New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-14
GREECE HASTHE UPPER HAND
HOW THE. 'TRREGULARs" HAVE CLEv-
ERLY DONE THEIR WORK.
An ofEN OUTBREAK CANNOT BE LONG DELAYED
CREEK PREPARATIONS AT ARTA-cUTTING

| 'hEEk PREPARATIONS AT ARTA-CUTTING
OFF TURKISH COMMUNICATIONS
Athens. April 13.-Bad weather SHOWS. rain
and bitterly cold winds have made campaigning
IN the mountainous districts difficult and all
! movements the frontier have consequently
J been retarded. Intentionally or otherwise all
dispatches are being considerably DELAYED. a not
unusual occurrence since the beginning of the
present crisis. An open outbreak of hostilities
PROBABLY cannot be much longer delayed, as the
strain or maintaining armies of about 100 900
men eacn In the field is being felt with steadily
increasing severity by both Turkey and Greece,
ana declaration of war would be welcomed by
either side with feeling Of considerable relief.
here and at Constantinople there are daily
prolonged and serious meetings of the councils
OF Ministers. Greece and Turkey are each try
Ing to avoid. If possible being classed as the
aggressor In the conflict apparently impending.
anu for this reason both are acting with the
greatest caution. Besides while the threat Of
the Powers to prevent tie aggressive from reap
ing at the close of the war any advantage which
may accrue to it Is not taken seriously by Greece
II may have some effect In enlisting or detac achng
the sympathy OF a portion of the masses In Eu-
rope. and hence Is another reason for going
slowly.
The Greek National League, or Ethnike He
tairia, has already pushed forward force Of
5000 ''irreguars" well armed. supplied and
equipped accompanied by an ample commissari-
at corps. through the lines. with the twofold OBJ
1ect OF cutting off communication between the
Turkish headquarters In Macedonia at Elassona
where Edhem PaCha is in command. and the
Turkish headquarters in Albania, at Janina
where Haiku Pacha is in command. and. Of get
ting In the rear Of the Turks, raising Macedonia
Al
bands of "irregulars" who will harass the Turk
ish rear while the regular Greek army does the
real fighting in front In spite Of official denials
nobody doubts that the Greek officials fully
cognizant of the movement of the Ethnike He
tairia. which has been openly prepared for and
freely discussed for long time.
1t is believed here that by the end OF the pres
ent week at least 10000 Greek 'irregulars" will
be in Macedonia. Albania and Epirus. thus really
making successive steps in a warlike direction
before, possibly. shot is fired in real earnest be-
tween the regular forces of either country. Greece
is thus gaining advantages every hour, and is
pushing forward her 'irregulars' under the pre-
tence of maintaining the status quo in obedience
TO the representations of the Powers.
The Turkish Minister at Athens yesterday
called the attention of NJ. SkouZes, the Greek
Minister for Foreign Affairs. to the departure OF
further irregular forces into Macedonia, com
planning of their being able to evade the Greek
troops The reply which he received was similar
to the one previously made by the Greek Premier,
NJ Delyannis-namely. that Greece might make
the same complaint to the vigilance of the
Turkish troops. unless there was a suggestion
of connivance between the two armies.
At Arta, ii is well known here. force OF about
1000 men. organized by the Ethnike Hetairia,
has either started for Turkish territory or Is
making the final preparations for SO doing. This
body will be divided into six separate detach-
nents. each ably directed and having a separate
destination, with the view of raising the flag Of
he a increasing
numbers much possible and harassing the
rear Of the Turkish force, which will be directed
from Janna against the Greek regulars who
will operate from Arta. The Greek Government
has given "strct orders to stop the departure
of ''irregulars'; but. it is semi officially ex,
planned the Greek commander at Arta, Colonel
Manos. is unable to spare men to intercept
them"
Reports from Arta also show that the Greek
positions are much stronger than these Of the
Turks who, owing TO the recent heavy rains and
bad roads, Will have much difficulty In COM
municating with their base of supplies at Janna,
even If the Greek "irregulars" do not prevent
them from doing. The Greeks are able to
reach Arta from Athens in twenty-four hours,
thus giving them a fine base of supplies. Nolun-
teers from this city have already reached Arta
and more on their way there. II is the inten-
ton of the Greeks, when all is ready, to attack
and capture Janina, which, according to the
treaty Of Berlin, rghtfully belongs to Greece.
Another force of 'irreguars' is preparing to
cut off the Turkish communications with Sa-
lonica from which the Turks at Elassona draw
their supplies If the attempt is successful the
three Turkish army divisions the eastern, near
Salonica; the central at Elassona, and the
western at Janina in addition TO the army
corps at Grevena. will be cut off from communi-
cation with each other. The Greek fleet also
proposes to make things lively off Salonica. In
order to prevent the landing Of any supplies
there.
The first move in the plan OF campaign was at
Baltino, which was occupied by the Greek IT.
regulars" after they had driven the Turks out
Of the place nearly capturing the turkish gar
rison. From there the Greeks pushed on 10 the
vicinity Of Grevena, cutting of TURKISH COM
munication with Janina. The next move VIII
be from Arta and 1t will be followed by an at
ten1nt 10 cut the Salonica lines. The blockade
of that port may follow
A strong Greek fleet Is off Arta, ready 10 rem
der effective service in that region. Another
Creek feet Is off the island of Skiathos, pre-
nared 70 strike at Salonica and another is on the
leland of Skyro prepared TO attack the turkish
islands in the lEgean Sea. c.,
significant fact is that the Greek Govern
,,ant has ,elegraphed TO Colonel Bertnes, VINO
has promised to bring with him 2oOu ltaliah
~oiunteers telling him to hold himself ana MS
r,oen in readiness to come here at any moment
All the Greek Deputies have been summoned
20 attend the next meeting or the boule "heh
on imnortant announcement Is expected .
The Powers are still trying TO aver war. ~
&C. etsted that the French Ambassador at Con-
,ontinonle NJ Cambon. has been instructed 10
at % a,,tonomous constitution for the island
cf Crete allowing the Cretans 10 choose ,'l.,s
"a - coycrnor and providing for simultaneous
Greek and Turkish eVacu'lio" vi ''ie '