The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-11
SIEGE OF KANDAMOS
How Beleaguered Meslems Were Res.
eued by Powers.
CONDUCTED TO PLACE OF SAFETY
WITH DIFFICULTY.

| Could Not Have Held Out Much Longer
Greece Army of Occupation Said To Be
| without Provisions-situation On
| Greek Frontier Most Dangerous-The
! Bashi-Bazouks Given a Tip.
| London. March 1.-THE Daily News
publishes despatch from Oansa saying
that the Mussulmans who had been
beseiged at Kandamos, and who arrived
at Canea were conveyed there on board
the Italian transports to Trinicia, and an
other vessel is expected to arrive shortly
with more refugees. The force which
relieved the bsleaguered Inhabitants of
Kandamos also assisted 112 soldiers be-
seiged In the Spanyko block house. The
despatch says the arrival of the transport
with her load of refugees has created a
deep impression In Oanea. One OF the
chief beys says it is impossible to express
the gratitude felt by Moslems toward
England.
The Daily News correspondent relates
the story of the rescue Of. the beleae euered
residents at Kandamos upon the authori-
ty Of officers of the Trinacia, Turkish gov
ernment officials at Kandamos and others.
His account says the utmost praise is
due Sir A. Bilotti, the British consul at
Canea, who managed the entire affair
personally.
| Without him. the correspondent says,
i +ba bocoirod noopIo oon1d novor hova os.
capped. In the first instance he went
alone to Kandamos, after comforting with
the Cretan leaders, who expressed doubt
of their ability to control their followers.
TAe place was surrounded by 1000
Cretans who kept up a continuous
| fusilade, which sometimes was replied
to by light fire.
The consul entered the town and re-
manned all night, and when having be-
come convinced of the absolute necessity
of employing force of Europeans TO
| effect the release of the beleaguered in
habitants, he returned to Sslino, from
which place he started on return to
| Kandamos before dawn with a force $50
| British, 100 French, 100 Austrians, 100
| Russians and 55 Italians with four guns.
| The force was commanded by the cap
| tain of the British warship Rodney.
Upon arriving at Kandamos, the troops
/ remained upon the outskirts while the
consul entered th town to arrange for
| the sortie. Some delay occurred owing
| to lack of beasts of burden.
| The Cretans had ceased firing and con-
sented that the Moslenl soldiers keep
their arms when the party emerged and
| the start was made for Selin0.
| A scene of widest confusion and one
of great danger took place. The horde of
Cretan insurgents surrounded the Tefue
gees, and whenever gap occurred in
| the escort would dash in and tear the
weapons from the bashi-basouks and
| snatch the bundles which many of the
| women and children carried.
1t was with the utmost difficulty the
Moslems were prevented from firing
upon the Insurgents and thus bringing
| about horrible slaughter. During the
confusion one girl was killed OF kid
| mapped by the Oretans. The insurgents
| followed the refugees, pressing upon
| their column as far as Spanyko, where
| there is a gorge which was blocked by
the escort after the refugees passed. This
prevented the Cretsns from advancing
| further.
| After sunset the Cretans at Selino be-
gan to make a most hostile demoustra-
| tion toward the Moslems and several
shots were fred by then and several
houses were burned. With view of put
ting a stop to the mah ifsstations, the
warships fred several shots. The COVER
nor of Kandamos says that when the peo-
pie in the town were relieved by the Eu-
ropeans, there was only seven boxes of rifle
cartridges left and gun ammunition was
completely exhausted. Thirteen were
killed and 20 wounded since March 6.
There was neither bread nor rice in the
town but plentiful supply of meats.
The correspondent says the refugees
are rapidly debarking at Canea and a
transport will return to Selino for more.
The government Is supplying tents for
the poorest. The majority of them are
utterly ruined and many have been made
| invalids.
The captain of the warship Rodney has
| reported that ths chiefs of the insurgents
who surrounded Kandamos. attempted
| to compel their followers to keep the
promise given that the Moslem soldiers
should retain their arms, but were not
always able to do 80. The rabbla at
Selino was far more trou blesome. and
despite the fact that the sailors had been
on the march for twelve hours they were
compelled to remain under arms all night
to keep the rabble out Of the town and to
protsct the embarking refugees.
The Daily News publishes despatch
from Canea saying the British. French
and Italians had landed and held con-
ference with the insurgent leaders at
Akroiri. They expressed regret that they
allowed the Turkish warship and troops
to fire upon the insurgents during the
previous days fighting, believing then
the insurgents were the aggressors Since
then they said they learned 1t was the
| Bashi- -Basouks who started the conflict.
cIrIInriNN OANGEPOIIS