The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
The Fighting on the Thessaly Frontier

There is nothing in the reports of the
fighting that las taken place on the Turkish
side of the Thessaly frontier to show that it
is anything more than a movement on the
part of the Macedonian revolutionists. Evil
IDENTIFY no Greek regular troops have taken
part in 1t or we should have had news be-
fore now that the conflict had become gen.
eral along the whole line. The term
"brigands" used in the dispatches is the
literal translation of the Turkish express
sion employed to describe armed bands,
whether organized for plumber or revolu-
tionary purposes, and would be applied by
the Turks to any %irregulars acting against
them not receiving their orders from the
Greek Government or the commander of
the Greek Army.
The place selected by the revolutionary
leaders for their opening movement Is the
one they naturally would choose. 1t is in
a region most difficult of access to large
bodies of troops, who would find little OPP
portunity of making extended movements
owing to the rugged and broken character
of the country; but small detachments of
rcvolutionists, acting on n general plan,
would be able to hold in check considerable
bodies of troops of which both officers and
men are ignorant Of the lay Of the country.
The descriptions already to hand of the
kind Of fighting going on between the
Greek frontier and Grevena show this to
be the case.
The Macedonian Greek revolutionists,
well supplied with arms and am
munition, have taken up their posi-
ions at points inaccessible to Turkish in
fantry attack. and on ground with which
they are perfectly familiar; and, as all ex-
perience in fighting between the Turks and
| the old brigand bands in those regions has
shown, it will require from ten to fifteen
| Turkish soldiers to each revolutionist to
cope with the movement. The despatch of
an entire Turkish division from Grevena
indicates the anxiety of the Turkish COM
mander, for IL the revolutionists once estab.
lish themselves firmly on the Grevena.
Metzovo route, the communications be.
tween Macedonia and Epirus by the main
road between Grevena and Janina will be
completely severed, M We may be pre-.
pared to hear Of fighting between revolu.
tionary bands and the Turkish forces in
| other parts of the Pindus Mountains.
The report that the military authorities
at Grevena are In direct communication
with ~Constantinople indicates the anxiety
| of the Sultan regarding the situation. Not,
withstanding the superiority of the Turk,
ish Army in numbers and the enthusiasm OF
its soldiers, ABDUL HAND III. has no illu-
sions as to the outcome of a conflict with
the Greeks. Even If his troops should be
victorious, he would win nothing, and he
knows that anything which should precip,
itate n financial crisis at C~onstantinople
would bring about a European interven,
ton in favor of the Turkish bondhold,
ers, which would be the beginning OF
the end of his power. Even If Con
stantinople were left untouched, Salon,
lea, Smyrna, and other accessible ports
on the AIgean and Mediterranean would
be occupied, and their customs ~administra.
tion placed In the hands of European com
missioners for the benefit of the bond.
holders. No interference with the existing
arrangements for the collection of the Sc
questrated revenue In the interior of the
empire could DO attempted without bring