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11 ROMANIAN SERBIAN RELATIONS (lSyi—1S66) 217

An exchange of military experts took place between Serbia and the Principabties. Thus in July 1862, Prince Guza sent major Herckt to Belgrade, on a special mission to investigate the Serbian gunpowder works and arsenals, which were to be adopted as model for the Romanian artillery : “Je prierai V. A. — continues Cuza — de me faire savoir si je pourrai compter sur son concours pour acheter de son Gouvernement 1’armement de six battenes”⁴⁷. The Serbian ruling prince showed great solicitude for the Romanian officer informing Cuza that: “ ... j’ai fait ouvrir au Major Herckt tous mes śtablissements militaires qu’il a eu mission de visiter et lui ai fait donner tous les renseignements qm ont pu 1’intć-resser”. Concerning the demand for artillery materiał the correspondence points out: ... “ce serait pour moi une bien vive satisfaetion de pouvoir fournir a Son Service d’Artillerie <of Cuza) le complćment du matćriel dont elle m’a entretenu, ainsi que de lui donner toutes les preuves du haut prix que j’attache”. This conduct of the head of the Serbian state, aimed at: “a voir resserrśs nos liens personnels et d’amitiś et plus efficaces les rapports qui existent deja, entre les Principautós-Unies et la Serbie de meme qu’a contribuer au bien etre et au progres des peuples que la haute destinśe a eonftós a nos soins”.⁴⁸

Prince Cuza sent the same officer to the Prince of

Serbia to otier him the first two rifles manufactured by the Bucharest arsenał⁴⁹ “comme un tśmoignage nouveau de ma sinc&re amitiś pour elle et comme un gage des sympathies constantes des Roumains pour les Serbes ”.⁶⁰

In September 1863, the Serbian goyernment sent a military mission composed of colonel Petroyitsh and captain Ioanovitsh ⁵¹ in order to obtain information and participate in the manoeuwres of the Romanian army.⁵²

weapons was escorted by troops carrymg orders to open fire upon the Turkish armed forces, lf the latter should attempt to stop them, (See H. Bulwer to Cuza, Constantinople, January 21, 1863, MAE, vol. no. 277, sheet 179^r —183^r) proved ungranted sińce this intervention was not carried out.

⁴⁷    See United Pnncipahtics ruling Prince to Serbian Prince, Bucharest, July 24/August 5, 1862, Library of the Academy, MS Section, Cuza Archwes, vol no IV, sheet 80^r — 81^r_

⁴¹ See Ruling Prince of Serbia to ruling Prince of the United Pnncipahtics, Belgrade,. 13/25 August, 1862, loc cit., vol. no. X, sheet 267^r —269^r

⁴⁸    “J’envoie h Belgrad Mr. le lieutenant colonel Herckt — wrote Guza to the ruling Prince of Serbia — qui est dćji connu de V A S et qui aura 1'honneur de Lui prćsenter les deux premifcres armes portatives fabnqućes h 1'arsenal de Bucarest. Je prie V A S. de recevoir ce fusil et ce mousqueton...” (See Ruling Prince of the United Pnncipalities to ruling Prince of Serbia, Bucharest, June 23, July 4, 1865, loc. cit., vol. no. IV, sheet 164^r — 164^v.

⁶⁰ Ibidem

^C1 See Telegram of the United Pnncipahtics’ agent in Belgrade to Cuza’s Cabinct, Belgrade, September 15, 1863, loc cit., vol. no. XIV, sheet 399^r.

^M See Telegram of the United Pnncipahtics’ agent in Belgrade to the Pnnce’s Cabinct, Belgrade, September 9, 1863 (loc cit, sheet 397^r); Telegram of Cuza’s Cabinct to the United Pnncipahtics’ agent in Belgrade, Bucharest, September 12, 1863, loc cit, sheet 398^r and vol. no. XVIII, sheet 45^r.