The sun., 1897-04-13
Tho Raid Into Turkish Territory.

The reports of the raid of the irregular
Greek bands into Turkish territory and its
results are still too confused and contra
dictory to enable any judgment to be
formed whether it will turn out to be only
flash in the pan or the beginning Of gen
eral revolutionary movement in Macedonia
and Epirus. In any case 1t will be tho
policy of the Greek Government to repudiate
all completely in the acts of the "Ethniki
Hetairia," several of whose chiefs appear to
be in Thessaly directing it, with their
Italian and other foreign allies.
The raising of the Greek banner within
the Turkish territory, on Mount Olympus,
at the same moment that the movement
was made toward Grevena ON the west,
shows an intention to act on the Turkish
left flank, and cut Off, as far as possible,
its communications with the sea coast by
way of Vlaoholivadon, Petra, and Katerina,
on the shore Of the 4Egean. Small parties
pushed rapidly across the mountains toward
Verria would find themselves on the line of
the Salonica-Monastie Railway, and by de-
stroying bridges and cutting the telegraph
wires would seriously embarrass the Turks
in the hollow of the mountains at Elassona.
If larger forces were sent to keep open the
communications, the commissarat Difficult
ties of the Turks, already great, would be
strained to the utmost.
The reports from tho Turkish side of
what took place last week after the passage
of the frontier by the forces Of the eth
niki Hetairia," for they are now entitled to
their rightful designation, have very little
value, rs it Is contrary to the Turkish habit
to give the truth respecting their affairs to
outsiders. The reports Of correspondents at
the Turkish headquarters have therefore
only the same value as the official state
mepts given out for public information.
In a lesser degree the same will be the case
on the Greek side, but as correspondents
with the Greeks will have more liberty of
action, their reports Will have the advan-
tage of coming from eyewitnesses of events.
With regard to the Turkish assertion that
the aggressors in the present movement
were soldiers of the Greek Evzone or Chas-
seur regiments, the mistake is natural, as
the uniform Of these regiments is identical
with the ordinary dress of the peasants,
and they would be easily mistaken for reg
ular troops in consequence.
The most interesting feature of the situa-
tion in so far as the organization Of the
Greek National League is concerned. is the
presence of so many Italians and other for
eigners in the ranks. Detailed information
| respecting them and their leaders would be
exceedingly interesting and valuable, as it
| would furnish some clue to the conduct of
| the powers toward Greece. All the world
knows, of course, that Italian unity was
largely promoted by the alliance OF the
| House of SAVOY with the Carbonari and
| the Garbaldian revolutionists, the latter
being secretly favored by the English
| Government of the day because it suited
| English policy. With the Garibaldians
were men of all the Balkan nationali
| ties, Bulgarians, Greeks, and Servians,
| besides English and others. Italians are
now apparently returning in kind, the help
afforded them by Greece at the time of their
revolutionary struggle. 1t will probably
be found that among the Italian volun-
| teers are many bearing the names of old
| Epirote and Albanian families that mi
| grated to Italy during the period between
| the Turkish conquest of their countries and
the independence of Greece and who are
now drawn by both natural and political
| sympathy to aid the Greeks in driving out
| the Turk. The late head of the italian
| Government, Mr.. CRIsPI, IL q Sicilian of
Albanian origin, as are great number of
other Sicilian and italian men Of note.
What will prove displeasing to the i'm
| perial Governments in the new European
| federation will be this union between the
revolutionary elements of Italy and Greece
and Macedonia and Epirus against recog.
nized Government, even though it be that
of the Turk. Lord SALISBURY all but de-
scribed the action of Greece as q revolution
airy movement when he spoke Of 1t as ille-
gal. That being the spirit in which it is
regarded, the alliance with the Turk and
the firing on the Cretans by the warships
of the three confederated powers are cx-
| planned.