THE BATTLE OF SLIVNITZA.
r•re TIM EDITOR Or THE " SPROTATOR:1 Sra,—In your kindly notice of my article in the Contemporary you state: "It is surely incorrect to say that the chivalrous but ill-starred Prince Alexander of Battenberg was absent from the battle of Slivnitza" (Spectator, February 9th, p. 218). The facts are as follows. On November 14th, 1885, the Serbians crossed the Bulgarian frontier. On that day the Prince was in Philippopolis. The first Bulgarian regiment, then in that city with him, immediately started on a forced march to Sofia on their way to the frontier, there being then no railway between these cities. The Prince' left the same day, arrived on the 15th at his capital, and immediately left for the front. The two armies met at Slivnitza on the 17th, but on that and the following day there was little more than manoeuvring between the two armies, the Pbilippopolis regiment not having arrived. Prince Alexander on these days was with his army. Novem- ber 19th was the day on which a decisive battle, and the defeat of the Serbians, took place. But early in the morning of that day the Prince left Slivnitza, and did not return to it until the battle had been fought and won by his troops with- out a commander. So far as I am aware, the reason of his absence has never been made quite clear; but the general belief is that he went to Sofia because be had received information that the small and active party working for Russia were engaged in trying to dethrone him.—I am,
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