Századok – 1937

Pótfüzet - HEGEDÜS LORÁNT: Lord Beaconsfield politikai ügynökének jelentései gróf Andrássy Gyula és Tisza Kálmán politikájáról a keleti válság idejében 576–616

78 HEGEDŰS bORÁNT. [62] Tisza, and impatience of his dictation. Numerically the party is weak ; and although containing two or three able speakers, it is deficient in men of practical experience in the conduct of affairs. Nevertheless, its inauguration at the present juncture is a disagreeable symptom of the increasing difficulties in the working of the complicated administrative machinery of the Empire, which cannot but attract the attention of even the most superficial observer. I have the honour to be with the highest Respect. My Lord, etc. No. 20. Buda Pesth, April 30, 1878. ( Confidential.) Sir, Many of my Hungarian friends having spoken to me of the bad impression produced in all parts of the Empire by the allegation understood to have been made in the House of Lords of the probable untrustwortheness of the Slav Regiments of the Austro- Hungarian Army in the event of a War with Russia, I think it as well to place on record the opinions I have formed upon this subject. Although my residence in different parts of the Empire might appear to justify me in putting forward those opinions somewhat authoritatively, I confess that I feel considerable diffidence in enunciating views in very direct contradiction to those held by persons, whose sources of information I am, of course, bound to regard as diserving of confidence. In my civilian character I have no pretention to meddle with subjects falling exclusively within the competence of the military agents of Her Majesty's Government, nor any right to pronounce an opinion upon matters affecting the discipline and efficiency of the Austro-Hungarian Army from a purely regimental point of view. In this respect I can but quote the language of officiers high in command, and belonging to different nationalities, whose friendship I have had the pleasure of enjoying. I have been intimate with many such : and have not only never heard from their lips the slightest suspicion of the possibility of disloyalty in the ranks ; but on the contrary the very frequent assertion that the Slav Regiments would, in any emergency and against any foe, be found the prompt and faithful soldiers of the Emperor. The recent statement that the contrary might be the case has induced me to put the question directly to every one who has mentioned the subject to me. Civilians and soldiers are unanimous in declaring that there is but one district in the Empire which might prove troublesome in the event of an Austro — Russian war — that namely of the Banat which is occupied by Serbs. It is in this region that the Serb agitators, Miletics, Polit, and others have fomented disloyalty. But numerically considered the disloyal are weak ; the whole population likely to be disaffected consisting of some three hundred thousand souls. In the case of the Catholic Slavs, their religion alone is sufficient cause of antipathy to Russia ; and throughout those of the Orthodox or Greek Faith, Slav sentiments and aspirations have nothing in common with union to Russia. Certainly my own impressions of the Southern Slavs, dirived from a not inconsiderable sojourn among them, amount to the conviction that their dread of Russian domination, and antipathy to the Russian character, will always prove a wholesome corrective