Evening journal., 1897-03-03
CRISIS IN THE LEvANT.
All Europe Is Likely to Be
Plunged Into War.
GREECE STILL DBFIEs THE POWERS.


The Hellenic Kingdom, IL Coerccd. WIN
Declare War on Turkey Cretan Imbro.
Clio Merging Into the Larger Question
OF the Fate of the Ottoman Empire.
LoNDox, March 3.-It is no longer pos.
sible to deny that the situation in the east
has become one of the utmost gravity.
The Crecan crisis IS rapidly merging into
the larger question Of the fate of the Otto.
man empire, and 1t is becoming strongly
probable that its radical solution will
speedily DO forced upon Europe.
lt has repeatedly been declared by Lore
Salisbury and other high authorities dur
ing the past year that the only possible so.
luton of this question is by the sword. Il
was only week ago that Mr. Bafour as
sured the house of commons in the most
solemn language that general European
war was inevitable II the partition of the
Turkish empire were attempted
The exact limits of the long pending
agreement of the powers were made known
last night 1t was decided to send two
notes to the Greek government, the first
of which was delivered IN Athens last
evening 1t requests Greece to Withdraw
her troops and fleet from Crete within six
days No threats are made in this commu
nication.
II, however the mandate be disobeyed,
the second note will be dispatched notify
ing the intention to employ coercion un.
less the demand be promptly complied
with.
Greece WIN Not Yield.
1t is now a matter of practical certainty
and is understood by the powers them.
selves that Greece will refuse to yield either
TO the request or threat. 1t is expected
further that in the event Of any pressure
whatever from the powers she will declare
war against Turkey and within few
days begin a campaign in Macedonia and
Thessaly. 1t is virtually admitted that the
powers are not prepared for any such exi
eency, and it is scarcely hoped that they
will be able to deal with it in harmony.
In fact, it is now an open secret that they
have been able to reach the present point
of agreement only with the greatest diff
Guilty, and that the bonds which hold then,
together at this moment are of the weak
est description.
The situation indeed is so threatening
that the government has made it known
privately to the leaders of the Opposition,
so it is stated in the lObbies of the house
of commoisi that it would be unwise and
unpatriotic to embarTass them by serious
criticism in the debate on Crete. Therefore
IL was opened by Sir William Harcourt in
a speech so mild and colorlesss that it as.
tonished his followers until the explana
tion was privately circulated.
1t should be added that many members
of tho opposition do not share the govern
lnent's belief that general war will fol-
low hostilities between Greece and Turkey
Several days of inactivity may at all
events be expected before any decisive
steps are taken, and the tension may relax
in the interval.
Great Britain meantime, following the
example of Russia, has begun cxtraordl-
nary preparations for any eventuality.
Dispatches from all the navy yards in the
kingdom say that work has been begun in
every department on even greater scale
than when the flying squadron was sud.
denly equipped for sea a year ago.