New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-20
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THIS COUNTRY AND THE WAR
MEASURES TAKEN TO PROTECT AMERI,
CAN INTERESTS.
ADMIRAL sELFRrDGE's SQUADRON IN THE MDD9-
TERRANEAN TO BE Neutrality-suspicious.
FERENcEs BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT
AND SECRETARY sHERMAN-Drs-
PATCHES FROM MIN
rsTER TERRELL
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]

10 the thorough protection or American interests,
and the squadron is 10 be kept near the scene Of
hostilties between Turkey and Greece. This de.
csion reached by the President to-day after
q conference with Secretaries Sherman and Long
This morning Secretary Sherman took to the
White House several cable dispatches from Min
lister Terrell Later in the day he gave out the
following statement making public part Of
these messages
THE Department Of State has received a dis
patch from the United States Minister TO Turkey
concerning the rupture Of relations between that
country and Greece and the Turkish declaration
oe war. Mr. Terrell states that the Minister from
Greece has been Informed that he must leave be-
fore next Wednesday. He is not permitted to
communicate by telegraph with the Greek Gov
eminent There are perhaps 10000 men. subjects
Of Greece in Turkey. All subjects Of Greece are
required to leave Constantinople In fifteen days.
The note OF the Porte TO the foreign Powers dis
Gains any desire for territorial acquisition. The
Greek Minister informs Mr. Terrell that the
Greek Government reserves for military duty
all subjects Of Greece Of military age. The
Turkish Government claims that regular Greek
troops seized and were fortifying Analipsis, IN
| violation OF the agreement prohibiting II. Hence
attack there by the Turks on the 10th. Turk
ish troops scattered along the border Of Thes-
sally and cannot quickly concentrate for decisive
battle This may enable the Greek Army to fight
them in detail"
Another and beIated dispatch from Mr. Terrell
bears date Of Saturday from Pera. the diplomatic
sLturb of Cons.antinople, and in it Mr.. Terrell
confirms the press reports Of the initial stages OF
the breaking out of the hostilities. He says that
several parties OF troops from Greece had invaded
the Turkish province Of Macedonia. RESPONSE
bility for this movement. howe, er, was denied
by the Greek Minister at Constantinople Mean
while an advance on Larissa, the Greek head
quarters in Northeast Greece. had beer ordered
by the Turkish Government. which had recalled
its Minister from Athens The Greek Minister at
COnstantinople was expecting every hour to be
recalled at the time Mr.. Terrers dispatch was
sent
THE PRESIDENT SHOWS GREAT INTEREST.
The President is taking great interest In tho
struggle between the Greeks and the Turks. ana
is being constantly advised by the Department
of State to the latest developments Of the war.
He wishes to insure the adoption Of all proper
and usual precautions for the protection Of
American interests in the Mediterranean. When
Secretary Sherman came over to the White
House this afternoon the President Immediately
left all other business to confer with his Pre-
| n,ier on the Subject Secretary Sherman previ-
| OuSly nad long talk WITH MT AnBeii, "ho
being about to start for Turkey. the latter part
Of May is naturally deeply concerned In the
development of events in that turbulent quarter.
The President and the Secretary OF State were
in consultation for some time. One point dis
cussed IN addition TO the news from Minister
Terrell, was the question as TO whether neu-
trality proclamation should be issued. The
President finally decided not to take this step
lust now. The necessity Of doing everything
possible to protect Americans and their In
terests in Turkey and Greece received the Presi-
dents careful attention.
Although the statement given out this after
noon by Secretary Sherman does not say 80.
there is good reason for believing that In one OK
his dispatches Minister Terrell advised that the
European Squadron be so disposed TO guard
American interests in a thorough manner. IL IL
intimated that Mr. Terrell has advised the Secre-
tary of State that such interests are now In
moro or less danger war has been declared
and hostilitjes have actually begun. II is GER
tainly a fact that the President has directed
that the strength of the European Squadron
be increased and that Secretary Long has Is
sued orders to this effect.
ADMIRAL sELFRIDGE's FLEET
Admiral Selfrdge is in command Of the Arerf.
can fleet in the Mediterranean. His squadron
consists of four vessels. the San Francisco. the
! MINNEAPOLIS, the Cincinnati and the Bancroft
! The Cincinnati is under orders to proceed nome
! This afternoon Secretary Long cabled TO Ad-
mral Selfridge to keep the Cincinnati as part
of his command until he received instructions
10 the contrary. 1t also planned 10 bring
the Minneapolis home and put her in reserve.
This will not be done now.
Instead of reducing the number OF vessels IN
the fleet. additional ships will join Admiral Self
ridge. The first cruiser 10 report to him VIII %
the Raleigh now attached to the North Allan
tic Squadron. She will be fitted out at once
for service on a foreign station. and when ready
will be directed sail at once and join tho
European fleet The Detroit now on her way
home bv the way OF the Suez Canal from China,
/ will soon be near Greece. She will probably be
/ ordered 10 report to Admiral Sefridse, and be
| held in Eastern waters for some time. This VIII
| make his command consist Of six ships. Circuin-
stances will decide whether more vessels shail
be sent to Europe. The present indications are
that no additional ships are required.
Admiral Selfridge has been expecting an out.
break of hostilities. and from time TO time has
advised the Navy Department OF the outlook
| He is now under general instructions to look
after American interests. and the movements OK
/ the vessels OF the squadron will be left entirely
! to his discretion. the Department believing that
as he is at the seat OF war he Is better pre-
| pared than any one here 10 act TO the pest ao'
/ vantage.
THE MINNEAPOLIS AT SYRIA.
The first sign that the Admiral has begun tho
! dispostion of his little squadron 10 meet the
situation is receips OF a cable dispatch at the
! Navy Department to-day announcing the ar
! rival OF the Minneapolis at Syra. This is an
/ island in the Greek Archipelago, at the foot OF
] the Aegean Sea and at a point almost equany
distant from Crete. Athens and the entrance 10
! the Dardanelles so that IL Is admirably selected
| I'm the Judgment OF the Department oinciais as
| nIace OF observation ana base or action In
| either direction where an American warshp
may be needed.
The officials Of both the state ana navy de-
bowayAr have little apprehension