The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-05-07
THE GREEK MINISTER'S
Favorably Impressed with the Sit
uation at Pharsalos.
THE TOWN OF ARTA DESERTED.

London. May 4-According to dis
patches from Athens Colonel Tosame-
dos. minister of war. and NJ TheotOkis.
minister Of the interior. are said to be
favorabIy impressed with the situation
at PharsaIos. both as respects the po-
sitions Of the troops and the plan OF
defense.
EumOrs conflict materially as to the
diplomatic attitude of Turkey. Ac
cording To one report Edhem Pasha,
the Turkish commander in Thessaly.
has asked an armistice of five days;
according To another. an armistice al
ready exists by the tacit acquiesence
of both commanders, while a third
story describes Edhem Pasha as only
awaiting reinforcements for an attack
upon PharsaIUs, to be followed by an
attack upon Volo- 1t is also said to be
probable that Admiral Tamatello is
preparing To prevent a possible at
tempt of the Turks to seize VOIo by the
coast roads
Arta Is now deserted. and its wretch
ed inhabitants are living in the fields
behind the town. many of them on the
verge Of starvation Nothing is pro-
durable in the way of food except a
scanty and uncertain supply of bread
Women and children are suffering pit
iably with cold and hunger. and to
those tpTlHEtS Is duue0 lnt GItdu OF q
Turkish attack at any moment.
\ special dispatch from Janina.
Epirus. says After travelling 200
miles across the country l found the
greatest loyalty TO the sultan and
hatred Of the Greeks everywhere The
,Iraek prisoners arr bitter at the con-
duct Of their officers They are all
well treated 10y the Turks Sixty
wounded Turks and - Greeks are in
the hospitals here The sanitation of
the army is excellent. There are only
al sick mem"
The Times prints the following dis
patch from iIs Nulu correspondent,
dated 6 D. m- yesterday
When ! arrived at NelastinO Sunday
afternoon / had just seen the Turkish
infantry advancing in two columns. in
tending tp cut the railway The Greeks
I-.u1U strong. under General SmolenskL
Hy whose side i watched the encounter
boo the rear Of the Eighth regiment.
gradually advanced one battalion to
hold the railway. the other TO support
the artillery. which had mountain
gums un the right center
General SmoIeuski had ordered the
sheIIing 10 begin when the enemy were
well within range, and consequently
the guns did not open fire before $50
D. m The Turks were evidently about
1900 strong. Their cavalry recon-
noItered the wood. where the Greeks
were concealed. but the batteries re-
manned silent until 8, and at that time
the fire fell short of being effective,
though the Greek practice was the
best I have yet noticed. The Turks
ran away from the shells. but con-
tinUed To advance in good order. Our
right was really never engaged, and
-lg.Gl
only a small force, with two Krupp
guns. Toward the end the large Turk
ish center was seen to advance in the
distance. but sunset, at Gas, caused
a temporary cessation.
Trains are running to PharsalOs
now. and I managed to get through.
Returning on horseback in the dark
ness TO VOlo, 1 was captured by the
Greek OutpOsts. thanks to the fault of
headquarters to issue regular passes. /
was treated with much civiIity, but
was detained until late hour.
Having met reinforcements on the
way to NeIestinO, 1 went out again
Monday. when the Greeks brought up
nearly the whole PharsaIos force. Save
in the sharp struggles during the night
the Greeks have been successful. hold
ing their ground. The Turks mounted
a battery on a hill facing the Greek
left. approached the end Of the wood
and burned a small village. Nearly all
the fighting has been on the extreme
right. in the direction Of Lake Karla
and the eastern Nolo road. Whoever
gains this road commands VoIo. and
could cut of retreat here"
The Athens correspondent Of The
Daily Telegraph says:
Il had an Interview yesterday with
y HT H..HI q
sent ~ the ministers of war and the
interior from FhaTS8lus was in most
respects highly satisfactory. lie said
they had wired him from PharsaIos
that the front line 81 the army was
in battl. array. and the Turkish at
tack imminent All the preparations
possible had been mad. for heroic de
f-n~s and the spirit ~ the army was
much better than before. owing 10 the
change iu the supreme command.
M. taTn declared that the victory
al NeIcSJiuo WAS the most splendid
achievement Of the war. the Greeks
capturing an enormous quantity OF
arms. ammunition and horses. The
Turks. after this crushing defeat. NJ.
Rain believes. are not likely to re-
engage in hostilities in that quarter
The chief points Of interest IN the
war situation today are:
First that the decision Of the minis
rerS who have returned from the Greek
frontier seems To be in favor Of a con-
sinuance Of the war: and. second. that
fighting continued almost necessarily
at Nelestino from last Tuesday until
Sunday. with the result that General
SmoIenski has been prevented from ac-
tuaIIy assuming his new duties as chief
Uf staff. As a further result the Greeks
at NelestinO have managed to retain
their positions, but they are too much
fatigUed to follow up their success.
Altogether Il officers have been re-
called from Crete to be sent on to
Thessaly, and this. also is a proof OF the
intention of the new cabinet to con-
tinue the war The movement is ac-
tuated by necessity. All the best Off
GERS are being sent to the front nor is
there any intention yet displayed to
evacuate Crete.
The Turkish army is advancing in
three columns on PharsaIos, while an
additional column is operating in the
direction OF Volo. As the VoIo column
could easily take Velestino In the rear.
the Greek position is very precarious.
This probably explains the retention OF
General SmOlenski there, as it was
natural to expect him to go to Pharsa-
los 10 assume the supreme command.
Kruger Wants to Honor Victoria.
Pretoria, May 4.-On the reassem-
bling of the raad yesterday President
Kruger. in a speech, prepared evident
ly with great care. asked the raad, as
a token of sympathy with Queen Vic
toria and appreciation of her long
and glorious reign. to declare June %
an official holiday in the TransvaaI.
He said that in Spite of ,InfaVora hI q