The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-02

Consented TO the BIOckading of
the Aegean GuIf-Three Small
Greek Sailing Vessels Reported
The Admirnls Want n Cavalry
Force Sent to Crete.
Berlin, April IA dispatch from Con-
stantinople to the Frankfort Zeitung de-
clares that a proposal to purchase the
island of Crete, made to Turkey by Greece,
has been declined by the porte, which
would not undertake separate negotiations
so long as Turkey remained in accord with
the European concert.
Constantinople, April 1.-The diplomatic
representatives of the powers here have
received Instructions from their respective
governments to open negotiations with the
porte for a definite withdrawal of the
Turkish troops from the island of Crete,
and negotiations with that end in view
are accordingly in progress.
Vienna, April lit rs announced here
that Great Britain adheres to the proposal
that the warships of the powers establish
a blockade of the Aegean gulf.
Paris, April 1.-The report circulated
here and at other European capitals that
Count Muravieff the Russian foreign min
lister, had arrived here Unexpectedly this
morning, is ascertained to have been un-
true.
London, April lit is cedibly stated
here that the admirals commanding the
fleets on duty at Canea and other Cretan
ports have applied to their respective gov
.aFsr1VN ,v4te~ q
half battery of artillery which they de-
clare, are required to be used for garrison
purposes. 1t is stated that the admirals
have announced that these forces will be
used solely to defend the various forts.
The Vienna correspondent of the Times
telegraphs that it is no secret that King
Georgia of Greece has declared that a
| blockade of the Greek coast will be i'm
| mediately followed by a declaration OF
war against Turkey.
Any doubt that all the powers have as
sented to a blockade to the Gulf of Athens
has been finally removed, but the details
of the scheme are now incompleted The
admirals of the international fleet in Gre
tan waters, will decide whether and when
| the blockade will be effected. 1t is obvious
| that it cannot be established Immediately
| as the sQuadrons must be INCREASED This
| implies a delay of several days. All dis
| patches received here from special cores
I
| its inevitable result will be that the Greek
troops in Thessaly Will cross the frontier
| into Macedonia.
The Chronicle will tomorrow print an
| extract from a letter from leading mem
| Der of the sultan's encourage, in which
| the writer confirms the view that the
! powers are answerable for the present crit
ical situation growing out of the Cretan
| question. He says that neither Turkey
nor Greece is anxious for war, but that
| they are being pushed into it by European
| concert ostensibly acting for the mainte-
| nance of peace. The two countries most
concerned in the matter could and would
easily come to an agreement, if they were
left to themselves, but the powers forbid.
Athens, Apri. 1.-Some of the British
warships employed in blockade duty in the
waters of Crete have captured three small
| Greek sailing vessels. Much indignation
| is expressed here over the affair." as 1t is
| pretty clearly established that a the time
| the vessels were captured they were out
side the limits of the blockade.
Although there has been no definite oc-
| currence to show that it is the intention
of the powers to blockade the coasts Of
! Greece, it is felt that such a blockade will
| be shortly established It's imminence is
| causing an increase of activity. The min
| istry of marine is especially busy. All
| the officers of the fleet have been ordered
to hold themselves in readiness to sail
| for the coasts of Epirus and Thessaly.
| The energetic preparations that are being
made continue to evidence the staunch
patriotism OF the citizens. Owing to the
| lack of government transports, merchants
are lending a large number of handy coast
/ ing steamers to the authorities. These yes
sells, which are admirably suited to carry
| ing troops and stores, are plying day and
/ night between the Piraeus and the ports
on the Greek frontier So far as essen
| tals are concerned, the troops on the
| frontier are already prepared to take the
| field.
There is no evidence of weakening m
| the part of the king or government. NJ
| Delyannis, the prime minister conversing
| to-day with some members of the Boule,
/ said "Our efforts have been directed to-
ward a friendly settlement of the trou-
| BILE, but a pacific solution now appears
! improbable. Events. however, will lind
/ us ready"
The steamer Argolls, which left the Pl-
raeus Monday with a cargo consisting Of
| 1900 sacks Of flour for the Christians in
| Crete, returned to-day, having success
| fully accomplished the object of her voy-
age. She reports that she experienced
no difficulty in getting past the vessels
| that we're on blockading duty, and that
she landed all the -four
party Of Italians, who volunteered for
service with the insurgents in Crete and
who have been for weeks In the is.ands ar
| rievd here to-day, having run the block
| ade Of the foreign warships. They assert
| that there Is no bread in Crete, except in
| the camp of Col. Nassos. The Inhabitants,
they say, live chiefly on olives. milk and
mutton. There IS no military organization
among the insurgents. They leave their
homes when operations are proceeding in
which Il Is necessary that they take part
| and after the ightlng Is over, they return.
| The volunteers further say that the real
| head OF the Greek troops IS Col. Llmbritl,
who directs all the movements of the in
| surgents.
Canea. April 1.-The admlrals command
ing the foreign fleets IN Cretan waters have
refused 10 allow the Christians at Akrotiri
| to sell sheep or produce in Canea, which
/ h but a short distance from Akrotiri, an
/ less they surrender their arms.
A person who has Just returned from
| visiting the insurgents az the camp Of Col
! Vassos, the commander OF the Greek
/