Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-05-08


competency-Hi Roasted Preparation
for War shown to Have Been Absolutely
Without Foundation In Fact-volo Do
serted-Not Opposed to Mediation-war
News.
ATHENS, via Brindisi, Italy, May g.
The following dispatch to the Asso-
eiated Press has been sent from Athens
by way of Brindlsi In order to escape
the censor:
1t is probable that no minister ever
better deserved humiliation and dis
missal than NJ. Delyannis, the former
premier. A little more than three
weeks ago he declared that everything
was prepared for war, but until the
beginning of the fighting no prepara-
tions were made to resist possible
invasion of Thessaly. A few trenches
were dug in front of Larissa and
one or two earthworks were erected,
but ten days ago (the date the dispatch
left Athens is not given not spade
had been used to erect batteries or
earthworks to defend the exits of the
half dozen passes leading to the Thes-
salian plains. All the preparations
made were to invade Macedonia, but
even these were hopelessly inadequate.
"a military expert who made tour
of the centers where serious prepara-
tions might have been expected, says
that in one arsenal, commanded by
colonel of artillery, there was less than
so cases of shells and only one field and
one mountain battery.
The principal supply depot for the
ammunition for the army in Thessaly
only had reserve of 1,200 rounds of
shells and few hundred cases of
cartridges.
Near Athens there is good powder
factory, but the cartridge cases have
to be imported, and there is an impera-
tive demand for them. 1t is under
stood that many hundreds of thousands
were ordered in Austria, but it is not
known where they are, their transport
being delayed by the Austrian govern
ment. The gun ammunition is almost
exhausted and Scotch foundry at the
Piraeus has been ordered to cast shells
in haste.
There are in Athens $4,000 reservists
who have been called to the colors and
are wandering through the streets in
tattered civilian clothes. The govern
ment has no uniforms and clothes and
the government stores are without
rifles The government for a week
past has been appealing to merchants
to sell rifles, of which 20O,O of the old
Gras pattern, discarded by the French
army and imported by spectators, are
being sold to members of the Ethnike
Hetairia society National league) at
about Sl.s7 each. 1t was the inability
, 81 the government to provide rifles for
the recruits which led to the riot of
Tuesday.
At Patras, French steamer brought
cargo of rifles and a mob seized a
lighter full of weapons
On Tuesday revolution seemed in
evftable, the whole business quarter
being looted and the guard for the
palace having been requested to leave
the barracks. Affairs were so seri-
Gus that many officers from the
war ships at the Piraeus landed in
plain cloths. but with uniforms in
their portmanteaux, in order to be in
readiness to defend the palace and the
royal family. In this connection ma
rines and sailors were held in readi-
ness to disembarls from the war ships
at moments notice.
1t is understood that the policy of
the new government will be immediate
peace on terms not too unfavorable,
and it is further said that the king has
already sounded his relations among
the sovereigns.'