New-York tribune., 1867-03-28

CoNsTAYTINoPLE, March s, 1857.
The news from Crete and about Crete Is more in'-
portant than anything we have had Tor seVeral
months When wrote last week there were reports
in the city of important battles in Crete. The Greek
Minister had received telegrams from Athens about
them but these rumors SO often prove false that
only alluded to them briefly. Now, however nave
authentic accounts from private sources IN Crete
which cannot be questioned.
After the last attempt of Mustapha Pasha to pene-
trate the Businesses of Sphaa he returned and con-
centraed his troops chiefly at Canea and at kethy
mo- announcing as usual that the rebellion was at al
end and the whole island quiet. But the OIetans
pressed down near to these towns that ne Iouhu
necessary so send out two strong columns to ATTACK
them and drive them back to the mountains. The
troops sent from Canea were under the command oi
Aali Pasha, and numbered some 5000 men, Ihey
marched directly upon Omalo, but on the llth' l|th
and 18th of February they suffered heaY loss III
vain attempts to force mountain pass. ne next
day they retreated but soon found the pas rs occu
pied in their rear They encamped in ravihe ana
remained nearly week, unable either to advance or
retreat. The Cretans were not strong enough 10
attack them openly, but they harrassed them night
and day on two successive nights forcing their way
into the yery center of the Turkish camp; The
Turkish troops suffered terribly but were at last re-
leved by large force sent to their rescue by MUS
tapha Pasha. The whole force then 1eu DacA u
Canea, making no attempt to advance. .,
At the same time strong body OF troops siaItsu
from RethymO with view of penetrating INTO tne
district of Amar and dispensing the rebels there. OI
the 18th of February, when they were Stln near
RethylnO, the insurgents under the conlmahu ol
COrOneOs and Others attacked them suddenly n1in
all sides. The attack was unexpected. Inc TURKS
were entangled in the narrow deflles OF the noun
tans and after an obstinate battle they retreaed IN
great disorder TO to RethymO, the Cretans pursuing
them up to the very walls of the town.
In this battle the Cretans captured 2 cannon. .
flags $50 mules laden with PROVISIONS ana large
number of prisoners In both these affairs the TURKS
lost heavily in killed and wounded. On the arrlVaI
of the flying troops at RethymO, the hlussulmans
were 81 eXasperated that they commenced massacre
of the Christians, which was checked WIN great 3I
fculty after five six had been murdered Another
skirmlSh is reported but my private duFOco
give no particulars about IT. . .,,
There had been no little dscOuragement OF late
among the 4atTots of Crete The suffgrings OF the
people the fair promises of the Turks the despair of
obtaining foreign aid had caused many, espccaIl on
the SphakiOtes to give in Their submission 10 the
Turks but now are these things seen 70 nave DoGr
arms Even that tribe of SphakOtes which has all
along been friendly to the Turks. has now taken up
arms and sent fifty men to join the insurgents Inc
spjut of the people seems to have warmed up under
the influences of coming Spring, and they are taxing
hold of their work with fierce determination Which
deserves success The Turkislr authorities baVc
taken great pains to induce certain number 0i dep
utes from the Christians to cOTge up 70 Constah,
tnOple and state their grievances. Tho ProvisiOlia
forbade any one to 90 On pam OF death
The Turks finding that the people would not choose
any deputies, appointed certain men residing WITHIN
their lines and ordered them to go. But thsSe app
point6s although they are the creatures OF the lufks
prefer not TO risk their lives in an undertaking OF
fbis sort. so fhev respectfully decline AID 1t svery
possibie that Server Effend w atler al nor sue
eeed in getting any 02e ~ come gaek WiVl nun. nm
The temper OF the people was wen lllusI'ueu pc"
weeks ago, when Mustapha PaSha sent to a cer,aln
district shp-Oad of wheat for the starving tlnnhe5
The people would not allow the cargo TO be unIOaded
but sent back word that they preferred 70 u,e a.let
than 10 eat the bread of Turks. 1t IS very pam t
these people are far from being subdued Inc deter
minaion to accept nothing but annexation 10 Greece
seems to be gaining stronger hold every day upon
the whole Christian population Oh the lSlanu
The Great Powers are inclining more ana more 10
this solution of the question Russia has, 1t IS SAID
nronosed II To the Porte The other powers hesi-
tatng but the chances are now in favor OF this re-
suit III any people ever deserved independence INC
Cretans do They have fought nobiy ana tpuei,t
whilo all Europe crying Out that they were mad
that their destruction certain. IheY nave loHgh
80 well that $1,000 Turkish troops and thirty ships OF
war have not been able to put them DOWN III seven
We have a large American fleet at Nice this Winter
/ under Admiral GOdsbOrOugh. According 10 me
European newspapers, the Officers OF the feet are
having gay time of IT, giving balls and grand enter
taiDments at the expense Of the Government 10
demonstrate to FrcnChman what good fellows Amefi
can seamcn are The Admiral was applied TO iast M
November 10 send a ship to Crete to take oil the
starving families a matter of pure humanity lie
declined had no authority, did not wish 10 do any
thing against a friendly power. Mr. Morris from
COnstautlnOple and Mr. Stman, from Crete made
most earnest appeals to Mr.. Seward, assuring him
that the thing ght be done without compromising
neutrality, aud that thOusands Oh lives might be
saved
Ii nm rightly informed Mr. Seward replied that
he fully approved OF tins. and that Admiral Colds
borough had been ordered 10 send vessel at once 10
Crete, to remove any nOn-COmbatan5 who might
wish TO leave When this news came 10 Crete it was
of course too good to be kept secret There was no
earthly reason why Mr. Stman should keep it
secret. OF course he did not. The vessel was OK
pected every hour. The Cretans in the mountains
heard the good news and old men, women and child
Ten-thOuSands they say-Came down TO the shore
to be ready for embarkatOn. They waited and
strained then eyes to catch the first glimpse OF the
promised aid. They had no food. They wandered
up and down the shore for days looking in vain over
the waters for the flag OF the Great Republic. No
ship came. Some OF those poor watchers are said to
have died of hunger while waiting and at last those
who cQnld, crawled back IN despair 70 tho mountains
That was six weeks ago. No ship has come yet
Admiral GOldsbOrOugh writes that he has never re-
ceived any orders to send ship there. Now, will
some one please tell us Why tr0d ship sent 10 Crete?
Here is an opportunity for Seward, and Weles, and
the President TO enighten the world. Who cOuntet
manded the orders giyenf l have never been in
favor Of our compromising ourselves in this question
Any interference in tavOrOf Crete, on our part would
have been contrary To our policy and positive IN
jury TO the Cretans but for this very reason might
have acted freely III humanitarian direction. and
saved the lives of thousands of Innocent victims.
The Turkish Government would never have put on
paper protest against such an act on Our part.
Certainly this would have been as appropriate use
of the ships of the Republic, that to which they
have been given during the Winter If am correctly
informed orders have been given 10 the Russian,
Austrian. Italian and PruSsian guDbOats here TO go
TO Crete at once, and do this work which ought to
have been done three months ago, and which it is
now too late for us to have a hand III.
Perhaps we have had evidence enough of the ont
RACES committed by the Turks in Crete certainly the
official reports of the Consuls and private letters
leave room for doubt; but an incidental proof has
met haY xtb biel 10 u A
DR.. Stampe an Italian resident of Constantine has
been the chief physician on Mustapha Pashas staff
He was brought back here last week IN a dying state
and cannot live many days In his feyerish raving
he is CONSTANTLY pleading with the Turks not 10 tor