Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-05-22
A SURPRISE TO EUROPE
TURKEY SHOWS HER STRENGTH TO
EUROPEAN POWERS.
The Porte Placed in IL Stronger PO-
sitiGn Than Known In Fifty
Years.

London, May 1.-THE sultans reply tt
tinople Offering mediation, saying he
would be ready to discuss the matter af-
ter the great Bairim festival. which ended
last night, justities the fear that the pow
ers have aroused a spirit they can not
easily subdue.
Abdul Hamid's attitude is cool to the
point of insolence. 1t is that OF a sover-
elgn with a powerful army behind him,
and he is disposed to treat the powers
cavalierly.
Articles pubIlsned in the semi official
crease in the prestige of the sultan is the
chief concern ol european cabinets, and
the prospects OF a prompt enforcement
of general reforms Tor the Turkish en-
pire are thereby relegated to the very
distant future. The Journal Des Debats
declares the result of the war has been
to place Turkey in position she has not
held for the past half century, adding:
Her tremendous military effort is
largely in excess Of what the struggle
against Greece required 1t was done to
refute the allegation of decrepitude, and
to demonstrate to the sultan's own sub
jects and to those Of the smaller states
and to the great powers that Turkey is
able TO hold her own against war with
Greece"
The British, Russian and Austrian
newspapers echo these remarks, and it
is generally felt that this fact will have
to be reckoned with in the negotiations
upon the conditions Of peace. In the
meanwhile the pcstponement Of the sui
tans reply until after the great festival
is Interpreted as meaning that his majes-
ty intends that his army shall continue
its victorious advance until every Strateg-
ic point on the Othrya mountain range
is in the hands of the Turks. and that
only then will Edhem Pasha receive or
ders to stop fighting. The resumption of
fighting by the Greeks in I1I'irus is re-
garded as a foolish move, and only fur
nishes Turkey with a plausible motive
for refusing an armistice.
The chancellores are also occupied with
the difficult problem of how Greece will
pay The war indemnity which Turkey
seems certain to demand. NJ. Delyannis,
the former Greek premier, in his news
paper sanguinely argues that Greece can
not be expected to pay an indemnity be-
cause the Turks declared war officially
without proVocation."
This view of the question is not shared
elsewhere, and an International congress
to administer the finances of Greece on
the lines of similar Turkish commissions
is mooted. The Greek commission would.
it is proposed, sit at Athens and over the
Greek customs for the purpose of collect
ing the Greek debt, and possibly for the
war Indemnity.
Indemnity Demanded.
Constantinople, May 17.-Sixteen million
pounds (Turkish) is mentioned as the
amount of indemnity Turkey will ask
from Greece. Placards have been posted
against the shedding of Mussulman blood
on the ground that the sacrifices imposed
upon Turkey by war are out of proper
ton TO the advantages she gain
Prcvesa About to Fall.
Athens, May ia private dispatch
Fl ON Arta, just received, says the Turk
ish garrison at Prevessl, at the nortne m
entrance to the Gulf of Arta, which has
been besieged by the Greek land and sea
forces almost from the outbreak Of the
war, has sent the Creek archbishop and
five notables of Prevesa 20 the comman-
der in chief Of the beSieging Greek army
with a message saying the Turkish force
Is ready to capitulate 10 the regular
forces of Greece.
Emperor Williams Work.
Paris, May 17.-It is stated that the Ge-
lay of the sultan Of Turkey in arranging
for a cessation of hostili.es is due to the
direct advice of Emperor William of Ger
many, not to grant an armiS:ice until the
Greeks have again retreated.