The record-union., 1897-04-17
Severe Fighting in Macedonia Between
IrregularS and Turkish Forces.
Victorious in One Quarter, But Checked
in Another Direction.
A Declaration of War Believed to be
Inevitable Within the Next Two or
Three Days, 1t Being Known lhat
In H;oh Circles at Athens a Peace
full Solution of the Difficulty is Re-
yarded as Almost Hopeless.

full Solution or the DiIliCulty 10 nc
garded as Almost Hopeless.
IARISSA headquarters of the Greek
Army in Thessaly), April 16. = Severe
fighting occurred in Macedonia be-
tween the Greek irregulars and the
Turkish forces A column of the ir-
regulars sent to the right from Pitga-
vitze, after having invested and cap
tured Sitovon, continued its advance
towards Kritudes, Plisia and Kourduzi
with orders to hold the right ap-
proach to Grevena, the objective point
This column, commanded by Cmefs
Zermos and LuZZo, attacked krltudes
on Tuesday. The place was de-
Tended by two companies of Turks
After a severe fight, during whlch
eighty Turks were killed and twenty
five taken prisoners, the position was
captured by the Greeks, who also OBJ
tanned possession of $50 rifles and a
large quantity of cartridges.
The insurgents, however, suffered
severe check in another division. A
strong force of Turkish troops from
Macovon, with a number of mountain
guns. advanced on Krania, when pre-
viously had been captured by the
Greeks. and attacked 400 of the II
regulars of Greece who occupied an en-
trenched position. 1t is reported that
the fighting was ferocious on both
sides.
The insurgents eventually were COM
pelled to retreat north to the mount
aims. Some. however, succeeded In
breaking through the Turkish lines
and escaped TO Baltino, just across the
frontier in Macedonia, first captured
by Greek irregulars and used by them
as depot for provisions and ammunl-
aion-
Accounts given by the refguees OF the
Turkish losses are believed TO be exag-
gerated. They say that 90 Turks We're
killed, while the irregulars only hao
eight men killed and seventeen wound
ed. The leader of the Greeks operating
in that direction is Chief Milonas. who
was among the wounded. and returned
into Greek territory with NUMBER OF
refugees.
One of the latter says a, portion OF the
Turkish force was composed of lrregu-
lars. whose dress resembles that of the
Greek insurgents. This, ii appears, en-
abled the Turkish force to execute a
flank movement unheeded by the lead
ers of the Greeks.
The refugees referred to blame the
Greek leaders for badly handling thear
men. All the refugees bore traces OF
having experienced great fatigue, and
it is reported that the Ethnlke
Hetairia. or National League, has or
dered the Greek irregulars to re-
treat into Greek territory, regard
ing further bloodshed useless, unless
the regular army of Greece supports
the irregulars.
WAS AN ORGANIZED INVASION.
ELASSONA headquarters OF the
Turkish army in Macedonia, April 10
DELAYED in transmission.), April 10
The representative of the Associated
Press at the Turkish headquarters mas
lust seen a prisoner who was captured
by the Turks during the fight which
has taken place at Krania with the
Greek irreglllars The man was dirty,
wore tattered clothes, and had on his
head a helmet upon which was the
badge of the Ethnike Hetairia, the Ma
tionai League Of Greece. He declared
lars which left Trikhala after receiving
an ovation from the inhabitants OF
that place. under the command of a
Captain and two Lieutenants OF the
Greek regular army, and accompanied
by medical officer, who was wounded.
This expedition, the prisoner ADDED
was organized to invade Turkey, not TO
harm the villagers, and to fight the
Turkish troops only.
After these statements, it is difficult
to deny that the Greek irregulars were
organized with the knowledge of the
Greek authorities. This confirms the
INQUIRIES made on this subject by Sec
retary Foulah Bey, an officer on the
staff of Edhem Pasha. the Turkish
Chief, formerly an at
1ache of the Turkish Legation at
Athens. and consequently familiar with
the personal appearance of the Greek
officers. some of whom he recognized
among the insurgents.
The whole matter seems to form the
basis for grave accusation against
1he Greeks good faith.
The representative of the Associated
Press has visited the greater part of
the frontier line in this district, and
after inspecting all the passes, is con-
WINGED that the Turks hold such strong
positions that the Greeks will never be
able to enter Turkish territory in force.
in fact. the correspondent cannot even
imagine that the Greeks will make an
attempt to do so. while, on the other
hand. the Turkish Commander-in-Chi
could send mass of troops into
Greece by several routes, and easily
capture Larissa-
GREEKS ENTER EPIRUS.
ATHENS. April 16-A force of Greek
Insurgents are reported to have en-
tered Epirus. The statement must be
accepted with reserve. A dispatch
from Trikhala announces that Colonel
Cipriani, an Italian Socialist leader, has
Gisbanded the Italian legion raised to
assist the Greeks in their struggle
against the Turks.
CANEA, April 16.-Cannonading has
been proceeding in the direction of
Kalyvis since yesterday evening. The
cause of the firing is not known here,
Pillaging continues in this vicinity.
ATHENS, April 16.-A dispatch from
Larissa, the headquarters of the Greek
army in Thessaly, says that an engage
ment has taken place near Nezerous,