The San Francisco call., 1897-03-22
GEORGES UNSEEN ALLIES.
Splendtdty Assssting Him at st. Peters

splsnatdty Assistsnq Him At St. Pstsrs-
burg, London and sopsnha0sn.
BERLIN, GERMANY, March 2L-The
understanding here is that Great Britain
has insisted upon the powers according
Greece two weeks notice before the
foreign warships enforce blockade
against tie Plraus, the port OF Athens,
and the port of Volo. in Thessaly, and 1t
is not at ali in favor of Russla's project
that the foreign troops in The island OF
Crete shall attack the Greek army OF
occupation under Colonel Vassos and
compel their withdrawal 1t is known
here that Lord Salisbury continues to
treat directly with the Greek Government.
but no official opinion regarding Eng
lands action in this matter has been pub
licly expressed.
The unseen allies OF King George at the
courts OF st. Petersburg, London and
Copenhagen are splendidly assisting him.
Without incurring cent OF expenditure
for secret service fund the Greek Govern
ment is kept apprised of every move
on the diplomatic board and has thus
been enabled to counter the efforts OF its
foes at the three imperial courts.
To this is largely due the proionging OF
the negotiations which have from time to
time threatened 10 end in the most vig-
orous coercive measures. The Kaiser's 8
Government, baffled and annoyed, mas
definitely retired from the front, and now
limits its action to following the per-
sistently active diplomacy of Russia. NJ.
Deiyannis, the Greek Premier, has
abundantly shown, in the course OF his
career, that he does not lack In courage
or initiative, sometimes approaching
rashness. But he is now resorting, as be-
fits the position, to Byzantine tactics.
The successive notes of his Government
to the powers have continued to lead them
into series of diplomatic colloquIes, the
tendency OF which was toward COM
promise and the aim of which has been
10 give Greece, in the last resort, some
way of retreat from most difficult situa-
tion.
A most critical juncture of the past week
was when the Russian Govern menr, alone
or in conjunction with Austria and sup
ported by the approval of the Kaiser,
threatened to cut snort all parIeying with
Athens and send the Russian and Aus
trian squadrons to the Pir4us. Instruc-
tIons were actually sent by Admiral Tyr
toff, Russian Minister of Marine, to Ad-
miral Andreieff. commanding the Russian
squadron in the Mediterranean, to take
his squadron 10 fhen PiI@us and await
orders from NJ. Onon, the Russian Minis
ter at Athens, who was to present an ulti-
matum from the three imperial powers.
This precipitate action is understood to
have been averted more by the representa-
tions of France than by any regard or the
part of the Czar's Government for the
m aintenance of the concert" 1t had the
effect, and perhaps it was so designed, of
forcing the hand of M. Hanotaux, French
Minister OF Foreign Affairs, who was re-
luctant to offend French feeling by strik-
ing at Greece, and at the same time disln-
clined to hold aloof from Frances ally.
While the Kaiser, like the Czar. has been
all for action first and parleying after
ward, Lord Salisbury's tentative policy
has been directly the reverse.
Probably the Kaiser would not have
hesilated at direct rupture of the con-
cert. The hesitation came from st.
Petersburg; whether due to secret court
influences or to the delay OF decision on
the part of France, or to both com bined,
is matter OF surmise.
Greece has obtained pause which. by
all accounts, was badly required. Out OF
most contradictory reports as to the state
of the Greek treasury and the Greek army
which have been received here it is diff.
cult to ascertain the exact truth. Put.
ting aside the obviously unreliable and
fictitious reports from Greek sources
which credit the Government with having
organized q perfectly equipped force OF
Sc, ,0O0 troops, most of which are now on
the frontier. the statements from quarters
friendly to Greece credit her War Office
with managing to send to the front an
effective force of about %, 900 men, in-
Guiding the best of the reserves. There
are besides about 30,000 men under drill.
but a small portion of which force could
be relied upon for service in the field,
warfare.
The enthusiasm of the reserves appears
to have been cooled down. and many of
them have returned to their homes. At
all events they are no longer with the
colors. What happened In 1885, when the
Greek army was modified, has occurred
again. At tina time there was fair rush
OF men on the first call. The enthusiasm
spent itself rap dly. Out of 10000 men
that the War Office counted on, not half
came under drill, and desertions became
numerous. Gendarmes and troops had to
hunt up the reinctant in every district,
and at one time nearly 25,000 men wers
on the police rolls as being wanted for
evading service. The men called to the
ranks may not want in patriotism and
hnR