Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-11
TIMELY RELIEF
Given the Besieged Inhabitants and Sol
diers of Kandamos By the Italian
Transport Trincria.

London March 10.-The Daily News to-
morrow will publish dispatch from
Canea saying that the M1ssulmans who
had been besieged at Kandamos and who
have arrived at Canea were conveyed
there on board the Italian transport
Trincria and that another vessel is ex-
pected TO arrive shortly with more ref
ugees. The force which relieved the be-
Ieaguered inhabitants of Kendamos also
assisted 112 soldiers who were besieged
in a block The dispatch also says that
the arrival of the Trineria with her load
of refugees has created deep impress
sion in Canea. One Of the chief beys
saws that it is impossible to express the
gratitude felt by the Moslems toward
England
The Daily News correspondent relates
the story of the rescue of the residents
at Kandamos upon the authority OF the
officers of the Trincria. His account says
the utmost credit is due to Sir A. Bill
lotto, the British consul at Canea who
managed the entire affair Without him
the besieged people could never nave
escaped In the first instance he went
alone TO Kandamos. after comforting with
the Cretan leaders, who expressed doubt
of their ability to control their follow
ers The place was surrounded by 1000
Cretans, who kept up continuous tusll-
ade, which sometimes was replied to by
light fire. Consul Billiotto -entered the
town and rema ined until nightfall, when
having becoming convinced Of the necss-
sity of employing a force of Europeans
to effect the release he returned to KAN
damos before dawn with a force OF 250
British, 100 French 100 Austrians, $50
Russians and So Italians, with four guns
This force WIGS commanded by the cap
tain of the British ship Rodney. Upon
arriving at kandamos the troops re-
manned upon the outskirts, while the
consul entered the town to arrange for
the sortie. Some delay occurred owing to
a lack of beasts of burden.
The Cretans had ceased their firing
and consented that the Moslem soldiers
should retain their arms. but when the
latter emerged, q scene of the widest
confusion and one of great danger took
place. The horde Of Cretan insurgents
surrounded the refugees and wherever
a gap occurred in the escort. would dash
in and tear their weapons from the baShi
basouks and snatch the bundles which
many of the women and children carried
1t was with the utmost difficulty that
the Moslems were prevented from firing
on the insurgents, and thus bringing
about a horrible slaughter During the
confusion ONE girl was kidnapped by the
CFetans.
The insurgents followed the refugees as
far as Spanisko. where there is a gorge
which was blocked by the escort.
The embarkation on board the Trincria
began at o'clock in the evening and
ended at Q o'clock. After sunset the
Cretans at S;eiino began to make hos
tile demonstrations towards the Moslems
and several shots were fred. and several
houses burned. With a view to putting
a stop to this the warships fred several
shots in the air. The governor of Kan
damos saws that when the people Were
relieved there were only seven boxes of
rife cartridges left and that the gun am
munition was exhausted. Thirteen per-
sons have been killed and twenty-nine
wounded since March G. There was
neither bread nor rice in the town. but
there was a plentiful supply of meat.
Had there been a Sufficient amount of
bread aud ammunition. the governor de-
clares the inha bitants of the town and
the garrison would have been able to
resist the insurgents for 4 year.
The correspondent says the refugees
are rapidly debarking at Canea. The