New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-07
CRETE.

a,,e Crctan correspondent Of The Hrod has io-
I'll, i,c,, n co,,rrebepsjye account Of the strug-
gle in Crete and Of the organization anu ,IS
ton of tho Provisional Government P"' 49,.
F, mi. occoupt il appears thG- sdls government,
has divided the leland into twenty u''i
monk mated an administrative cOnih'''eO -
-. eooh comuittee reporting TO the Ceh'lh
Provisional Government. mo "Hoio Ce-.r,,,,onf
oinain The possesson of the Cretan UoVelI'nienN
49, Tt hold only few ports from when they 10
20 sollv forth except in array OF battle anu
..iiah ,,e, are driven back by the Cretan war
-. ,henever tboy dare 10 emerge from their re-
,.aot II may be asked why the Cretans 90 hoS Dc
- tb,se forts Unfortunately, the Christian SOL
90 - ,oorlv armed poorly clad and has no other
S,oI ,certjpp tho sweils roots and herbs which he
CON n,l mn in tho mountains and wales, but of which
the Mains arc entirely destitute, having beenravaged
NV The Turks Thus instead OF bcsieging such re-
treats. which are far from being foItresses IN any
strateeca sense Of the word, the Cretans devote all
their energies TO retaining possession OF the open
country. tho seacoast being also, virtually under
their control as attesed by the regular eeek'y e'Tre
of steamers from syria, laden with the chail'"Dio
contributions of Christendom.
The first Power that were formally to RECOGNIZES
the Provisional Government would, strange 10 say
rrovc b.ucfactor TO Turkey by cutting the Oor9'n
knot. which England docs not dare Dissolve anu ~
giving 10 the Sublime PortOO decent pleeeA' u
putting stop to farcical warfare ana 0'iii 'O-
f,rrical blockade which, after three years Do ~,
alto-ether Ineffective to overcome the AGo.l'.@S'
determination of tho Crotans TO achIeVo Iho liu0
,,.,lo, and served only TO drain the resources oi
tbototerre Turkish oxchcquer, and to toment agra
tion IN syria and in the Slavic dependencies OIL 'ho
Porte. -.-.., .,,.i- irdo.
The rretans have not only sustained their ihue,
~; nod
'r,,rI.o. and Ipylt. and against the diplomacy oil
rat Britain but also against the msidious efforts Oh
TprtonliIrsm Europe and in the United States, who
-, tbo ipsurrcctinn at an end and the PrOvi-
siopal Government orerikrOwn, at the very momehV
when it's nourishing condition impels the Porte 10
,bre,tcn Greece With the recall Of its EmbassadoT
Only the other day notorious Turkish agent aI
rorst,ntinople addressed what he called private
letter 10 a certain person who has been trying huu
10 i.;,l,o tho Cretan cause ever since tle es'oii9H
mem uf lis Provisional Government. Inc edl'oiS'
not aware of the deep current Of tho LeVahtne ln
t,icucs uulshod this letter as if it were relatioh
Of actual facts.
This rame has been played by Turkey over ana
,ycr again. very much TO her own detIIuchI peo@u'o
these falacious representations have the ehect Oh
preyeu ting tho recognition of Crotan Independence
bicb alone can save the Sultan from the formidable
sacrifices of human life and property when nave SO
far only weakened his own government, without in
80 Wv changing the determination of the Cretans
~ retain the independence which they have con-
uered bv force of arms and by the most heroic suffer-
ings and hardships What dims the JOY OF their trl-
umnl il the destitute condition Of their wives and
children. who have flown to Greece; but thanks 10
American benevolence this is being fastreeved' ana
thor wants for the ensuing Winter will be generous
" provided for. r.