The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-31

cONSTANrIN0PLE March s0-It
the reports Just received here from the
Turkish headquarters at ElaSSona are
correct. fighting has already occurred
on the Turkish side Of the frontler Of
Macedonia 1t Is said that the Greek
leader. Alexis Taxi, a brother Of the
famous chieftain of that name, crossed
the frontier into Macedonia on Sunday
last, accompanied by about twenty-flRe
OF his followers. Near Grevena the
Greeks met and engaged an advance
post Of Turkish troops, commanded by
a German oficer. In the lighting which
followed the Turks lost twelve men
wounded. including the German ohlcer.
The loss Of the insurgents is not known.
The latter subsequently returned across
the border into Greek territory.
The situation Is about a. critical a. II
can be and Il Is difficult to see how war
between Greece and Turkey can be
RVeFted. Strong efforts In that direction
are stilI Masking. but It u Eumored In
diplomatic circles here that King
George has sent q message to the Car,
saying that Il 10 lmpossible for Greece
90 yield to the powers regarding Crete
and that It Is equally impossible 70 re-
view Of the excited condition OF the
public mind.
Il Is Believed that even the annexa-
tIOn of Crete would fail 10 satisfy the
Greeks: they are 90 lmbued with the
war fever that nothing abort OF severe
blood letting will cure them.
The Greeks, Il ts further believed.
greatly under-eStlmated the strength OF
the Turkish forces IN Macedonia and
EpIrus.
ier.In-chief. now has at his disposal
about $4,000 fighting men ana three
hundred Krupp guns. He also has an
ample supply OF ammunition, tair
commisSaFiat,a as Turkish eommtSsariatS
70, and his medical stan and hospital
corps are in satisfactory condition. All
the strategetic points on the frontier
are occupied, defended BY newly thrown
uD earth works and other defence9 and
are supplied with powerful batteries Ok
70 attack this line Of defense, It Is
understood the Greeks cannot muster
more thau' eO.O00 men, most irreEuiaf9,
although some estimates here have 1t
thar the Greeks may be able to muster
$1,000 men in all, counting the hastily
armed peaSantFy and the raw Feeru ults
and rough reserves which they nave
been pushing towards the frontier tor
a month past. This force Is known to be
weak in cavalry and especially 50 IN
artillery, In which arms the Turks are
overwhelmingly strong. 1t 70 true that
the Greeks are animated BY warhke
spirit and a degree Of enthusiasm
rarely before witnessed, but warlike en-
thuslAsm cannot prevail against dig
bettallIous and Iheayy and numerous
batteries OF artillery. Thus 1t Is that
the Turkish authorities are calmly
awaiting the outbreak Of war, II war ts
to come, confident that every step pos
slble has been taken to meet the emer-
gency.
The Cretan Situation.
AS 10 the cretan situation, proper, It
Is understood that the Rdmlrals in com.
mand Of the foreign fleets In cretan
waters are OF the opinion that now that
Greece has virtually completed her war
preparations on. the frontier Of Thes-
sally, blockade OF the principal Greek
poFts would be useless, thus 2ttps OUT
the forecasts previously made IN Snese
dispatc that the retusal q SFe9t
Britain 10 LHltkG hGkANg P4Ae AtA r+>SIs
ade Of Greece might lead 20 the col
lapse OF that scheme 20 prevent an outs
break OF hostllitles. Under these ct-
cumstancos, all the efforts OF the am
baaSadors OF che powers here are now
being directed toward prevailing upon
the Turkish goVernpient 70 advise the
sultan ID withdraw the, Turkish troops
from Crete. as another step to paelty
Greece and as another attempt to pre-
vent war. and, IN addition, the ambas'
sadors are endeayorlng 70 prevail upon
Greece md Turkey to agree to the ess
tabifShmept Of q neutral zone oetwesn
the opposing Turks and Greeks on the
two frontiers,
representations to the porte In taVorsoL
permitting the immediate departure OF
those OF the MusSulmanS In Crete VINO
have expressed desire to emigfate.
This win probably be agreed 70, out
as TO the withdrawal OF the Turklsh
troops. the sultan has not yet shown
any disposition to submit TO that de-
mand. ,,... a.. /.
The Australian government, upon the
representatlons OF the porte which wera
prohibited the expectation from the east
81 1000 900 cartridges which were N
course of shipment to Greece. The rep.
resentatives Of Greece have protested
against this action Upon the part OF the
AUstrIRn government, claiming Il Is IL
legal and arbitrary, as no state OF war va!
exists. 1t Is not likely that the protest
will have any effect.