards 
to  their  front.  The  13th  Dorobanz  Regiment, 
supported  by  the  1st  Battalion  of  the  5th  Line 
Regiment  and  a  section  of  artillery,  were  ordered 
to  take  the  redan.  The  attack  was  successfully 
carried  out  with  a  loss  of  two  officers  and  112 
men  wounded  and  20  killed,  about  the  same  time 
that  General  Skobeleff  gained  possession  of  the 
Green  Hill. 

A  council  of  war  on  September  10  decided  to 
undertake  a  general  attack  along  the  whole  line 
at  3  P.M.  the  following  day.  The  only  dissentient 
vote  was  that  of  Prince  Charles,  who  thought  that 
the  four  days'  bombardment  had  produced  too 
little  effect,  but  he  gave  way  to  the  opinion  of 
the  majority. 

At  eleven  o'clock  on  the  momentous  morning  of 
September  11  a  hot  musketry  fire  was  heard  on 
the  left  flank,  but  owing  to  the  thick  mist  the 
cause  could  not  be  ascertained  at  once,  and  it  was 
not  until  1  P.M.  that  Prince  Charles  received  a 


282  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

report  that  General  Skobeleff  had  already  been 
hotly  engaged  for  the  last  two  hours,  suffering 
severe  losses.  In  the  meantime  the  mist  had 
lifted,  and  at  3  P.M.  the  attacking  columns  moved 
in  good  order  against  the  entrenchments.  After 
suffering  terrible  losses,  the  columns  were  obliged 
to  fall  back,  leaving  innumerable  corpses  to  mark 
the  line  of  their  advance.  Twice  the  Roumanian 
infantry  reached  the  ditch  of  the  death-dealing 
Grivitza  redoubt  ;  twice,  despite  the  utmost 
gallantry,  they  were  forced  back.  Prince  Charles 
could  no  longer  watch  this  desperate  struggle 
without  taking  share  in  it,  and  galloped  down  from 
his  post  of  observation  to  the  spot  where  the  sur- 
vivors of  his  gallant  troops  stood.  Animated  by 
the  presence  and  the  praises  of  their  leader,  the 
soldiers  demanded  to  be  led  once  more  against  the 
hitherto  impregnable  redoubt. 

It  is  nearly  half-past  five  o'clock ;  the  Prince 
is  going  to  join  the  Emperor  Alexander,  with  whom 
is  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  in  order  to  report 
to  him  on  the  state  of  affairs.  The  latter  recog- 
nised him  from  a  distance,  and  met  him  with  the 
anxious  query,  "How  are  things  going?"  The 
Prince  could  only  reply  that  the  attack  had  mis- 
carried, although  he  had  still  hope  that  the  first 
Grivitza  redoubt  may  be  taken.  Whilst  he  is  still 
conversing  with  the  Emperor,  who  is  very  much 
affected,  an  officer  of  Cossacks  rides  up  at  full 
gallop  with  the  news  that  Turkish  cavalry  has 


283 

broken  out  of  Plevna  and  is  advancing  along  the 
Grivitza  road  !  Everybody  present  implores  the 
Emperor  to  retire  immediately  from  his  point  of 
observation,  and  to  return  for  safety  to  his  head- 
quarters. The  Emperor  cedes  to  the  general  wish 
and  returns  to  Raditschewo,  accompanied  by  a 
large  military  escort — a  sad  spectacle  for  those 
who  were  present.  The  thunder  of  artillery,  the 
rattling  of  musketry  continue  apace  although  the 
day  is  drawing  to  a  close.  The  Prince  is  still 
without  any  news  concerning  the  result  of  the 
attack  on  the  Grivitza  redoubt,  which  he  had 
ordered  to  be  made.  A  battalion  is  drawn  from 
the  reserve  for  the  protection  of  the  Grand  Duke 
and  the  Prince.  A  huge  fire  is  lit,  round  which 
their  Highnesses  sit  down  with  their  staff.  Every- 
body is  more  or  less  overcome  by  the  excitement 
of  the  day,  and  conversation  is  at  a  standstill. 
Suddenly  at  nine  o'clock  a  horseman  appears  on 
the  scene.  He  brings  the  unexpected,  and  yet  so 
anxiously  longed-for  news,  that  at  half-past  seven 
o'clock  the  Roumanians,  by  a  last  effort,  had  taken 
the  Grivitza  redoubt,  and  captured  a  Turkish  flag 
and  three  cannon.  Whilst  at  the  same  time  four 
Russian  battalions  successfully  advanced  on  the 
works  from  the  south ;  but  a  second  redoubt, 
constructed  in  rear  of  the  first,  proved  too  strong 
to  be  assaulted  ;  thus  the  Russians  were  held  in 
check. 

The    news   of   this    success,  which    had    been 


284  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

delayed  owing  to  the  officer  having  lost  his  way 
in  the  dark,  acts  like  magic  upon  those  present. 
The  Prince  immediately  sends  the  joyful  tidings 
to  the  Emperor. 

General  Skoheleff,  whose  independent  advance 
was  much  criticised  at  headquarters,  succeeded  in 
taking  two  redoubts  on  the  Green  Hill,  and 
demanded  immediate  support  for  his  decimated 
force.  This,  however,  could  not  be  granted,  owing 
to  the  distance  (ten  miles)  from  the  reserve  and 
the  danger  of  the  troops  losing  their  way  across 
country  by  night.  The  thunder  of  the  guns 
and  the  rattle  of  musketry  continued  through- 
out the  night,  and  only  ceased  at  daybreak. 
The  losses  sustained  proved  to  be  enormous— 
16,000  killed  and  wounded,  amongst  them  2600 
Roumanians. 

A  council  of  war,  held  the  second  day  after  the 
battle,  in  the  absence  of  Prince  Charles,  decided 
to  summon  General  von  Todleben,  the  ever  famous 
defender  of  Sebastopol,  with  the  whole  of  the 
Imperial  Guard ;  to  desist  from  further  assaults 
until  their  arrival,  and  to  entrench  the  positions 
gained.  A  few  votes  (amongst  others  that  of  the 
Grand  Duke)  were  even  given  for  the  withdrawal 
of  the  whole  army  behind  the  line  of  the  Osma. 
The  total  want  of  initiative  shown  by  General 
Krylow,  who  commanded  the  centre,  led  to  his 
removal  from  the  command  of  the  Fourth  Russian 
Corps,  which  was  then  given  to  General  Pome- 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  285 

ranzew.  Prince  Charles  assembled  his  generals 
in  the  great  battery  near  Raditschewo,  and 
gave  them  orders  to  shorten  the  line  enclosing 
Plevna ;  the  counter- entrenchments  which  were 
ordered  suffered  considerable  delay,  however, 
as  the  Russian  troops  carried  no  entrenching 
tools. 

The  second  Grivitza  redoubt  was  attacked  by 
the  Roumanians  on  the  18th,  but  Prince  Charles, 
who  personally  superintended  the  attack,  was 
compelled  to  recall  his  brave  troops,  as  the 
Turkish  fire  inflicted  annihilating  losses  on  the 
assaulting  columns,  who,  nevertheless,  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  ditch  of  the  redoubt.  The  losses 
amounted  to  20  officers  and  583  rnen  killed  and 
wounded  within  two  hours. 

General  von  Todleben  arrived  before  Plevna  on 
September  30,  and  at  a  council  of  war  at  once 
expressed  the  opinion  that  the  Turkish  army 
could  only  be  forced  to  surrender  by  means  of  a 
blockade.  Plevna  must  be  completely  surrounded 
before  a  blockade  could  be  enforced,  and  at  least 
two  more  Corps  were  needed  for  this  purpose. 
A  Cavalry  Corps  under  General  Gourko  was 
formed  to  operate  on  the  far  bank  of  the  Wid, 
and  to  prevent  Turkish  supply  columns  from 
entering  Plevna  on  that  side. 

The  Prince  thus  described  the  state  of  affairs  in 
a  letter  to  Princess  Elisabeth,  dated  October  5th, 
1877: 


286  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  The  Imperial  Headquarters  Staff  have  at  last 
realised  the  situation,  and  a  large  army  is  now 
to  be  concentrated  here :  several  divisions  of  in- 
fantry, in  addition  to  the  Imperial  Guard ! 

"  All  these  troops  will  be  placed  under  my 
command,  a  distinction  which  cannot  be  over- 
estimated from  a  military  and  political  point  of 
view.  General  Todleben  is  appointed  as  my 
second-in-command,  with  Prince  Irneritinski  as 
Chief  of  my  Staff :  they  are  both  pleased  at  being 
under  my  command,  the  latter,  indeed,  had  before 
applied  for  the  post,  whilst  the  former  told  me 
that  he  was  happy  to  serve  under  a  German 
Prince,  and  especially  under  a  Hohenzollern.  I 
replied  that  I  felt  complimented  at  having  the 
celebrated  defender  of  Sebastopol  at  my  side,  and 
that  I  regarded  him  as  my  military  preceptor  from 
whom  I  had  much  to  learn.  We  are  already 
excellent  friends,  and  understand  each  other  per- 
fectly. I  told  him  candidly  what  I  thought  about 
the  attack  of  September  llth  and  the  course  to  be 
pursued  now,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing 
from  him  that  my  proposals  were  absolutely 
correct  then,  and  are  so  still." 

A  curious  incident  is  related  in  his  next 
letter : 

"  Yesterday  evening  at  nine  o'clock  (October  8), 
as  I  was  at  work  with  General  Todleben  and 
Prince  Imeritinski,  the  aide-de-camp  on  duty 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  287 

rushed  into  the  room  to  report  that  an  alarm  had 
been  given  along  the  whole  line  :  large  watch-fires 
were  seen  and  guns  were  heard  in  the  distance ! 
The  two  squadrons  of  my  escort  saddled  at  once, 
and  aides-de-camp  and  orderlies  galloped  up  from 
all  sides.  I  did  not  allow  myself  to  be  disquieted, 
and  declared  at  once  that  it  was  a  false  alarm,  for 
the  night  was  so  dark,  the  weather  so  terrible, 
and  the  roads  so  impassable  from  the  downpour 
of  rain,  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  enemy  to 
adopt  the  offensive.  Several  officers,  who  had 
been  sent  out,  soon  returned  with  the  news  that 
the  Rifle  Brigade  of  the  Guard  had  lost  their 
way,  and  had  called  for  guides.  Count  Woronzow, 
the  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Guard,  at  once  rode  to 
meet  the  troops  ;  but  small  detachments  of  the 
Brigade  wandered  about  the  whole  night,  and  did 
not  assemble  until  this  morning,  stiff  with  cold  and 
wet.  The  fires,  which  had  appeared  so  large  in 
the  mist,  were  only  those  of  our  own  bivouacs. 
...  I  am  now  rather  more  comfortably  furnished; 
since  the  last  few  days  I  have  managed  to  obtain 
windows  and  doors,  straw  mats  on  the  floor,  and 
had  the  roof  repaired,  so  that  the  rain  no  longer 
falls  into  my  bedroom.  .  .  . 

"  The  weather  has  been  terrible  for  the  last 
eight  days,  and  the  troops  have  suffered  much  in 
consequence :  their  boots  simply  rot  on  their  feet 
in  the  melting  snow :  many  have  lost  limbs 
through  frost-bite,  and  the  hospital  tents  are  not 


288  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

sufficient  to  receive  all  the  sick — more  than  2000 
men  in  the  Army  of  the  West ! 

"...  I  visited  the  Roumanian  troops  in  the 
trenches,  where  they  are  standing  knee-deep  in 
mud  and  water !  The  breastworks  have  fallen  in 
in  many  places,  so  that  they  are  exposed  to  the 
musketry  of  the  Turks,  and  many  men  have  been 
wounded  during  the  last  few  days." 

The  sufferings  of  the  troops  were  still  further 
increased  by  the  destruction  of  the  bridges  over 
the  Danube,  and  to  the  discomforts  of  cold  and 
wet  was  added  the  terror  of  starvation.  A  num- 
ber of  disputes  occurred  between  the  Russian  and 
Roumanian  foraging-parties,  which  culminated  one 
day  in  a  party  of  Russians  being  marched  past  the 
Prince's  quarters  as  prisoners  ! 

The  second  Grivitza  redoubt  was  taken,  after  a 
first  unsuccessful  attempt,  by  the  Roumanians  on 
October  19,  but  the  Turkish  reserves  eventually 
forced  them  to  retire,  with  a  loss  of  300  killed  and 
707  wounded.  The  Russians,  however,  succeeded 
in  gaining  possession  of  the  great  redoubt  at 
Gornji-Dubnik  under  cover  of  night  on  the  24th, 
and  thereby  completed  the  investment  of  Plevna, 
from  which  Osman  could  now  only  escape  by 
forcing  his  way  through  the  lines  of  the  Allies. 

The  course  of  the  investment  proved  uneventful 
until  November  10,  when  General  Skobeleff  took 
the  Green  Hill  by  a  night  attack,  with  the  com- 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  289 

paratively  trifling  loss  of  200  men.  This  impor- 
tant point  commands  the  town  of  Plevna,  and  its 
capture  could  not  fail  to  hasten  the  end  of  the 
siege.  Every  attempt,  especially  by  means  of 
night  attacks,  was  made  by  the  Turks  to  drive  the 
Russians  out  of  this  position,  but  each  attempt 
was  defeated  by  the  stern  valour  of  Skobeleff's 
veterans.  In  reply  to  the  Grand  Duke's  summons 
to  surrender,  Osman  Pacha  sent  the  proud  and 
soldierly  answer  that  he  had  not  yet  exhausted 
all  his  means,  and  therefore  could  not  capitulate  : 
that  his  honour  as  a  soldier  required  him  to  hold 
out  to  the  last. 

The  whole  Russo-  Roumanian  line  investing 
Plevna  was  now  divided  into  six  sections  under 
separate  commanders.  The  first  and  largest,  con- 
sisting of  some  thirty  field  works  connected  by 
shelter-trenches,  extended  for  nine  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  right  bank  of  the  Wid  to  the  Gri- 
witza  redoubt,  the  second  ran  from  thence  to  the 
Plevna-Rustchuk  road,  the  third  to  the  Tutsche- 
nitza  Ravine,  and  the  fourth  to  Krtuschab,  the 
fifth  to  the  line  of  the  Wid,  and  the  sixth  com- 
pleted the  circle  to  the  west  of  that  river. 

The  difficulties  of  his  position  were  thus 
described  by  Prince  Charles,  November  17, 
1877: 

"  The  command  here  is  no  easy  task,  for  the 
General  Staff  often  alter  the  dispositions,  and  the 


290  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Imperial  headquarters  interfere  directly  on  every 
occasion,  thereby  causing  confusion.  This  has, 
however,  been  amended  after  some  representa- 
tions, and  we  are  now  left  alone.  The  expression, 
'under  my  immediate  command,'  in  my  last 
General  Order,  marks  the  altered  conditions,  and 
prevents  any  direct  interference.  It  sometimes 
looks  to  me  as  though  the  Russians  found  me  in 
the  way !  .  .  . 

"  A  few  days  ago  I  visited  the  Roumanian  right 
wing  opposite  Oponetz,  and  ordered  a  heavy  bom- 
bardment to  be  commenced  against  the  redoubts. 
The  Turks  did  not  reply,  which  proves  that  their 
ammunition  is  running  short ;  our  outposts  then 
advanced  and  occupied  the  nearest  heights  with- 
out resistance.  We  only  lost  two  men.  Plevna 
can  only  hold  out  for  another  fortnight  at  the 
most ;  we  expect  Osman  to  attempt  to  break 
through  any  day,  which  will  be  the  sign  that  his 
supply  of  food  has  come  to  an  end.  The  position 
held  by  Skobeleff  is  continually  attacked  by  the 
Turks,  especially  at  night ;  they  hope  to  find 
there  a  means  of  escape.  Skobeleff  has  been 
slightly  wounded  twice ;  it  is  a  miracle  that  he 
has  not  met  his  death,  for  he  is  always  in  the 
thick  of  the  bullets.  ..." 

A  Roumanian  detachment,  under  Colonel 
Slaniceanu,  after  a  hot  engagement  took  the 
Turkish  works  at  Rahova,  with  a  loss  of  over 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  291 

300  men,  on  November  20,  and  two  Turkish 
guns  and  140  ammunition  carts  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  victor.  This  success  was  followed 
up  by  the  occupation  of  Tzibar  Palanka  and 
Rasgrad-Mahala,  whence  an  attempt  was  to  be 
made  on  Lom-Palanka. 

Another  period  of  stormy  weather  followed 
December  5  and  increased  the  already  enormous 
difficulties  of  supply  by  carrying  away  nineteen 
pontoons  of  the  bridge  at  Nikopoli.  The  roads 
became  quite  impassable ;  hundreds  of  horses 
succumbed  to  privation  and  overwork,  and  lay 
rotting  by  the  roadside. 

The  long  expected  attempt  of  Osman  Pacha  to 
break  through  the  lines  of  investment  took  place 
on  December  10.  A  report  was  received  the 
night  before  that  the  Turks  were  bridging  the 
Wid,  followed  at  half-past  eight  the  next  morning 
by  the  news  that  the  besieged  were  commencing 
a  sally.  On  hearing  that  the  Roumanians  had 
occupied  the  second  Grivitza  redoubt,  Prince 
Charles  at  once  repaired  to  that  vantage-point, 
and  eventually  to  the  heights  commanding 
Bukowa.  At  half-past  eleven  Prince  Charles 
reported  to  the  Czar  by  telegraph :  "  The  battle 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Wid  has  come  to  a 
standstill.  I  can  clearly  distinguish  the  three 
lines,  the  Turks  being  caught  between  two  fires. 
The  first  prisoners  are  now  on  their  way  to  me." 

