The herald., 1897-03-10
passage, as the government had made
no provision for such expenditure.
CONFLICT IMMINENT

LONDON, March "a dispatch to
the Times from Canea says that each
side accuses the other of beginning the
combat at Akrotori, but the truth seems
to be that as soon as the insurgents
began to advance the Turks began to
fire. The captain of III. NJ. S. Barf1uer
had the insurgent leader brought on
board by Greek officers from the gun
boat Alpheus and warned him that un-
less the insurgents receded to their for
mer position the necessary action would
be taken to compel them.
The situation Is very similar to that
preceding the bombardment, but the
fleets are anxious to avoid firing.
Great precaution is necessary lest the
insurgents should succeed in drawing
the fire in order to make political cap
ital out of the incident.
The Athens correspondent of the
Times says that Greek squadron is
blockading several Turkish vessels In
the American gulf.
The Athens correspondent of the
Chronicle says: The kernel of the sit
uation is the fact, inexplicable to every
one here, that Russia is pursuing Greece
with terrible vindictiveness.
A CONFERENCE ASKED
CANEA, March 9-The insurgents at
Candiamo, on hearing that autonomy
wou..: be granted to the island, wrote the
British consul inviting him to confer
ence.
All the Greeks at Retimo have been
ordered to leave for Greece and a man
of war has been placed at their disposal.
These measures are incomprehensible
here, the general impression being that
war has been declared.
At a meeting of the captains of the
foreign warships on board the Harfieur,
to discuss the question of shelling the
position of the insurgents at Akrotori,
the Russian commander firmly declined
to fire without first giving notice. Ak
rotor is surrounded by rock monster
les and it is believed the Bashi Ba-
zouks began their firing with view to
pillage.
AFRAID TO FIGHT
CANEA, March 9.-Fighting between
the insurgents and the Gordon of Turk
ish troops drawn around Akrotori has
ceased and the insurgents are now NOV
ing their camp with view to avoiding
a naval bombardment. 1t has been as
certained by the foreign consuls that the
report, formerly denied, of the massacre
of 400 persons in villages in the Silia dis
trict is correst.
A TIMID MINISTER
ATHENS, March 9.-it is reported the
Turkish minister has asked to be re-
ca.ied, as he fears his life is in danger.
The archbishop of Canterbury has
sent a dispatch to the Metropolitan of
Athens in which he says the Established
Church of England is praying earnestly
to the Almighty to give the Cretans lib
erty, justice and peace.
The reserves continued to arrive from
the provinces and the greatest interest
Is displayed in the full text of the Greek
reply to the powers which was not pub
lished in Athens papers until this even
ing 1t is generally approved.
The Ehpemoris, the government organ,
asserts that orders have been sent to
Comomdore Sachtouris to maintain the
position of the Greek fleets in Grecian
waters even though the powers threaten
to u.s. force and that Prince George him
self has visited Platania to instruct Col.
vassos to remain where he is, in the in
terror of the island.
This, however, conflicts with a re-
port that Sachrouris, on board the Hy-
dra, has already left Crete.
Midnight.-The government has for
mally protested to the powers against
the expulsion of the Greek consul from
Crete.
The Turkish garrison has repulsed an
attack on Pierpatria by 1000 Christians
who occupied strategic points near the
town.
The Greek torpedo feet under Prince
George has been ordered to join the east
rn squadron of the Greek fleet.