The herald., 1897-05-17
POSED BY
THE PORTE
Turkish Demands Stagger
the Powers
AN ARMISTICE IS REFUSED
UNLESS UPON ADMISSION OF
GREEK DEFEAT
Even Germany Is Likely to Object
strenuously to the Terms Pro-
posed by the Porte
UNLESS UPON ADMISSION OF
GREEK DEFEAT
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CONsTANTINOPLE, May 16.-The
porte has replied, officially, to the note
of the powers, and declines to agrre to
an armistice until the following condi-
tions are accepted:
The annexation of Thessaly, an in
demnity of 100000 pounds Turkish,
and capitulation on the part OF Greece.
The porte proposes that the plenipo-
tentiaries Of the powers should meet at
Pharsalos to discuss the terms Of peace
and declares that If these conditions are
declined the Turkish army will con-
tinue to advance.
The demand for annexation of Thes-
sally is based upon the fact that the pro-
vince was originally ceded to Greece
on the advice of the powers, with the
object Of ending brigandage and Greek
incursions into Ottoman territory, the
porte believing at that time that the
cession would attain these objects, but
the recent incursions Of Greek bands and
the events Immediately 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. 1t is believed that representations
will be made to the sultan personally to
induce modification Of these terms, but
ic Is foreseen that this will be very diff
cult, owing to the attitude Of the power
full old Turkish war party. If the porte
should prove obdurate a European con-
ference Is not improbable, though at
present Russia is opposed to this
| 1t is regarded as quite certain that
the powers will not a sonssaf f1 me TssES psase
Of the Balkans.
| Altogether the reply Of the porte has
caused the greatest surprise. It ap-
pears that during the discussion of the
note Of the powers by the council of the
sultan,s ministers, news reached the
council that 5000 Greeks had landed at
Palona and were marching to Janina
with the itnention of cooperating with
other forces from Arta. This created
bad impression among the ministers.
TURKISH ADVANCE
LARIssA, May 16.-Edhem Pasha's
plans for the capture of Domokos are
being rapidly perfected. Reinforcements
are arriving and all the Greek positions
are carefully watched. The bad condi-
ton Of the roads and the heavy rains de-
lay the operations of the Turkish officers,
who are anxiously awaiting better
weather, but general advance began at
dawn.
GREEKS DEFEATED
CONSTANTINOPLE, May 16-The
council Of ministers met again today and
the sultan has ordered another distribu-
tion Of troops at various points along the
Salonica railway. Official dispatches
have been received from the command
ant at Janina, who says that division
Of the Greek forces, approaching the
town by a narrow gorge from the direc-
tion of Gremenitza, charged the heights
Of Griboro and Konoari, but suffered
heavily, losing 200 killed, while on the
other side the Greeks were driven back
upon Paraskevi. The commandant
states also that fighting has occurred at
Kumusades. No further details are CIV
en- except that all these battles lasted
until evening, and that the imperial
troops retained their position, with the
probability that the Greeks will be re-
inforced and the fighting renewed on the
morrow. No statement is made as to the
Turkish losses.
The Turkish commander at Luroste
telegraphs under yesterdays date as
follows: 1.-THE outcome Of the campaign
was a two-days' battle against the
Greeks, and the latter have been confin-
ed to a position on the heights they had
previously captured and have. with
drawn to the olive grove Of Greminit.
zau."
GERMAN ADVICE
LONDON, May ia dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Constantinople says the
porte's reply demands in its conclud-
ing paragraph an extradition treaty with |
Greece and that the ports of Volo and |
Prevesa be kept open for vessels carry
ing food supplies to the Turkish troops.
A dispatch to the daily Mail from Con- !
stantinople dated Saturday says: Ger
many is urging the sultan to insist upon
the European control Of Greek finances |
as the only means of securing the pay
ment of an indemnity. Representatives
Of the Deutsche bank will arrive next
Saturday to realize on the promise of |
important concessions which the Sultan |
has made to the bank.
THE POWERS PROMISE
LONDON, May 1.-THE Times corre-
spondent at Athens says Today (Sun-
day) M. Ralli, the premier, visited the
various legations and obtained assur-
ances that the powers would undertake |
to prevent any offensive action ON the |
part of the Turks providing the Greek
forces maintained a strictly defensive
attitude. On this understanding he i'm
wired to the commanders Of
three Greek divisions at Domokos, Sour
pi and Arta instructing them to abstain
from all hostile action unless attacked
by the enemy.
The losses at Griboro were the heav-
lest since the BEGINNING the war. Sew