The news of the revolution fell like a thunderbolt on
Con- stantinople, and the air has, of course, ever since been full of rumours, the most important being that the Sultan had ordered 32,000 men into South Bulgaria, that Macedonia had risen in insurrection, and that Austria was about to march on Salonica. None of these stories are, however, true. The Im- perial Courts appear to have been at first annoyed, not by the movement, which they must have expected, but by the time chosen for it ; but they all, it is believed, secretly advised moderation at Constantinople and reliance upon Europe. The Sultan, therefore, sent no troops, and, it is believed, will accept the Prince of Bulgaria as Viceroy, pro- vided the Turkish flag is hoisted in Philippopolis side by side with that of Bulgaria—not a difficult, though a slightly dis- honouring concession. No insurrection has °centred in Mace- donia, and the only disturbing incident is the sudden mobilisation of the Servian Army, which King Milan explains as necessary to calm the excitement of his subjects, who say that Old Servia ought to belong to them. It probably does calm them, as with all young men brigaded it is not easy to get up a disturbance. It is understood, however, that all depends upon Macedonia, and that a rising in that province would be followed by very grave events. It is just possible, as Greeks and Bulgarians are alike afraid of an Austrian advance, the rising will be postponed, unless the Turks, tired of always being beaten in negotiation, fall back upon their more natural expedient of massacre.