The  reports  which  subsequently  reached  Prince 


292  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Charles  showed  that  the  course  of  the  action  was 
as  follows : 

The  Turks  commenced  a  hot  fire  from  the  guns 
posted  near  the  Wid  at  half-past  seven,  just  as 
the  thick  morning  mist  lifted  ;  several  columns 
then  crossed  the  river  by  the  stone  bridge  and 
that  constructed  near  Opanetz,  and  attacked  the 
redoubt  near  Gornji-Netropol  with  such  vigour  that 
the  9th  Russian  Grenadiers  were  forced  to  retire, 
leaving  eight  guns  in  the  redoubt.  The  next 
redoubt  was  also  taken  at  the  first  rush,  as  the 
reserves  had  no  time  to  reinforce  the  first  line. 
The  two  Russian  Grenadier  Divisions,  however, 
prevented  any  further  progress  of  the  attacking 
columns,  though  they  were  unable  to  regain 
possession  of  the  lost  redoubts.  At  ten  o'clock 
the  advance  of  the  Roumanians  against  the 
enemy's  right  flank  caused  the  Turks  to  form 
front  to  that  direction  as  well.  The  struggle 
continued  till  noon,  by  which  time  the  Turkish 
troops  were  completely  surrounded,  and  their 
commander,  wounded  in  the  left  leg  by  a  splinter 
of  a  shell,  then  decided  to  surrender,  as  his  force 
could  neither  advance  on  Sofia  nor  retire  to  Plevna. 

A  white  flag  was  hoisted  on  a  cottage  not  far 
from  the  bridge  over  the  Wid  about  1  P.M.,  and 
a  staff  officer  was  despatched  to  find  the  com- 
mander of  the  nearest  body  of  troops.  A 
Roumanian  officer,  Colonel  Cerchez,  was  the 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  293 

fortunate  man  to  receive  the  message  that 
Osman  Pacha  wished  to  see  him.  The  Turkish 
Commander-in-Chief  was  having  his  wound 
dressed  when  Colonel  Cerchez  reached  the  cottage. 
He  declined,  however,  to  receive  Osman's  sword, 
as  he  had  no  authority  to  do  so,  and  sent  for 
General  Ganetzki.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Russian 
General,  Osman  was  forced  to  surrender  uncon- 
ditionally, as  his  situation  was  absolutely  hope- 
less. No  less  than  40,000  men  and  seventy-seven 
guns  thus  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

An  indescribable  scene  of  confusion  presented 
itself  to  the  eyes  of  Prince  Charles,  who,  on 
hearing  of  the  surrender  of  the  Turkish  com- 
mander, proceeded  to  the  bridge  over  the  Wid, 
where  the  decisive  struggle  had  taken  place. 
Russian  and  Roumanian  Corps  alternated  with 
long  columns  of  prisoners  and  fugitives  from 
Plevna  ;  thousands  of  carts,  waggons,  and  horses, 
laden  with  the  wretched  goods  and  chattels  of 
the  Mohammedan  population,  blocks  the  Sofia 
road.  A  carriage,  surrounded  by  Roumanian 
troopers,  was  suddenly  encountered,  and  proved 
to  contain  no  less  a  person  than  Osman  Pacha, 
accompanied  by  Tahir  Pacha,  the  Chief  of  Staff, 
and  Tewfik  Pacha,  the  Chief  Engineer.  "The 
Turkish  Commander  is  a  man  of  middle  height 
and  thick-set  figure  ;  his  large  melancholy  eyes 
lend  his  face  a  most  attractive  expression,  and  his 


294  THE  KIN7G  OF  ROUMANIA 

whole  manner  is  quiet,  dignified,  and  sympathetic." 
Prince  Charles  shook  hands  with  him,  and 
expressed  his  admiration  at  the  heroic  defence  of 
Plevna.  The  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  who  arrived 
at  this  moment,  also  expressed  his  admiration  of 
this  feat  of  arms,  and  ordered  the  distinguished 
prisoner  to  be  treated  with  the  utmost  attention. 
Prince  Charles  subsequently  returned  through 
Plevna  to  Poradim  to  report  the  course  of  events 
to  the  Czar.  The  following  day  the  Czar,  after 
attending  a  Te  Deum  in  the  open  air  in  celebra- 
tion of  the  victory,  sent  for  Osman  Pacha,  who 
had  not  yet  quitted  the  vicinity  of  Plevna.  The 
Turkish  General  was  received  by  his  Imperial 
Majesty  in  the  presence  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Nicholas  and  Prince  Charles.  After  paying 
tribute  to  the  heroic  courage  with  which  Plevna 
had  been  defended,  the  Czar  returned  Osman's 
sword  as  a  mark  of  esteem,  a  compliment  which 
the  latter  briefly  acknowledged  with  true  Oriental 
courtesy. 

It  was  decided  by  a  council  of  war  to  reinforce 
General  Gourko,  so  that  the  projected  advance 
on  Sofia  might  proceed  at  once,  and  Prince 
Charles's  offer  to  observe  Widin  with  two 
Divisions,  whilst  a  third  escorted  the  prisoners 
of  war  to  the  Russian  frontier,  was  grate- 
fully accepted,  since  demands  for  reinforcements 
were  received  daily  from  all  parts  of  the  theatre 
of  war. 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  295 

Prince  Charles  took  leave  of  the  army  investing 
Plevna  with  the  following  order : 

"  OFFICERS  AND  SOLDIERS  ! 

"  Your  endurance  and  your  heroic  struggle 
have  been  crowned  with  success.  Plevna,  which  the 
enemy  believed  to  be  impregnable  and  capable  of 
preventing  the  victorious  advance  of  his  Majesty 
the  Czar ;  Plevna,  which  has  cost  the  Christian 
forces  so  much  noble  blood ;  Plevna  has  fallen ! 

"The  aim  of  the  investing  army,  the  command 
of  which  his  Imperial  Majesty  was  pleased  to 
entrust  to  me,  has  now  been  fulfilled,  and  this 
order  conveys  to  the  Imperial  Russian  troops, 
which  I  had  the  honour  to  command,  my  farewell 
greeting,  and  at  the  same  time  my  gratitude  for 
the  self-sacrificing  devotion  which  has  been 
accorded  to  me  by  the  whole  army  from  general 
to  private. 

"  You  have  fought  under  the  eyes  of  your  august 
Czar  and  your  chivalrous  Commander-in-Chief, 
H.I.H.  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas.  They  have 
both  been  witnesses  of  your  heroic  courage,  and 
there  is  no  need  for  me  to  add  my  praise  to 
theirs. 

"  You  have  set  a  shining  example  of  valour  and 
the  highest  military  virtues  to  my  young  Rou- 
manian army.  The  glorious  Imperial  army  has 
become  united  with  my  troops  by  an  irrefragable 


296  THE  KING  OF  ROUMAMA 

bond  of  friendship,  and  1  hope  that  you  will  pre- 
serve the  same  friendly  remembrance  of  your 
Roumanian  brothers -in-arms  as  they  will  of  you. 

"  I  lay  down  my  command  with  regret,  and  it  is 
my  most  fervent  wish  on  taking  leave  of  you  that 
in  your  future  struggles  for  our  holy  cause  you 
may  achieve  as  glorious  successes  as  in  the  past. 

"  Therefore  let  us  join  once  more  before  we  part 
in  that  joyous  exclamation  which  springs  from  your 
hearts  :  Long  life  to  his  Majesty  the  Czar  !  " 

The  Emperor  Alexander  sent  the  following 
official  letter  to  Prince  Charles,  dated  1/13  Decem- 
ber, 1877  : 

"  After  a  resistance  of  five  months,  the  combined 
efforts  of  our  allied  troops  have  been  crowned  with 
complete  success.  The  army  of  Osman  Pacha  has 
laid  down  its  arms  and  Plevna  has  fallen.  Desirous 
of  consecrating  the  memory  of  this  great  success, 
and  the  personal  part  your  Highness  has  had  in 
it,  I  take  pleasure  in  conferring  on  your  Highness 
on  this  occasion  my  Order  of  St.  Andreas  with 
swords.  I  beg  your  Highness  to  accept  the 
insignia  as  a  mark  of  my  sincere  affection,  the 

expression  of  which  I  renew. 

"ALEXANDER." 

On  December  5,  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas 
issued  an  Order  of  the  Day  in  which  occurs  the 
following  passage : 


297 

".  .  .  In  prescribing  the  dissolution  of  the 
corps  in  question  I  consider  I  ought  to  express  my 
sincere  gratitude  to  its  chief,  his  Highness  Prince 
Charles  of  Roumania,  who,  since  August  17, 
has  commanded  the  allied  troops  forming  in  the 
first  instance  the  Army  of  the  West,  and  later  on 
the  Corps  of  Investment.  Thanks  to  his  excep- 
tional activity  his  Highness  was  able  to  establish 
the  most  complete  cohesion  between  the  Russian 
and  Eoumanian  troops,  to  form  them  into  one 
homogeneous  body,  and  to  direct  their  efforts  in 
conformity  with  my  prescriptions  towards  the  final 
aim  which  has  so  brilliantly  crowned  the  common 
task  (I'ceuvre  commune)  ..." 

His  Imperial  Highness  forwarded  this  document 
to  Prince  Charles,  together  with  a  letter  which 
contained  a  warm  tribute  to  Prince  Charles  and 
the  Roumanian  army : 

"  The  brilliant  results  which  have  just  been 
obtained  before  Plevna  are  in  a  great  measure  due 
to  the  co-operation  of  the  brave  Roumanian  army, 
as  well  as  to  the  impulse  which  the  allied  troops 
received  from  their  immediate  commander,  whose 
activity,  courage,  and  devotion  to  his  soldierly 
duties  they  admired  and  strove  to  imitate." 

Amongst  the  many  compliments  which  were 
showered  on  the  Commander  of  the  Army  of 
Investment,  none  was  more  deeply  appreciated 


298  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

than    the   following  despatch  from   the   German 
Emperor : 

"  PRINCE  CHARLES  OF  ROUMANIA,  PORADIM, 

"  I  have  followed  your  operations  and  noted 
the  valour  of  your  troops  with  the  greatest  interest. 
I  cannot  express  too  warmly  my  pleasure  at  this 
success ;  and  I  permit  myself  to  confer  on  you 
herewith  my  military  Order — Pour  le  Merite.  As 
you  are  aware  of  the  value  placed  on  this  Order  by 
my  army,  you  will  no  doubt  appreciate  its  bestowal. 
How  many  dangers,  exertions,  and  privations  you 
must  have  shared  with  your  troops  before  you 
could  at  last  celebrate  a  glorious  triumph  by  the 
fall  of  Plevna  !  God  be  with  you  in  the  future. 

"  WILLIAM." 

After  an  absence  of  four  eventful  months  Prince 
Charles  set  out  on  December  22,  a  bitterly  cold 
day,  for  Nikopoli  en  route  for  Bucharest.  The 
roadsides  offered  a  terrible  picture  of  the  horrors 
of  war.  Almost  every  step  was  marked  by  the 
corpse  of  some  Turkish  prisoner  or  Russian  invalid 
who  had  succumbed  to  the  bitter  cold.  One 
incident  became  engraved  indelibly  upon  the 
Prince's  mind.  A  little  group  of  Turks  appeared 
to  be  talking  round  the  fragment  of  a  wheel  at 
some  slight  distance  from  the  road,  but  on  closer 
inspection  they  were  found  to  be  all  frozen  to 
death  over  their  last  fire.  Even  the  streets  of 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  299 

Nikopoli  were  not  free  from  these  ghastly  mile- 
stones, and  the  Prince's  thoughts  involuntarily 
turned  to  the  story  of  Napoleon's  retreat  from 
Russia.  The  unfortunate  Turkish  prisoners,  to 
the  number  of  11,000,  were  herded  together  in  the 
ditch  of  the  fort  exposed  to  the  bitter  cold 
(22°  R.)  without  even  a  vestige  of  warm  clothing. 
Small  wonder  that  the  Prince,  who  could  do 
nothing  to  alleviate  their  sufferings,  hastened  to 
cross  the  Danube,  beyond  the  reach  of  their  groans 
and  supplications. 

As  only  a  few  of  the  pontoons  had  managed  to 
resist  the  pressure  of  the  ice,  Prince  Charles  was 
forced  to  cross  the  Danube  by  means  of  a*  small 
steamboat,  which  took  an  hour  to  reach  the 
Roumanian  bank.  His  first  action  on  reaching 
Turnu-Magurele  was  directed  to  alleviating  the 
miseries  of  the  wounded  and  the  unfortunate 
prisoners,  to  which  merciful  work  he  devoted 
Christmas  Day  of  1877. 

A  welcome  letter  from  his  father  was  received 
here : 

"  Roumania  must  now  maintain  its  vitality  by 
the  development  of  its  independence,  and  prove 
practically  to  the  Powers  that  it  has  become  an 
essential  member  of  the  European  States. 

"  I  have  followed  the  successes  of  your  brave 
troops  with  un  diminished  attention.  Their 
organisation  has  justified  itself,  the  spirit  of  the 


300  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

officers  is  the  result  of  your  training.  Their 
achievements  have  everywhere  been  such  as  one 
could  hardly  expect  from  veteran  troops.  This 
attainment  of  an  object  persistently  pursued  must 
be  the  highest  reward  for  your  self-sacrificing 
efforts,  and  is  at  the  same  time  a  triumph  over 
the  public  opinion  of  Europe,  which  has  never  had 
much  sympathy  with  the  Roumanian  State  and 
its  army. 

"  At  the  present  it  is  impossible  to  foresee  what 
will  happen  after  the  fall  of  Plevna.  I  do 
not  believe  in  the  prophecies  of  the  Press  re- 
garding an  expected  peace,  for  Russia  cannot 
possibly  content  herself  with  the  result  of  Plevna. 
She  must  set  right  the  mistaken  beginning  of  the 
whole  campaign  against  Turkey,  which  rested 
upon  false  calculations  and  disparagement  of  the 
enemy.  These  events,  however,  have  been  fortu- 
nate for  Roumania,  for  the  insufficiency  of  the 
Russian  means  of  war  was  the  very  reason  why 
the  support  of  the  Roumanian  army  became  a 
necessity.  It  seems  almost  the  work  of  Provi- 
dence that  such  tasks  and  efforts  in  the  theatre  of 
war  should  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  the  Rou- 
manians as  to  place  them  on  a  footing  of  equality 
in  the  eyes  of  Russia  and  Europe.  .  .  . 

"  As  soon  as  the  military  difficulties  have  been 
conquered,  political  troubles  will  accumulate  to  a 
still  greater  degree.  The  Triple  Alliance  must 
now  prove  its  strength,  for,  if  it  is  firmly  united, 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  301 

the  decision  of  European   affairs  will   lie  in   its 
hands  alone.  .  .  ." 

Princess  Elisabeth  awaited  her  husband,  from 
whom  she  had  been  separated  for  four  long  and 
anxious  months,  at  Titu,  from  whence  they 
reached  Bucharest  at  one  o'clock.  The  whole 
population  of  the  capital  turned  out  to  do  honour 
to  their  ruler,  who  had  shared  their  dangers  and 
their  troubles,  and  who  had  achieved  the  inde- 
pendence of  his  adopted  country  sword  in  hand. 

The  day  closed  with  a  magnificent  torchlight 
procession  under  the  windows  of  the  palace,  after 
which  Prince  Charles  and  his  wife  drove  through 
the  brilliantly  illuminated  streets. 

Whilst  Prince  Charles  had  been  manfully 
engaged  in  the  field,  the  Princess  had  made  it 
her  special  care  to  look  after  "her"  wounded,  as 
she  termed  them,  and  it  was  therefore  with  a 
special  pleasure  that  the  Prince  learnt  that  the 
merciful  efforts  of  his  wife  had  been  recognised 
and  appreciated  by  the  Czarina,  who  sent  a 
special  messenger  to  Princess  Elisabeth  with  the 
Order  of  St.  Catherine  in  brilliants,  on  the 
occasion  of  her  birthday  (December  29). 

A  telegram  from  the  Turkish  Minister  of  War, 
Heuf  Pacha,  addressed  to  the  Grand  Duke 
Nicholas  at  Bucharest,  informed  the  Russian 
Commander  that  the  Porte  had  empowered  Mehe- 
med  Ali  to  negotiate  an  armistice.  Although 


302  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Prince  Charles  thought  that  the  Russians  would 
hardly  desist  from  their  victorious  advance,  he 
nevertheless  telegraphed  to  the  Grand  Duke, 
requesting  that  Rouma.nia  should  participate  in 
the  negotiations  with  which  her  interests  were  so 
closely  connected.  Colonel  Arion  was  sent  to  the 
Russian  headquarters  to  act  on  behalf  of  the 
Prince  in  the  approaching  negotiations  for  an 
armistice.  His  instructions  were,  briefly,  to 
obtain — 

(1)  The  occupation  of  the  Danubian  fortresses 
by   Roumanian    troops   until     the   conclusion   of 
peace. 

