The Portland daily press., 1897-03-22
The FOREIGN FIELD.
Powers Blockade Of Crete Began
Yesterday.
ONLY THE CHRISTIANS ARE HURT
BY IT.

Our Government May Dissent From the
Blockade-The Powers'Lack Of Concert
And tho Causes-Greeks Not Prepared
For War-Unveiling a Monument to
Emperor william 1.
Berlin. March 2l.-It Is Understood
here that Grsnt Britain has insist@d upon
the Powers according to Greece two
weeks notius before the foreign warships
enforce thesblockade against the Piraeus.
the port of Athens, and the port of Volo
In Thessaly, and is not in favor Of Rus
sia's project that foreign troops In the
Island OF Crete shall attack the Greek
army OF occupation under Colonel Vassos
and compel their withdrawal. 1t is
known here that Lord Salisbury oontin-
ued to treat directly with the Greek gov
ernment No official opinion regarding
Englands' action in this matter has been
publicly expressed. Unseen allies of
King George at the court of st. Peters
bury. London and Copenhagen. are bplen-
didly assisting him. Without mourning
cent of expenditure for secret service
fund, the Greek government is kept ap-
prised of every move on the diplomatic
board and hassbeen enabled to counter
the efforts Of its foes and the three i'm
perial courts. To this is largely due the
prolonged negotiations which from
time tostime have threatened to end III a
most vigorous coercive measure. The
kaiser's government, baffled and an
noyed, has definitely retired from the
front and now limits It's action to fol-
lowing psrsistently the active diplomatioy
| of Russia. M. Delyannis. Greek premier,
has abundantly shown in the course of
his career that he does not lack in
courageous initiative, sometimes ap-
preaching rashnsess. he is now resort
ing, as BELTS his position, to Byzantine
tactics. Successive notes of his govern
ment to the Powers have continued to
lead them into a series of diplomatic
colloquies, the tendency of which was
towards compromise, and the aim of
which has been to give Greece in the last
resort, some way of retreat from most
difficult situation. The most critical
juncture the past week was when the
Russian government alone or in conjuno-
sion with Austria and supported by the
approval Of the Kaiser, threatened to cut
shorS all parleying with Athens and send
Russian and Austrian squadrons to the
Piraeus. Instructions was actually sent
by Admiral Tyrtoff, Russian Minister
of Marine, to Admiral Audreio, COM
mander OF the Russian squadron in the
Mediterranean, to take his squadron to
the Piraeus and await orders from NJ.
Onon, Russian Minister at Athens, who
was present, an ultimatum from the
three Imperial powers. This preoipitate
action is understood to have been avert
ed more by the represen entations of France
than by any regard on. the part of the
Czar'g government for the maintenance
of the "Conoert". 1t had the effect and
perhaps 1t was SO designed, of forcing
the hand Of M. Hanotaux, FIench
Minister of foreign affairs who was
reluctant to offend French feelings
by striking at Greece and at the same
time was disinciined to hold aloof from
Frances ally. While the Kaiser, like
the Gear has been all for action first and
parleying afterwards, Lord Salisbury 9
tentative policy has been directly the re-
verse. Probably the Kaiser would not
have hesitated at tine direct rupture of
Petersburg, whether due to secret court
influences or the delay of the decision
| on the part of France, or both combined,
Is a matter of surmise.
Greece has obtained q pause which by
all accounts was badly required. Out of
most contradictory reports as to the state
of the Greek treasury and the Greek army
which have been received here it is diff
cult to ascertain the exact truth. Put.
! ting aside Obviously unreliable and tic-
titious reports from Greek sources which
credit the govern ment with having or
gnnized perfectly equipped force of
65, 600 troops, most of which is
| now on the frontier, statements
from quarters friendly to Greece
credit her war office with manag-
| ing to send to the front an effeoti We
force of 25, 600 men. including the best
1 phIO VI Ul0 T6S6IV9bs 40CIo 6I6 U6-
sides about 1000 under drill but a
small portion Of which force could
be relied upon for service in the
field, though they could take part
iii irregular warfare. The .enthu-
siasm Of the reserves appears to have
cooled down. Many have returned tn
thair homes. At all events they are no
longer with the colors. What happened
In 1885 when the Greek army was mob.
ilized has occurred again. At that time
there was fair rush of men on the first
call, but the enthusiasm spent itself rap
idly. Out of sixty thousand that the war
oftioa counted upon not half came under
drill, and esertions became numerous.
| Gendarmes and troops had to hunt up
reluctants in every district. A, one
time nearly rs, 600 men were on the po-
RIlcul ROC IMITc nEcTptlcTlnM