Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-04-28
NEWS FROM THE FRONT.
Progress OF the War Between the Greeks
and Turks.


and Turks.
Every day continues to bring news
of the progress of the war between
the Greeks and Turks; but as yet il
seems that there have been no decisive
battles, and neither side has gained
any marked advantage. The weight
of military opinion has been that ere
this the Turks would have completely
overrun Greece; but the stubborn
valor of the Greeks seems to have
upset all calculations. The Turks
though fighting magni6cently, have
not been able to make any consider
able headway.
All the principal operations so fal
have been in the vicinity of Milouns
Pass, extending to Larissa on the
Greek side, and into Macedonia or
the Turkish side. Assisted by Mace
donian irregulars, the Greeks have
captured several important towns ir
Macedonia, and are accordingly massec
in considerable force in the rear of the
Turkish army. 1t was expected tha
there would be a decisive battle al
Larissa, some Is miles south of tht
Milouna Pass; but late reports are tt
the effect that the Greeks have allowed
the Turks to take possession of the
city without resistance and fallen hack
further south. 1t does not appear
however, that this movement on tht
part of the Greeks has been on &C
count of weakness; but rather in th'
carrying out of some stragetic plan
the exact nature of which has not ye
been made clear.
The Greeks gained an importan
advantage on the Gulf of Salonica OF
Thursday. An immense quantity o
stores for the use of Edham Pashat
army had been collected at Katrina
1t was the belief of the Turks that th'
powers were going to blockade The
ports of Greece and thus prevent tht
Greek fleets from operating in the Gul
of Salonica. AS the result of thi:
impression, the town of Katrina wa:
left unguarded, except by TWO battal
ions of Turks. The Greek fleet, how
ever, suddenly appeared off the coas
and commenced bombardment. A
force of Greeks and Macedonians came
in from the rear, and after a SHARP
fight the Turks were put to flight
The immense collection of stores fell
into the hands of the Greeks and pu
the army of Edham Pasha in rather
serious pickle.
There was a report in Athens OF
Saturday to the effect that the Greek
fleet intended to try to force the Oar
danelles. While it is possible that the
story is true, it is not probable. The
Dardanelles is a long strait, in mos
places less than a mile wide. 1t is
literally lined with fortifications, an6
is generally supposed to be practically
impregnable.
An interesting feature of the situa
ton just now is the probable action Of
Bulgaria, Servia and other Balkan
states. The inhabitants of these states
are principally Greeks, who have won
their independence of Turkey as the
result of previous wars. The relations
between these states and Turkey has
not been entirely friendly for the rea'
son that the Turks have been disposed
to be overbearing. Bulgaria served
notice upon the sultan few days age
that unless he should grant certain
concessions forthwith, Bulgaria would
at once mobilize her army and take q
hand in the fray. Russia is reported
to have advised against such precipi-
tate action on the part of Bulgaria
but the understanding is that the Bul,
garians claim that they understand
their business and are not disposed to
take advice from Russia. The proba-
bilities that the Balkan states will take
part in the war are very great. II
the concessions they now demand are
granted, they will no doubt make
others that the sultan will not feel
disposed to entertain.
SUNDAYS DISPATCHES.
While the dispatches of Saturday
told of the abandonment of Larissa
by the Greeks, they gave no details
and left it for inference that the move
ment was stragetic rather than other
wise. The dispatches of Sunday,
however, tell a different story. 1t
seems that on Friday there was an all.
day battle at Matt, some 10 miles from
the Greek headquarters at Larissa.
Though the dispatches do not give the
particulars in detail, the indications
are that the fighting was desperate.
The Turks had been strongly REIN
forced and outnumbered the Greeks.
The fighting, however, was desperate
and included numerous hand to hand
conflicts. The conduct of the Greek
officers was especially heroic. In some
cases, where their men gave way and
started to run, the officers fired upon
them with revolvers. There were
only few cases of this kind, how
ever. Generally the Greeks fought
until their ammunition gave out, and
then retreated because it was useless
to remain longer. Crown Prince Con-
stantine and Prince Nicholas were
both in the front ranks of the Greek
army and under fire all day; but
neither was injured. Prince Nicholas