The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-08-10
Crete.

Our readers will probably be anxious for some reliable
information respecting the present of affairs in this
historic island which is the battle ground of free
dom and slavery The correspondent of city paper tells
that,
The Turks will voluntarily give up the island and,
from their standpoint and according the practice of the
European Powers they ought They won it from Christen
dom after a long and bloody contest with the Veneans;
and the crescent waved ody from Cape Flake in the East
Rahmnus in the West. True the people upon them
during the Greek revolution of 1S230 and fairly rescued
the whole island from their grasp that the flew
only the five ortreses in which they beeaguered
But then European diplomacy nerred and weighing the
interests of Christian people in the balance of Power with
estimating sentiment the small dust thereof babe them
lower the cross and handed the island Mosem sway
by virtue of seangwax and red tape What contrast
the spirit with which chvary upheld the all
hazas-or Venice The Lion which through fire and blood
she bore Ger subject land seal Turkey then holds Crete
by the double title of ancient conquest and by modern treaty
with the allied Powers of Europe She will not voluntarily
yield it. because is the faest jewel her European crown;
and because yield would be mortal blow her power in
Europe. Rebellion successful in Crete would blaze
instantly in Thessaly and Eps and there is mountain
ridge high enough river wide enough to stop it this side
of abroad Helespont.n
On the other hand the Greeks conquer the Turks
force them out of the island could they do
they ten times more numerous than they They have
indeed got possession of all the Western and Middle Pro-
vnce and driven the Turkish inhabitants into the
But being organized and without cavalry artillery or
mssries they cannot stand for moment before the large
weldrilled and weappoined army of the Turks which,,
keeping in compact bodies marches up and down the open
parts OF the island leaving bloody and smoking track be-
hind them, and returns that path often enough to pre-
cottages to be rebuilt crops pen anywhere Even
if the Greeks could shut this army up the rresses they
could force them out sarve them out long
the Turkish fleet commands the sea.
The Turks cannot conquer Greeks submission
if European and Greek volunteers should all quit the
island Omar Pashas policy is to the Crean into
submission by close blockade and by destruction Of all
means of supply.
But when he has done his worst how will matters stand?
He will find the open country utterly deserted and the
houses in the villages empty and rooe for the doors
and the rafers will have been carried off to the noun
ain to prevent confagraon. The oil and the olives Will
have been buried in jars the furniture and bedding concealed
in the ravines The woman and children with bag and
baggage-wh their little movabes with their poultry and
even dogs and cawill have cambered with their ock up
into Businesses where troops follow them and the men
will retreat slowly before them firing from behind every cliff
and hiding place. and picking off his best soldiers
The narrowing picture drawn in the following extract is
we fear, only too the truth:
But how the insurgents live? and especially what will
become of the twenty and odd thousand women and children
who have been driven from their homes in the devastated
provinces and who are wandering in the mountains
crowded into the few villages the south coast or waiting,