"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.A bevy of young girls adds much liveliness to our circle; in addition to the lately appointed maid of honour, Mlle. 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, andon 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 celebrated 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.
"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 diplomatists, 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 whocame, and I hope that the Foreign Office will acquire a more just appreciation, particularly of the territories of the Danube."
"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-establishment 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 commands a respect such as the former thirty Fatherlands could never have commanded. The enemies of our union, against whom we struggle, cannot prevail 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."
"The burning question in the new German Empire is the Church. This question is makinga 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 universal 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 theoretical 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 establishment 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 conscience of Catholics.
"You have no idea of the agitation which thesequestions 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 Rome 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 composition stands in urgent need of reform.
"The situation in Bavaria and Württemberg, 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 itvery 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 champion and protector of the national existence of Roumania 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 vexation 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 allmy 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 arégimeon 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."
On February 13 King Amadeo of Spain announced in a special message to the Cortes that he had laid the crown aside, under the conviction 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 Republicpour l'éternité, 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 confirmation, which 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 ona 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 Hereditary 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 Roumania 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 rumourthat 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 approaching 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 routefor Imnau, where they expected to rejoin the Princess of Wied. The Emperor William welcomed hisRoumanian 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 Viennaen route, so that the Princess might also have an opportunity of visiting the exhibition.
The affairs of Roumania were absolutely uneventful, 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 distribution 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.
"You will certainly have followed with sympathy 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 tothe demands of Rome rather than maintaining a firm position could not possibly continue. I think, perhaps, a different sequence in the legislature 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."
"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 midday, 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 2A.M.her skin became deep red, and her temperature rose considerably. Theodori came at eight o'clock and pronounced it to be scarlet fever. At noon her whole body was burning with heat, and her headwas 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 elevenP.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 procession accompanied the body of the little Princessto 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 representatives of every class of society.
"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 Christian principles, one still asks: why need it have been? And certainly it is hard to say: 'Thy will be done!'
"I wrote this text on the tomb of my son Sigismund, 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 aparent'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 President 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 shall 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 ageshe 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 mourning 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."
"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 shall 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 ageshe 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 mourning 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."
"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—speechless, 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!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!"
"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 Eugénie also telegraphed her sympathy with me.
"... 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.
"We are impatiently awaiting Leopold's arrival, which is promised for Monday. The Prince ofServia 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 condolencein corporethe 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 theHereditary 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 inexpressibly 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."[17]
After paying a flying visit to the GermanEmperor at Eger the Prince and Princess arrived in London on August 19. The Marchioness of Lorne 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 welcomed 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 many excursions to Brighton, Oxford, Woolwich, Chislehurst, and the neighbouring country seats of the nobility. The visit to Oxford, with Professor Max Müller ascicerone, 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, without much success, to convince his guide, Major-General Simmons, of the advantages of the breechloading system.
Several very pleasant hours were spent at Lord Brassey's castle and on board his yacht. Lord Brassey had visited Roumania on several occasions, 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.
"We shall commemorate in quiet and grief the birthday of our dear daughter on the 8th of September. 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 voilà 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 Müller, and derived much benefit fromthe insight into the situation here which I owe to him.
"Roumania is aterra incognitahere, 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 continue 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 representatives of all Eastern nations were assembled. Amongst others, the Prince made the acquaintance of Sir Henry Rawlinson, the decipherer of the cuneiform inscriptions; of Léon 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 musicdiscoursed 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.
"I was very pleased to make the acquaintance of the bearer of these lines (the Roumanian Minister of War) and to see him at our manœuvres, which appeared to interest him greatly. My best thanks to you for the letter he brought me. I think it most natural that yourjourney 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."
"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 everywhere 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 bothpolitically 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 representatives 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: Chauvinism 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 permanent force of cavalry amounted to but one solitary squadron, whilst only one battery was armed with modern guns. The fortresses were in anindefensible condition, as their sole armament consisted 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 Ignatiew 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 massacres of Christians at Podgoritza late in 1874 still remained unpunished, though the instigators had already been sentenced by Turkish Courts. Representations to the Sublime Porte resulted in the preposterous demand that the Montenegrins, who had been the cause of the disturbance, should betried by a Turkish Court before the sentences on the Ottoman officials were carried out. Eventually the Ambassadors of the Powers succeeded 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."
"... 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 enjoying 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 servicesto 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 protection 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 Spainwas 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 tantamount 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.
"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 emancipation."
"We lost all communication with abroad and the interior for a whole month in consequence of heavy snowstorms. Many accidents and considerable losses have occurred which will be more severely felt here, where misfortunes, as well as prosperity, are ascribed to the Government,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 materially, 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 consequence! All this had a serious effect on every one; discontent and ill-humour prevail everywhere!...
