Instigated by Austria and Russia, Bulgaria demanded several small favors
from the Sultan, insolently adding that if they were not granted she
would declare her independence and throw off the yoke of Turkey.

Now until the peace with Greece is absolutely signed and sealed, the
Sultan of Turkey cannot afford to quarrel with anybody, so he was
obliged to give in, and grant Bulgaria's demands; but her independence
made him feel somewhat uneasy and so he sent a number of soldiers to
the Bulgarian frontier, to make sure that the Bulgarians behaved.

This was exactly what Austria and Russia desired. With her troops
scattered, and uneasy nations on her borders, Turkey is much less
dangerous.

The Bulgarian matter had hardly been settled when Austria discovered a
new means of checking Turkey.

The Turkish officials in Asia Minor ill-treated an Austrian subject. He
was the agent of the Austrian Lloyd's Steamship Company at Mersina, and
had been summarily expelled from the city by order of the officials.

The Austrian consul at once interfered, and was grossly insulted by the
Mutessarif, who is a sort of mayor, and also by the Vali, or governor,
of Adana, in which province Mersina is situated. Adana is one of the
Turkish provinces on the Mediterranean Sea, and Mersina is one of its
chief seaport towns.

The incident being exactly what Austria had been wishing for, a great
deal was made of it. The Austrian ambassador at Constantinople sent word
that his flag had been insulted, and demanded that Turkey should