The sun., 1897-04-02
GREECE TO BE BL0CKADED.
THE POWERS AGREE TO CLOSE
THE GULF OF ATHENS.

>oy Improbable Greece Hastens Her
pr.,crntIons for war Many Greek
.,cnmers Are Carrying Troops ana Stores
20 the Turkish Frontler-British Warshlps
,,pture Threo Greek sailing vessels-Tho
.dmlrnis Demand More Troops TO Garrison
,rcte-A Greek vessel Runs the blockade.
toSpoS. April Amy doubt that all the
r,vcrs have assented to n blockade of the Gulf
of Athens the approach to the Pirmus, has been
en,,ly removed, but tho details Of the scheme
arc nowse completed.
,rbs Admirals of the International feet In
Cre.an waters will decide whether and when
The blockade will be effected 1t Is obvious that
a cannot be established immediately. as tho
souadrons must bo increased. This implies a
delay Of several days.
All the dispatches received here from special
correspondents concur that IL tho step be taken
its inevitable result will be that tho Greek
troops in Thessaly will cross tho frontier into
Macedonia
The Vienna correspondent of the Times tele-
rraphs that 1t Is no seoret that King George OF
Greece has declared that q blockade Of the
Greek coast will be Immediately followed by
declaration of war against Turkey.
The Chronicle prints an extract from letter
from a leading member Of the Sultan's en-
fourdoe in which tho writer confirms the Wow
that the powers arc answerable for the present
critical situation growing out Of the Cretan
question.
He says that neither Turkey nor Greece is
anxious for war but that they are being pushed
into it by European concert ostensibly acting
for the maintenance Of peace. The two coun-
tries most concerned In the matter could and
would easily come to an agreement II they were
lft to themselves, but the powers forbid.
II Is credibly reported here that tho admirals
commanding tho fleets on duty at Canea and other
Cretan ports have applied to their respective
Governments to each send fifty cavalry and half
nbattery Of artillery, which. they declare, arc
required to be used for garrison purposes. 1t is
asid that tho Admirals have announced that
these forces will bo used solely TO defend tho
various forts.
A party OF Italians, who volunteered for ser
vice with tho insurgents in Crete, and who have
been for weeks in tho island. arrived here to-
day, having run tho blockade Of tho foreign
warshps
They assert that there IN no bread In Crete, ex-
cept in the camp of Col vassos. Tho inhnbttants.
they say, 1.-Two chiefly on olives, milk. and mutt
ton. There Is no military organization among
the insurgents.
They leave their homes when operations are
proceeding In which it Il necessary that they
take part, and after the fighting II over they ro-
head of the Greek troops IL Col Hmbrih. who
directs all the movements Of the insurgents.
The steamer Argotis, which left the PirSus
on Monday with q cargo consisting Of @ thou.
sand sacks of -four for the Christians In Crete,
returned to-day, having successfully accom-
plished tho object Of her voyage.
She reports that she experienced no difficulty
in getting past the vessels that were on blockade
duty. and that she landed all the hour.
Arrt Nf tiah
ships employed in blockade duty In the waters
of Crete have captured three small Greek SAIL
ing vessels. Much Indignation is expressed hero
over the affair, as It is pretty clearly estab-
lished that at the time the vessels were cap
tured they were outside tho limits of tho
blockade.
Although there has been no definite occurrence
to show that It is the intention OF tho powers to
blockade tho coasts Of Greece It is felt that such
blockade will be shortly established. Its immi-
nence Is causing an increase of activity.
The Ministry of Marine is especially busy. All
the officers Of the feet have been ordered to hold
themselves in readiness to sail for the coasts of
Epirus and Thessaly. The energetic propara-
tons that are being made continue to prove the
Stanch patriotism of the citizens.
Owing to the lack Of Government transports
merchants are lending largo number of handy
coastng steamers to tho authorities. These
troops and stores, are plying day and night be-
tween the Pireus and tho ports on the Greek
frontier
SO far as essentials are concerned tho troops
on the frontier are already prepared to take the
field
There Is no evidence Of weakening on the part
Of the King or Government. M. Delyannis, the
Prime Minister, conversing to-day with some
members of the Boule, said:
friendly settlement of the trouble but Q pacific
solution now appears improbable. Events, how
ever, will find us ready
CASEA. April 1.-The Admirals commanding
the foreign fleets in Cretan waters have refused
10 allow the Christians at Akrotir to sell sheer
or produce in Canea, which is but q short dis
tance from Akrotiri, unless they surrender their
Arms.
person who has just returned from visiting
the Insurgents and tho camp Of Col. Vassos, the
commander of tho Greek troops. says that the
bOmbardment at Izzedin did little damage. No
body was killed and only six men were wounded
There were only 900 insurgents engaged in the
light.
The Informant says that In conversation with
Insurgents he was told that they would always
ewllng to communicate with the European
troops under q whito flag. provided no Turks
were present They admitted that 1t was inn
possible for them to fight against combined
Europe, but declared that they were actinl
,uhde eders from the Greek Government IL
battling with the Turks.
The Greek Bishop Of Canea is compiling a cir
GUAR letter addressed to the foreign newspaper
crush the aspirations OF tho Cretan Christians
Col. VassOs has intrusted tho Bishop with
Offering to surrender the two Turkish officer
and forty soldiers who were captured by tho In
blrgents at Malaxa.
The only condition that Col. vassos imposes il
lhdt the officials promise that the men be de
ported from the island. He makes the offer on
reconsideration for Turkish religious scrupIes
tearing that the prisoners in his camp might b.
compelled TO eat food contrary to their faith
WILL THEY CLOSE THE EGEANt
ills Heported That Great nritain Assents q