Oxford Eagle

KING

Alexander

I

Grand Coup D'Etat by the Young Servian Monarch-A Banquet with a Startling Sequel-The Regents and Ministers Arrested and Alexander Proclaims Himself of Age and Assumes the Reins of Government.

Belgrade, April 14.-A bloodless coup d'etat was effected here Thursday night and King Alexander I., the youthful ruler of Servia, who has heretofore governed the country through regents, to-day rules in his own proper person. A grand banquet was given at the palace Thursday night to celebrate King Alexander's success in passing the examination prescribed for Servian students. M. Ristics and Gen. Belimar Belimarkovic, the regents, and all the ministers of the state were present, as were also a large number of friends and supporters of the regents. For many months past the situation in Servia has been critical, owing to the abuse of their power by the regents and state officials. Affairs had become so bad that the king determined to take the reins in his own hands. In accordance with this determination plans were secretly laid by means of which the regents and ministry would be castled without opportunity for opposition. Accordingly the regents and ministers attended the banquet, and while they were enjoying themselves at the palace detachments of soldiers and bodies of police took possession of the ministers' houses and occupied the government buildings. At midnight, while the festivities were still in progress King Alexander proclaimed that he had attained his majority and that he had assumed with the assistance the government of the country. The king had not, in fact, attained his majority. According to the Servian law, he does not become of age until he is 18 years old, and as he was born August 14, 1876 he will not be 18 for considerably over a year. When the deposed regents and ministers heard the proclamation they were dumbfounded. The king and his advisers acted with great promptitude and soldiers, who were in waiting, at once placed the regents and ministers under arrest and they were sent to rooms which had been prepared for them in the palace, where they are under guard. The Servian army is loyal to the king. Had it not been the coup d'etat would not have been possible. After the issuing of the proclamation, and long before daylight, the king proceeded to the barracks where the troops were under arms, and was received with joyous acclamations and many expressions of loyalty. The proclamation will be issued everywhere in the country, and bears the king's signature. In it Alexander declares that the constitution has been in sore jeopardy, the rights of citizens imperiled and the constitutional position of parliament so abused that the king must end the unhappy condition of affairs. He therefore declares that he has come of age and has assumed kingly power. Henceforth, the proclamation adds the Servian constitution acquires its full significance. The regents have been deposed, the cabinet dismissed and a new ministry appointed. M. Dokitch is the new prime minister. The coup d'etat is simply the revival of the royal supremacy, which had been first weakened by the separation of Milan and Natalie, and seriously impaired by the abdication of Milan and the subsequent troubles in which the country was plunged, largely as a result of the weakness of the crown. During the past year these difficulties have increased, and radicalism has reared its head in such a menacing manner as to make the conservative classes long for greater strength and unity at the source of government. The decree of expulsion against Queen Natalie was revoked, but the situation, both political and financial, rapidly grew worse, and serious disorders in Belgrade increased the public anxiety for a more stable administration. It is apparent, therefore, that Servia was ripe for the bold act by which young Alexander has asserted his royal authority, and vindicate in some degree the damaged prestige of the house of Obrenovitch. The details of the coup d'etat were carried out with remarkable swiftness and simplicity. The regents and their ministers responded to an invitation to dine in the old palace Thursday evening. Eight were seated at dinner, the king presiding. After the third course the king rose and said to the regents: 'Gentlemen, for four years you, in my name, have administered the kingly power. I thank you heartily for the trouble you have taken. I now feel able to administer the power myself, and will exercise it from this moment. I beg you, therefore, immediately to hand me your resignations.' M. Ristics replied that he could not, and would not, comply with the king's request, which was contrary to the constitution. The king thereupon left the room and sent an aide-de-camp to demand the resignations of the ministers. As they all remained obstinate he ordered them to leave the old palace and go to the new palace to remain over night. In the morning they were conveyed to their residences under guard. To-night the king's assumption of power was celebrated with a torch-light procession and general illuminations.

A Practical Reckoning of the Eastern Question.

Vienna, April 11.-The Neue Freie Presse, commenting upon the overthrow of the Servian regents and ministry, says that plans to bring about this end were arranged between King Milan and M. Dokitch, the newly-appointed Bulgarian minister, during a visit of the latter to Milan in Paris last week. The paper adds that Queen Natalie who, it will be recalled, is the daughter of a colonel in the Russian army, was received by the czar at Gatschina Thursday.