(2)  The  recognition  of  Rouinania's  independence.- 

(3)  The  dismantling  of  the  Turkish  fortresses  on 
the  Danube  from  Adakaleh  in  the  west  to  the 
mouth  of  the  river. 

(4)  The  transfer  to  Roumania  of  all  the  mouths 
of  the  Danube. 

(5)  A  war  indemnity  of  100,000,000  francs  and 
the  occupation  of  Nikopoli,  Rahova,  Lom-Palankar 
and  Widin  until  payment  in  full. 

In  the  event  of  the  Roumanian  plenipotentiary 
not  taking  part  in  the  negotiations,  Colonel  Arion 
was  instructed  to  protest  against  every  clause 
affecting  Roumania  which  was  agreed  to  in  his 
absence,  and  to  declare  the  same  null  and  void, 
A  large  indemnity  was  demanded,  because  it  was 
intended  to  cover  the  heavy  expenses  and  losses 
incurred  through  the  war. 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  303 

The  difficulties  which  Roumania  seemed  likely 
to  encounter  at  the  conclusion  of  peace  are  thus 
alluded  to  by  Prince  Charles  in  a  letter  to  the 
German  Crown  Prince,  January  14,  1878  : 

"  The  newspapers  are  full  of  rumours  that  the 
Russians  intend  to  resume  possession  of  the  Bess- 
arabian  districts,  incorporated  in  Roumania  by 
the  Treaty  of  Paris.  I  cannot  believe  this,  seeing 
that  we  have  rendered  them  great  service  at  a 
most  critical  moment.  Moreover,  such  a  rectifi- 
cation of  the  frontier  would  most  decidedly  be 
against  the  interests  of  Germany  and  Austria, 
who  must  prevent  the  mouths  of  the  Danube  from 
falling  into  the  hands  of  a  great  Power. 

"  The  Second  Article  of  the  treaty  regulating 
the  passage  of  the  Russian  army  through  Roumania 
lays  it  down  that  the  Government  of  his  Majesty 
the  Czar  pledges  itself  to  maintain  and  defend  the 
former  integrity  of  Roumania.  Though  it  cannot 
be  believed  that  this  formal  engagement  is  to  be 
violated,  still  great  anxiety  prevails  here,  espe- 
cially as  the  Russian  Press  constantly  refers  to 
this  topic." 

Minister  Cogalniceanu  also  forwarded  a  Note  to 
the  Russian  Agent  in  Bucharest,  laying  stress  on 
the  fact  that  Roumania  had  proclaimed  its  inde- 
pendence by  declaring  war  with  the  Porte  direct, 
and  that  the  army  had  crossed  the  Danube  at  the 


304  THE  KING  OF  ROUMAXIA 

invitation  of  the  Russian  Government  as  well  as 
of  the  Headquarters  Staff.  The  independent 
character  which  Roumania  assumed  during  the 
war  could  not,  therefore,  be  cast  aside  when,  at 
the  conclusion  of  hostilities,  the  work  of  diplomacy 
commenced.  The  Roumanian  Government  accord- 
ingly claimed  the  right  and  the  duty  of  taking 
part  in  the  negotiations,  just  as  the  army  had 
shared  the  heat  and  the  burden  of  the  fighting. 
On  January  29,  however,  Prince  Ghika  reported 
by  telegraph  from  St.  Petersburg  that  the  Czar 
and  his  Chancellor  had  formally  notified  him  of 
the  intention  of  the  Russian  Government  to 
regain  possession  of  the  Roumanian  portion  of 
Bessarabia,  whilst  Roumania  was  to  be  indemnified 
by  the  Delta  of  the  Danube  and  the  Dobrutscha  as 
far  as  Kustendje.  The  motive  assigned  was  that 
the  territory  in  question  was  not  ceded  to  Rou- 
mania but  to  Moldavia,  and  had  been  separated 
from  Russia  by  a  treaty  of  which  scarcely  a  single 
provision  remained  in  force.  Moreover,  the 
national  dignity  and  honour  of  Russia  demanded 
the  re-acquisition  of  this  district.  General  Igna- 
tieff,  it  was  said,  would  be  sent  to  Bucharest  to 
negotiate  direct  with  Prince  Charles  and  his 
Government.  In  reply  to  all  Ghika's  remon- 
strances, Gortchakoff  retorted :  "  Whatever 
arguments  you  employ,  they  cannot  modify  our 
decision,  which  is  unalterable.  You  are  opposed 
by  a  political  necessity." 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  305 

General  Ignatieff  arrived  at  Bucharest  on 
January  31,  1878,  and  presented  the  following 
almost  threatening  letter  from  Prince  Gortchakoff 
to  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  : 

"  His  Majesty  the  Czar  considers  that  the  time 
has  arrived  to  elucidate  certain  questions  which  I 
have  already  discussed  in  general  terms  with  your 
Excellency  regarding  the  future  peace.  It  is 
essential  that  there  should  be  no  misunderstanding 
on  this  point. 

"It  is  with  a  view  to  avoiding  such  misunder- 
standings that  my  august  master  is  sending  his 
aide-de-camp,  General  Count  Ignatieff,  to  Bucha- 
rest. He  will  explain  to  you  the  views  of  the 
Imperial  Cabinet,  with  the  general  tendency  of 
which  your  Excellency  is  already  acquainted.  You 
know  that  we  desire  to  do  everything  for  Rou- 
mania  that  is  possible  in  the  field  of  diplomacy. 
But  your  Excellency  knows  also  that  we  have 
interests  and  rights  to  guard  which  we  cannot 
forego.  What  we  expect  from  the  Roumanian 
Government  is  a  just  and  rational  appreciation  of 
its  situation  and  ours.  This  is  the  way  in  which 
the  traditions  which  unite  Roumania  to  Russia 
may  be  perpetuated  and  consolidated.  Your 
country  owes  its  past  to  us,  and  I  believe  that  it 
will  also  find  in  us  its  most  solid  support  in  the 
future.  I  reckon  on  the  keen  intelligence  of  your 
Excellency  and  of  the  President  of  the  Council  to 


306  THE  KING  OF  ROUM ANIA 

see  to  it  that  high  and  statesmanlike  views 
shall  prevail  over  party  passions  at  a  moment 
which  may  be  decisive  for  the  relations  between 
our  countries." 

Count  Ignatieff  did  not  mention  the  proposed 
cession  of  Bessarabia  to  Prince  Charles  until  the 
latter  questioned  him  on  this  point.  The  Prince 
then  declared  his  inability  to  accede  to  this . 
exchange,  which  he  felt  convinced  did  not 
emanate  from  the  Czar,  but  from  his  Majesty's 
political  entourage.  The  Russian  envoy  sub- 
sequently touched  upon  the  possibility  of  Prince 
Charles  being  elected  to  the  throne  of  Bulgaria, 
and  even  asked  what  would  be  his  attitude  should 
such  an  offer  be  made.  The  Prince,  needless  to 
say,  answered  evasively,  and  at  once  turned  the 
conversation. 

The  Roumanian  Agent  in  Paris  reported  on  the 
25th  that  neither  M.  Waddington,  Lord  Lyons, 
nor  Prince  Hohenlohe  were  informed  of  the  Russian 
demands  on  Bessarabia,  and  that  he  had  come  to  the 
conviction  that  the  question  of  the  proposed  cession 
excited  very  little  interest  amongst  the  Powers, 
whilst  not  even  Germany  was  expected  to  protest 
against  the  action  of  Russia. 

The  papers  relating  to  the  recent  diplomatic 
correspondence  were  laid  before  a  secret  sitting 
of  the  Chamber  and  the  Senate  on  February  4. 
Amidst  the  greatest  excitement,  the  representa- 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  307 

tives  of  the  nation  declared  that  Roumania  would 
preserve  the  integrity  of  its  territory  to  the  last, 
with  armed  force  if  necessary.  A  resolution  em- 
bodying the  claims  of  Roumania  to  the  consider- 
ation of  Russia,  and  referring  to  the  guarantee 
of  the  Powers,  as  well  as  to  the  promise  contained 
in  the  Convention  of  March  4,  1877,  was  adopted 
unanimously  by  the  Chamber  and  by  a  large 
majority  in  the  Senate. 

A  critical  period  now  arrived  with  the  news  that 
the  English  Lower  House  had  voted  £6,000,000 
sterling  for  military  preparations,  whilst  the 
advance  of  the  British  fleet  to  the  entrance  of 
the  Dardanelles  led  to  the  Russian  occupation  of 
several  entrenchments  within  the  neutral  zone 
before  Constantinople.  Owing  to  the  threatening 
attitude  of  England,  delays  took  place  in  the 
treaty  of  peace,  and  Russia  threatened  to  occupy 
Constantinople.  The  English  Ambassador  at 
Vienna  remarked  to  the  Roumanian  Agent  that 
his  Government  had  no  information  about  the 
Russian  claims  to  Bessarabia,  and  pointed  out  that 
this  question  was  of  a  very  delicate  nature,  because 
Russia  appeared  to  lay  special  stress  on  the  retro- 
cession of  the  districts,  and  also  because  of  the 
unwillingness  of  other  States  to  interfere  between 
allies. 

Cogalniceanu  laid  two  important  Notes  before 
the  Prince  on  February  14,  1878,  referring  to  the 
independence  of  Roumania,  and  addressed  to  the 


308  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Powers  and  the  Sublime  Porte.  The  first  Note 
referred  to  a  former  one  of  June  3,  proclaiming 
independence,  and  at  the  same  time  requesting 
the  Powers  to  abstain  from  recognising  it  until 
the  decisive  moment  arrived.  This  had  now 
occurred,  and  Roumania  hoped  that  the  Powers 
would  now  welcome  her  as  worthy  of  admission  to 
the  great  European  family,  seeing  that  she  had 
sealed  her  independence  with  the  sword.  The 
Note  concluded  with  the  request  that  a  Eoumanian 
delegate  might  attend  the  approaching  conference. 
The  second  Note,  addressed  to  Constantinople, 
expressed  a  desire  to  resume  friendly  relations 
with  the  Porte,  and  referred  briefly  to  the  reasons 
which  led  Roumania  to  take  part  in  the  war.  The 
voluntary  recognition  of  the  accomplished  inde- 
pendence would  create  a  firmer  and  more  valuable 
bond  of  union  between  Turkey  and  Roumania 
than  that  which  now  belonged  to  the  past. 

The  preliminaries  of  the  peace  were  signed  at 
Adrianople  on  January  31,  1878,  when  the  fol- 
lowing conditions  were  agreed  to  : 

( 1 )  Bulgaria  to  be  formed  into  an  autonomous  tri- 
butary principality  under  a  Christian  Government. 

(2)  The    independence    of  Montenegro   to    be 
recognised. 

(3)  Roumania  and  Servia  to  be  independent  and 
to  receive  an  increase  of  territory. 

(4)  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  to  be  granted  an 
autonomous  administration. 


THE  WAR  WITH  TURKEY  309 

(5)  Russia  to  be  indemnified  for  the  expense  and 
losses  caused  by  the  war. 

Prince  Bismarck,  speaking  of  the  Eastern 
Question  in  the  Reichstag,  said  the  preliminaries 
of  peace  in  no  way  affected  the  interests  of 
Germany,  and  that  there  was  no  cause  to  exchange 
the  part  of  a  spectator  for  that  of  an  actor.  The 
question  of  the  Dardanelles  alone  was  of  great 
importance,  for  "  the  water  ways,  the  straits,  as 
well  as  the  Danube  from  the  Black  Sea  north- 
wards, must  remain  open  to  German  commerce." 
Germany,  declared  the  Chancellor,  would  not 
adopt  the  attitude  of  an  arbitrator,  but  that  of  an 
"  honest  broker,"  who  had  every  intention  of  doing 
business  (i.e.,  in  effecting  a  lasting  peace).  The 
German  Empire  would  never  sacrifice  the  friend- 
ship with  Russia,  which  had  been  proved  through 
past  generations,  in  order  to  obtain  the  vain  credit 
of  playing  the  judge  in  Europe  ! 

The  attitude  to  be  adopted  by  Prince  Charles 
was  thus  sketched  out  by  his  father : 

"  The  offered  portion  of  the  unproductive  Dob- 
rutscha  is,  indeed,  no  compensation  for  the  cession 
of  Bessarabia,  but  will,  nevertheless,  be  accept- 
able if  Kiistendje  forms  part  of  the  bargain. 
Indeed,  the  acquisition  of  this  Black  Sea  port  may 
perhaps  be  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
future  of  the  flourishing  commerce  of  Roumania. 
The  conditio  sine  qua  non  for  the  incorporation  of 


310  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  district  on  the  right  bank  must  be  the  dis- 
mantling of  the  Danubian  fortresses,  for  an  autono- 
mous Bulgaria  has  no  need  for  fortified  protection 
on  its  northern  frontier,  whilst  they  might,  even 
under  changed  circumstances,  prove  a  danger  to 
Roumania,  as  they  would  become  so  many  sally- 
ports in  time  of  war." 

The  virgin  fortress  of  Widin,  which  had  been 
invested  by  three  Roumanian  Divisions,  was 
handed  over  by  Isset  Pacha  on  February  24, 
when  the  Turkish  garrison  marched  out  with  all 
the  honours  of  war.  An  enormous  quantity  of 
munitions  of  war  was  found  in  the  magazines,  but 
the  supplies  of  food  appeared  to  be  almost 
exhausted.  A  day  later  the  rock  fortress  of 
Belgradjik  was  also  handed  over  to  the  Rou- 
manians with  the  same  ceremonies. 

The  following  laconic  telegram  from  the  Grand 
Duke  Nicholas  was  handed  to  Prince  Charles  on 
March  3,  1878  : 

"It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  I  inform  you 
that  the  peace  has  just  been  signed." 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER 

THE  feelings  of  consternation  and  bitter  resent- 
ment evoked  by  the  publication  of  the  Treaty  of 
San  Stefano  soon  found  expression  in  the  Rou- 
manian Chamber,  where  the  action  of  the  Russian 
Government  was  criticised  in  scathing  terms,  and 
in  the  Press,  whose  comments  on  the  situation 
were  little  calculated  to  restrain  the  popular 
indignation.  The  Minister  of  the  Exterior  tele- 
graphed to  the  various  Roumanian  diplomatic 
agents  abroad  that  the  Government  felt  itself 
compelled  to  protest  against  a  treaty,  every 
article  of  which  was  either  directly  or  indirectly 
opposed  to  the  interests  of  Roumania.  Prince 
Charles,  on  the  other  hand,  was  convinced  of  the 
futility  of  ah1  protests,  and  the  impossibility  of 
retaining  Bessarabia,  and  was  therefore  chiefly 
concerned  in  checking  the  growing  hostility  of 
the  Roumanian  nation  towards  their  all-powerful 
neighbour.  At  the  same  time  no  effort  was 
spared  to  secure  the  representation  of  Roumania 


312  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

at  the  impending  European  Congress,  and  M. 
Bratianu,  the  President  of  the  Ministry,  was 
despatched  for  this  purpose  to  Vienna  and  Berlin 
with  letters  from  the  Prince  himself. 

Though  the  general  disposition  towards  Rou- 
mania  on  the  part  of  the  Great  Powers  was  that 
of  lukewarm  platonic  sympathy,  a  ray  of  hope 
was  at  one  time  afforded  by  the  warlike  attitude 
of  England,  who  would  only  agree  to  a  Congress 
empowered  to  consider  the  whole  of  the  Treaty  of 
San  Stefano.  General  Ignatieff  traversed  Europe 
in  order  to  effect  an  understanding  between  the 
several  Cabinets.  Prince  Charles  Anthony,  how- 
ever, warned  his  son  that  "  the  loss  of  the 
Bessarabian  region  must  now  be  regarded  as  in- 
evitable, and  the  only  consolation  is  that  the 
sympathy  of  public  opinion  generally  is  accorded 
to  you  and  to  your  country." 

