The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-04
THE GREEK MINISTER'S
Favorably Impressed with the Sit
uation at Pharsalos.
THE TOWN OF ARTA DESERTED,
The Inhabitants Living in the Fields
Behind the Town, and Suffering From
Cold and Hunger-Greeks Prepared
to Defend PharsaIos and VoIo.

Behind the Town, and Suffering From
Cold and Hunger-Greeks Prepared
to Defend Pharsalos and VoIo.
London, May 4.-AccordIng to dis
patches from Athens Colonel Tosame-
dos. minister Of war, and M. Theotokis,
minister of the Interior are said to be
fayorably impressed with the situation
at Pharsalos, both as respects the DO
sltions of the troops and the plan of
defense.
Rumors conflict materially as to the
diplomatic attitude of Turkey. Ac-
cording to one report Edhem Pasha,
the Turkish commander in Thessaly,
mas asked an armistice of Ave DAYS;
according to another an armistice al
ready exists by the tacit acQuiesence
OF both commanders, while a third
story describes Edhem Pasha as only
awaiting reinforcements for an attack
upon Pharsalos, to be followed by an
attack upon Volo. 1t is also said to be
probable that Admiral Tamatello ia
preparing to prevent possible at
tempt of the Turks to seize Volo by the
coast roads.
Arta Is now deserted, and its wretch
ed Inhabitants are living in the fields
behind the town. many of them on the
verge of starvation Nothing is pro-
durable in the way of food except a
scanty and uncertain supply of bread.
Women and children are suffering pit
iably with cold and hunger, and to
those tortures is added the dread of a
Turkish attack at any moment.
special dispatch from Janina,
Eplrus, says After travelling 200
miles across the country found the
greatest loyalty to the sultan and
hatred of the Greeks everywhere. The
Greek prisoners are bitter at the con-
duct of their officers. They are all
well treated by the Turks. Sixty
wounded Turks and % Greeks are in
the hospitals here. The sanitation of
the army Is excellent. There are only
All sick men,"
The Times prints the following dis
patch from its Volo CORRESPONDENT.
dated p. m. yesterday:
when arrived at Velastino Sunday |
afternoon Ihad just seen the Turkish |
infantry advancing in two columns, in
tending to cut the railway The Greeks. |
l2OOO strong. under General Smolenski,
by whose side I watched the encounter
in the rear Of the Eighth regiment.
gradually advanced one battalion to
hold the railway the other to SUPPORT
the artillery. which had mountain
guns on the right center.
General Smolenski had ordered the
shelling to begin when the enemy were
well within range, and consequently
the guns did not open fire before $40
p M The Turks were evidently about
$4,000 strong. Their cavalry recon-
noltered the wood, where the Greeks
were concealed, but the batteries re-
malned silent until 6, and at that time
the fire fell short Of being effective,
though the Greek practice was the
best | have yet noticed. The Turks
ran away from the shells, but con-
tlnued to advance In good order Our
right was really never engaged and
the railway station was defended by
only a small force, with two Krupp
guns. Toward the end the large Turk
ish center was seen to advance in the
distance, but sunset at GAS, caused
a temporary cessation.
"Trains are running to Pharsaos
now, and 1 managed to get through.
Returning on horseback in the dark
ness to Volo, 1 was captured by the
Greek outposts thanks to the fault of
headquarters to issue regular passes. 1
was treated with much civility, but
vas detained until late hour.
Having. met reinforcements on the
way TO Velestino, l went out again
Monday when the Greeks brought up
learly the whole Pharsalos force. Save
n the sharp struggles during the night
he Greeks have been successful, hold i
ng their ground. The Turks mounted
battery on a hill facing the Greek
eft, approached the end of the wood
md burned small village. Nearly all
he fighting has been on the extreme
light. In the direction of Lake Karla
nd the eastern Volo road Whoever
aims this road commands Volo, and
ould cut off retreat here" J
The Athens correspondent of The Il
'aiy Telegraph says. II
Il had an interview yesterday with b
Rail-, who told me that the report d
ent by the ministers of war and the ol
,terior from Pharsalos was In most et
espects highly satisfactory. He said &c
ley had wired him from Pharsalos h
lat the front line of the army was nj
battle array. and the Turkish at h'
lck imminent. All the preparations
ossible had been made for heroic de-
nse, and the spirit Of the army was
uch better than before, owing to the wi
ange in the supreme command. w
IN. Rail- declared that the victory tn
Velastino was the most splendid tn
hievement Of the war, the Greeks M
apturlng an enormous quantity of so
ms, ammunition and horses. The ha
lrks, after this crushing defeat, M, til
all believes, are not likely to re- br
gage in hostillties in that quarter"
The chief points Of interest in the
lr situation today are:
First, that the decision of the minis on
8 who have returned from tho Greek Die
'ntier seems to be in favor Vt con- The
uance of the war; and, second, that Gil
htlng continued almost necessarily Be
Velestino from last Tuesday until YET
nday, with the result that General
Iolensk has been prevented from ac-
lily assuming his new duties as chief
staff. AS further result, the Greeks \
Velestino have managed to retain De
lr POSITIONS but they are too much Of
igued to follow up their success
altogether IA officers have been re-
led from Crete to be sent on TO ai
essaly. and this also Is proof of the seo
ention of the new cabinet to con- al
ne the war. The movement is ac-
ted by necessity. All the best off, TO
5 are being sent to the front nor is del
re any intention yet displayed to the
cuate Crete. 81
he Turkish army is advancing in San
ae columns on Pharsalos, while an by
tional column is operating in the thel
:ction Of Volo. As the Volo column sent
Id easily take Velestino In the rear. Di
Greek position is very precarious. the
S probably explains the retention OF ARE
leral Smolensh there, as it was und
lral to expect him to 60 to Pharsa- him
to assume the supreme command. ish