Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-27
DAILY P0ST.INTELLIGENcER
AGITATED GREEGE-

that Ii has become necessary TOT hns
land TO make a naval Demonstration |
With the view of frIshtsning the little
Kingdom into keeping quiet. Greece
has always maintained that the tern
tory comprised in ancient Epirus and
Thessaly naturally belonged 70 her be
cause Of ancient possession and beoause
these countries are still inhabited by
people Of Greek origin. The Greek
claim TO this territory has been pushed
on every occs,ion when there seemed
10 be the slightest chance for Ifs favor
able consideration by the Powers. lnsn'
too. Ciseee claims, that territory when
vas conceded 20 her by she trsaty oil
Berlin is still held by Turkey, and
that she il denied rights which the
Powers have conferred upon her.
Greece has been threatening to fight for
these supposed rights of hers for many
years, and nov she has actually gone so
far az 10 frighten England and prob
ably some Of the other great Powers
into the belief that she Ia about 70 com
nit breach Of the peace.
There are several causes for the pres
emit intense var feeling in Greece. By
the union Of Bulgaria and Eastern Rou-
meiia, which may nov be accepted A. q
settled fact, many thousand people of
the Greek race become subjects of
Prince Alexander. This does nst suit
the people Of Greece at all, fer they are
ambitioos, and they hope that Greece
and not Bulgaria, Roumania or Servia,
ID the coming power of Southeastern
Europe. Then. too. there is much OF
the same feeling which impelled servis
10 undertake her disastrous campaign
against Bulgaria. Greece. like Servis,
10 uavilline 10 see the territorial az
grandizement Of Bulgaria. uslsss her
territory can be increased 10 an equal
degree. The object OF tbs Greek gov
eminent il also similar to that OF King
Milan. The latter made an effort to
seize slice OF Bulgaria, expecting to
appeal 10 the Powers to recognize iss
annexation 20 Servia a. an accomplish
cd fact. Greece likewise wishes to seize
Epirus and Thessaly and 10 make
similar appeal 10 the Powers. The dis
sster that befell Servia seems to bear no
warning TO Greeos.
Greece, however, will have to tight,
not Bulgaria. but Turkey, and the
Greeks may thank the English who are
considerably holding them back, for
weak a. Turkey is a. compared with
the great Powers OF Europe. she is to
Greece a. giant TO dwarf. II left
alone there IL little doubt that she
would make short work OF her little
antagonist. The Greeks have q poor
military record, aud with the exception
Of some brilliant skirmishes during the
struggle for Greek Independence, they
have done nothing TO entitle them to
the name Of soldiers. They are not to
be compared with the veteran troops Of
Turkey.
The Greek army on peace footing
consists OF trifie less than $1,000 men,
On war footing Il Is supposed TO con
sist of 10000 men. This, however, is
on paper, and il is scarcely probable
that one half Of that number could
actually be placed in the Geld. The
navy consists Of ten sailing vessels and
eleven steamers, two Of the latter being
ironclsds. There are but seven and
one half miles OF railroad in the whole
country. so that movements Of troops
and supplies are necessarily slow. The
Turkish army consists Of 10000 men in
time Of peace, capable OF being in
creased 10 half million In time Of war.
The bravery and tcnacity Of the furk-
Ian soldiers are proverbial. but long
years Of corruption and vretchedness
have played havoc with the meraie Of
the service. The transportation and
eommissarist departments are wretched,
but the troops are we'll armed with
Martini. Henry rifles, and when before
she enemy they have the unpleasant
habit Of forgetting oil their disadvant.
ases and fighting AZ II they we're not
half naked and half starved. The Rus
SLAMS have many Q time bsen inded
of this fact TO their sorrow. and IL 10
not unlikely that the Turkish army Of
today 70 fully capable Of calling IT TO
the minds Of the Greeks a. well. II is
not likely that Turkey would be able to
utilize more than 10000 troops In op-
srations against Greece. but IL Is not
unlikely that that number would be
amply sufficient for all practical pur-
poses. The Turkish navy 10 In far
better condition than the army, and
with its feet Of formidable ironclsds IL
would make IL extremely unpleasant
for the navy Of Greece. The merchant
marine OF the latter cosntry 10 extern
sivs. and many Of It's vessels would fall
IN easy prey 10 the Turks
On the whole, Il Ia likely that II
Greece begins hostilities she will soon
wish that she had not.