During  the  absence  of  Bratianu,  Prince  Gort- 
chakoff  transmitted  to  the  Roumanian  Agent  in 
St.  Petersburg  a  threat  which  had  fallen  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Czar  himself:  that  if  Roumania 
protested  against  Article  VIII.  of  the  Treaty 
(which  defined  the  route  of  the  Russian  troops 
through  Roumania),  he,  the  Czar,  would  disarm 
the  Roumanian  army.  Prince  Charles  at  once 
caused  the  following  reply  to  be  forwarded  :  "The 
Roumanian  army,  which  fought  so  gallantly 
before  Plevna  under  the  eyes  of  the  Czar,  may 
be  annihilated,  but  will  never  be  disarmed  ! " 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    313 

The  situation  was  critical,  since  the  Russian 
army  practically  occupied  the  Principality,  and 
the  flimsiest  pretexts  were  employed  to  increase 
the  number  of  troops  in  and  round  Bucharest. 
The  threats  of  Prince  Gortchakoff  were  dis- 
cussed throughout  Europe,  even  in  the  English 
Parliament.  At  length  Prince  Charles  was  forced 
to  prepare  for  the  worst,  and  to  make  arrange- 
ments to  remove  his  troops  and  Government  to 
Little  Wallachia.  The  tension  between  Russia 
and  Roumania  was  still  further  increased  at 
this  period  by  a  remarkable  incident.  On  the 
conclusion  of  the  peace,  Prince  Charles  had  for- 
warded a  congratulatory  letter  to  the  Czar 
through  the  Consul -General  at  Bucharest,  and 
was  therefore  greatly  surprised  to  learn  from 
Prince  Alexander  of  Battenberg  that  the  Czar 
was  complaining  at  not  having  received  his  con- 
gratulations. It  was  then  discovered  that  the 
Imperial  aide-de-camp,  to  whom  the  letter  had 
been  entrusted,  had  been  seriously  ill  at  Vienna, 
and  the  unfortunate  delay  of  six  weeks  was 
thus  accounted  for.  The  Czar  telegraphed  as 
follows  immediately  the  letter  reached  his  hands 
(April  8,  1878) : 

"  Your  kind  letter  of  the  21st  February  did  not 
reach  me  until-to-day.  I  thank  you  sincerely  for 
it,  and  offer  the  same  prayers  as  yourself  that  the 
peace  may  become  firm  and  lasting.  My  feelings 


314  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  my  friendship  for  you  and  Princess  Elisabeth 
will  remain  unaltered ;  but  I  cannot  but  regret 
the  attitude  of  those  who  are  at  the  head  of  your 
Government,  and  who  have  brought  about  a 
situation  which  is  entirely  antagonistic  to  the 
real  interests  of  Roumania." 

A  letter  expressed  the  Czar's  views  still  more 
forcibly  : 

"...  The  painful  relations  created  by  the 
measures  of  your  Ministers  cannot  alter  my 
affectionate  interest  and  friendship  for  you.  I 
regret  having  been  obliged  to  indicate  the 
measures  which  their  course  of  action  may  even- 
tually force  me  to  adopt.  You  cannot  doubt  how 
pleased  I  should  be  to  be  able  to  avoid  this,  for 
it  is  not  in  such  a  light  that  I  should  care  to 
see  our  traditionally  amicable  relations  placed, 
cemented  as  they  are  by  our  brotherhood  in  arms  ; 
and  I  am  certain  that  you  yourself  share  my 
sentiments.  I  understand  the  desire  of  your 
Government  to  regulate  by  a  special  arrangement 
the  relations  which  an  extension  of  the  stay  of 
my  army  on  the  Danube  will  necessitate.  But 
the  peace  is  not  yet  finally  concluded,  and  our 
conventions  have  therefore  not  ceased  to  hold 
good.  You  certainly  understand,  moreover,  that 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  allow  the  least  un- 
certainty to  hover  over  the  communications  and 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    315 

supplies  of  my  troops.  A  friendly  arrangement 
between  our  two  Governments  might  easily 
regulate  matters  in  view  of  the  new  situation, 
which  would  follow  a  definite  peace.  I  am  quite 
willing  to  lend  myself  to  this  measure,  and  I 
have  therefore  ordered  a  special  official  to  proceed 
to  Bucharest,  who  will  be  instructed  to  discuss 
the  same  with  your  Ministers.  I  shall  be  de- 
lighted to  see  an  entente  established,  and  I 
believe  that  this  will  be  more  in  the  interests  of 
Roumania  than  the  existing  tension  of  our 
relations.  I  hope  that  you  will  bring  your 
support  to  bear  upon  the  issue,  and  you  may 
rest  assured  of  mine.  .  .  . 

"  ALEXANDER." 

Prince  Charles  thus  describes  the  situation  in  a 
letter  to  his  father  : 

"  The  East  is  confronted  by  a  new  crisis  from 
which,  thanks  to  its  energetic  attitude,  my 
country  will  not  emerge  the  loser.  The  Treaty 
of  San  Stefano  is  the  work  of  Ignatieff.  ...  I 
rejoice  at  the  resolute  attitude  of  England.  ...  I 
asked  several  Russian  Generals,  who  paid  their 
respects  to  me  to-day,  what  was  the  meaning  of 
the  movements  of  the  troops  in  the  country,  and 
they  told  me  that  several  Divisions  were  preparing 
to  return  to  Russia :  the  army  was  longing  for 
peace,  and  was  thoroughly  tired  of  the  war."  .  .  . 


316  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Nevertheless,  the  disquiet  caused  by  the  move- 
ments of  the  Russian  troops  did  not  disappear, 
although  they  were  declared  to  be  only  directed 
against  Austria. 

As  Prince  Charles  had  foreseen,  Roumania  had 
little  active  support  to  expect  from  the  Great 
Powers.  Prince  Bismarck  informed  M.  Bratianu, 
who  had  been  received  with  assurances  of  friend- 
ship both  at  Vienna  and  Berlin,  that  Bessarabia 
was  the  sine  qua  non  for  Russia,  and  he  therefore 
advised  Roumania  to  come  to  an  understanding 
with  that  Power  before  the  assembly  of  the 
Congress,  by  voluntarily  surrendering  the  three 
Pruth  districts.  Roumania  might  then  obtain 
much,  very  much  indeed,  as  compensation  from 
the  great  Empire.  Prince  Charles  considered 
this  course  practicable,  but  Bratianu  was  in 
favour  of  holding  out  until  the  last  moment. 
Lord  Salisbury,  on  the  other  hand,  assured  the 
Roumanian  Agent  in  Paris  that  Prince  Charles 
might  count  upon  England's  effectual  support  in 
peace  and  in  war,  though  this  promise  lost  much 
of  its  value  by  the  addition  that  mere  important 
questions  than  the  fate  of  Bessarabia  existed  for 
England,  and,  provided  these  were  settled  amic- 
ably, war  would  not  be  declared  for  the  sake  of 
Roumania. 

The  British  armaments,  which  included  the 
movement  of  Indian  troops  to  the  Mediterranean 
garrisons,  continued  to  increase  until  May,  when 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    317 

Count  SchuwalofFs  mission  at  last  secured  the 
assembly  of  the  Congress.  In  the  meantime, 
Prince  Charles  inspected  his  forces  in  Little 
Wallachia.  The  Russians  and  Roumanians  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  capital  were  dangerously 
near  to  one  another,  and  the  Roumanian  Chamber 
voted  increased  supplies  for  war  material  on  its 
own  initiative.  The  whole  of  Roumania  was 
anxious  to  make  every  possible  sacrifice  in  defence 
of  the  national  honour. 

Two  dastardly  attempts  on  the  life  of  the 
venerable  German  Emperor  evoked  feelings  of 
the  deepest  indignation  throughout  the  world. 
Prince  Charles  telegraphed  as  follows  on  behalf 
of  both  himself  and  his  consort  : 

"  We  cannot  find  words  in  which  to  express 
our  consternation  and  grief  at  the  execrable  deed 
which  has  again  endangered  your  Majesty's  life. 
We  thank  God  that  the  wound  is  not  serious,  and 
hope  that  the  certain  knowledge  that  you  are 
surrounded  by  the  deep  love  of  many  millions  will 
help  your  Majesty  out  of  the  bitterness  of  these 
hours." 

The  Congress  was  at  length  opened  by  Prince 
Bismarck  at  Berlin  on  June  13,  1878,  after  Count 
Schuwaloff  had  succeeded  in  making  terms  with 
England,  whereby  Russia  was  allowed  to  annex 
Bessarabia  and  Batoum  in  return  for  the  division 


318  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

of  Bulgaria.  In  appointing  Bratianu  and  Cogal- 
niceanu  as  Roumanian  delegates,  Prince  Charles 
again  reminded  them  that,  since  Bessarabia  must 
be  considered  as  lost  to  Roumania,  they  must 
endeavour  to  obtain  the  greatest  possible  terri- 
torial compensation  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Danube,  possibly  even  as  far  as  the  line  Rust- 
chuk- Varna.  The  Roumanian  delegates  were, 
however,  not  permitted  to  attend  the  sittings  of 
the  Congress  until  after  the  representatives  of 
the  Powers  had  decided  to  sanction  the  annexa- 
tion of  Bessarabia  by  Russia.  Yet  another  severe 
blow  was  destined  to  fall  on  Roumania,  and  by 
the  hand,  too,  of  a  formerly  friendly  power, 
France.  Before  the  independence  of  Roumania 
was  recognised,  all  restrictions  upon  the  political 
and  civil  rights  of  all  creeds,  imposed  by  the 
Constitution,  were  to  be  removed ;  in  other  words, 
the  Roumanian  Jews  were  to  be  admitted  to  the 
franchise.  All  the  entreaties  and  representations 
of  the  Roumanian  delegates  were  in  vain  ;  even 
Lord  Beaconsfield,  in  a  private  audience,  con- 
tented himself  with  the  remark  that  "  in  politics 
ingratitude  is  often  the  reward  of  the  greatest 
services." 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  resolutions  of  the  Con- 
gress left  Roumania  in  a  worse  plight  than  before 
the  war.  Even  the  most  advanced  Liberals,  who 
had  formerly  championed  the  Jewish  cause,  were 
exasperated  at  having  this  measure  thrust  upon 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    319 

them  by  the  Foreign  Powers  as  a  condition, 
before  their  independence,  honourably  achieved 
with  blood  and  steel  upon  the  field  of  glory, 
could  be  recognised.  Moreover,  the  compensation 
offered,  the  Delta  of  the  Danube  and  the  Dobrud- 
scha  as  far  as  the  line  Silistria-Mangalia,  so  far 
from  being  appreciated,  was  actually  opposed 
with  vigour  by  a  large  section  of  the  nation. 

The  Prince's  position  was  doubly  difficult : 
himself  the  most  tolerant  of  mortals,  he  viewed 
all  attempts  at  persecution  with  the  sternest  dis- 
favour ;  as  a  ruler,  he  could  not  close  his  eyes  to 
the  inevitable  result  of  the  emancipation  of  the 
Moldavian  Jews,  who  would  then  have  gained 
possession  of  the  greater  part  of  the  heavily 
mortgaged  estates  in  that  district.  Whatever 
happened,  it  seemed  as  though  the  enormous 
sacrifices  which  Eoumania  had  borne  had  failed 
to  secure  any  adequate  recompense  ;  whilst,  on  the 
other  hand,  England  had  received  Cyprus,  and 
Austria  was  to  administer  Bosnia  and  Herze- 
govina. Bratianu,  therefore,  was  only  too  correct 
when  he  reported  from  Berlin  :  "  Prince  Bismarck 
alone  was  straightforward  with  us  from  the  com- 
mencement when  he  told  us  Bessarabia  was  lost. 
He  was  sincere,  for  it  would  have  been  to  his 
interest  if  we  had  come  to  an  understanding  with 
Russia  direct !  All  the  other  Great  Powers  were 
interested  in  supporting  our  resistance,  for  they 
were  then  able,  by  sacrificing  us  in  the  end,  to 


320  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

obtain    more    concessions    for    themselves    from 
Russia." 

Prince  Charles  wrote  to  his  father  on  August  4, 
1878  : 

"  The  struggles  which  Roumania  has  had  to 
endure  during  the  last  few  months,  and  has  yet 
to  endure,  are,  beyond  all  comparison,  more 
serious  than  those  at  Plevna  and  Widin.  To 
issue  victorious  from  them  will  be  far  more 
honourable  to  my  country  than  the  laurels 
gathered  on  the  battlefields  of  Bulgaria  !  It  is 
pitiful  that  Europe  should  force  a  young  and 
energetic  State,  which  has  shown  its  power  and 
vitality  in  a  bloody  war,  to  cede  a  province.  The 
Berlin  Congress  might  return  to  Russia  what  the 
Treaty  of  Paris  took  away,  but  it  wounds  us 
deeply  that  our  independence,  achieved  on  the 
battlefield,  should  be  made  contingent  upon  the 
cession  of  Bessarabia,  and  much  patience  and 
moderation  are  necessary  to  allow  such  a  course  to 
be  adopted.  We  shall,  however,  show  the  Powers 
that  we  know  how  to  extricate  ourselves  with 
honour  from  the  worst  situations. 

"As  soon  as  the  Articles  referring  to  Rou- 
mania became  known,  the  greatest  consternation 
arose,  and  even  the  most  peaceful  of  the  people 
declared  they  would  rather  not  acquire  indepen- 
dence at  such  a  price.  I  convened  a  Council  of 
Ministers  and  conferred  with  a  few  political 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    321 

leaders,  advising  the  greatest  care,  since  a  hasty 
step  might  bring  the  country  into  extreme 
danger.  Europe  has  need  of  peace  and  insists  on 
it ;  it  will  not,  therefore,  be  content  with  half 
measures,  but  will  execute  the  resolutions  of  the 
Congress  by  force.  After  their  first  anger  had 
been  subdued,  people  here  became  more  reason- 
able, and  recognised  that  it  was  impossible  to 
resist  the  whole  of  Europe. 

"  We  closed  the  Chambers,  and  decided  to  allow 
the  Russian  occupation  of  Bessarabia  to  approach. 
We  shall  then  avoid  any  record  in  writing,  with- 
draw our  officials,  and  admit  a  fait  accompli. 
When  this  painful  affair  has  once  come  to  an  end, 
we  must  find  a  modus  Vivendi  with  Russia,  in 
order  to  be  able  to  regulate  a  multitude  of 
details  without  hindrance.  All  this  will,  how- 
ever, be  effected  by  the  Administration ;  Crown 
and  Chamber  are  not  to  take  any  part  therein. 

"  The  territory  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Danube 
is  not  given  to  us  in  exchange  for  Bessarabia ;  we 
take  it  simply  as  a  war  indemnity,  and  because 
Europe  gives  it  to  us.  We  have  thus  gained  very 
much  both  morally  and  materially,  and  no  one 
can  refuse  us  their  respect.  The  districts  pro- 
mised us  by  the  Congress  have  a  great  future, 
and  in  a  few  years  I  hope  to  raise  them  to  a 
flourishing  condition.  Their  inhabitants  think 
themselves  fortunate  in  being  connected  with 
Roumania,  and  have  already  sent  me  many 


322  THE  KING  OF  11OUMANIA 

addresses,  to  which,  up  to  the  present,  I  have  not 
replied. 

"  Kiistendje  is  a  beautiful  port,  and,  like  the 
railway  to  Tschernavoda,  was  constructed  by  an 
English  company.  A  few  good  hotels  and  instal- 
lations have  been  made  there  for  sea  bathing. 
The  situation  is  healthy." 

About  this  period  the  Prince  received  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Prince  Charles  Anthony  of 
Hohenzollern : 

"  The  whole  strength  of  the  nation  must  now 
be  concentrated  on  the  acquisition  of  the  Dob- 
rudscha  and  the  economic  and  political  tasks 
which  have  arisen  there.  ...  A  reconciliation 
with  Hussia  may  perhaps  prove  the  most  urgent 
duty  of  self-preservation." 

On  the  anniversary  of  Grivitza  Prince  Charles 
addressed  a  cordial  telegram  to  the  Czar,  receiving 
in  turn  a  very  hearty  reply. 

After  the  army  had  been  placed  on  a  peace 
footing,  and  the  Russian  troops  had  quitted  the 
country,  Prince  Charles  devoted  himself  to  the 
task  of  carrying  out  the  conditions  imposed  by 
the  Berlin  Congress.  Since  Article  VII.  of  the 
Roumanian  Constitution  stipulates  that  only 
Christians  can  become  citizens,  a  Constituante 
had  to  be  convened  at  Bucharest,  in  the  hope 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    323 

that  the  alteration  of  the  Constitution  would 
secure  the  necessary  two-thirds  majority. 

The  Ministry  decided  about  this  time  to  request 
Prince  Charles  to  assume  the  title  of  Royal  High- 
ness, as  being  more  suitable  to  the  ruler  of  a 
country  which  surpassed  many  a  European  king- 
dom in  point  of  area  and  population.  The  Powers 
immediately  recognised  the  new  title,  whilst 
Prince  Charles  Anthony  was  of  opinion  that  it 
would  have  been  better  to  follow  the  example 
of  Belgium,  and  assume  the  royal  dignity  forth- 
with. 

Towards  the  end  of  September  the  Chambers 
assembled  to  recognise  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  which, 
after  many  violent  speeches,  they  managed  to  do 
just  one  day  before  the  cession  of  Bessarabia,  the 
resolution  being  worded  as  follows  : 

"  The  Chamber  of  Deputies  has  taken  cogni- 
sance of  the  dispositions  made  by  the  Treaty  of 
Berlin  regarding  Roumania.  Compelled  by  the 
decision  of  the  Powers,  and  in  order  not  to  be 
an  obstacle  to  the  consolidation  of  peace,  the 
Chamber  empowers  the  Government  to  comply 
with  the  universal  wish  of  Europe  by  recalling 
the  civil  and  military  authorities  from  Bessarabia, 
and  taking  possession  of  the  Dobrudscha,  the 
Danube  Delta,  and  the  Serpents'  Island.  The 
other  questions  will  be  settled  by  constitutional 
methods." 


324  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

The  Russian  occupation  of  Bessarabia  passed  off 
uneventfully ;  the  Roumanian  officials  retired 
without  a  word,  and  Prince  Charles  was  spared 
the  pain  of  signing  his  name  to  any  document  in 
connection  with  the  cession.  A  marked  contrast 
to  this  was  afforded  by  the  Austrian  occupation 
of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  which  encountered 
violent  resistance,  and  was  accompanied  by  much 
bloodshed. 

