The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-17

ANNEXATION OF THESSALY
AND INDEMNITY OF 1O,OOO,OOO TURK
ISH POUNDS DEMANDED.
SITUATION is VERY GRAVE
AND A CONFERENCE OF THE Ma
TIONS MAY BECOME NECESSARY.

TIONS MAY BECOME NECESSARY.
Sultan Threatened by the War Party
Greeks Chased Out of Epirus in
Great Peril in ThessaIy.
LONDON, May 17.-There is now every
indication that the sick man of Europe"
is not half so i'll as some of the powers
supposed he was. His successes in Greece
seem to have acted in the nature of a
tonic and he now considers himself strong
enough to disregard the wishes of the ma
tions who have been for years scornfully
pointing to him as victim of degenerate
decay. According to dispatch from Con-
stantinople received last night, the Porte
has replied officially to the note of the
powers and declines to agree to an armis-
tice until the following conditions are ac-
cepted The annexation of Thessaly; an in
demnity of e10,OOO,0OO Turkish and the abol-
tion of the capitulations. The Porte pro-
poses that the plenipotentiaries of the pow
ers should meet at Phersala to discuss the
terms of peace and declares that if these
conditions are declined the Turkish army
will continue to advance. The demand for
the annexation Of Thessaly is based on the
fact that the province was originally ceded
Al
the object of ending brigandage and Greek
incursions into Ottoman territory, the
Porte believing at the time that the ces-
sion would attain these objects. but the re-
cent incursions of Greek bands and the
events Immediately preceding the war have
proved to the contrary. This is the sub
stance of the reply.
THE ISSUE is GRAVE.
The ambassadors met at Constantinople
Sunday to consider the Porte's answer,
which is regarded as raising an extremely
tions will be made to the Sultan personally
to induce a modification of these terms,
but it is foreseen that this will be very diff
fcult, owing to the attitude of the powerful
old Turk war party. If the Porte should
prove obdurate a European conference is
not improbable, although at present Russia
is ,pposed to this. 1t is regarded as quite
certain that the powers will not consent
to a retrocession of Thessaly. Even Ger
many is believed to be resolute on this
point, because it would involve a violation
of the Berlin treaty and imperil the peace
of the Balkans. Altogether the reply of
the Porte has caused the greatest surprise.
It appears that during the discussion of
the note from the powers by the council of
the Sutans ministers news reached the
council that 1900 Greeks had landed at
Palona and were marching to Janina with
the intention of cooperating with other
forces from Arta. This created a bad i'm
preston among the ministers.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from Con-
stantinople says the Porte's reply demands,
in it's concluding paragraph, an extradi-
ton treaty with Greece, and that the ports
of Volo and Prevesa be kept open for YES
sells carrying food supplies to the Turkish
troops Germany" the dispatch says, lis
urging the Sultan to insist on the European
control OF Greek fine~~es as the only means
of securing the payment of an indemnity
Representatives of the Deutsche Bank will
arrive next Saturday to realize on the
promise of important concessions which the
Sultan has made to the bank"
TURKS WILL STAND FIRE.
dispatch to the Standard from Constan-
tinope says: "The Porte's reply to the
powers is based on a mazabata presented
by the ministers to the Sultan represent
ing that Greece was responsible for COM
pelling Turkey to declare war; that for the
last fifteen years Greece had. ignored her
engagements under the Berlin treaty by
omitting to pay indemnity, by seizing and
confiscating vakoups, or religious domains,
and, finally, by invading Turkish soil; and
that, therefore, the council was of opinion
that Greece had no just claim upon him for
leniency. Then follow the proposals on
which the council would base a peace. The
grand vizier, ir submitting the mazabata,
assured the Sultan that the nation was
prepared 20 shed its last drop Of blood in
support of such conditions of settlement.
The war party threatens to dethrone the
Sultan if he shows any weakness, but
shrewd observers believe that this is only
a farce to enable him to pose before Europe
as the unwilling victim of his fanaticaI
subjects. In spite of the great success of
Edhem Pasha the palace spies have ex-
pressed their doubts of his fidelity, and the
Sultan has a special aid-de-camp to watch
him."
1t is said in London that the preposterous
terms proposed by the Porte must be re-
garded as the natural and usual method
of Oriental bargaining. They would not be