The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-23

Malaxa has become critical. The gar
rison has provisions for two days only.
and, ii the insurgents capture the forts.
Malaxa, Keratidi and Canea will be
virtually blOckaded from the land side.
Fighting at Malaxa ceased at o'clock
this evening. The Turks failed to re-
v1ctual the fort. They had many
wounded and ten killed
LONDON, March 23-The Daily
Chronicles Athens correspondent says
that it is reported that Mr. Balfour is
responsible for the proposal Of Eu-
ropean occupation of Crete.
King George still personally SUPER
vises all the war preparations. There
has been a heavy mortality among the
Turkish reservists in Epirus, owing to
defective hospital sanitary arrange
ments.
Three more batteries of artillery have
arrived at Janina, and the Turks are
placing field guns on field works COM
handing the chief passes on the Thes
salian frontier. Roughly speaking, the
following is the relative strength of the
two great camps at Elassona and
Larissa, though it is difficult to obtain
anything like the exact figures. The
Turks have 10000 troops and $50 guns.
the Greeks almost 10000 troops, but
fewer guns than the Turks. The Greeks
are sadly deficient in cavalry, while
the Turks have 10000 well mounted
troopers, who are likely to be a full
match for the superior infantry Of the
Greeks
April is the best month in which to
begin ic hn
on the frontier that something will
happen about April 6, the anniversary
of the raising of the standard of the
cross against the crescent, and the be-
ginning of the war of independence of
Greece in 1921.
The Turkish squadron arrived at the
Dardanelles on Sunday. The Italian
government has instructed Admiral
Canevaro to institute an inquiry as to
the exact circumstances under which
Turkish warship at Sunda bay bonn
barded the insurgents, and has en-
powered him to force the Turkish ships
20 retire if he deems it necessary.
The Times correspondent says that
various incidents are reported as show
ing the irritating attitude taken by the
Turks, and an outbreak of hOStilities
is daily expected. But though the
pCpulace and army are eager for war.
1T is believed that the government is
sincerely anxious to find a peaceful
solution Yet no government could
venture to recall Col. Vassos from
Crete, unless the Turkish troops were
simultaneously recalled. Against even
this concession without annexation
there would be murmurs, but the gov
eminent has a strong majority in the
bOule, and the nation would soon see
the prudence of a step which must
lead ultimately to annexation.
The government is certainly doing its
best to prevent an explosion. Col.
MaurCmichalis, commanding LaTissa,
and Col. ManOS, commanding at Aria,
possess great influence with the army
and it is hoped that they may be able
to exercise the necessary restraint over
the troops.
The government emphatically denies
that the Turkish consuls in Thessaly
have suffered any i'll usage whatever
and the announcement that Turkey
has recalled them is interpreted as
an act of prOvOcatiOn rather than pro-
test.
The shopkeepers in Athens are suf-
fering severely from the slackness Of
trade and from the large free-will Of
feTings they have made to the Cretan
refugees and the families of the reserV-
lists. This special correspondent of the
Times, who arrived at Larissa yester-
day, says it is filled to overlooking
with 1900 soldiers, and 4 500 more are
expected at any moment. They are
all keen for war and willing to do
anything they are told to do by their
officers, but they are lacking in disci-'
pline and equipment. The officers
make the best impression, most of them
being men of fine physique, intelligent
faces and smart appearance. The gem
eral in command says that frequently
serious difficulties arise on the frontier
between his troops and the Turks, in
consequence Of the absence of a neu~
trail zone.
The Times publishes a dispatch from
its special correspondent at Canea this
morning, commenting upon the injus-
tice of starving the insurgents in order
to bring the necessary pressure to bear
upon the Greek troops in the island.
The blockade, says the Times CORE
spOnderit, is useless for the latter OBJ
ject, because, while innocent women
and children suffer misery, the soldiers
will be certain to secure food. Fighting
like that which has been going ON at
Malaza will continue as long as MOham-
medans are permitted to land prOvis-
ions and the Christians are prevented
from doing so.
CONSTANTINOPLE March e.
The opinion prevails here that the
blockade of the island Of Crete by the
fleets of the foreign powers, which COM
menced yesterday. will be a useless
proceeding, as Col. Vassos, commander
of the Greek army of occupation, is
well supplied with provisions 1t is
now thought that the best means to
accomplish the withdraw Of the Greek
troops from Crete would be to with
draw the Turkish troops.
Edhem Pasha, the Turkish COM
mander in Macedonia, has telegrarhed
the minister of war not to send any
further reinforcements of troops. on &C
count Of the scarcity of provisions.
The commander of the Turkish squad
ron, just made ready for sea, has re-
ceived sealed orders, but it is not be
lieved the warshiDs will leave Gal
lipOli.
The Turks at Tokat yesterday at
tackled the Armenians While the latter
were in church Fifteen were killed,
and it is feared that this outbreak
marks the renewal Of the massacres Of
Armenians.
VIENNA, March 22.-The Neue Freie
Presse says that Great Britain has
proposed that a collision between the
Greek and Turkish troops on the from
tier of Thessaly be prevented by tie