A  couple  of  days  after  the  withdrawal  from 
Bessarabia,  the  triumphal  entry  of  the  Roumanian 
army  into  Bucharest  took  place,  and  the  striking 
unanimity  with  which  the  dignified  bearing  of 
the  Prince  and  his  subjects  was  recognised  both 
at  home  and  abroad  afforded  Prince  Charles  much 
consolation  during  this  critical  period. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE,  October  l$lh,  1878. 

"  You  know  that  you  were  much  in  my  thoughts 
during  the  Congress  and  afterwards,  in  the  midst 
of  that  truly  difficult  period  of  negotiations  about 
the  cession  of  Bessarabia.  But  I  purposely  refrained 
from  writing  to  you,  because  I  did  not  know  how  I 
was  to  express  myself  in  view  of  such  events. 

"  I  was  convinced  that  you  would  estimate  the 
circumstances  correctly,  and  be  able  to  take 
matters  as  they  are.  The  exchange  of  territory, 
however,  hit  you  doubly  hard,  since  only  too 
many  were  anxious  to  throw  suspicion  on  you 
for  being  an  immigrant  wanting  in  '  patriotic 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    325 

feeling.'  Thank  Heaven,  the  representatives  of 
your  country  appear  to  have  submitted  with  the 
necessary  resignation,  so  that  you  have  been 
relieved  of  a  real  trouble.  May  Roumania  now 
speedily  realise  all  the  advantages  which  may 
still  be  drawn  from  the  Dobrudscha,  though  it 
offers  but  little,  and  may  the  construction  of 
bridges,  canals,  and  ports  mark  a  new  era  in  your 
rule.  If  such  undertakings  succeed,  a  true  substi- 
tute will  have  been  found  for  all  you  have  given 
up,  and  one  day  the  advantage  may  perhaps  be 
on  your  side.  This  is  my  heart's  desire. 

Russia's  conduct,  after  the  manful  service  you 
did  for  that  colossal  Empire,  meets  with  censure 
on  all  sides.  I  do  not  understand  the  importance 
which  they  attach  to  that  piece  of  land.  But 
they  have  scarcely  got  their  way,  when  Russia 
begins  to  stir  up  a  question  about  Afghanistan, 
which  again  threatens  the  peace,  though  for  the 
present  only  in  Asia !  As  if  enough  blood  had 
not  been  shed  already.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  good  Ameer  will  listen  to  reason,  but  the 
general  tension  is  nevertheless  very  great." 

Referring  to  the  events  of  the  last  summer,  the 

o 

attempted  assassination  of  the  Emperor  Wil- 
liam I.,  and  his  own  Regency,  the  Crown  Prince 
remarks : 

"  My  best  thanks,  though  late,  for  your  welcome 


326  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  sympathetic  letter  in  June.  You  felt  with 
us  what  a  heavy  blow  had  fallen  on  us  all, 
and  rejoiced  with  us  over  the  recovery  of  the  dear 
Emperor,  whom  I  found  wonderfully  well  at  Cassel 
and  Baden.  His  freshness  and  mobility,  his 
memory  and  spirits  are  completely  restored.  Yet 
those  who  see  him  daily,  say  that  mental  exertion 
still  tires  him  easily,  and  that  he  is  therefore 
very  willing  to  avoid  it.  His  resumption  of  official 
duties  is  thus  postponed  still  further,  so  that  I 
shall  probably  not  be  free  from  this  burden  until 
December  on  his  return  from  Wiesbaden  to 
Berlin!  .... 

"  A  few  days  ago  we  bade  farewell  to  Henry 
for  two  years.  Seldom  has  a  separation  fallen  so 
heavily  on  my  heart  as  this.  He  proceeds  round 
Cape  Horn  via  Bio,  and  will  then  join  his  station 
in  Japan. 

"  William  has  just  returned  from  England  and 
Scotland  ;  he  met  Charlotte  and  Bernard  in  Paris, 
where  they  amused  themselves  immensely  in  the 
strictest  incognito.  .  .  . 

"  My  wife  and  I  are  tolerably  well  in  spite  of 
these  troublous  times,  which  in  less  than  half  a  year 
have  brought  me  a  Peace  Congress,  marriages, 
special  legislation,  dissolution  of  the  Imperial  Diet, 
elections,  and  the  execution  of  a  death  sentence. 
In  all  these  events  I  see  God's  will  that  I  should 
taste  of  everything  that  still  is  set  before  me.  But 
it  is  not  easy  to  exercise  the  rights  and  bear  all 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    327 

the  burdens  of  a  monarch  to  the  best  of  one's 
ability  and  conscience  without  taking  the  sole 
responsibility. 

"  To-morrow  the  Imperial  Diet  concludes  its 
deliberations  ;  let  us  hope  that  the  law  against 
social  democracy  marks  the  commencement  of  a 
radical  cure,  by  means  of  which  this  evil  may  be 
overcome.  It  will,  however,  cost  us  much  pains 
before  we  can  rid  ourselves  of  this  abortion,  which 
has  increased  with  such  incredible  rapidity  since 
the  teaching  of  this  unhealthy  society  finds  a 
ready  market,  and  the  attempted  assassinations, 
which  will  now  multiply  still  more,  show  the  direc- 
tion taken  by  a  misunderstood  application.  ..." 

From  PRINCE  ALEXANDER  OF  BATTENBERG,  October  2Qth,  '78. 

"  You  can  imagine  how  I  have  followed  the 
march  of  political  events.  The  consequence  of 
the  unhappy  Peace  of  Berlin  will  probably  be 
that  we,  i.e.,  the  Russians,  shall  soon  have  to 
draw  sword  again.  Should  we  then  be  comrades 
in  arms  once  more  ?  Probably  not ! 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Dondukow's  doings  ? 
Here  in  Jugenheim  I  am  too  far  away  to  be  able  to 
form  an  opinion,  and  the  papers  contain  nothing 
but  lies ;  the  events  in  Bulgaria  interest  me 
greatly,  as  secret  inquiries  continue  to  reach  me 
from  time  to  time." 

The  first  ambassador  to  the  Roumanian  Court, 


328  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Count  Hoyos,  was  sent  by  Austria,  an  example 
soon  followed  by  Turkey,  and  later  on  by  Russia, 
who  raised  the  rank  of  its  representative  first 
from  Consul-General  to  Resident  Minister,  and 
then  to  Ambassador.  In  return,  the  Diplomatic 
Agents  of  Roumania  in  Vienna,  St.  Petersburg, 
and  Constantinople  were  created  Ambassadors. 
A  very  friendly  understanding  with  Turkey  was 
now  initiated,  and  proved  to  be  of  great  advantage 
to  Roumania  during  the  transactions  of  the  Fron- 
tier Commission,  which  was  presided  over  by  the 
former  State.  In  strict  accordance  with  the  pro- 
visions of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  the  frontier  line 
was  fixed  close  to  the  gates  of  Silistria,  in  spite  of 
the  immediate  protests  of  the  Russian  Commis- 
sary, who  succeeded  in  delaying  a  final  settlement 
for  a  period  of  years. 

On  November  26,  1878,  the  Roumanians  pro- 
ceeded to  take  possession  of  the  Dobrudscha,  and 
were  received  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm,  to  the 
surprise  of  the  Austrian  Emperor,  whose  experi- 
ence in  Bosnia  had  led  him  to  advise  Prince 
Charles  not  to  garrison  the  Dobrudscha  with  less 
than  a  Division. 

The  first  anniversary  of  Plevna  was  marked  by 
the  issue  of  a  stirring  Army  Order  by  Prince 
Charles,  who  also  exchanged  warm  congratula- 
tions by  telegraph  with  the  Czar  and  the  Arch- 
duke Nicholas. 

Rumours  in  the  Press  pointed  to  the  probable 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    329 

selection  of  Prince  Alexander  of  Battenberg  for 
the  newly  created  throne  of  Bulgaria,  whilst  the 
selection  of  Prince  Charles  also  received  public 
support.  In  reply  to  his  Ministers,  who  con- 
sidered that  his  candidature  was  desirable,  Prince 
Charles  remarked  that  the  moment  for  such  a 
step  had  passed.  Not  against,  but  only  with  the 
aid  of  Russia  could  such  a  candidature  succeed ! 

Although  the  Chamber  and  Senate  at  first 
supported  the  speedy  convocation  of  a  Constitu- 
ante,  months  elapsed  before  the  three  readings 
took  place  in  the  Chamber  before  proceeding  to  a 
dissolution  to  allow  the  elections  to  take  place. 

The  third  reading  did  not  take  place  till  April  5, 
1879,  after  Prince  Bismarck  had  in  a  somewhat 
threatening  manner  requested  to  be  informed 
when  the  Jewish  question  was  to  be  settled. 
This  question  was  transmitted  through  Austria- 
Hungary,  the  Roumanian  representative  in  Berlin 
being  passed  over ! 

In  addition  to  this  pressing  question  of  the 
Jewish  franchise,  the  old  trouble  about  the  re- 
purchase of  the  Strousberg  Railway  Line  was 
raised  by  Germany,  which  roundly  declared  that 
her  attitude  in  future  depended  on  this  measure 
being  carried  out. 

The  Prince  of  Roumania  wrote  to  Prince  Charles 
Anthony  : 

"  Although    we  wish    to   acquire    the   railway 


330  THE  KING  OF  ROUMAMA 

lines,  we  nevertheless  feel  hurt  at  this  pressure. 
The  Jewish  question,  and  the  purchase  of  the 
railways  are  two  such  important  problems  that 
they  can  hardly  be  grappled  with  simultaneously. 
Bleichroder's  influence  is  evident  in  both  affairs. 

"  Our  relations  with  Russia  are  no  better, 
though  Schuwaloff  said  to  my  Ambassador :  '  I 
admit  that  we  have  committed  many  blunders 
with  regard  to  you,  but  remember  that  you  have 
done  the  same  with  us.  We  have  no  reason  to 
quarrel ;  on  the  contrary,  at  such  a  time  we  ought 
to  be  on  the  best  footing.' 

"  We  have  little  hope  that  the  question  of  the 
Dobrudscha  frontier  will  be  decided  to  our  advan- 
tage, since  Germany  is  quite  on  the  side  of 
Russia.  Bismarck  is  the  man  who  deters  those 
Powers  which  are  not  yet  in  diplomatic  connection 
with  us.  The  proposal  to  recognise  Servia  pro- 
ceeded from  Berlin  to  the  other  Powers,  with  the 
remark  that  a  distinction  must  be  made  between 
one  country  that  fulfils  its  obligations  and  another 
that  seeks  to  avoid  them  ! " 

Prince  Charles  Anthony  had  already  written  as 
follows  to  his  son  in  Februarv  1879  : 

•/ 

"  In  spite  of  the  completed  cession  of  Bessarabia, 
Russia  still  appears  to  be  hostile  to  you,  and  the 
remainder  of  Europe,  including  the  German  Empire, 
does  not  take  up  a  resolute  attitude  against  that 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER     331 

Power.  Every  step  taken  by  Roumania,  conscious 
of  her  achieved  independence,  is  hindered  and 
opposed  !  It  would  be  desirable  to  put  an  end  to 
your  ominous  Jewish  question,  if  only  to  remove 
every  pretext  from  the  Powers." 

Again,  a  few  months  later  : 

"  There  is  nothing  left  for  you  but  to  carry 
through  the  Jewish  question  a  tout  prix,  in  spite 
of  all  the  antipathies  of  the  populace,  and  re- 
gardless of  the  mischievous  nature  of  the  whole 
measure." 

The  whole  country,  Moldavia  in  particular,  was 
in  a  state  of  the  greatest  excitement,  and  on  no 
occasion  were  the  elections  so  largely  participated 
in  as  those  which  preceded  this  Revising  Chamber. 
Prince  Charles,  accompanied  by  the  Crown  Prince 
of  Sweden,  made  a  tour  through  Moldavia  before 
the  elections  took  place.  The  National  festival, 
the  10th-22nd  May,  was  celebrated  with  particu- 
larity and  fervour  in  1879.  The  Roumanian  army 
presented  a  sword  of  honour  to  their  sovereign, 
inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  victorious  actions 
and  the  following  dedication  :  "To  the  victorious 
leader  in  the  War  of  1877-78,  from  his  grateful 
Army,"  and  "  Virtus  Romana  rediviva." 

The  opening  of  the  Revising  Chamber  was  but 
the  prelude  to  a  summer  of  violent  political 


332  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

struggles,  which  kept  the  national  feelings  at  a 
dangerously  high  pitch  of  excitement.  The 
Ministry  would  not  lay  definite  proposals  before 
the  Chambers,  but  seemed  anxious  to  allow  the 
nation  to  take  the  lead  in  this  vital  question, 
whilst  a  strong  current  of  public  feeling  advocated 
opposition  to  the  demands  of  the  Berlin  Treaty. 

To  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY. 

"  In  the  event  of  an  unsatisfactory  solution, 
they  are  determined  in  Berlin  to  intervene  by 
means  of  a  Collective  Note  which  will  dictate  to 
us  what  rights  we  are  to  concede  to  the  Jews. 
Such  a  step  would,  of  course,  arouse  national  ex- 
citement, and  only  further  increase  resistance  ;  but 
this  might  become  a  great  danger  to  the  country 
apart  from  the  humiliation  which  it  includes. 
The  question  is  whether  execution  would  follow 
intervention,  and  what  shape  the  execution 
would  take  ?  Italy  contents  itself  with  the  removal 
of  Article  VII.  of  the  Constitution,  and  likewise 
England,  with  the  naturalisation  of  a  few  Jews. 
Waddington,  however,  demands  a  radical  solution, 
and  Berlin  insists  on  the  re-purchase  of  the  rail- 
ways under  the  conditions  imposed  by  her  bankers. 
The  German  Chancellor  is  opposed  to  us,  and  all 
the  goodwill  of  the  Emperor  is  of  no  avail." 

Prince  Bismarck  informed  the  Roumanian  Go- 
vernment through  Count  Andrassy  that  he  placed 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    333 

no  confidence  in  their  good  faith,  and  that,  in  his 
opinion,  Roumania  was  still  a  dependent  State. 
In  the  event  of  her  resisting  the  resolutions  of 
the  Berlin  Congress  he  intended  to  treat  with  the 
Suzerain  at  Constantinople !  Count  Andrassy 
in  vain  represented  the  difficulty  of  the  Rou- 
manian situation,  for  Prince  Bismarck  was  armed 
with  the  argument  that  he  considered  the 
honour  of  the  German  Empire  pledged  in  this 
matter,  whilst  England  proposed  a  Collective  Note 
to  be  executed  by  the  Austrian  Cabinet.  Yet, 
despite  the  threatening  aspect  of  affairs,  the  Rou- 
manian Chambers  became  more  and  more  obstinate, 
and  refused  to  hasten  a  solution  of  the  constitu- 
tional questions  involved. 

The  marriage  of  the  Prince's  youngest  brother, 
Frederick,  with  Princess  Louise  of  Thurn  and 
Paris,  took  place  at  Regensburg  in  June  1879,  and 
the  German  Emperor  and  Empress  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding  at  Berlin.  The  same  month,  how- 
ever, brought  the  terrible  news  of  the  death  of 
the  unfortunate  Prince  Imperial,  who  had  volun- 
teered for  service  with  the  British  troops  acting 
against  the  Zulus.  In  reply  to  Prince  Charles' 
letter  of  sympathy  the  Empress  Eugenie  wrote  : 

"  CHISLEHURST,  August  IStk,  1879. 

"  You  recall  to  me  the  days  of  happiness,  and 
by  recurring  to  the  present  you  share  my  illimitable 
grief. 


334  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  Everything  has  fallen  from  me,  and  only  two 
tombs  are  left  of  all  I  loved.  I  rest  near  them, 
and  here  my  isolation  seems  less  great.  I  have 
known  both  extremes  and  the  want  of  stability  of 
human  fortunes.  We  are  wrong  in  not  always 
fixing  our  eyes  beyond  this  life  on  that  one  where 
nothing  changes,  and  where  we  shall  rejoin  those 
whom  we  love  to  all  eternity. 

"  I  beg  that  you  will  thank  the  Princess  for  the 
sympathy  which  my  recent  and  overwhelming 
misfortune  has  elicited  from  in  her. 

"EUGENIE." 

The  death  of  the  German  Crown  Prince's  third 
son,  Waldemar,  at  the  early  age  of  eleven,  gave 
occasion  to  the  following  letter  : 

"  POTSDAM,  July  27th,  1879. 

"  Your  kind  and  sympathetic  letter,  no  less  than 
Elisabeth's  deeply  touching  verses,  were  very 
welcome  to  my  poor  wife  and  myself.  You  both 
feel  with  and  for  us,  for  God  decreed  a  like  trouble 
for  you,  and  even  though  your  fate  was  much 
harder,  still  we  all  have  to  bear  the  heavy  destiny 
of  surviving  our  children. 

"  We  endeavour  to  bear  God's  decree  with 
resignation,  but  we  cannot  even  now  become  recon- 
ciled to  the  loss  of  another  son  from  the  happy 
circle  of  our  family,  a  son,  too,  who  justified  our 
highest  hopes,  and  already  displayed  character  at 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    335 

an  early  age.  It  is  so  difficult  to  accustom  our- 
selves to  everyday  life  without  our  most  dearly 
loved  child,  for  every  step  reminds  us  that  he  will 
never  appear  again,  and  that  we  must  learn  to  live 
without  our  companion. 

