ged, however. The ebb-tide of the Turk had begun.
Austria and Russia in the eighteenth century had already decided
upon the partition of his lands. Russia thought and cared only for
Constantinople and the way there. Bosnia was recognized as Austria's
sphere. The long wars and the liberation of the Serbs had effects in
Bosnia and the Herzegovina. Revolts, largely agrarian, of the
Christians began to take place. The big landowners, though Slavs,
were Moslems. Their peasants were largely Christian. In 1849 a great
rising was followed by the flight of thousands of Christian peasants
into Austria, who in time of stress has often been the South Slav's
only friend. The Herzegovinians, encouraged and incited by the
Montenegrins on their borders, rose frequently, and it was their
great rising of 1875 which started the Russo-Turkish War of 1877.

Before declaring war, however, Russia came to an agreement with
Austria about Bosnia. It was understood that Austria should receive
Bosnia on condition that she took no part in the war. Russia did not
include this in the Treaty of San Stefano, but the scheme received
the strongest support at the Congress of Berlin. The aim of both
England and Germany was to hold back the ever forward-pressing Slav
forces. Great Britain pledged herself to Austria previous to the
Congress. "Le Gouvernement de Sa Majeste Britannique s'engage a
soutenir tout proposition concernant la Bosnie que le Gouvernement
Austro-Hongroise (sic) jugera a propos de faire au Congres."

Austria was offered Bosnia without reservation, and could then and
there have annexed it. It was only doubt on Austria's part which led
her to choose "administration" in place of annexation. The decision
of the Congress at once caused trouble. The mass of the Bosnian
Moslems violently opposed separation from Turkey, and the
Herzegovinians, who had risen with a view to union with Montenegro,
were equally opposed to Austria. The Austrian Army in 1878 met with
great resistance, and only after heavy losses and four months'
fighting finally subdued the land. The Herzegovinians declared to me
that they only laid down their arms at the request of the Prince of
Montenegro, under the understanding that Austrian administration was
to be but temporary, but under the terms of the Treaty no
time-limit was mentioned.

That the arrangement was intended by the Powers to be permanent
appears from the text now (1919) published from the Vienna archives
und