Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-03-13

BERLIN, March l2-Under the pretext OF
sef-defence the Porte is executing military
| plans which no European government would
venture upon without the backing OF a pie
tEoric warchest but the Porte's capacity
for military operation was manifested in the
ease Of the Turco-Russian war of 1867
when, as now. the Ottoman empires bank
rrnptcy. was depended upon as u greater
fa tor In the defeat Of Turkey than the guns
of the Russians. AS matters turned out,
though Turkey was defeated, she found
ample funds to con luct IA creditaDle cam
paign.
When Won Der Goln PJSha, the German
general who was len. to the Sultan and or
ganized the present Turkish army, left the
service Of the Pore. il was understood that
he was thoroughly disguised with the way
matters were going. The Sultan has paid a
high tribute to Won Der Goltz's services. and
has recently besought him to resume his
position. assuring him that he would he tue
virtual cOmmander-in-chief of the Ottoman
army. The German Pasha declined
to return, but in reply to the Sultan's
operations to be put in force upon the
Greek frontier. based upon his profound
knowledge of the conditions under which u
campaign against Greece must be con-
Quoted.
As Won Der Goltz pasha, when he severed
his connection with the Turkish military adj
ministration, occupied the position of second
chief of the general staff ofthe Turkish army,
and was also n member of the council OF
Turkish ministry of war, it will be seen that
his advice has hal no small inhucnce III
the military operations which the Porte has
undertaken within the last month or two.
Furthermore, the German officers who are
still serving In the Turkish army are known
to be fully capable of carrying Won Der
Goltz's plans into effect, and the fact that
many OF the important commands on the
ThesSalian frontier are now in the hands OF
German officers may be thus accounted for
The attitude of Servia and Bulgaria occcu-
pics the serious attention of European
diplomacy. The conferences which have
taken place between King Alexander of Ser
via and Prince Ferdinand OF Bulgaria,
have apparently resulted in an agree
mcnt to make u simultaneous attack
upon Turkey when the time for such
action shall seem Opportune. Rounania is
also looked upon rs having the intention to
take an active part in any scheme of rear
ranging the Balkin boundaries that may be
put in operation, and King Charles of Ro-
mania, as member of the Prussian family
of Hohenzollern, may be relied upon to have
the support of Germany.
LONDON, Eng. March 12-Twenty thous-
and people assembled in Hyde Park to give
voice to the feeling In favor OF Greece which
generally obtains among the masses Of Eng.
land. Resolutions were adopted, amid much
enthusiasm, expressing sympathy with the
Cretan Christians in their struggle for free
dom, congrH!ulating Greece upon her firm
resolve to protect the Cretans, and protest.
ing against the coercion of Greece by the
powers. One of the resolutions urges Lord
Salisbury to refuse to disgrace the British
fleet by lending 1t to support the Turks.
LONDON, England, March 12- The reply
Of the Greek government to the ultimatum
of the powers having been delivered to the
fore ign representatives, preparations for
he stilities between Greece and Turkey,
which are apparently inevitable, are being
hurried forward with all possible speed
Crown Prince Constantine is about to start
for the Turkish frontier to assume command
OF the Greek troops there, and several
Greek transports have landed great quanti-
ties OF war material and large numbers OF
horses and mules at Volo. Thessaly.
The Greek government has reason to be-
lieve that the moderate tone OF Greeces
note to tho powers will be approved by the
governments ut Paris and London and
Dblige the powers to pause. Germany and
Russia, In the opinion OF the Greek govern
nent, will not act alone, and a halt on the
part OF the powers il believed to be assured,
Every available steamship in Greek waters
has been chartered for the purpose of con-
1eying war materials to Thessaly. The re-
serves who have been summoned to arms by
he government are arriving by thousands,
,mid the cheers Of the populace, and are
being hurried to the front. Three hundred
monks ut Mt. Athos have offered their SER
ices as soldiers in the event OF war.