The Austrians are making little progress in Bosnia, and it
is becoming clear that there is some cause of weakness in their military arrangements. They have failed to take Bihacz, and they talk of avoiding Novibazar till the spring, while, according to the latest accounts, General Philippovich will abandon Serajevo, and retire to Brod, to preserve his communications. This, if true, is retreat. The Viennese deny that there are 200,000 Austrians employed, and fix the maximum of the force engaged at 150,000 men, but a German army of that strength would crush out resistance in Bosnia in a month. There may of course be some explanation, but it is difficult not to believe that the army of occupation is overloaded with men who can- not be fed, and that the Generals are acting as if they had to face Russia in the plain, instead of occupying a mountainous territory, with at least half the population in their favour. The ill-luck of the Emperor Francis Joseph pursues him constantly, and tempts even friendly observers to believe that it must have a permanent cause, inability to choose competent agents. It was not he, but his mother, who chose Radetsky, the most successful of modern Austrian warriors.
