The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-17

CONSTANTINOPLE, May 16.-The
Porte has replied officially to the note
of the powers and declines to agree to
an armistice until the following condi-
| tions are accepted:
The annexation of Thessaly, an in
demnity of f10,O00,00O Turkish, and the
| abolition of the capitulations. The
| Porte proposes that plenipotentiaries
| of the powers should meet at Pharsalos
to discuss the terms Of peace and de-
clares that if these conditions are de-
| clined the Turkish army will continue
| to advance.
| The demand for the annexation Of
Thessaly is based upon the fact that
THE province was originally ceded to
Greece on the advice Of the powers,
with the object Of ending brigandage
and Greek incursions into Ottoman ter
ritory, the Porte believing at the time
| that the cession would attain these OBJ
| jects, but the recent incursions Of
Greek bands and the events immediate
| ly preceding the war have proved to
| the contrary. This is the substance Of
| the reply.
The ambassadors met today to con-
slider the Porte's answer, which is re-
| garded as raising an extremely grave
ISSUE It Is believed that representa-
| tions will be made to the sultan per-
sonaIly to induce modification of
these terms, but 1T is foreseen that this
will be very difficult, owing to the att
titude of the powerful old Turk war
party. If the Porte should prove OBJ
durate a European conference is not
improbable, although at present Rus
sia is opposed to this.
It is regarded as quite certain that
the powers will not consent to retro
cession Of Thessaly. Even Germany
is believed to be resolute on this point,
because it would involve a violation Of
the Berlin treaty and imperil the peace
of the Balkans
Altogether the reply Of the Porte has
caused the greatest surprise. It ap-
pears that during the discussion OF the
note from the powers by the council
of the sultan's ministers, news reach
ed the council that 5000 Greeks had
landed at Palona. and were marching
to Janina with the intention OF coop
Grating with other forces from Arta.
This created Cad impression among
the ministers.
LONDON, May ia dispatch to the
Standard from Constantinople says:
'The Porte's reply to the powers is
based upon MaZbata presented by the
ministers to the sultan representing thst
Greece was responsible for compelling
Turkey to declare war; that for the last
fifteen years Greece had ignored her en-
gagements under the Berlin treaty, by
omitting to pay indemnity, by selling
and confiscating Vakoups, or religious
Turkish soil; and that, therefore, the
council were of opinion that Greece
had no just claim upon him for lenien-
| cy. Then follow the proposals upon
| which the council would base a peace.
| LONDON, May 1.-THE Times corre-
spondent at Athens says: To-day (Sun-
| day) NJ Ralli, the premier, visited the
various legations and obtained assur-
ances that the powers would under
| take to prevent any offensive action on
the part of the Turks, providing the
Greeks maintained strict defensive
attitude. Under this understanding he
wired the commanders of the three
Greek divisions at Domokos, Sourp1
and Arta, instructing them to abstain
from all hostile action unless attacked
by the enemy. The only Greek force
now on Turkish territory is the band Of
Epirote volunteers led by Botzaris,
which landed at Prevesa and advanc-
ed along the banks Of the Louros. This
force will now proceed westward along
the coast. where it will be taken off by
the Greek fleet. The losses at Griboro
were the heaviest since the beginning
of the war. Seven officers were killed.
LONDON, May 1.-THE preposterous
terms proposed by the Porte must be
regarded as the natural and usual
method of Oriental bargaining. They
would not be serious did they not force
a continuance of the fighting. With the
failure of the Greek dash in Epirus
there is no chance to make further
stand unless at Thermopylae, which, by
virtue of it's natural conditions, is an
immensely strong position, from which
the Turks would have the greatest diff
Guilty in dislodging the Greeks. At
Dcmokos the Greek troops must be
suffering severely from the heavy rains,
as they have nc tents. The capture or
evacuation of the town is only ques-
ton of a few days. The Turks have
heen seen at the pass east and west OF
Domokos, and Gen. Smolenski has
warned the crown prince to expect an
attack.
LONDON. May IA dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Constantinople dated
Saturday says: Germany is urging
the sultan to insist upon the European
control Of Greek finances as the only
means Of securing the payment of an
indemnity. Representatives of the
Duetsche bank will arrive next Satur-
day, to realize on the promise of inn
portant concessions which the sultan
has made to the bank
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Constantinople says the Porte's reply
demands in its concluding paragraph
an extradition treaty with Greece, and
that the ports of Volo and Prevesa be
kept open for vessels carrying food sup
| plies to the Turkish troops.
The Daily Nails correspondent at
| Kephalcsis, under date Of Friday, re-
ports an interview with Gen. Smolenski,
whose headquarters are at that point,
close to the hills. Gen. Smolenski be-
lieves that he can hold his own and is
still confident Of the pluck of his troops,
/ which has already been shown three
times. He said: Il intend to await the
Turkish attack here and not retire TO
Thermopylae, unless absolutely COM
| PEELED to do So" Gen. Srnolenski has
10000 men, his line extended from
| Naklari to the port Of Almyros.
The Daily Mails correspondent at
! Copenhagen says the newspaper Poll
tiken publishes the following dispatch
| from Athens: 1.-THE remnant of the