The San Francisco call., 1897-03-10


a firm resolve Is manifested in Govern
ment quarters to adhere tixedly TO the
policy of coercion toward Greece should
the Greek policy necessitate such course.
1t is state here that the aGmirals COM
manding the foreign fleets in Cretan
waters have decided, in addition to block
aiding the Piraeus and the Greek coast, to
fire upon any Greek torpedo boat that ap-
proaches the foreign warships.
LONDON, Eng, March 9-The Chroni-
Gle will tomorrow publish a dispatch
from Athens saying that the kernel of the
situation is that Russia is pursuing Greece
with terrible yindictiyeness that it is i'm
possible to explain. 1t is stated, however,
that Russia realizes that millions OF Greek
Christians in the East yield allegiance
only to the Greek patriarch at CONSTANT
NOBLE, which is a serious bar to Russia S
plans. NJ. Muravieff the Russian Foreign
Minister, is anxious to remove this bar by
Illuminating Greece and destroying her in
fIence with the patriarch.
The correspondent of the Standard tele-
graphs that after repeated discussions at
the Yildiz Kiosk respecting the fleets, its
ineficiency is now admitted by the issu-
ing OF an order directing it to remain for
the present in the Golden Horn.
As the House of Commons was on the
point of adjourning this evening Sir Will
liam Vernon Harcourt, the leader of the
Liberal party, arose ana, while d;savow-
ing any desire to embarrass the Govern
meni in the negotiations necessarily aris-
ing from Greece's reply, said he desired an
as ~urance that the British forces should
not be employed against Greece before
Parliament was given chance to express
its judgment on the matter. Opposition
cheers).
Continuing Sir William said that he
believed shat q situation had arisen in
=. eich an amicabls settlement of the ques-
tion was possible. He was confident that
the Government would do its best to Sc
cure such a settlement. He did not base
his request on constitutional right, but
on a policy OF the higher description,
really involving the issues of peace or
var.
Mr.. Arthur Balfour the Government
leader. in reply to Sir William, said that
the course demanded by the opposition
was extremely irexpedient and absolutely
contrary 10 precedent. The Government,
he added, could not be guided by the
practice of France, to which Sir William
had referred. He recalled the lombard
ment of Alexandria in 1882, and the
blockade of Greece in 1886 when Sir Will
liam was 4 member OF the Government.
He could not believe that any stronger
action and hoped that nothing as strong
was now likely, but in neither case to
which he referred had any notice been
given to Parliament beforehand. The
U-qQ mr.
OF an amica BILE settlement. 1t was in
every way conscious of its responsibility
and was acting in the firm belief that it
was pursuing a policy that would bring
liberty to Crete and preserve the peace of
Europe. 1t was not prepared to imperl
either by a pledge which might hamper
its action at critical moment.
In reply to a question asked by Sir
Charles Dixie, Mr.. Raltour said that he
did not think that the negotiations now
in progress would be terminated by
Thursday, ena bling statement of the In
teutions of the overs to be made on that
day, as had been promised by NJ. Hano-
taux, the French Foreign Minister.
A dispatch from Vienna to the Central
News SAYS that the Eighty-seventh Infan-
try Regiment at Trieste has been ordered
to be mcblized in readiness to proceed to
Crete.
An extra meeting of the Cabinet to con-
slider the action of Greece was held this
evening i'll one OF the private rooms of the
House OF Commons. After the meeting
Prime Minister Salisbury went to the
Foreign Office, where he was visited by
Count Deym, the Austrian Embassador.
Later LORD Salisbury sent telegraphic
messages to the foreign captains and to
Admiral Sir Michael Culme- Seymour
commander-in-chiefo of the British Medi-
terranean squadron.
The ives minister Gazette publishes a
dispatch from Canea, Crete, saving that
the Greeks have been ordered by the COM
mander OF the united fleets TO leave that
place Immediately. The Greek Vice Con-
sui at Canea, who is included in this or
der, has replied that he will submit onlv
to force, which, the dispatch adds will be-
employed by the powers if necessary to
compel obedience to the order.
A dispatch from Candida, Crete undar
yesterdays date, says: A large number
of Moslem women and children are con.
fined in the hospitaI here, suffering from
mutilation inflicted upon them by Chris.
tians. News from the interior show that
massacres of Moslems by Christians are of
almost hourly occurrence. Out Of l65
Moslems in the village of Cyk ia, only one
person, child, escaped slaughter.
PARIS FRANCE, March Sin the
Chamber OF Deputies to-day NJ. Millerand.
Socialist, again interpelated the Govern
ment regarding the Cretan question and
the action to be taken by France in view
OF the refusal of Greece to heed the ulti-
matum OF the powers. Prime Minister
Meline and NJ. Hanotaux, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, asked that the considera-
tion of the subject be deferred until
Ihur~day, and this was agreed to by the
Chamber by a vote of 342 to 205.
VIENNA, AUSTRIA, March 8. - The