New-York tribune., 1896-06-05
BAND OF TURKS ANNIHILATED
ONLY TWO ESCAPE FROM A CRETAN At
TACK NEAR VAMOS

ALL BUSINESS ON THE ISLAND AT a oiA'>D'i i>
-susPrc~rs ARRESTED AND OFFICIALS Sc
cRErLY PUT TO DEATH IN
CoNsTANT1NoPLE.
Berlin. June A dispatch from Athens says
that a detachment Of Turkish troops eie
Ave in number. which had returned to the re-
Gently besieged town Of Vamos, for the puipue'
Of removing war material was attacked oy the
Cretans and cut to pieces. only TWO lui"' '"N
ceeding In making their escape.
Athens June "A number OF cream refugee
arrived at Piraeus last evening. They report
that all business in the towns on the lsiano ol
Crete Is at standstill. and that the eh'ire
country districts have been pillaged'
Constantinople June 4.-The outbreak III '"e
island Of Crete has had the effect OF ihcreasi"s
the rigor Of the policy pursued by the faiaoe
outhor,t,es against suspects here. AS result
OF this activity 1,5OO arrests have been maze
Noet NJ those arrested are Moslems. and IN
c,uda 173 students at the military college, VINO
are suspected Of being in sympathy with tne
Young Turk movement. Besides mos, ro,,,nons ,,,o
officials have been deported to distant PROVINCES
and some have been secretly put TO oeath.
The Cretan insurrection seems still to be situated
in the northwestern part of the island the part
nearest to Greece and which has ever been anxious
% ba annexed to Hellas. SO long as the rebellion
shall be concentrated in that region II VIII nave
slight chances TO resist the attacks OF the lrAisn
battalions supported and easily PROVIDED with am
munition provisions and reinforcements by 'he
Turkish men f-war and transports. since 'he
struggle would be confined In the districts bordering
the Aegean and Cretan Sea- 1t would seem that
the "epitropy' 1unta which has prepared the IN
surgent movement in the country around helh! 'no
and Vamos has been too hasty In not coHi's a'
first TO an understanding with the "epitropy OF the
c. .l,olyi uyht
the southern portion Of the island Whenever that
understanding will be arrived at the Turks Will have
TO fight at a great disadvantage IN the rugseu
masses and gorges Of the "Levka ORR, or White
Mountains which run IN the centre and south OF
Crete and separate the bay Of Suda from the port OF
Sphakia
This mountain range is a natural fortress' III
which a few thousand men can hold their o""
against a much larger force Still. II did not pre-
vent Omer Pacha crushing the insurrection In ls6S'
after having captured the almost impregnaole posi-
tions Of Aradena, Omaos and Aia-Irion ., ,,
merical superiority Of the Turkish troops aided BY
the Cretan Mussulmans who knew the coasy md
guides The Christian Insurgents could haTay nd tbsW pH
innumerabie battalions which the Porte could SEND
against them whenever Europe did not interfere
The causes Of the present war have been already ID
rebellion was the recall last April OF the Christian
Governor. Carathevdory Pacha. His successor
his ONCE with decree Of amnesty. delayed the
opening Of the Cretan Assembly, measure against
unonc.ay wH,ni ally The cretans saw in indication
that the Porte was little disposed TO restore to
Convention of 1878 and afterward repealed. That
convention secured kind OF autonomous admin
istration to Crete: and the Greek Government. the
natural protector of the Cretans, was negotiating
at Constantnople to obtain its restoration when
the present insurrection began at Rethymo and
Vamos.