"...  Our  life,  which,  moreover,  has  never  been 
a  tranquil  one,  had  already  become  gloomy  by  the 
moving  incidents  of  last  year  ;  with  this  sorrow  it 
has  lost  what  remaining  joy  it  still  had  to  offer  us, 
and  we  can  only  gather  satisfaction  from  the  exe- 
cution of  our  tasks  and  duties. 

"  You  very  rightly  lay  stress  upon  the  fact  that 
such  grief  causes  us  more  than  ever  to  sympathise 
with  others  in  their  sorrow  and  to  seek  their 
society.  Many  other  things  are  first  apparent  to 
us  in  our  time  of  mourning,  and  it  is  certainly 
through  the  medium  of  this  chastening  that  we 
are  to  be  prepared  for  a  higher  calling,  which 
appears  dark  and  mysterious  to  dwellers  on  earth. 
It  is  not  for  us  to  inquire  '  Why  ? '  and  yet  we  do 
so ;  we  are  but  human  beings,  to  whom  the  work 
of  Divine  justice  is  hidden  here,  but  will  be  made 
clear  to  us  there." 

The  chivalrous  Prince  Alexander  of  Battenberg, 
who  had  been  elected  Prince  of  Bulgaria,  expe- 
rienced the  greatest  difficulties  in  taking  over  the 
reins  of  government,  as  the  following  letter  shows : 

"I  am  now  passing  through  the  same  stage  as 


336  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

you  did  last  year :  devoted  with  my  whole  heart 
to  the  Czar  Alexander,  I  am  anxious  to  do 
nothing  that  can  be  called  anti-Russian.  Un- 
fortunately the  Russian  officials  have  acted  with 
the  utmost  want  of  tact ;  confusion  prevails  in 
every  office,  and  peculation,  thanks  to  Dondukow's 
decrees,  is  all  but  sanctioned.  I  am  daily  con- 
fronted with  the  painful  alternative  of  having  to 
decide  either  to  assent  to  the  Russian  demands  or 
to  be  accused  in  Russia  of  ingratitude  and  of 
'  injuring  the  most  sacred  feelings  of  the  Bul- 
garians.' My  situation  is  truly  terrible ;  I  reject 
everything  opposed  to  my  conscience,  and  there- 
fore have  to  write  daily  to  the  Czar  in  order  to 
obtain  a  hearing  before  the  calumnies  of  the 
Russian  officials  shall  have  had  time  to  reach  him. 
I  will  tell  you  everything  shortly  on  the  occasion 
of  my  visit." 

From  ALEXANDER  PRINCE  OF  BULGARIA,  Aiigust  22nd,  1879. 

"  A  thousand  thanks  for  your  long  and  kind 
letter,  the  conferring  of  your  Grand  Cross,  and  the 
geniality  with  which  you  welcomed  my  Envoy. 
I  have,  it  is  true,  never  doubted  your  friendship, 
but  to  see  it  once  more  confirmed  in  this  hand- 
some fashion  has  nevertheless  made  me  very 
happy.  I  shall  reply  to  Elisabeth's  kind  letter 
direct. 

"  Unfortunately  I  cannot  pay  you  a  visit  before 
October,  for  I  have  so  much  to  do  that  I  cannot 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER    337 

quit  the  country.  All  my  Ministers  are  a  little 
anxious,  and  I  myself  have  more  or  less  to  decide 
everything. 

"  The  solitude  here  is  very  great,  but  as  at 
present  I  am  busy  from  morning  to  night  I  feel  it 
the  less.  The  idea  of  marriage  is  antipathetic 
to  me  :  I  feel  that  I  have  no  right  to  bring  a  wife 
to  this  lonely  spot ;  moreover,  I  do  not  want  to 
bind  myself,  in  order  that,  in  the  event  of  affairs 
turning  out  badly,  my  convictions  may  not  be 
influenced  by  any  external  consideration.  Every- 
thing will  depend  upon  the  first  National  Assembly. 
It  is  not  easy  to  be  Dondukow's  heir. 

"  With  my  whole  heart  I  sympathise  with  you 
regarding  the  Jewish  question.  What  a  fatal 
thing  it  is  for  us  all  that  the  Great  Powers  have 
declared  themselves  Masters  of  the  World  ! 

"Although  hostile  to  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  I 
have  nevertheless  given  it  my  complete  adherence 
in  my  new  position.  I  have  conceived  my  mission 
from  the  European  standpoint  as  far  as  possible, 
and  allow  the  same  law  to  apply  to  all.  Con- 
sequently I  sought  to  help  the  Mohammedans  as 
much  as  possible,  but  utilised  the  moment  to 
introduce  universal  service  ;  if  the  Mohammedans 
want  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  all  subjects,  they 
must  also  bear  the  disadvantages.  I  am  in  every- 
thing the  opposite  of  my  predecessors  ;  I  shall 
make  fewer  speeches,  but  work  more,  and  the 
final  result  will,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  justify  me. 


338  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  If  only  the  frontiers  at  least  were  settled  ! 
So  long  as  this  is  not  the  case  there  will  be  no 
peace  in  the  country.  (I  do  not  thereby  mean 
Arab-Tabia,  but  the  South  and  West,  where  dis- 
turbances always  take  place.)  Everything  beyond 
this  must  be  delivered  verbally. 

"  With  many  hearty  greetings, 

"Your  sincere 

"  SANDBO." 

During  the  course  of  the  summer  the  unhappy 
Jewish  question  became  "  in  truth  a  gigantic 
struggle,"  as  Prince  Charles  informed  his  father : 

"  Whilst  the  country  considers  me  the  defender 
of  the  rights  of  the  Jews,  the  Foreign  Powers 
complain  that  I  do  not  champion  them  with  suffi- 
cient energy.  This  reproach,  however,  affects  me 
very  little.  There  is  only  one  path  which  can 
lead  me  to  my  goal,  and  that  is  laid  down  by  the 
Constitution." 

Owing  to  this  struggle  a  modification  of  the 
Ministry  became  necessary  towards  the  end  of 
July,  and  M.  Sturdza  was  sent  to  Berlin  to  lay 
the  difficulties  of  the  situation  before  Prince 
Bismarck,  whilst  Prince  Charles  Anthony  turned 
to  the  aged  Emperor  William. 

From  PRINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  July  24th,  1879. 
"  Only  a  few  words  to-day  to  tell  you  that  we 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      339 

saw  the  Emperor  (William)  in  the  Mainau  the 
day  before  yesterday.  He  asked  me  to  come  to 
his  room  after  dinner,  when  I  at  last  found  an 
opportunity  of  discussing  Roumanian  affairs  and 
of  commending  you  to  his  care.  I  can  now  tell 
you  that  I  was  greatly  surprised  and  pleased 
with  the  Emperor's  opinions,  even  though  I  must 
regretfully  limit  this  favourable  impression  by  the 
fact  that  the  Emperor  has  certainly  not  been 
kept  au  courant  with  the  situation.  He  at  first 
ascribed  the  whole  blame  to  England,  who  is 
urging  the  Jewish  question  with  the  greatest 
want  of  consideration,  and  from  whose  policy 
Germany  cannot  dissociate  herself. 

"  When  I  proved  that  the  exact  opposite  was 
the  case,  and  compared  the  constantly  progressive 
moderation  of  England  with  the  harsh  attitude 
of  Germany,  which  never  has  regard  to  circum- 
stances, the  Emperor  was  highly  astonished ;  he 
would  not  believe  it  at  all,  and  said  that  the 
Jewish  question  was  entirely  antipathetic  to 
him  ;  that  he  was  acquainted  with  similar  circum- 
stances in  Poland  and  Russia ;  and  that,  if  he 
had  not  been  suffering  from  his  wounds  during 
the  Berlin  Congress,  he  would  never  have  con- 
sented to  the  present  extension  of  this  question. 
In  brief,  I  am  convinced  that  the  Imperial 
Chancellor  did  not  consult  the  Emperor  in  this 
matter  at  all,  or  at  least  did  not  report  it  to  him 
fully." 


840  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

A  few  days  later  Prince  Charles  Anthony  for- 
warded to  his  son  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  the 
Empress,  written  by  the  Emperor  at  Gastein, 
July  25,  1879  : 

"  With  regard  to  Roumania  I  have,  as  you 
know,  from  the  outset  most  strongly  disapproved 
of  the  resolution  of  the  Congress  concerning  the 
Jewish  question,  though  only  after  the  blow  had 
fallen,  since  I  was  not  at  the  head  of  affairs. 

"  Since  then  I  have,  of  course,  only  had  to 
support  the  strict  execution  of  the  resolutions  of 
the  Congress,  but  I  have  demanded  at  every 
opportunity  that  no  pressure  be  used  in  this 
matter,  for  I  know  by  experience  what  the  Jews 
are  in  those  regions — starting  with  Posen,  Poland, 
Lithuania,  and  Volhynia — and  the  Roumanian 
Jews  are  said  to  be  even  worse !  The  whole 
Jewish  question  there  has  been  championed  so 
violently  by  England.  Lord  Odo  Russell  con- 
fessed as  much  to  me  in  answer  to  my  representa- 
tions, indicating  at  the  same  time  by  a  gesture 
his  disagreement  with  them. 

"  I  explained  the  attitude  which  I  have  adopted 
with  regard  to  the  Jewish  question  (on  which 
the  recognition  of  my  cousin  as  an  independent 
Sovereign  depends)  to  the  Prince  of  Hohenzollern, 
when  he  excitedly  complained  of  the  extreme 
severity  of  our  note.  I  added,  however,  that  I 
was  not  acquainted  with  the  note  in  question. 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      341 

On  my  making  inquiry,  the  latest  document  for 
Bucharest  was  only  yesterday  laid  before  me.  It 
states  that  the  Powers  would  be  satisfied  by  the 
annulment  of  the  restrictive  article  of  the 
[Roumanian  Constitution  being  recognised  as  a 
principle,  leaving  the  decision  as  to  the  method 
of  carrying  it  into  effect  to  a  later  date,  when  the 
Ministry  and  Chamber  have  come  to  an  agree- 
ment. When  once  this  method  has  been  accepted, 
nothing  will  impede  the  recognition  of  the  Prince. 
I  commission  you  to  communicate  this  most 
exactly  in  Krauchenwies,  and  also  add  that  I 
think  that  Charles  of  Roumania  and  his  Ministry, 
which  has  just  been  changed,  should  accept  this 
method  ;  the  Chambers  will  then  have  to  practise 
self-restraint. 

"  You  will  remember  that  I  always  took  the 
part  of  the  Roumanian  Government,  whenever 
difficulties  arose  between  Christians  and  Jews, 
whilst  England  invariably  took  the  opposite  side, 
because  she  sees  a  refined  Rothschild  in  every 
Jew." 

Whilst  the  German  Emperor  thus  roundly 
declared  his  interest  in  the  Roumanian  Sovereign, 
his  Chancellor  proved  no  less  sympathetic  towards 
M.  Sturdza,  at  an  interview  which  took  place 
at  Kissingen.  Prince  Bismarck  admitted  that 
the  Berlin  Congress  had  set  Roumania  a  hard 
task,  but  remarked  that  the  resolutions  must  be 


342  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

executed  in  their  entirety.  Germany  was  only 
demanding  what  France  and  Italy  also  wished  in 
the  matter  of  the  Jews,  of  whom  there  were  a 
large  number  crowded  together  in  certain  portions 
of  the  country.  The  Roumanians  must  open  the 
war  upon  economic  ground  :  work  and  save,  found 
banks,  &c.  The  Empire  was  anxious  to  maintain 
friendly  relations  with  Roumania,  although  the 
latter  had  until  recently  treated  Germany  some- 
what cavalierly.  The  sympathy  of  the  Roumanian 
nation  with  France,  though  perhaps  only  natural, 
had  in  the  end  annoyed  Germany,  and  it  was 
never  wise  to  annoy  anybody,  least  of  all  one  who 
happened  to  be  powerful.  In  order  to  ameliorate 
the  existing  relations,  it  was  necessary  that  the 
railway  question  should  disappear. 

"  One  must  be  acquainted  with  the  commence- 
ment of  this  affair  in  order  to  realise  its  import- 
ance. No  one  can  be  blamed  for  it,  neither  we 
nor  Roumania  :  the  affair  exists,  and  we  must  get 
rid  of  it  with  profit  to  both  parties. 

"  Our  interest  is  considerable,  since  about  one 
hundred  million  marks  are  invested  there.  These 
moneys  must  be  rescued  from  a  precarious  situa- 
tion, in  which  it  has  often  been  the  duty  of  the 
State  to  defend  them,  and  on  each  occasion  this 
has  strained  the  relations  between  the  two  States. 

"  This  railway  affair  commenced  with  Dr.  Strous- 
berg,  who  dragged  the  Silesian  magnates  into  it, 
and  with  them  all  their  friends  and  dependents 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      34S 

were  in  turn  involved.  To-day  we  find  amongst 
the  bondholders  of  the  Roumanian  Railway  Com- 
pany, lords  and  ladies,  lackeys  of  the  great 
houses,  and  even  cabdrivers — in  a  word,  almost 
the  whole  of  Berlin.  Indeed,  more  than  that,  the 
King  himself  had  to  intervene  to  save  a  few  of 
the  Silesian  magnates,  when  Strousberg  could 
carry  on  no  longer !  He  then  applied  to  Bleich- 
roder,  who  was,  however,  rich  enough  not  to  need 
to  address  himself  to  so  involved  a  question. 
Nevertheless,  he  did  so  because  he  was  asked, 
and  also  on  account  of  the  credit  which  it  brought 
him.  He  has  taken  the  matter  in  hand,  and  we 
are  bound  to  support  him.  But  the  King  has 
done  even  more  than  this.  He  has  had  to  assist 
the  great  Silesian  nobles  out  of  his  privy  purse. 
It  is,  therefore,  easy  to  understand  that  every 
one  is  anxious  to  escape  from  this  painful  situa- 
tion. You  must,  therefore,  solve  these  two 
questions  in  order  to  enter  the  ranks  of  the 
Independent  States.  An  independent  Roumania 
will  throw  a  heavy  weight  into  the  balance  of 
Oriental  questions.  .  .  .  Roumania  has  an  area 
of  2500  square  miles  (German)  and  6,000,000 
inhabitants.  It  might  have  10,000,000  ;  and  how 
powerful  it  would  be  then." 

The  Jews  were  admitted  to  the  franchise  on 
October  18,  1879,  by  an  alteration  of  Article  VII. 
of  the  Constitution,  and  over  900  Jews  who  had 


344  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

served  with  the  colours  in  1877-78  were  imme- 
diately admitted  to  the  rights  of  citizenship. 
Though  the  situation  at  one  period  became  so 
critical  that  the  German  Empress  sent  a  "  quite 
confidential  "  warning  that  delay  was  fraught  with 
danger,  the  demands  of  Germany  in  the  matter  of 
the  railway  purchase  were  satisfied  three  months 
later,  and  the  independence  of  the  Roumanian  State 
was  in  consequence  fully  recognised  by  all  the 
European  Powers. 

To  PKINCE  CHARLES  ANTHONY,  February  \\th,  1880. 

"Sandro*  is  in  despair  about  the  doings  of  the 
Panslavists,  who  are  making  his  task  uncommonly 
difficult ;  had  he  only  Bulgarians  to  deal  with,  he 
would  get  on  easily  enough.  .  .  .  He  is  determined 
to  speak  openly  to  the  Czar  Alexander  about  the 
Panslavonic  and  Nihilist  agitation  in  Sofia.  He 
returns  to  his  capital  at  the  end  of  March,  when 
the  newly  elected  National  Assembly  will  be 
opened  ;  it  is  not  much  better  than  the  former. 
So  long  as  the  Czar  Alexander  lives  he  will  per- 
sonally exert  a  favourable  influence  in  Bulgaria, 
but  when  he  dies  everything  will  be  changed.  I 
told  Sandro,  who  has  much  confidence  in  me,  that 
if  he  possesses  enough  strength  to  live  down  this 
period  of  suffering,  he  will  be  richly  rewarded  for 
his  patience  and  endurance.  But  few,  perhaps, 
have  the  patience  that  I  had,  and  still  have." 
*  Prince  Alexander  of  Bulgaria. 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      345 

During  the  stay  of  the  Prince  of  Bulgaria  in 
St.  Petersburg  an  attempt  was  made  by  Nihilists 
to  blow  up  the  Winter  Palace,  but  it  failed  owing 
to  a  mere  chance.  Prince  Alexander  of  Hesse, 
the  father  of  the  Prince  of  Bulgaria,  reached  St. 
Petersburg  later  than  was  expected,  and  so  caused 
the  dinner  to  be  postponed  to  a  later  hour.  The 
explosion,  which  destroyed  the  dining-room,  took 
place,  therefore,  whilst  their  Majesties  were  in  an 
antechamber. 

The  English  elections  in  March  displaced  the 
Conservative  Ministry  and  summoned  Gladstone 
to  the  head  of  the  Government.  About  the  same 
time  Prince  Charles  despatched  the  President  of 
the  Ministry  to  Berlin,  to  hand  the  insignia  of  the 
Star  of  Roumania  to  the  Emperor  William,  the 
Crown  Prince,  and  Prince  Bismarck.  The  last- 
named  suggested  that  Roumania  had  claims  to 
become  a  kingdom,  but  the  opinion  in  Vienna  was 
in  favour  of  delaying  this  step. 

