The indicator., 1897-04-24
GREEKS TAKE DAMASI
WIN AN IMPORTANT BATTLE.
II On--ts the Defeat Ht MiloanA fa"s-
Prevesa Likely to fail-Edhrm fash.
Likely to he Cut on From His Base OF
Supplies.

Athens. April aO.-tMidnightD-Ne~
has Just reached here that the Greeks,
after a desperate battle. have capinreu
and burned Damasi. Nigln is sun re-
sisting. Another division OF the 'reth
troops, it is reported, has traversed 'tie
Reveni Pass and captured three piock
houses. This division mas hlihoS'
reached Damasi where 1t Will eHect u
union with the force that captured the
town. The 2O.0OO troops under Generai
Smolenitz displayed the greatest bray
cry. Reveni lies twelve miles hor,n
west of Larissa. Edham Pasha. win
n force variously estimated at from "
600 to 1I.OoO troops, led seven assaults
against 1t yesterday, but all We're re-
pulsed by the Greeks,
Crown Prince Constantine has teie-
graphed here that the Turks AT that
point We're completely and hnaiiy rt-
pulsed.
Athens. April I'll a m.-Thc re
port of the capture Of Damasi by the
Greeks. under General Smolentz. is
confirmed by official dispatches.
Official dispatches report also that
further heavy breaches have been
made in the Turkish forts at Frcvesa.
The bombardment ceased AT niGhifall.
but will be resumed this morning WED
neSdayl. The ironclad Spetsia has left
the Gulf OF Aria to join the eastern
squadron. which. it il said, has AN I'M
portant mission.
The news Of the capture of Dainasi
puts a new complexion upon the situa-
ton on the frontier. is n great encour-
agement TO the government. and is like
ly to have the most cNhilarating effect
upon the spirits of the Greeks. who had
been greatly depressed by the reverses
of their troops at Milouna Pass, This
success. and the fact that the fall of
rrevesa seems imminent. virtually on
sets the calamity of Milouna.
If the Greek divisions effect union
at Damasi, rs is expected. there is al
most nothing in the way of their
prompt advance to ElassunI. If Tyr
navo falls into the hands of Edhem
pasha and the Turkish troops sweep
down upon the plain and advance Ia
l.arissa To meet the force concentrated
there under the crown prince, they
Will be between two grand divisions of
the Greek army. This seems 10 have
been the object of Greek strategy.
Should the Greeks succeed in rcdnc-
ing the forts nj Prevcsi. as now seems
probable, and occupy the town with
the large land force cooperating with
the hombnrding warships, the royal
road to Janinn will be open and the
Turkish troops in Epirus placed nt the
mos, serious disadvantage. The STRAIT
cgic value of Prcvesa 10 the Turkish di'
vision in Albania is that SO long as 1t
remains in the hands of the Turks ii
makes possible n steady line Of muni-
tions and food supplies. With Preves;,
in the hands of tho Greeks, this line
would be promptly cut. and it would
be practically impossible 10 revictual
the Turkish troops by the long land
route through Macedonia. ON the 9th
er hand. the Greeks troops could he re
victualed by sea.
Taking general survey of the field
tonight midnighD the fortunes of wal
thus far are pretty evenly divided, hui
the chances for the immediate futur,
are decidedly in favor Of the Greeks
An official dispatch from Arta says
that after crossing the Aracthos at Ba
nj, the Greeks occupied the villages oi
Ncokhori and Sakhikalnma. wher,
they strongly intrenched themselves
Colonel Manos is now advancing north
ward in the direction of Paraskevi
| The Greeks repulsed an attempt of tn.
| Turks to cross the bridge at 10 O'Clock
| this morning. A number of Greeks
among them several officers. were
killed and others We're wounded.
A dispatch from Artn says that 300
Greeks have crossed the frontier n
Bani. and severe artillery duel ha,
been in progress since Monday. Til,
Greek artillery have silenced the Turk
isl Imauret fort. commanding tn,
town. Two attempts by the Turks Il
cross the river were repulsed. There
has been brisk artillery and infantr,
firing along the line for about fiv,
miles. Two Greek officers and man,
Turks have been killed.
| The government has addressed
note to the foreign ministers and con
| suls in Greece. calling their attention Il
| the fact that Greece has adhered to tn
| declarations of the Berlin congress il
| 1850. and expressing the hope that for
| eign governments will respect the law
of neutrality.