The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-15

London Excited.
LONDON. Sept. 4.-As soon as the report
of the occupation of Mitylene by British
force was received here there was consider
able excitement. Up to $50 p. m. there
was no official utterance upon the subject
Reporters and correspondents by the score
have called at the foreign Office and at the
admiralty. but the officials on duty declined
to confirm the report that Great Britain
had taken action in tho Dardanelles ques-
tion. A dispatch received from Constnnti-
nople, stating the occupation of the island
of Mitylene was an accomplished fact, has
found echo ON all the continental bourses
to-day. The general opinion seems to be
that if the British forces had not landed in
the neighborhood of the Dardanelles. neither
the foreign Office nor the admiralty would
have refused to deny the rumor. This step
is calculated TO awaken the gravest appre-
hension in financial and diplomatic circles.
The st. James Gazette this evening says
the startling news concerning the island of
Mitylene obviously possesses political sig
nificance of the first Importance. Continu-
ing, it adds that the island of Mitylene has
a position of considerable strategic inn
| portances although possessing little in the
| way of Notifications.
| An intimation of the intention of the
British government to occupy the island
giving a point of vantage near the Darda1l-
circles of Vienna and Berlin soon after Sir
William Whites audience with the sultan
on Friday last. Nothing about it, how
ever, appeared in the European newspapers
until the Constantinople cable startled the
bourses and the public to-day. The reports
still held to be. doubtful. In the al
senoe of foreign office confirmation
the reports, and until tho details of the ac-
tion Of the British war-ships are known the
full Significance of the movement cannot
be revealed. 1t can be stated Oh high au-
thority, however, that Sir William White
| asked the sultan to assent to the British oc-
cupation of some point within striking dis
tance of the straits, and offering good har-
borage for feet. Tenedos and Besika
bay, whore the feet rendezvoused from
1876 to 1873, have been surveyed recently,
and were reported to the admiralty ad-
versely. The offer made to the sultan
revived the request which the British
government made in 1877 prior to the
acquisition of Cyprus, to purchase an island
near the Dardanelles. This project was
long the subject of negotiations and was
abandoned on the signing of the Anglo
Turkish convention in June, 1879 The
seizing of Sigri, therefore, cannot have oo-
Cured without tho connivance of the sui
tan. The official announcement was issued
in Constantinople yesterday that com
plete entente had been arranged between
Sir William White and the sultan, but the
terms of restored harmony were not
mentioned. The intimation that the seiz-
ure Of the island would be followed by
fortifcation is modified by a Berlin report
tonight that Lord Salisbury does not con-
template permanent occupation of the
island, but has designed the movement
| rather as demonstration to checkmate the
Franco-Russian game. The movement ac-
centuates the diplomatic crisis.
Admiral Hoskins, in command of the
British Mediterranean squadron, is about
to be replaced by Admiral Tyrol, who
hoisted his flag in 1857 on the Nile, and who
sailed from Portsmouth for Gibralter on
Friday to take over the command.