From  the  GERMAN  CROWN  PRINCE. 

"  Your  relations  towards  Russia  will  grow  excep- 
tionally difficult ;  for,  no  matter  how  great  the 
confidence  one  may  place  in  the  magnanimity  of 
the  Czar,  the  less  can  one  trust  his  Government, 
looking  impartially  at  the  actions  of  their  agents, 
who  are  actively  propagating  the  views  of  the 
Panslavists  in  all  directions,  and  are  finally  making 
it  seem  impossible  for  the  Government  to  disavow 


346  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

and  abandon  their  countrymen  who  have  gone  to 
such  lengths.  One  would  really  think  that  Russia 
was  large  enough  already,  and  that  she  had  enough 
to  do  at  home,  and  might  leave  her  neighbours  in 
peace.  Bulgaria  seems  to  me  like  a  Russian 
province,  which  is  only  waiting  for  a  hint  to  allow 
itself  to  be  incorporated  ;  and  Battenberg,  even 
though  he  possessed  ever  so  much  foresight  and 
determination,  will  hardly  be  able  to  steer  against 
the  Russian  stream. 

"  Our  rapprochement  and  understanding  with 
Austria  last  autumn  was,  no  doubt,  under  the 
circumstances,  a  correct  step,  and  has  given  the 
Czar's  Empire  something  to  think  about.  If  we 
could  only  succeed  in  preventing  France  from 
forming  the  ardently  desired  alliance  with  Russia 
— which  has  probably  been  postponed  for  some 
time — we  might  then  see  favourable  guarantees 
for  peace  everywhere.  No  one  wants  war,  because 
all  have  much  to  do  at  home,  and  have  enough  to 
think  over  in  the  consequences  of  the  last  bloody 
war.  Above  all  things,  we  Germans  do  not  wish 
for  war,  since  we  gained  far  more  by  the  last  than 
we  ever  dared  to  hope  for,  and  we  anticipate  no 
advantage  from  any  extension. 

"  Permit  me  to  inform  you  and  dear  Elisabeth 
that  the  premature  hints  of  the  Press  regarding 
the  betrothal  of  my  eldest  son,  William,  to  Victoria 
of  Schleswig-Holstein,  eldest  daughter  of  the  late 
Fritz  of  Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg,  are 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      347 

quite  true.  Mutual  and  deep-seated  inclination 
has  brought  the  two  together,  and  this  fulfils  the 
sincere  wish  of  my  wife  and  myself  to  greet  as  our 
daughter-in-law  a  Princess  so  distinguished  by 
gifts  of  spirit,  heart,  and  temperament,  as  well  as 
by  dignified  grace.  God  grant  that  this  union  of 
hearts  may  one  day  be  a  blessing  to  the  Empire." 

From  the  GERMAN  EMPEROR,  March  5th,  1880.* 

"  MY  DEAR  COUSIN, 

"  At  last  we  have  arrived  at  the  goal  of 
our  long-cherished  wishes.  It  has  cost  many 
a  hard  and  bitter  struggle  before  we  could  see 
you  standing  independent  before  the  world ! 
May  the  proverb  come  true  which  says,  '  Slow 
but  sure.' 

"  I  have  never  concealed  the  sympathy  which  I 
have  always  cherished  for  you  alike  personally 
and  as  a  Hohenzollern ;  but  when  many  are  striv- 
ing to  the  same  goal  and  each  goes  his  own  way, 
time  and  sacrifices  are  required  until  they  are  at 
length  all  gathered  together  !  So  I  too  have  had 
to  temporise  in  order  to  recognise  you  at  last 
before  the  world. 

"  May  God  give  His  blessing  to  your  now  inde- 
pendent Government  and  bless  you,  your  consort, 
and  your  country ! 

"  Your  sincere  Cousin  and  Friend, 

"  WILLIAM." 
*  Accompanying  the  Order  of  the  Black  Eagle. 


348  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

From  PRINCE  BISMARCK,  May  20th,  1880. 

"  I  share  your  Royal  Highness's  regret  that 
the  acquisitions  resulting  from  the  peace,  apart 
from  the  dissolution  of  the  relations  to  the  Porte, 
were  not  in  proportion  with  the  achievements  and 
valour  of  your  Royal  Highness's  army;  but,  having 
regard  to  the  dignity  and  weight  of  the  Powers 
by  which  Roumania  is  surrounded,  and  also  to 
the  difficulty  of  securing  a  modus  vivendi  amongst 
them,  which  would  give  us  peace  for  the  time 
being,  I  do  not  know  of  any  possible  means  by 
which  greater  advantages  could  have  been  ob- 
tained for  Roumania. 

"  The  difficulty  of  the  historical  situation  is 
that  on  the  far  bank  of  the  Danube  there  are  no 
national  points  d'appui  to  strengthen  Roumania, 
and,  on  the  other  side,  the  population  belongs  to 
the  two  great  neighbouring  Empires.  To  live 
in  peace  with  these  is  necessary  for  the  consolida- 
tion of  affairs,  and  to  select  at  least  one  of  them 
as  a  certain  ally  will  always  be  the  object  of 
Roumanian  policy.  In  this  historical  situation 
the  acquisition  of  the  Dobrudscha  was  a  pis-aller, 
whose  favourable  aspect — the  possession  of  the 
sea-coast — will  increase  in  value  during  the 
further  development  of  your  resources." 

In  reply  to  his  father,  who  urged  him  to  fulfil 
his  promise  to  return  home  after  an  absence  of  six 
years,  Prince  Charles  wrote  : 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      349 

"  The  still  incomplete  negotiations  about  the 
Arab-Tabia  question  will  unfortunately  cause  a 
slight  delay  in  our  departure  for  abroad.  The 
reason  why  the  Powers  delay  so  long  in  complet- 
ing a  matter  which  has  reached  its  last  stage  is 
unintelligible.  In  order  partly  to  give  way  to 
Russia,  they  intend  to  grant  Bulgaria  a  territorial 
compensation.  An  exchange  of  notes  has  arisen 
on  this  point,  and  we  have  directed  our  Am- 
bassadors to  express  the  expectation  that  the 
frontier  defined  by  the  International  Commission 
will  be  adhered  to.  However,  in  the  end  it  will 
be  Roumania  quipayera  lespots  casses — i.e.,  they 
will  give  us  with  one  hand  what  they  take  away 
with  the  other  ! " 

On  July  29,  1880,  the  frontier  was  definitely 
fixed  and  sanctioned  by  the  Powers,  and  though 
Roumania  did  not  acquire  all  she  had  fought  for, 
she  nevertheless  retained  Arab-Tabia. 

At  length,  on  August  10,  the  Prince  and  his 
consort  quitted  Roumania  to  enjoy  a  well-earned 
rest  in  Germany.  On  passing  through  Ischl,  Prince 
Charles  was  appointed  Colonel-in-Chief  of  the  6th 
Infantry  Regiment  by  the  Emperor  of  Austria. 
The  Prince  then  rejoined  his  dearly  loved  parents 
at  the  Weinburg,  and  Princess  Elisabeth  proceeded 
to  visit  her  mother.  Visits  were  then  paid  to  the 
Courts  of  Dresden  and  Berlin,  where  the  Rouma- 
nian sovereigns  received  a  hearty  welcome.  The 


350  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

German  Emperor  also  appointed  the  Prince  to  the 
Colonelcy  of  one  of  his  regiments — the  1st  Hano- 
verian Dragoons  (No.  9). 

The  beautiful  autumn  months  at  the  Weinburg 
passed  only  too  quickly,  for  the  cares  of  State 
demanded  the  return  of  the  Prince  about  the 
middle  of  October.  After  attending  the  Roumanian 
manoeuvres  near  Bucharest  and  Jassy,  Prince 
Charles  paid  a  visit  to  Rustchuk,  where  he  was 
greeted  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  as  the 
liberator  of  Bulgaria. 

The  important  question  of  the  succession  to 
the  Roumanian  throne  had  been  fully  discussed 
during  Prince  Charles's  visit  to  Germany,  with 
the  result  that  the  constitutional  right  of  succes- 
sion of  the  Prince's  brothers  and  their  heirs  was 
officially  recognised  by  the  princely  House  of 
Hohenzollern.  This  was  effected  by  the  exchange 
of  letters,  which  were  laid  before  the  Chambers 
as  soon  as  they  assembled.  A  hearty  vote 
of  thanks  rewarded  the  royal  couple  for  their 
disinterested  solicitude  for  the  welfare  of  the 
State. 

The  anniversary  of  Plevna  was  marked  by  a 
pleasant  incident — the  presentation  of  a  piece  of 
statuary  to  Princess  Elisabeth  by  the  wives  of 
the  officers  of  the  Roumanian  army.  The  Princess 
herself  was  represented  nursing  a  wounded 
soldier  as  an  emblem  of  her  noble  activity  during 
the  terrible  period  of  the  war  of  1877-78. 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      351 

Early  in  1881  the  Roumanian  Ambassador  in 
Berlin  reported  that  the  representatives  of  the 
Powers  had  all  expressed  their  opinion  that  the 
time  had  come  for  Roumania  to  be  created  a  king- 
dom. The  Ministry  wished  to  delay  this  solemn 
act  till  the  day  of  the  National  Festival,  May  22, 
but  the  ceremony  was  precipitated  by  an  unfore- 
seen event.  On  March  13,  Czar  Alexander  fell  a 
victim  to  a  Nihilist  plot,  and  the  Roumanian 
Opposition  seized  the  occasion  to  accuse  the 
Liberals  of  aiming  at  Republican  and  Anti- 
dynastic  ideals.  To  refute  this  calumny  effec- 
tually, the  Liberal  Ministry  proposed  the  eleva- 
tion of  the  Roumanian  Principality  into  the 
"  Kingdom  of  Roumania,"  amidst  the  enthusiastic 
plaudits  of  Chamber  and  Senate.  After  the 
motion  had  been  unanimously  carried,  the  legis- 
lative bodies  proceeded  to  the  Palace,  where 
Prince  Charles  attached  his  signature  to  the 
document  in  their  presence  with  the  following 
words : 

"  This  is  a  grand  and  solemn  moment,  in  which 
the  representatives  of  the  nation  approach  me 
with  a  unanimous  resolution  of  the  legislative 
bodies.  Herewith  begins  a  new  page  in  the 
volume  of  Roumanian  national  life ;  here,  too, 
ends  a  period  full  of  struggle  and  difficulties,  but 
full  also  of  virile  effort  and  heroic  deeds.  At  this 
moment  I  repeat  what  I  have  so  often  said  before  : 


352  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

the  wish  of  the  nation  is  the  guide  and  goal  of 
my  life.  I  have  ruled  this  land  for  fifteen  years  ; 
I  have  been  surrounded  by  the  love  and  confi- 
dence of  the  nation ;  this  love  and  confidence 
have  made  the  good  days  even  brighter,  and 
have  strengthened  and  confirmed  me  during  those 
which  were  evil.  I  was  therefore  proud  to  be 
Prince,  and  that  title  has  been  dear  to  me,  round 
which  the  past  has  entwined  glory  and  strength. 

"  But  Roumania  thinks  that  it  would  be  more  in 
keeping  with  her  position  to  proclaim  herself  a 
kingdom.  I  therefore  accept  the  kingly  title, 
not  for  myself  personally,  but  for  the  aggrandise- 
ment of  my  count r}~,  and  to  fulfil  the  long- 
cherished  wish  of  every  Roumanian.  This  title 
will  not  in  any  way  alter  the  close  bond  which 
unites  me  to  the  nation  by  all  that  we  have 
fought  for  and  experienced  together. 

"  May  the  first  King  of  Roumania  enjoy  the  same 
love  that  has  supported  the  last  Prince  through 
all  his  troubles  !  The  affection  of  this  noble  and 
brave  nation,  to  whom  I  have  devoted  my  whole 
existence,  is  more  to  me  than  all  the  greatness 
and  brilliancy  of  a  crown." 

This  sudden  and  unexpected  fulfilment  of  a 
long-cherished  hope  aroused  the  greatest  enthu- 
siasm in  every  class  of  Roumanian  society.  The 
recognition  of  the  new  kingdom  by  the  Great 
Powers  followed  very  shortly,  the  reception  of 


THE  BERLIN  CONGRESS  AND  AFTER      353 

the  news  by  the  Emperor  William  being  especially 
cordial.     Prince  Charles  Anthony  wrote  : 

"  The  unanimity  with  which  the  kingly  crown 
has  been  offered  you  is  the  surest  foundation  of 
your  new  and  hard-won  stability." 

The  coronation  of  King  Charles  took  place  at 
Bucharest  on  May  10-22,  1881.  In  accordance 
with  his  wish,  the  royal  crown  of  Roumania  was 
fashioned  of  steel  from  a  Turkish  gun  captured 
at  Plevna,  as  a  remembrance  to  all  time  of  the 
achievements  on  the  battlefields  of  Bulgaria,  and 
of  the  fact  that  the  new  kingdom  was  not  bound  or 
hampered  by  old  traditions,  but  looked  forward 
to  a  great  future  springing  from  a  vigorous 
beginning. 

The  golden  crown  for  the  Queen  was  also 
fashioned  in  Roumania  from  a  simple  design,  with- 
out jewels  or  ornaments.  These  crowns  were 
consecrated  by  the  Metropolitan  in  the  presence  of 
their  Majesties,  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Hohen- 
zollern  and  his  two  sons,  Ferdinand  and  Charles, 
and  the  ceremony  was  attended  by  delegates 
from  every  district  in  the  kingdom,  as  well  as  by 
all  corporations  and  other  bodies. 

After  this  the  crowns  were  carried  in  an  un- 
ending coronation  procession  to  the  royal  palace, 
where  King  Charles  took  the  crown  into  his  hands 
with  these  words : 


354  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

"  I  assume  with  pride  this  crown,  wrought 
from  a  cannon  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  our 
heroes,  and  consecrated  by  the  Church ;  I  accept 
it  as  a  symbol  of  the  independence  and  power  of 
Roumania." 


EPILOGUE 

THOUGH  the  years  which  followed  1881  have 
lacked  the  laurels  of  the  battlefield  and  the  in- 
tensity of  the  struggle  for  independence  which 
characterised  the  earlier  portion  of  Roumanian 
history  under  King  Charles,  they  are  no  less 
remarkable  for  continuous  and  patient  progress 
in  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the  king- 
dom. Herein,  as  in  sterner  matters,  the  King 
has  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day ;  no 
one  knew  better  that  independence  was  but 
another  milestone  on  the  road  to  the  ideal  Rou- 
mania ;  that  the  regeneration  of  a  nation  that 
had  passed  through  such  vicissitudes  could  only 
follow  the  unwearying  labour  of  many  years  ;  and 
that  to  this  end  the  force  of  example — the  art  of 
leading  men,  not  the  knack  of  driving  them — 
is  of  paramount  importance.  As  sovereign  of 
an  independent  State,  King  Charles  felt  that 
he  had  at  last  secured  a  firm  basis  from 
which  the  latent  force  of  his  country  might  be 
fully  developed.  That  these  efforts  have  not 
been  fruitless  is  proved  by  the  increase  of  the 


356  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Roumanian  Budget,  despite  the  saying,  tnensonge 
en  chiffres ;  for  in  twenty-five  years,  from  1866 
to  1891,  the  revenue  increased  more  than  three- 
fold (from  56,000,000frs.  in  1866  to  180,000,000frs. 
in  1891).  It  was  indeed  fortunate  for  Roumania 
that  King  Charles  was  endowed  with  qualities 
which  enabled  him  to  appreciate  the  difficulties 
of  peaceful  development  in  the  same  way  as  he 
had  met  the  dangers  of  war.  It  seemed  to  him 
now  that  his  work  had  at  last  commenced  in 
earnest ;  his  clear  eye  detected  every  shortcoming, 
though  at  the  same  time  the  future  promised 
much  to  his  gifted  and  industrious  people.  A 
great  navigable  river  and  the  neighbouring  sea 
offered  elements  for  a  greatly  increased  commerce, 
whilst  the  inexhaustible  treasures  of  the  soil,  coal 
and  iron,  fulfilled  the  necessary  industrial  condi- 
tions. 

In  Roumanian  politics,  the  Liberals  remained  in 
office  till  1888  under  Jon  Bratianu,  and  aimed  at 
a  rigid  centralisation  of  the  Administration,  whilst 
endeavouring  to  draw  an  increasing  circle  of  the 
population  into  the  arena  of  politics.  The  Con- 
servatives, on  the  other  hand,  could  only  see- 
the danger  of  extending  Parliamentary  influence 
through  so  politically  immature  a  nation  ;  but 
up  to  1891  they  were  unable  to  realise  their 
ideals ;  indeed,  they  barely  succeeded  in  obtaining 
the  permanency  of  the  judges.  Between  these 
two  extremes  lay  the  sphere  of  duty  of  the  con- 


EPILOGUE  357 

stitutional  monarch,  the  one  stable  element  amid 
the  fluctuations  of  the  contending  parties.  The 
unwavering  loyalty  and  devotion  of  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  nation  to  their  Sovereign  have  been 
inspired  by  the  qualities  with  which  nature  has 
so  richly  endowed  King  Charles.  Resolution, 
energy,  a  knowledge  of  human  character,  readi- 
ness to  acknowledge  and  appreciate  true  indi- 
viduality— a  freshness  of  mind  that  the  driest  of 
routine  work  is  powerless  to  dull,  and  a  magnani- 
mous indulgence  that  is  able  to  forgive  if  not 
forget — these  are  the  traits  of  character  which 
never  fail  to  exert  their  influence  over  all  who 
come  into  contact  with  the  King. 

