The Portland daily press., 1897-03-30

cession of Crete Would Not Prevent
Trouble Greek Soldiers Have Little
Conception of What Conflict Means.
London, March 30.-The eyes OF all
Europe are anxiously turned toward
Thessaly where tine Greek and Turkish
armies are assemblingsand little II any
hope is expressed that conflict between
the two armies can be averted NY the
Powers. A despatch to the Times from
its correspondent in Larissa, the head
quarters of the Greek army In Thessaly,
says: "The Greek army Is now SO large
that it is absolute arbiter of the sltua-
tion. l am very much struck by the in
dependence and impatient temper OF the
TROOPS. They seem only prepared to ac-
cept orders to execute the extreme
Hellenic programme. Ths peasantry also
is armed as irregulars. Then the school
boys there are being armed with rifles,
bayonets and ammunition. 1t is no un-
common sight to see lads of thirteen or
fourteen fully equipped.
eff the island of Crete were now con-
ceded to Greece 1t is evident that the
soldiery would demand Immediately an
extension of the continental boundaries
over Greece. No permanent pence is
other wise possible in this region.
If Europe forces Greece to haul her
army from Thessaly large part Of it
will become insurgents. 1t will continue
an independent guerilla warfare in the
mountains of Macedonia and practice
brtgandage on the frontiers. External
peace will be paid for By internal anarchy
and the state of Thessaly may relapse in
to conditions like those of 1878 or worse.
"Ten thousand Greeks have been
stationed at the. east end of the frontier.
with their base at Rapsani on the hill
sides north of the Vale of Tempe From
this point they are watching the Turkish
p0 itiOns from platamona to Elassona.
fhe Vale of Tempe itself Is not fortified
as Jhe Greek line is drawn from ten to
twenty miles further norJh.
Indeed, the Greek force has no forui-
fed lines in Thessaly. The Greeks seem
to consider themselves only In the light
of an invading force and not as a force
occupying territory likely to be in
vaded. AS a result of this they couldn't
stop a very numerous army anywhere
north of Thermopylas. They ars relying
far too little upon material defences.
"The Turks hold the coast road with a
strong force from their base at Katerina.
Tho Greek coTnmisariat corps is slender,
though the Greek officers have all along
insisted that the Turks them selves are
miserahiy supplied In this particular and
that there is much INSTRUMENTATION in
the Turkish ranks. But it is very rare
indeed TO find any one taking reason
able view of tie real strength of the
Turks of the character of the coming
struggle. -
TIE Times correspondent at Rome says
that the view entertained in italian
official circles as 10 the outcome of Greco
Cretan affair is pessin:stic in che ex-
treme. Little if any hone is expressed
+hat q corfict tetwes n the Greeks and
Turksacan bsst be avoidel.
An Asss ciated Press despatch from
AtheDs says: All tho best judges of
popular feeling here ngree thet the deter
'ninatinn of the Greek people to accept
no solution of the Cretan difficulty hut
tie mr. exation of Crete il increasing @
teadily Tho cry is for no surrender.
TIE anposition newspapers 6enounos the
governments for showing a disposition tc
.bate the nnfiGnal rretepsions and they
a' aractegiZa any 'endency to compromise
~ hi2h tr1asfn. All feeling of de-
spondency has vanished, and tre multi
tude ia eager for hostilitiss to bsgin.
The Daily Chronicles Athens corre-
spnndeut Mr. Henry Norman, says today
that he has it from reliable source that
the Emperor William has offered the Sui
tan the service Of General Won Gcltz and
ether German officers if the government:
desires to avail itself Of them in the
difficulty with Greace.
The syecial corFesaondence of the Times
at Sslanika says to-day that everything
there Indicates that tire situation is he
coming moro and more critical. Fifty
housand mea are now encamped aronnd
Elias ona and there are 800 KIupp guns be-
tween Elassoa ard Arta.