The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-26
DEFEATSROR TnE TURKS
The Cretan Insurgents Capture
and Destroy a Fort.
OoNsTANTIN OFF FOR THE FRONT

Tho Greek Crown Prince Goes as Com.
mander-in-Ch Chief Of the Army, and Is an
Indication That Greece Has Finally Do.
4 cided to Ignore the Powers.
~ Canea, Crete, March 26-The insur.
gents made determined attack on tho
block house at Malaxa outside of Suda
yesterday. The artillery pieces of the
Christians were served with such ad.
mfrable promptness and precision that
in q short time nothing remained ia
the Turks but determination or evacu.
alton. The Mussulmans. preferring the
latter, left the fort and commenced o
xetreat upon Suda, relying upon tho
Turkish warships In the bay to save
them from the Christians.
The sultan's fleet opened badly
Judged fire upon the insurgents In
frder to cover the retreat from the
block house. The shells fell either
Snort or far beyond the insurgent
Forces. Consequently the Christians
pushed forward steadily. pressing hard
upon the rear of the Turks and keep.
ing up a continual skirmish fire.
The insurgents who attacked the
b(ockhouse displayed the most desper,
ate valor, and left the Turkish gaWi-
pon Of the blockhouse no choice but
Night. Evacuation by the Moslems
MAS followed Immediately by occupa-
Hon by the Insurgents, who were close
1ipcartheif flying foe.
70 hold NE blockhouse in the face
Ut rain ~ shells from the Turkish
Marships in Suda bay was impossible.
The commander Of the insurgents then
resolved that If they could not keep
II neither should the Moslems. and de-
stroyed the house with dynamite and
yet the ruins on fire. At s o'clock last
night the long fought for blockhouse
was mass of burning debris. and the
names lit up the blockaded waters of
Yhe bay. Two hours later 1t was COM
bletely destroyed.
!, The fleets fred % shells upon the
Insurgents around Malaxa, and some
.pf them fell Inside the block house.
jDt the Turkish garrison that was
driven out, numbering GA. one escaped
b Nerohuri and IS others to Suda. 1t
b believed that the others perished.
While the fighting was in progress
. detachment of Turkish troops, being
Unaware of the fact that the garrison
pf the fort at Malaxa had evacuated
that place and was fetreating upon
Buda, closely pressed by the Christians
made a sortie from Canea with con-
Soy of provisions intended for the gar
fison Of Malaxa.
While the Turks were unaware of the
dongs, the latter had
closely followed the movements of the
Turkish column escorting the proyis-
Ions and ammunition trains Near
Kertidi the Turks were met by body
Df insurgents. who from well selected
positions opened a fierce fire upon the
troops. The fire of the
Christians stopped the advance of the
Jbdumn, and the Turkish command
look up the best position possible in
prder to protect the convoy and send |
L to the rear If necessary. The fight
ING continued for several hours, when |
The Turks retreated.
There was further desperate lighting !
between another body of Turks and |
The Christians until after o'clock In !,
he afternoon in and about the village |
" Tsikalaria, not far from Suda, to ,
which point the insurgents succeeded
% pushing forward while in pursuit of
he retreating garrison of Malaxa. The
Insurgents burned several more houses
" Tsikalaria, whereupon the warships
" the foreign powers began dring at
he Christians. The bombardment,
however, only lasted ten minutes, but
I stopped the fight on shore.
The admirals Of the International
ieets have addressed a general order
% the international troops welcoming
hem to Crete, and adding: I'VE ex-
lort you by your conduct to set an
before the Cretan people,
whom the powers charge us to protect,
md promptly to save from the horrors
u civil war The enterprise upon
which we have embarked will be dlf-
irult and often times may be painful,
nut we rely upon you to defend the |
interests Of humanity and the honor
1 our flags"