The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-09-09
OF CRETE.


He spent few days trying to gather in
formation as to the real state OF things,
and sent the Governor-General, Ismail
Pasha, back to Constantinople. On the
l4tb of the same month, he issued pro-
clamation in which he informed the inhab-
itants of Crete that he had assumed the
duties of Governor Of the Island, on which
he had lived more than thirty years of his
life, and which he considered a second
fatherland." Unhappily, the conclusion
OF this document was little in harmony
with the kind and paternal commence
ment. 1t was declared that five days
only were given to the insurgents to sub
nit themselves, at the expiration of which,
all those who should not have surrendered
should be treated as enemies and rebels"
Five days were too short time for the
prejudices and national passions to be
subdued and conquered. The leaders of
SuO lhcuAiCCIiOn uau hO CuduOC W uCSO-
tate for the terms of their surrender, and
the proclamation itself could not reach the
remoter districts in such limited space
Of time. But, as events turned out, this
was of secondary importance, and every
thing seemed to concur to render hostili-
ties inevitable. The Egyptian soldiers,
under the command of Chain Pasha, short
of provisions, and sick of the fever result
ing from camping in morasses, had valnly
attempted to escape from the circle of iB
surgents by whom they were surrounded,
and had been obliged to give up their ar
tillery, arms and ammunition, preserving
nothing but their lives.
The material loss was not much addi-
tional forces sent from Turkey had in
creased the number of soldiers to 10000
men, but the moral effect was very serious.
The Greeks were over-excited by this first
success, while the Turks lost courage, and
were thinking of going away to Asia
Minor. During the whole month of Sep
TENDER, the Turks did nothing bu: stand
on the defensive, and try to protect the
Mussulmans of Kissamos and Selino from
the attacks of the insurgents. The Greeks
failed several times in their efforts to take
the little fort of Castel- Kissamo, which
was easily defended and supplied with
provisions from the sea side but they
compelled the Mussulmans of Selino, after
several weeks of bard fighting at Kandano,
to leave their village with their families
and seek refuge at Canea. In the country,
the insurgents were still more successful,
and had taken possession of the western
provinces, (the richest and most populous
of the Island,) the fate of which would
decide that of the remaining part of Can
dia. General Kalergi, Cretan by birth,
had declined the title of Commander-in-
Chief of the insurgents, but had declared
at the same time, that liking George, of
Greece, was negotiating with the Great
Powers, and was likely to obtain their me-
diation in favor of the Cretans." This
declaration was in opposition to facts.
When NJ. de Moustier was called from his
diplomatic position at Constantinople to
take charge Of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Paris, he went to Athens, on
his way home, and told King George and
his Ministers, "that the instruction of
the Cretans had not, under the present
circumstances, the slightest chance of that
diplomatic support on which they seemed
to rely"
He advised them also not to prolong,
by dangerous announcements, an useless
effnsion of blood. A most sincere and eff
fectve neutrality was recommended to the
Hellenic Cabinet by England and France.
A different policy would only be the cause
of perils for Greece, and of fruitless suffer-
ings for Crete. The Greeks were little
moved by this solemn declaration. They
knew very well how changing and mutable
is French policy in that dreadful labyrinth
the question of the Orient Seeing that
England and France would not give him
answers, the indefatigable Bou-
boulaki, Greek from Megalo- Castron,
who had assumed the title of Secretary TO
the Provisional Government, addressed
his petitions to different quarters, writing
a very lengthy document to the President
of the United States. In the space of
two years, Bouboulaki wrote many pro-
petitions, circulars and bull
letins, and his diplomatic work would
make very large volume; but of all these
the most curious is undoubt-
eddy that in which he implores American
in favor of the Island of
Crete, the birthplace of Jupiter and Mi
nos" Those NEUROLOGICAL remembrances
had very little effect on President johnson.
The months Of September and October,
1866, can be called the heroic period-the
most brilliant and fortunate time of the
The insurgents had plenty
Of provisions; they had got in all their
crops, and even some of those of their
neighbors, without asking
permission. The Pan Hellenion, steamer
bought by the Philo- Cretan Committee of