The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-08
THE ULTIMATUM ANSWERED.
CURT REPLY OF GREECE TO THE
DEMANDS OF THE POWERS.


She Asserts That Evacuation of Crete
by Her Troops is Impossible, and
That the Cretans Themselves
Should Decide Whether They VIII
Accept Autonomy or NOt-LOndOn
sympathises With Greece and
Crete-Turkey Bows to the viii of
the Powers.
London, March IA dispatch to the Gen.
trail News from Athens gives the follow
ing summary of the reply to the ultimatum
of the powers which Greece will hand to
the diplomats tomorrow, when the time
expires in which reply can be made.
1t will recall that Greece in 1885, in def
erence to the wish of the powers used her
influence with the Cretans to induce them
to accept reforms offered by Turkey. 1t
viii point out that the continued unsettled
state of the island is proof of the futility
of the MEASURES of reform.
With regard to the autonomy of the island
the reply will state that it is for the Gre
tans to decide whether they viii accept it
Tor not
1t VIII declare that the evacuation Of
Crete by Greece is impossible because
peace, to restore which Greek troops and
warships were sent to the island. remains
| seriously disturbed.
Constantinople, March 1.-THE diplomats
mere have received the answer of the
| porte to the collective note presented on
Tuesday last, setting forth the desires Of
the powers regarding the granting of au-
! tonomy to Crete under the suzerainty Of
! Turkey. The porte aSSents to the terms
| of the powers, and says it hopes that
| there will be a definite understanding De-
| tween itself and the powers respecting the
| details of the autonomy to be granted.
The reply bears out the statement that
| the sultan is rather glad than otherwise
| to have the long disputed Cretan question
settled even though he practically loses
/ the island.
| While number of Greek engineers were
! engaged in repairing the main road near
/ Melun, on the Greek frontier, presumably
| for the purpose of facilitating the pas
| sage of troops, they were stopped by
| body of Turkish troops. A rumor reach
| ed here to-day that a serious encounter
| between Turks and Greeks had taken
| place on the frontier, but though inquiries
| have been made, it has been impossible
| to confirm the story. 1t is thought very
! probable that the report originated in the
stoppage by Turkish troops of the work
| of the Greek engineers.
Canea, Crete, March TIT is believed here
that the reply of Greece to the demands
of the powers will be positive refusal to
obey, and that bloody struggle is there
fore inevitable unless the powers recede
from their position, 1t is known that Col.
Vassos. the commander of the Greek army
of occupation, has received instructions
| from King George to hold all the positions
in the island now occupied by the Greek
| troops and to prepare to resist to the bitter
| end any attempt on the part of anybody
| to dislodge him. Information has reach
ed here that the Greek troops are enthus-
| iastic over the determination of their king
not to order their withdrawal from the
| island, and it is believed that it would
take a far stronger force than their own
to dislodge them from the strategic posi-
| tions they occupy. The events OF the
| next few days are anxiously awaited.
Last night the insurgents, who are be-
sieging the block house at Malaxa, made
an attempt to blow the place up with
dynamite, but were frustrated by the Wig
| lance of the Moslem defenders. For sew
| eral hours after the failure of the at
tempt there was a lively fusilade but the
the result is not known here.
A similar attempt was made upon the
| tOfl at hHIdliuls anu mere TIC
| were more successful. The explosion
made a breach in the walls of the fort,
| killed four Turks and wounded many 9TH
| ers The Turks, though brave fighters,
have been made very nervous by the use
| of dynamite by the insurgents this being
| a method of warfare Of which they have
had no experience.
London, March THE Daily News will
| tomorrow claim to be able to announce
that there is every hope of a speedy, sat
| isfactory and peaceful solution of the Gre
| tan trouble 1t will add that Greece's re-
| ply to the note of the powers will, by stat
| ing her reasons. leave the door open for
| further negotiations, though she will not
accept the conditions laid down by the
powers.
The paper gives discursively the prob
able terms of the reply, which are sim
liar TO those contained in the dispatch to
| the Central News.
A Constantnople dispatch to the Daily
| News says it is understood that Greece is
willing to withdraw her fleet from Cretan
waters and suggests that her troops re-
main in the island to assist IN organizing
the new government
st. Louis Mo- March 7.--Demetrius jan
nopoulo, Cirecan vice consul i'm this city,
announces that every able-bodied man in
the Greek colony here will answer the call
of King George. Greeks are prepared to
20 to their reserve commands at once, as
the call has been anticipated and each man
has arranged his business affairs to re-
.-orI of araa Nv JauuODOulO tc in daily