The news & observer., 1897-04-23
TUE SITUATION IN GREECE.

l. go to reach first the Ihessalian 1ialh
then Larissa.
These gates are the passes over th'
Balkan range of mountains, the passes
of Nezeros, Reveni, Milouna, Boughaz
and Tyrnavo.
This Balkan range of mountains, sep
arating Greek from Turkish territory
!extends for $50 miles with sudden wind
lings and with precipitous heights from
the Aegean sea on the Eastern end to
the Gulf Of Arta on the west.
Edhem Pasha, with an army of no.
1000 men, is tugging at these passes hard
Hooked with tenacious Greeks who, under
Prince Constantine, oppose HIM with
$4,000 men.
| Constantine sends word to his father,
King George, at Athens, that every point
is guarded, and that the Turks cannot
cross the mountainous border line. And
yet against this come the advices that
Edhem Pasha's Turks have carried Mi
louna Pass, and are sweeping down into
the plain. And 80 Edhem Pasha sends
word to the Sultan that within three days
he will have compassed the downfall Of
Larissa.
Such is a plain picture of the battle
scene as it appears at the point of concea-
trated attack and defense.
But from this focus there issue many
consequent facts, both fnyslcal and polit-
ical.
The physical facts are that both on
the Aegan sea and on the Gulf of Arta,
naval conflicts are going on in order to
command for the purposes of supply the
strongholds of Eleutheropoh on the East
and Prevesa on the west. The eastern
stronghold is striven for for the further
purpose, on the part Of the
Greeks, of cutting off the rail
way connection that joins the
Turkish army with il base of supplies
at Constantinople. This latter move, if
successful may mean much, if, after the
Turks may have successfully carried the
passes, they find themselves thus cut off
from the means of subsistence. Indeed, 1t
is urged by some military experts, that
the Turks, so far from having gained
advantage by carrying AIilouna Pass
have fallen into the trap set for them by
the Greeks. According to this theory,
Edhem will within a few hours find him.
self cut off by Greek troops, both from
;,,l a hn has
of his supplies.
Yet while such theories are read of
with avidity by Americans who to a man,
no doubt, hope that they may
prove true, the stubborn facts
recur that little Greece alone
seems to be waging an almost i'm
possible conflict with Turkey, whose sue
cesses seem to be acquiesced in by all
the great powers and to be actively pro-
moted by at least Russia and Germany.
So that just here it may be well to
strength Of the two combatants. The
Turks have an army ION a peace fOotingo
Of 1900, against the Greek army of
24,S77. On war footing the Turks have
], Jos, 800, against 275, ,397 for the Greeks.
The Turkish navy has 115 boats against
13 for the Greeks. OF these, the Turkish
armored battleships number Is: the
Greeks 8. The Turkish uuarnored bat
tleships number 8, against 4 for the
Greeks.
Meanwhile every man in Greece has
eagerly leaped into line Of battle, snd
the last Of the reserves are now standing
at the Passes, ready each one Of them, to
de to save Larissa.
Another physical fact must be oonzid-
cred in the great numoer Of Greeks in
Turkish territory as we'll as in the sympa-
Thy Of the Russian masses. who
are bound to the Heieuea by
ties Of common faith. Il 10
sadd that ome-fourth Of the pupuia-
don Of Constantinople is composed Of
Greeks, and added 70 this fact, must be
taken into consideration the status
Iof the Balkan States Of RoumAnia, Ser
via, Bulgaria and Montenegro, which
though they are much tangled up with
tiifferent European powers, stand to-
gether in their bitter hatred of the Porte
and its policy.
Thus with a continued stand Of the
Greeks may come from these sources
and more, efficient accessions to
the comparatively little band thai
is now doing such marvellous
deeds of battle. The 1000 mer
that sailed for the battlefield from
New York need not, perhaps, be men
toned, except to show that in case o1
continued hostilities, help may be looked
for from unexpected sources.
So that the victory is not yet to th'
Turks Yet these accessions mentioned
above depend so much upon the events o
the next few days that we lose sight o
them for the moment preferring to keeu