The record-union., 1896-08-07
THE TROUBLE IN CRETE.

There is a deal of trouble in Crete.
England is angry at Germany for sug-
sesting that she join the latter in
blockade of Cretan ports. Greece de-
sires to restore the island to it's own
domain. The Christians and Mohanl-
medans in the island are at war, and
the Turkish forces look on and do little
TO preserve the peace.
The Cretan rebels are a very different
class of people from the Armenians.
They are more aggressive, better prac-
ticed in military art, and have far more
Of the spirit of resistance. In the noun
tain regions live the Sphakiotes, who
are a pastoral people, but at the same
time indulge in robbery as business.
These tribesmen are friendly to Greece,
which supplies them with arms and
money These mountaineers make a
practice of going down into the valleys
and prevailing with more or less sue
cess upon the fanatic Christians to join
With them and attack the Mohammedan
villages. Then follow the most horri
BILE butcheries.
When such war breaks out in Crete
the Moslems as a rule seek the cities
for protection, but if unable to do so
make a stand in their fortified towns
and fight for their lives and property.
The Turkish Government, which is duty
bound to keep the peace. Is in sympathy
7xsff 4Jo Of
they do, therefore, IS to drive the noun
taineers back to the hills after each
raid. In some rare cases they have
prevented descents, but their efforts in
that direction are but half-hearted.
When the offenders are driven out the
Mohammedans seek revenge by follow
ing them, and at the same time fall
upon the Christians, who are charged,
whether justly or not, with being allies
of the Sphakiotes. These attacks are
the outrages OF the Armenians pale
With the approach OF winter peace re-
turns, because the mountaineers can
not remain in the field In cold weather
Such, In brief, is the account Of the
usual risings, given by writer said to
be thoroughly informed, In the Buda-
pest 'Neues Poster Journal"
Dr. Lagoudaky, a Cretan. In the
'.Frankfurter Zeitung." denies that the
Crefan risings are due either to Russian
or English influences. and says that the
cretans have no desire to exchange the
yoke OF Turkey for that of England or
of the Czar; that the people are really
Greeks. and wish to come under Gre
clan control He says. In translation
made for the Literary Digest:
The Greek Government advises the
Cretans to submit, but cannot prevent
Greek newspapers from publishing sub
scription lists on behalf OF the insur-
gents, nor that the wives and children
Of the islanders are sent to Greece for
safety The influence OF the Greek Gov
ernment may bring about an appear
ance Of peace. but the flre win continue
10 glow beneath the ashes Christians
and Moslems cannot become reconciled
IN the island Yes. the Turks kill-eigh-
teen members Of my family have been
butchered by them-buf 50 do the
C0K1Dl18u8- Inc C0T5Slf88 uer04K8a
whose relative has been killed by q
Turk swears vengeance that he wiz
not allow his hair 70 be shorn on un-
til be has obtained bloody revenge. In
the mountains the CretAns are the
strongest. and they win always remain
50. The Turkish soldiers are brave, able
men. but when they enter the mountain
passes they meet the fate Of the Per-
SLAMS At Thermopyiae. Our men are
first-rafe shots. Caesar praised them
for their skin a. archer4 and Cretan
archers formed the body-guard Of the
Byzantine emperorA
That the Turkish Government can
suppress the annual insurrecfions in
Crete u undesirable, but It - doubtful
II the Sultan cares to do %. 20 long
as the Christian lowlanders get the
worst of tie aghfing. a. they generally
do he would seem to be willing TO
have ~ CnxlDtians exterminated. or
~ 1zlven nto orooca whsrs large