The  foreign  policy  of  the  kingdom  has  con- 
stantly had  one  aim  and  object  in  view — to  find 
support  and  aid  from  the  great  Teutonic  Powers, 
though  at  times  it  seemed  as  if  the  religious 
tradition  of  the  nation  or  the  sympathy  for  the 
Latin  sister  nation  were  about  to  force  the  real 
interests  of  Roumania  into  the  background.  As 
a  German  prince,  King  Charles  had  recognised 
the  supremacy  of  Prussia,  and  never  doubted  the 
power  and  force  of  the  Teuton  genius.  The  year 
1883  marked  a  decided  advance  in  the  friendly 
relations  of  Roumania  with  Austria  and  Germany, 
though  the  former  had  been  estranged  by  the 
dispute  about  the  Danube,  and  an  outburst  of 
Roumanian  Chauvinism  on  the  unveiling  of  a 
monument  to  the  Moldavian  Prince  Stephen  the 


358  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

Great,  pointing  to  Bukowina  and  Siebenbiirgen 
as  Roumanian  provinces.  On  the  whole.  King 
Charles's  policy  has  been  successful,  though  loyal 
friendship  has  had  much  to  bear  from  Germany's 
want  of  consideration  in  dealing  with  the  Jews 
and  the  railways,  as  well  as  from  Austria-Hun- 
gary, whose  harsh  measures  against  the  Rouma- 
nians of  Siebenbtirgen  have  forced  many  of  the 
"  brethren  from  over  the  hills  "  to  seek  shelter  in 
Roumania. 

A  visit  to  Berlin  in  1883  to  act  as  godfather 
to  Prince  William's*  second  son  afforded  King 
Charles  an  opportunity  of  explaining  the  position 
of  Roumania  in  European  questions.  The  King 
also  succeeded  in  convincing  the  Emperor  of 
Austria  that,  though  it  was  impossible  to  forbid  a 
nation  to  cherish  political  aspirations,  yet  these 
sentiments  had  never  entered  into  the  schemes  of 
the  Roumanian  statesmen. 

From  the  geographical  situation  of  the  kingdom 
it  was  only  natural  that  the  army  should  continue 
to  receive  the  greatest  attention  from  the  King, 
who  has  never  forgotten  its  willingness  to  follow 
where  he  led.  King  Charles  does  riot  content 
himself  with  merely  watching  the  training  of  his 
troops  at  the  annual  manreuvres,  but  keeps  con- 
stant touch  with  every  detail  that  may  tend  to 
promote  the  efficiency  and  standard  of  his  army. 
Nor  have  the  rival  claims  of  education  been 
*  The  present  German  Emperor. 


EPILOGUE  359 

neglected  by  either  King  Charles  or  his  consort, 
who  are  indefatigable  in  their  efforts  for  the 
welfare  of  the  national  schools. 

The  frequent  change  of  Ministers  was,  however, 
prejudicial,  since  the  various  measures  which  they 
introduced  were  not  long-lived — indeed,  in  some 
instances  were  never  put  into  execution !  Never- 
theless, the  tendency  to  foster  this  valuable  aid  to 
true  culture  lost  none  of  its  force.  King  Charles 
devotes  an  annual  sum  to  the  Academy  to  assist 
in  the  production  of  an  etymological  dictionary  in 
order  to  aid  the  study  of  the  beautiful  Roumanian 
language. 

•  The  last  link  in  the  chain  which  bound  the 
National  Church  to  the  Patriarchate  of  Constan- 
tinople was  broken  as  long  ago  as  1882  ;  the  holy 
oil  was  consecrated  in  Roumania,  and  at  last  in 
1885  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  recognised 
the  independence  of  the  Roumanian  Church. 

As  early  as  1881,  twelve  years  after  the  first 
railway  had  been  constructed  by  foreign  hands, 
Roumanian  engineers  completed  the  first  section 
of  the  State  Railway  from  Buseu  to  Marascheschti, 
the  want  of  which  had  made  itself  felt  so  bitterly 
in  1877.  Even  in  the  earliest  days  of  his  reign 
King  Charles  discussed  with  Ali  Pacha  the  con- 
struction of  a  bridge  over  the  Danube. 

At  that  date  negotiations  were  entered  into  for 
a  bridge  between  Giurgiu  and  Rustchuk,  whilst 
after  the  Treaty  of  Berlin  it  was  proposed  to 


360  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

connect  the  two  banks  of  the  Danube  below 
Silistria.  Though  this  project  was  discussed  by 
the  Chambers  in  1883,  it  was  not  till  the  autumn 
of  1890  that  matters  had  progressed  sufficiently 
to  allow  King  Charles  to  lay  the  foundation- 
stone  of  the  railway  bridge  at  Feteschti,  which 
was  to  unite  the  Dobrudscha  to  the  mother 
country,  and  complete  the  iron  chain  between  the 
North  and  Black  Seas. 

King  Charles  has  been  a  zealous  builder;  and, 
thanks  to  him,  Roumania  can  boast  of  many  a 
notable  pile  in  Bucharest,  Jassy,  Crajowa,  and 
elsewhere.  Most  noteworthy  of  all  is  the  Royal 
Castle  of  Pelesch  in  the  peaceful  valley  of  Prahova. 
Built  in  the  style  of  German  Renaissance,  it  reveals 
the  artistic  ideal  of  its  royal  builder  so  far  as 
stone  and  mortar  can  mirror  the  individuality  of 
a  man.  Unlike  so  many  castles,  it  is  perfectly 
homogeneous  ;  in  a  word,  Castle  Pelesch  is  the 
product  of  King  Charles's  artistic  taste  and  in- 
domitable will. 

The  death  of  Prince  Charles  Anthony  on  June  2, 
1885,  was  a  bitter  blow  to  the  King,  who  lost  in 
him  not  only  a  devoted  parent  and  friend,  but  a 
counsellor  whose  sage  advice  had  sustained  and 
strengthened  him  in  many  a  dark  hour.  The 
passing  away  of  the  first  German  Emperor,  fol- 
lowed too  soon  by  that  of  his  successor,  Frede- 
rick III.,  was  a  great  sorrow  to  King  Charles,  who 
was  deeply  attached  to  the  devoted  friends  of  his 


EPILOGUE  361 

early  youth,  whose  loyal  friendship  had  never 
wavered  for  an  instant. 

It  was,  therefore,  a  great  solace  to  the  royal 
pair  to  welcome  Prince  Ferdinand,  the  second 
son  of  the  King's  eldest  brother,  to  Roumania  as 
heir-apparent  in  1889.  Prince  Ferdinand  had 
already  entered  the  Roumanian  army  as  a  sub- 
altern in  1886. 

The  history  of  the  other  States  of  the  Balkan 
Peninsula  during  these  years  is  by  no  means  so 
happy  as  that  of  Roumania.  Prince  Alexander  of 
Bulgaria  was  forced  by  shameful  intrigues  to  quit 
his  adopted  country  within  a  year  of  a  successful 
campaign  with  Servia,  whose  ruler  also  abdicated 
in  favour  of  his  son  after  endless  and  painful 
quarrels. 

The  present  German  Emperor  has  ably  summed 
up  the  great  work  to  which  the  scion  of  the  Hohen- 
zollern  House  has  devoted  his  life,  in  a  letter  to 
King  Charles,  in  May  1891. 

"  Five  and  twenty  years  have  elapsed  since 
your  Majesty  was  first  summoned  to  undertake 
the  government  of  the  Roumanian  State,  and  a 
decade  will  have  passed  on  the  22nd  of  this  month 
since  that  memorable  day  on  which  your  Majesty 
was  able,  after  a  regency  victorious  in  war  arid 
proved  in  peace,  to  receive  a  royal  crown  for 
Roumania  and  your  illustrious  house  from  God's 
altar  by  the  unanimous  desire  of  the  Roumanian 


362  THE  KING  OF  ROUMANIA 

nation.  Thanks  to  your  Majesty's  wise  and 
vigorous  rule  over  a  richly  endowed  and  sober 
nation,  Roumania  has  become  an  equal  and  re- 
spected member  of  the  Council  of  the  Nations,  and 
under  your  Majesty's  sceptre  every  Roumanian 
can  rejoice  in  the  proud  consciousness  of  belong- 
ing to  a  State  which,  as  warden  of  an  old-world 
civilisation,  enjoys  the  sympathetic  goodwill  of 
all  civilised  nations. 

"  Since  our  Houses  are  so  closely  connected,  it 
is  my  heart's  desire  to  express  my  warm  con- 
gratulations to  your  Majesty  on  this  joyful  occa- 
sion, and  also  the  hope  that,  as  the  bonds  of  our 
personal  friendship,  so  also  the  firm  political 
relations  of  Roumania  to  the  German  Empire,  may 
be  preserved  in  time  to  come  such  as  they  have 
been  for  past  years  under  the  enlightened  govern- 
ment of  your  Majesty. 

"Your  Majesty  will  place  me  under  an  obligation 
by  laying  my  sincere  congratulations  before  her 
Majesty  the  Queen,  who  has  earned  undying 
honour  by  your  side  in  cultivating  Art  and  the 
Ideal  as  well  as  in  the  formation  of  the  Roumanian 
nation." 


INDEX 


ABDUL  Aziz  deposed,  232. 
Abdul  Hamid,  238. 
AH  Pacha,  42,  116,  158. 
Alliance  Israelite,  145,  151. 
Alphonso,  King  of  Spain,  209. 
Amadeo,  King  of  Spain,  187. 
Ambronn,  Councillor,  131,  134. 
Andrassy,  Count,  71,  188. 

Army  :   Command  of,  258;  insubordination,  253  ;  manoeuvres, 
255,  261,  263  ;  mutiny,  33;  organisation,  257. 

BATTENBERG,  Prince  Alexander  of,   313,   327;    letter,    336; 

elected,  335 ;  abdicates,  361. 
Bavaria,  Prince  Otto  of,  80. 
Berlin  Congress,  317. 
Bessarabia,  199,  317,  324. 
Beust,  Count,  70,  86. 
Bismarck,   Prince :   Conversation   with  Prince   Charles,    18 ; 

Col.     Rauch,    23 ;     Bratianu,   316  ;     Sturdza,    341  ; 

letters    on    Russia,   63;    Roumania,   73,    113,    168; 

railways,   139,  167;   result  of  the  war,  348  ;    "honest 

broker,"  309. 
Bratianu,  11,  28,  312,  318,  356. 


364  INDEX 

Bucharest :  Riots,  35,  122;  Jockey  Club,  212  ;  Commission,  6. 
Bulgarian  Massacres,  238 ;  raid,  66  ;  throne,  329. 

CHARLES  ANTHONY,  Prince :  Character,  xi. ;  letters  on 
France,  46 ;  Germany,  49,  164,  185,  338  ;  Spanish 
Throne,  79,  93,  94,  101 ;  abdication  of  Prince 
Charles,  120;  railways,  138,  165;  Jewish  Question, 
149;  Church  Question,  214,  217;  Eastern  Question, 
226,  233,  243 ;  war  of  1877,  270 ;  result  of  the  war, 
298  ;  Dobrudscha,  309 ;  death,  360. 

Cogalniceanu  Jewish  Question,  151 ;  Russian  Treaty,  249. 

Cotroceni,  158,  197. 

Cremieux,  145. 

Crete,  insurrection,  52,  57,  59,  65. 

Crimean  War,  result  of,  6. 

Czar  Alexander,  letter,  56 ;  on  Roumania,  315  ;  in  Bucharest, 
270 ;  assassinated,  351. 

DANUBE,  Commission,  260;  crossing  of,  272. 
Denmark,  war  with,  xvi. 
Dobrudscha,  309,  330,  360. 

Dondukof-Korsakoff,  Prince  (Governor-general  of  Bulgaria  in 
1878),  327. 

ENGLAND,  visit  to,  201;  attitude  of,  71,    233;  and  Russia, 

307,  315. 
Eugenie,  Empress,  letter,  333. 

FERDINAND,  Prince,  361. 
Feteschti,  bridge  at,  360 
Flanders,  Count  of,  9. 
France,  ill-feeling  of,  58,  62,  67,  79. 
Franco-Russian  Alliance,  61. 
Furceni  Camp,  258. 

GLADSTONE,  W.  E.,  53. 
Gordon,  Charles,  260. 


INDEX  365 

Gornji-Dubnik,  289. 

Gortchakoff,  Prince,  33 ;   Jewish  Question,  153 ;   before  the 

war  of  '77,  239 ;   confidence  of,  270 ;   on  Bessarabia, 

304;  threats  of,  312. 
Greece,  draft  treaty,  81. 
Grivitza  Redoubt,  xxviii,  284,  289. 

HAGENS,  Captain,  xiv. 

Hohenlohe,  Prince,  49,  86. 

Hospodars,  1. 

Hungary,  agitation  in  relations  with,  70,  140,  357 

IGNATIEFF,  General,  57,  106,  305. 
Imeritinski,  Prince,  286. 

JEWISH    persecution,    148;    denied,    153;     financiers,    179; 

emancipation,  318,  344;  congress,  153. 
Journey  to  Roumania,  27. 

KBENSKI,  Colonel  von,  69,  76,  258. 
Kusa,  Prince,  7,  9. 

Lieutenance  Princiere,  5,  9. 
Livadia,  visit  to,  83. 

MARIE,  Princess,  birth,  103,  180  ;  illness  and  death,  192. 

Ministries :    Catargiu,    32 ;    Ghika,    38 ;     Cretzulesku,    53 ; 
Golesku,  58  ;  D.  Ghika,  70  ;  Golesku,  91 ;  Lepureanu, 
96;    Ghika,    113;    Catargiu,    125;    Floresku,    229 
Lepureanu,  231 ;  Bratianu,  237. 

Miquel,  Dr.,  151. 

Moldavia,  journey  through,  40,  78,  155. 

Moltke,  Count,  261. 

Montefiore,  Sir  M.,  148. 

Montenegro,  237. 

Miiller,  Max,  202 ;  letter,  208. 

Murad,  Sultan,  232. 


366  INDEX 

NAPOLEON  III.,  visit  to,  xvi.,  88;  letter  on  Jewish  Question 

147 ;  death,  185. 

Napoleon,  Prince,  visit  to  Bucharest,  88. 
Nelidow,  M.,  242,  267. 

Nicholas,  Grand  Duke,  telegram,  275  ;  urges  attack,  280 
Nikopoli  bridge,  291. 

OMAR  Pacha,  57. 

Osman  Pacha,  272,  291,  293. 

PARIS  Conference,  9. 

Pelesch,  Castle,  159,  360. 

Phanariots,  2. 

Piteschti  riot,  96. 

Plevna,  269  ;  first  action,  273 ;  second  action,  275  ;  bombard- 
ment, 281. 

Plojeschti  riots,  96,  102 ;  Russian  headquarters,  269. 

Poradim  Roumanian  headquarters,  279. 

Portugul,  visit  to,  xv. 

Prussia,  Crown  Prince  of :  Letters  on  Germany,  169,  182, 
192,  220,  325;  Eastern  Question,  232,  241;  Russia, 
324,  347;  death  of  Princess  Marie,  194;  of  Prince 
Waldemar,  324. 

RADOWITZ,  Consul-General,  113,  123. 

Railways:  Ofenheim  concession,  130;   Strousberg,  131;  pay- 
ment stopped,  108  ;  repurchased,  329  ;  collision,  215. 
Rauch,  Colonel,  13,  23,  24. 
"  Roumania,  Star  of,"  instituted,  268. 

SCHOOLS,  160. 

Servia :  Prince  Michael,  65 ;  Prince  Milan,  199  ;  extravagance, 

208;  war  with  Turkey,  229-237. 
Sinaja,  158. 

Spain,  candidature  for  throne  of,  69,  92,  97,  90. 
Skobeleff,  General,  281,  284,  289,  291. 


INDEX  367 

Strousberg,  Dr.,  131,  135,  342. 

Sturdza,   M. :    Report    on  Servia,   206 ;    conversation  with 
Bismarck,  341 ;  mission  to  Turkey,  41  ;  to  Berlin,  338. 

TODLEBEN,  General,  285. 

Treaty  of  Balta  Liman,  G  ;  with  Servia,  61 ;  of  San  Stefano, 

311. 
Turkey,  journey  to,  43 ;  war  declared,  265. 

VICTORIA,  Queen,  51. 
Vienna  Exhibition,  189. 

WALES,  Prince  of,  167. 

Werner,  Councillor  von,  26. 

Widin,  bombardment  of,  268. 

Wied,  Princess  Elizabeth  of,  87,  88 ;  marriage,  90. 

William    I.,    Emperor :   letter    on   Roumania,   15 ;    Jewish 

Question,  172,  341. 
William  II.,  Emperor,  letter,  361. 

YPSILANTI,  Prince,  71. 


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