"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; locomotion is only possible in sleighs—which are in imminent danger of being capsized. This happened 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 accidentthat he refused to get into the sleigh again, and went home on foot....
"Russia and Germany have declared themselves willing to negotiate commercial and consular conventions with us. England regrets that she has not been able to frustrate thefait accompli, but, nevertheless, makes abonne mine à 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 acause célèbre.... 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 Chambers 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 achievement 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,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.
"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 theuniversal 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 withsangfroidone may regulate much which at first appears to be overwhelming."
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. Countless 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 andpoor, passed in one long line before the dead Prince of the Church.
Owing to the great heat it was found impossible 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.
"I write to you to-day with painful emotion, after an escape from a great danger.... The railway journey to Giurgiu, when I was accompanied 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; mysword 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!"
"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 thechaise 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 immediate transfer to Athens is discussed. I congratulateyou on your successful elections; it is quite clear that the longing for material development has gained the upper hand over the empty aims of the dreamers!"
"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."
During the month of August 1875, the situation in Eastern Europe suddenly assumed a threatening aspect, through the outbreak of an armed insurrection against the Turkish rule in Herzegowina, actively supported by Servia, Montenegro, 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 development of their brethren in Croatia, Servia, and Montenegro with curious eyes, whilst they themselves were still groaning under the heavy Ottoman yoke. Nor, indeed, was this feeling of despair and exasperation confined to the Christian inhabitants alone, for the Bosnian Mohammedans, whohad hitherto fought for the Sultan and whose ancestors, in order to retain their possessions, had embraced Islam, now joined the Christian insurgents 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.
"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 wasneither 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 theententeof 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."
"Matters are progressing slowly but surely in the Empire. The German nation adheres to theEmperor and the Empire, whilst many Cabinets only yield to force of circumstances. In South Germany the Württemberg Army Corps has been able to assimilate our principles so thoroughly that it is almost on the level of a Prussian Corps. The Bavarians, too, are very industrious, and take great pains to bring their army organisation up to our standard, in spite of certain hostile elements whose aim it is to frustrate this object, and who have succeeded in preventing Prussian instructors from being sent there, and Bavarian soldiers from coming to us to learn their work, which Württemberg has done for the last eight years.
"I found your dear father as full of mental vigour as ever, but, unfortunately, quite unable to walk; on the other hand, he possesses remarkable skill in managing his invalid chair, in which he moves about the room without any assistance! Your mother, brother, and sister seemed happy and in good health, and the family circle was uncommonly merry. A water-colour in your mother's room greatly interested me; it represents you handing the insignia of his office to a Metropolitan, and you look like a Father of the Church yourself. It seems to me that in your part of the world a ruler has more influence in the appointment of the high dignitaries of the Church than here—a truly enviable state of affairs....
"I am enjoying these warm autumn days in peace and quiet, after having drained the cup ofinspections to the dregs. I am always willing to fulfil my duties, but there are limits, especially when one is no longer as young as one was. I had to attend manœuvres in Württemberg, Bavaria, Silesia, and Mecklenburg, and as these countries do not exactly lie close together, I dashed from one to the other by rail, like a state messenger. Victoria and I spent six enjoyable weeks in the spring in gorgeous Italy, just in time to reassure the apprehensive political amateurs who were excited by absurd rumours of war.
"William[18]is in the first form at the Cassel Gymnasium. We think that the next two years, while he is growing up, will be beneficial to his development; he likes being there. Henry really seems to be taken with the idea of a sailor's life; we shall therefore soon have to prepare him for this career."
The declaration of the agents of the guaranteeing 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 theRedParty, who, however, retained the reins of power. A saying current at the time made the following striking comparison:"Servia is peopled with Ministers, like Roumania!"
"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, dampness, 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 surrounded 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 hispretty wife, who is closely related to all the great families of Moldavia. The Servians would certainly have preferred to see their ambition satisfied by the choice of a 'real Princess' as a consort for the Prince...."
"... 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 declining 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 reasonably demand that a sharp political line of demarcation 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 conversation on the subject with the Austrian representative, 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 necessary reforms, the re-acquisition of the railways, and the construction of connecting lines, and that it was the business of the Great Powers to secureus 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 materially 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 disadvantage.... Greece has begun to stir; deputationsfrom Thessaly, Epirus, and Crete have appeared in Athens, and their proposals have been very favourably received. The aggrandisement of Greece is the only salvation for that unfortunate country."
"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 appreciated 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 mistake, and could not be excused, even were the peace of the country at stake; the whole ofEurope 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 advantageous to the development of the German Empire...."
The projected reforms, which were to place Christians and Mohammedans on an equal footing—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 Herzegowina, and that the salaries of all officials remained months in arrear.
In spite of the so-calledententeof the Powers, a strong rivalry was noticeable between Russia and Austria, especially with regard to the eventual attitude of Roumania.