The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-03
TILE BRITISH IN CRETE
How the Great Power Is Bullying
the Christian Insurgents.
DESTROYING CRETANs' HOUSES.

English wsrships Pull the Structures
Down with Heavy Chains-FTalk of q
Balkan Federation in the Event of
War with Turkey.
London, April 3.-The Daily Chron-
icle's Canea correspondent telegraphs:
Here are some Of the deeds to which
England is settling her hands today.
During the week an expedition of Brit
ish marines. accompanied by cannon,
went to Tripete, in Spakia, and exam
ined houses in search of provisions.
They destroyed all they found, lest the
insurgents should get them. A day or
SO later another expedition Of British
marines was sent to village near So
lima. with the object of finding flour
and grain. Later two warships. one a
British vessel, dispatched boats fitted
with cannon to Kolumbari, with in
structions to seize the small mercantile
craft. The peasants refused to sur
render them. The European force
threatened to destroy the village,
whereupon the boats were given up.
"A British detachment was sent to
Kastelli, where it proceeded to destroy
the Cretan houses. Heavy chains were
thrown around them and fastened to
ships, which pulled till the houses col
lapsed.
Another instance of British meas
ures was where a company of Bashi
Bazouks attacked the Greek lines at
Vigla, the Turkish ships supporting the
attack with cannon. After the engage
ment was well under way the Euro
pean fleet, including the British vessels,
opened fire upon the small force of
Cretans, who were compelled to re-
treat. The Turks then entered the viii
lage and began to burn the houses, the
church and the monastery"
The Athens correspondent of The
Daily News telegraphs: "A telegram
from Canea says that the Christians
who returned to their houses near the
magazine, having observed noises of
a peculiar character in the night timn,
began TO suspect that the Turks were
undermining their dwellings in order
to blow up the Christian quarter Of
the city when they (the Christians)
should withdraw"
The Times Vienna correspondent
says: The official journal of Progress,
published at Sofia, throws some light
on the possible formation Of Balkan
confederation. 1t says that conven-
tion between Bulgaria, Servia and
Greece, and perhaps Roumania, seems
to be demanded by existing circum-
stances and well understood interests.
The confederation of the Christian
So, -, Do hn
pices Of Russia. is the main object
which the statesmen of the Balkans
have most in view"
The Times prints the following dis
patch from its Athens correspondent:
widely varying rumOrs have been
current of late with regard to the joint
action of Greece and Bulgaria in the
event of war The impression seems
to prevail in certain quarters that Bull
garia might be disposed to share
Greece's projected enterprise with ref
erence to Macedonia. Sympathetic tel
egrams have been exchanged between
the students at the University of Sofia
and the University of Athens, and
friendly articles in the journal which
represents the views Of M. Stoiloff, the
Bulgarian premier, and his colleagues,
are reproduced here and commented
upon. favorably.
"The truth is Bulgaria does not in
tend to depart from her present eau
tious policy. For the time at least.
she will maintain an expectant atti-
tude. If the Greeks invade Macedonia,
and reach point where the Bulgarian
interests become involved, she will then
take action, possibly by first appealing
to Macedonia as faithful Vassal, and
not as the enemy Of Turkey.
should Turkey be defeated by
Greece, then both Bulgaria and Servia
would probably advance, despite the
restraining efforts of the powers. Such
a movement might not be ostenslbly
directed against Turkey, although the
latter may well ask to be saved from
friends like these. The results Of the
recent conferences between Prince
Ferdinand and King Alexander at Sofia
are already becoming apparent
1t is reported in Athens that the
Greek government has been notified
officially that a blockade Of the
Greek ports will be enforced within
three or four days.