The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-02
Negotiations Begun with the Porte
for the Withdrawal of Turkish
Troops from Crete.
OFFER THAT MAY AVERT WAR
GREECE, 1T Is REPORTED. HAS PRO
POSED TO PURCHASE CRETE.
Preparations Made by Crown Prince
Constantine in ThessaIy-Scene
in the British Commons.

LONDON, April lit is sem-officially
announced that the admirals of the foreign
fleets in Cretan waters have asked their re-
spective governments to dispatch fifty cav
alrymen and battery of artillery each for
service in Crete. Owing to the decision TO
extend the blockade ii is necessary TO rein
force the international fleet and some days
must eapse before the requisite number
of war ships will be available for the coer-
cion of Greece. Only the Piraeus, the port
of Athens. will be blockaded at first. fur
ther measures depending upon the course
| Greece pursues.
| The Times will print tomorrow a dis
patch from it's Vienna correspondent, who
| says: "A council of the admirals was held
| at Canea, Crete, to-day TO determine
| whether and when the Gulf of Athens is
| to be blockaded. All the powers have now
consented to that proposition, though moth
| ing has been decided with respect to the
blockade of other Greek ports Ii is no
| cret that King George has formally stated
| to the powers that a declaration of war
| against Turkey will Immediately follow an
! extension of the blockade to the Greek
| coast. This fact cannot be left out of con-
sideration. 1t is believed in some quarters
| that if the Gulf of Athens is blockaded,
|
to declare war, even if his own Judgment
| and that of the cabinet were opposed. This
has been leading cause of the delay in
securing a unanimous agreement between
the powers There is no doubt that in the
event of a Turco-Greek war the interven-
| ton of the powers would be suspended.
"Rumors connect the betroihal Of Francis
| Joseph, OF Battenberg, TO a Montenegrin
| princess with his candidature for the gov
| ernorshp of Crete. The report of the desire
| of Turkey and Greece to come to a direct
| understanding must in no wise be summar-
lily discarded. Moreover, the fact must be
| taken into consideration that most of the
powers are beginning to show unmistakable
symptoms of a feeling that little is to be
gained by pushing European intervention
beyond certain limits and that a great deaf
is to be gained by leaving Turkey and
Greece to settle by direct negotiations what
the powers might leave unsettled. In this
way the situation would be much simplifed
and the powers be relieved of the ever-in-
| creasing responsibility already heavy up
on most Of them"
GREECE STANDS TO WIN"
The Times will contain a dispatch from
its Athens correspondent tomorrow, who
says: Whether. in the event of war, the
powers will abstain from blockade and
leave the Greek fleet unfettered is debated
here with great interest. Ii is pointed out
that should war ensue the powers could
not, as neutrals, hinder the operations of
the Greek navy, which might lombard
Smyrna and Salonica and capture the ISL
ands of the Aegean. In case the Turks
should be victorious on land, which is not
expected at Athens. Greece would be more
than compensated by victories on the sea-
1t is assumed, of course, that Europe would
never permit the Turkish army to advance
to Athens. Thus, whatever happens, Greece
stands to win; at any rate, not TO lose.
These calculations would be completely
overthrown should the powers compel the
Greek fleet to remain inactive. But this
course it is contended here, would be tam
tamount to an offensive alliance with Tur-
key against Greece.
"A number of Italian volunteers have ar
rived here from Crete having safely run
the blockade. They say that there is no
bread in the island except in the camp of
Colonel Vassos which is provisoned for
three months. olives, milk and lambs flesh
are the principal articles of food of the
inhabitants. The insurgents not or
| ganized but consist of bands of armed
peasants, who leave their homes for a day
or two during active operations and then
return to them. No commissariat exists.
The real head of the Greek army of occu-
patton in the island, according TO the state
ment of the Italian volunteers, is Colonel
Limbrici who directs all the movements
of the insurgents.
IAN English friend of mine who was
present at the battle of Malaxa and was
captured by the Cretans. say that their ex-
asperation against the Europeans is in
tense. He was guarded. with three Turk
ish prisoners. by a Greek soldier, but in
spite of his guard he was twice fired on
by the Cretans My friend adds that the
attack on Maaxa and other outposts was
intended by the insurgents a counter
demonstration against the proclamation of
of autonomy.
The Westminster Gazette publishes dis
patch from Constantnople which says that
acting upon the instructions of their re-
spective governments the ambassadors of
the powers have opened confidential nego-
tiations with the Turkish government for
a definite withdrawal Of the Turkish troops
from Crete.
PRINCE CONSTANTINE'S PLANS.
The Times correspondent Larissa will
say tomorrow: The first step of the
Crown Prince Constantine in his new
command has been to hold a strategical
conference, at which it was decided to
create two divisions of the army with
bases al Larissa and Trikala. Some of the
leading spirits of the Ethnike Hetairia have
been here recently. among them the we'll
known Alexandrian banker. NJ Goussios.
who is believed TO be largely responsible for
financing the mobilization. Every available
horse and mule in this district has been
| requisitioned FOR the crown The peasants
| willingly give them up and use oxen for
| Moving instead.
The Standards correspondent at Canea