Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-04-24
WAR NEWS.
Damasi Captured by the Creeks
Prevesa Likely to Fail.
THE GREEK OUTLOOK FAVORABLE
The Eastern Squadron of the Greek Fleet
Planning Important Movement
The Town of Salonica Likely
to BE Shened.

ATHENS, April 21.-News reached
here early this morning that the
Greeks. after a desperate battle, have
captured and burned Damasi. Vigla
is still resisting. Another division OF
the Greek troops, it is reported, has
traversed the Reveni pass and captured
three block houses. This division has
almost reached Damasi, where it will
effect a union with the force that cap
tured the town. The 10000 troops
under Gen. Smolenitz displayed the
greatest bravery. Reveni lies Ii miles
northwest of Larissa. Edhem Pasha,
with a force various1y estimated at
from 10, 600 to $4,000 troops, led seven
assaults against it Monday, but all
were repulsed by the Greeks. Crown
Prince Constantine has telegraphed
here that the Turks at that point were
completely and finally repulsed.
In Athens greater attention has been
paid to the operations in the neighbor-
hood of Reveni than to those at Mi
louna pass. The theory all along has
been that if the Greeks could establish
themselves at Damasi their road would
lie open to Elassona. The exact situa-
ton at Tyrnavo is somewhat in doubt
The news from that point is conflict
ing. But there is no confirmation of
tured by the Turks. What seems to
have happened is that Tyrnavo was
evacuated in order to send troops for
ward to Reveni, and was then reoccu-
pied by troops returning from MilOuna.
The news of the capture of DaInasi
puts new complexion upon the situa-
ton on the frontier, is a greater en-
enlargement to the government and
is likely to have the most exhilarating
effect upon the spirits of the Greeks,
who had been greatly depressed by the
reverses of their troops at Milouna
pass. This success and the fact that
the fall of Prevesa seems imminent
virtually offsets the calamity of Mi
louna. If the Greek divisions effect a
union at Damasi, as is expected, there
is almost nothing in the way of their
prompt advance to Elassona. If Tyr
navo falls into the hands of Edhem
Pasha and the Turkish troops sweep
down upon the plain and advance to
Larissa to meet the force concen-
trated there under the crown prince,
they will be between two grand divi-
sions of the Greek army. This seems
to have been the object of Greek STRAIT
egg.
Should the Greeks succeed in reduc-
ing the forts at PreveSa, as now seems
probable, and occupy the town with
the large land force, cooperating with
the bombarding warships, the road to
Janina would be open and the Turkish
troops in Epirus placed at the most
serious disadvantage. The strategic
value of Prevesa to the Turkish divi-
| sion in Albania is that SO long as it re-
| mains in the hands of the Turks it
| makes possible a steady line of muni-
| tions and food supplies. With Prevesa
| in the hands of the Greeks this line
| would be promptly cut, and it would
| be practically impossible to revictual
the Turkish troops by the long land
route through Macedonia On the
other hand, the Greek troops could be
revictualed by sea.
It is stated here in we1l-informed cir
cles that the eastern squadron of the
| Greek fleet, which will shortly be rein
| forced by the ironclad Spetzia, is plan
| ming an important movement. This is
probably directed against Salonica- If
this is made with dispatch, it is quite
| possible that the Greek ships could
| reach the gulf and shell the town of
| Salonica before the Egean squadron of
| the Turkish feet could intervene The
| object of such bombardment would
be to cut off the Macedonian line of
| supplies to Edhem Pasha's camp at
Elassona. Should the Greek troops
| advance from Damasi to Elassona, the
line of Turkish supplies could be cut
at that point and render the naval
movement unnecessary. And it is pos
| sib1e that the brilliant success at
lIDamasi will cause a modification in
the sea programme of the Greeks
Taking general survey of the field
| the fortunes of war thus far are pretty
evenly divided, but the chances for the
immediate future are decidedly in
| favor of the Greeks.