Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-19
WAR Is DECIDED
Grecian Minister to Turkey Given
His Passport.
FIGHTING In THE MILONNA PASS
Twenty Thousand Troops Engaged
in the Fight.
PRE- VESA bonn B A r D E D
PREVESA BON B A r D E D

Greece, ana nOtlncdtlOn 10 tnlS e1Iecl mas
been sent to the powers.
Assim Pasha. Turkish minister to Greece,
has handed to NJ. Skouzes. the Greek min
lister of foreign affairs, the following note:
In consequence of the aggressive atti-
tude of Greece. diplomatic relations be-
tween the King of the Hellenes and his
imperial majesty, the Sultan of Turkey,
and their respective governments are here
by broken off.
The Greek minister at Constantinople
and the Greek consuls have been ordered
to quit Turkish territory. For the same
reason the Turkish consuls in Greece have
been recalled to Constantinople. Within
fortnight from the date of this announce
ment all Greek subjects must leave Tur-
ksh territory. Ottoman subjects now on
Greek territory have been invited to leave
1t within the same period
Julian Ralph has telegraphed the follow
ing from Athens to the Philadelphia Press:
BOmba rdment of Prevesn.
The Greeks have recalled their minis
ter from Constantinople, and accept the
issue of war, confident in the righteousness
of their cause. The government will prob
ably issue an appeal to the civilized, lib
erty-loving nations. Hostilities have al
ready begun. Forces on the entire Thessa-
Ian frontier are already cannonading each
other, while on the sea operations have
been likewise initiated.
The Turkish batteries at Prevesa opened
fire on and sunk Greek vessel in the Gulf
of Arta- AS a result, since morning the
Greek fotilfa in those waters furiously
bomtarded that town. The Greek land
battery at kefale Panaghia is also pouring
shot and shell into Prevesa.
Assim Pasha, the Turkish minister, is
ready TO leave tonight.
y
characterized by extreme bitterness. Off
cIal dispatches announce that the Turkish
stations from Nezero to Koutea have been
occupied by Greeks, while repeated attacks
by Turks on Analysis have been repulsed
with heavy loss.
Emin Pasha, with ten thousand men, has
crossed the frontier. and is marching
Larissa by way of Reveni. A decisive bat
tie is expected there.
M. Naurocordato. the Greek minister
has made all preparations to leave Con-
stantinople.
Twenty thousand troops engaged in a
bloody battle in Molouna Pass, and three
Greek officers were left dead upon the field.
with hundreds of corpses of soldiers and
one or two officers of the army of the OF
toman empire.
The foreign Greek legion has been Or
dered to prepare to leave for the front
Tremendous excitement will be
raised in Macedonia and turned to work
against the Turks. The war IS going to be
cross against crescent.
The Town of Prevesa.
Prevesa is fortified town of some 1000
population in Epirus, on the northern
shore of the narrow strait that connects
the Ambracian gulf with the Ionian sea.
Scarcely more than a fifth of the popua-
ton. exclusive of the garrison, are Mos
lens, the remainder being principally
Greeks and Christian AlbaEians.
The town has a beautiful appearance
from the water, surrounded il is by
magnificent grove of olive trees. The
dens and trees.
Unless the Notifications have been re-
paired within recent years, they are great
ly dilapidated. A few guns are mounted
on the bastions toward the sea, which with
those in a small fort on the opposite side
of the strait form an effectuai cross fire
at the entrance to the gulf. sand bar
reduces the depth of water to ten feet
thus excluding all large vessels from pass
ing through the strait.
The town was captured by the Turks
under Ali Pasha, in 119S. in spite of the
brave defense OF the united garrison of
Greeks and French and terrible and
indiscriminate massacre took place that
Byron has celebrated in his .Chlde Har-
old
Excitement at Athens.
Throughout yesterday there were scenes
OF extraordinary excitement in Athens. The
streets were crowded with people eager
ly discussing the outbreak of war and the
probable outcome
The general feeling was one of salts
faction at the relief from the irritating ten
lion of the past few weeks, which had
gradually become almost uncomfortable and
which. is ended at last by overt acts, it is
claimed. upon the part of Turkey.
The Greeks hold that IL was an attempt
upon the part of the Turkish forces 10
occupy strategic position near Mount
Analipsis, not far from Nezeros, in the
neutral zone, which led to the encounter
Friday between the Greeks and the Turks.
This, il is added. was used al CONSTANT
nople as reason for ordering Edhem
Sasha, the Turkish chief, to
assume the offensive and led to the rupture
OF diplomatic relations between the coun-
tries.
The so-calied outrage off Prevesa when
the Turkish batteries there sank the Creek
steamer Macedonia further justified Greece
in the minds of the Athenians, in waging
war 10 the death against Turkey.
The Greek government, therefore. is
warmly commended for recalling the Greek
minister at Constantinople and not wait
ing, according to the Greek version. until
Prince Maurocordato was handed his pass
ports
1t is stated in some quarters that Assim
Bey. the Turkish minister to Greece did
not wait for his passports to be handed
to him. but. so soon he received the
sum OF francs, te.eSEapnSu nun from
Constantinople, through the Athenian
Bank, for travelling expenses, etc, he has
tily quilted Athens.
Little news of a reliable nature has been
received regarding what has TRANSFERRED on
the frontier. II is known that the whole
frontier of Thessaiy has been blazing with
nnurderous firing. and that the Greeks have
captured fortified position at Menexa in
Macedonia.
Action of Greek Executive Assembly.
A late special sitting of the Greek execu-
tive assembly was held yesterday. The
public galleries were crowded.
Amid intense excitement NJ. DeIyannis.
the premier. announced that the TurkIA
government had notified Greece of the rup-
ture of diplomatic relations on the ground
OF the aggressive attitude OF the Greek
government.
In cool but deliberate speech he re-
viewed the recent events to show the con-
trary, that Turkey had been the aggressor
that the sultan's troops had attacked the
Greeks and attempted to occupy neutral
positions, and that her batteries at Preyesa
had sunk the Greek ship Macedonia
Turkey" said NJ. Delyannis declares
war against us. We accept it,
This statement was received with pro-