The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-03
Answers Questions Regarding Peace
Negotiations.
DOESN'T WONDER PATIENCE OF
PEOPLE HAS BEEN TRIED.
Agreement Powers Are Trying to Reach
No Ordinary One-Believed Frontier
Line Has Been Accepted-Question of
German Bondholders.

London, August 2.-The Marquis of
Salisbury, replying in the House of Lords
today to the liberal leader, the Earl of
Kimberly, who questioned the govern
ment as to the state of the peace negoti-
ations between Greece and Turkey, out
lined the status of the Constantinople ex-
changes of views, occasionally referring
to them in sarcastic tones. The Premier
said it was no wonder that the patience
of many people was sorely tried by the
delay. The complexity and multiplicity
of the negotiations, he added, might,
however, account for their length.
Continuing, Lord Salisbury explained
that the peace the powers We're trying to
arrange was sno ordinary agreement be-
tween conquerer and a conquered coun-
try The territory conquered by the Turk
ish army was once assigned to Greece by
international arrangement and therefore
the powers voice in regard to its disposal
was recognized by the Sultan. The lat
ter was right in demanding security
against incursions such as those which
brought about the present war and for
that purpose a rectifcation of the frontier
on strategetic basis was reasonable de-
Inand. 1t was also reasona BILE to hold
that Greek communities should not be
placed under Turkish rule. The Premier
further asserted that Her Majesty IS min
listers believed those questions had been
settled and that Turkey had accepted the
frontier line traced by the military at
taches of the embassies of the powers,
though the Premier shared in Lord kim
berly's announcement that accomplished
facts were not really SO until actually
accomplished.
Speaking of the indemnity to be paid to
Turkey by Greece, the Premier said:
There comes in the mysterious and diff
cult question of the German bondholders.
We do not think that any international
duty lies on Europe to provide for their
payments, though admit they have
been long unpaid"
Lord Salisbury further said:
"The credit of Greece in the European
markets will, for long time be exceed
ingly small, and some form of control of
Greek sources of revenue is inevitable.
cannot say that negotiations in that
direction have advanced very far and l
must admit that the question may be q
source of very considerable delay"
With reference to Crete, his lordship,
said there was no use for the powers to
to arrange form of government
until the more important controversy
had been adjusted. The present attitude
of Crete seemed to be favorable to an
agreement so far as the Christians were
but the two creeds were no
nearer than they. had been for many CEN
turies.
ssThe only solution,'' he said, "seems
to be to dig ditch across the island
with the Christians on one side and the
Moslems on the other. Our earnest ob-
ject is to arrange what has been promised,
taking care to be just to both sections.
We are not inclined to admit merely be-
cause the Mussulmans are in the Ininori-
ty that their interests are to be neglect.
ed.''
Lord Salisbury said that he fully agreed
with Lord Kimberley that Crete was in
a dangerous position. The element of
danger, however, did not arise, he insist
ed, because the island was mixed up in
the affairs of the Ottoman empire, but
rather from the terrible division among
the creeds, division which might yet
require power greater than all the SOW
ereigns of Europe to Danish it.