The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-17
THE P0RTf'S DEMANDS
No Armistice Until Annexation Of
Thessaly Is Agreed To.
Also a War Indemnity Of Ten
Million Pounds.
Belief General That European Conference Will
Settle Terms Of Peace.

The preposterous terms proposed by
the porte must be regarded as the nat
ural and useless method Of Oriental bar
gaining. They would not be serious did
they not force continuance of the fight
Ing. With the failure Of the Greek dash
in Epirus there Is no chance to make a
further stand unless at Thermopylae,
which by virtue of its natural conditions
Is an immensely strong position. from
which the Turks would have the greatest
difficulty in dislodging the Greeks. At
Domokos the Greek troops must be suf-
fering severely from the heavy rains, as
they have no tents. The capture OF
evacuation of the town is only question
Of few days. The Turks have been
seen in the passes east and west OF
Domokos, and General Smolenski has
warned the crown prince not to execute
an attack. The weakness Of the Greek
position Is in the great extent of the line.
The news Of the retreat in Epirus serves
still further to demoralize the troops in
Thessaly. AS to the terms on which
peace will finally be declared the general
belief in official circles here Is that they
will be settled at a European conference.
Constantinople, May 1.-THE porte has
replied officially TO the note Of the pow
ers and declines to agree TO an armistice
until tscs following conditions are ac-
scepted: The annexation of Thessaly, an
indemnity of e1o.OOo.000 (Turkis.;; and
ahe abolition of the capitulations. The
porte proposes that plenipotentiaries Il
the powers should meet at Pharsalos to
discuss the terms Of peace. and declares
that IL these conditions are declined the
Turkish army will continue to advance.
The demand for the annexation of
Thessafy Is based upon the fact that the
province was originally ceded to Greece
on the advice of the powers with the OBJ
ject OF ending brigandage and incursions
into Ottoman territory. the porte believ-
ing at the time that the cession would
. attain these objects. but the recent in
cursions Of Greek bands and the events
Immediately preceding the war have
proved to the contrary. This is the SUBJ
stance Of the reply.
The porte's reply demands in it's con-
Guiding paragraph an extradition treaty
with Greece, and that the ports Of volo
and Prevesa be kept open for vessels
carrying food supplies to the Turkish
troops.
The ambassadors met yesterday to
consider the portes answer, which Is re-
garded as raising an extremely grave
issue. 1t is believed that representations
will be made to the sultan personally to
induce modification of these terms, but
1t is foreseen that this will be very diffi-
cult owing to the attitude Of the power
ful Old Turk War party.
II the porte should prove obdurate a
European conference is not improbable,
although at present Russia is opposed to
such step.
It is regarded as quite certain that the
powers will not consent to retrocession
of Theesaly. Even Germany is be-
lieved to be resolute on this point, be-
cause 1t would involve violation Of the
Berlin treaty and imperil the peace of
the Balkans.
Altogether the reply of the porte has
caused the greatest surprise. 1t ap-
pears that during the discussion Of the
note from the powers by the council of
the sultan's ministers, news reached
the council that 5000 Greeks had landed
at Palona, and were marching to Janina
other forces from Arta. This caused
bad impression among the ministers.
The council of ministers met again
yesterday. and the sultan has ordered
distribution of troops at various points
along the Salonica railway. Official dis
patches have been received from the
commandant at Janina, who says that
a division Of the Greek forces approach
IN ha hu q M M
direction of Cremenitza charged the
heights of Griboro and Kokonaria, but
suffered heavily, losing 200 killed. while,
on the other side, the Greeks were driven
back upon Paskenpru (ParaskevD. The
commandant states also that fighting
has occurred at Kumuzades. No further
details are given except that all these
battles lasted until evening, and that
the imperial troops retained their posi-
tion, with the probability that the
Greeks will be REINFORCED and the fight
ing renewed today. No statement Is
made as to the Turkish losses.
Germany Is urging the sultan to in
sist upon the European control Of Greek
finances as the only means Of securing
the payment of an Indemnity Repre-
sentatives of the Deustsche bank will ar
rive next Saturday to realize on the
promise of important concessions which
the sultan has made to the bank.
The Turkish commandant at Luros
telegraphs under Saturdays date as fol-
lows: .4t a.. ..l.t3 -0.fa-
The outcome Of desperate battle last
ing two days against a force OF 5000
Greeks is that the latter have aban-
doned the position on the heights they
had previously captured and have with
drawn to the olive groves Of Gremen-
dtEa.
At ATHENS.