Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-05-20
HARD TERMS OF PEACE.
TURKEY WANTS THESSALY
ANNEXED AND $5O,OOO,O 900.

TURKEY WANTS THESSALY
ANNEXED AND $50, OOO, 900.
Otherwise the War Will Go On
Official Reply of the Porte
to the Powers, Declining an
Armistice- On Any Other
Ground.
Constantinople, May 17.-The
Porte hes replied officially to the
note of the powers and declines to
an armistic until the following
conditions are accepted:
The annexation of Thessaly. an
indemnity of e1O, 900, 900 Tur-
kish, AMI the abolition of the cap
mutations. The Porte proposes
that Plenipotentiaries of the pow
ers should meet at Pharsalos to
discuss the terms of peace, and
declares that if these conditions
are declined the Turkish Army
will continue to advance.
The demand for annexation of
Thessaly is based upon the fact
that the province was originally
coded to Greece on the advice of
the powers, with the object of
ending brigandage and Greek in
cursions into Ottoman territory,
the Porte believing at the time
that the cession would attain these
objects, but the recent %incursions
of Greeks bands and the events
Immediately preceding the wal
have proved to the contrary. This
is the substance of the reply.
The Ambassadors met to day to
consider the Porte's answer,
which is regarded as raising an
extremely grave issue. 1t is be-
lieved that representations will be
made to the Sultan personally to
induce a modification of these
terms, but it is foreseen that this
will be very difficult, owing to the
attitude of the powerful old Turk
war party.
If the Porte should prove OBJ
durate, a European conference is
not improbable, although at pres
ent Russia IS opposed to this.
1t is regarded as quite certain
that the powers will not consent
to a retrocession of Thessaly.
Even Germany is believed to be
resolute on this point, because ii
would involve a violation of the
Berlin treaty and imperil the
peace Of. the Balkans.
Altogether, the reply of the
Porte has caused the greatest sur
prise 1t appears that during the
discussion of the note from the
powers by the council of the Sui
tan's Ministers, news reached the
council that 5000 Greeks had
landed at Palona, and were march
ing to Janina with the intention of
cooperating with other forces
from Arta. This created a bad
impression among the Ministers.
Turkeys council of Ministers
met again to>aay, and the Sultan
has ordered a distribution of
troops at various points along
the Salonica Railway. Official
dispatches have been received
from the commandant at Janina,
who says that a division of the
Greek forces, approaching the
town by a narrow gorge from
the direction of Gremenitza,
charged the heights of Griboro
and Kokonaria. but suffered
heavily, losing 200 killed, while,
on the other side, the Greeks
were driven back upon Parask-
levi. The commandant states also
that fighting has occurred at
Kumuzades. No further details
are given, except that all these
battles lasted until evening. and
that the imperial troops retained
their position, with the probab-
illty that the Greeks will be re-
enforced aud the fighting renew
ed on the morrow No statement
is made as to the Turkish losses.
The Turkish commander at
Luros telegraphs under yesters
days date as follows:
1.-The outcome of a desperate
battle, lasting two days, against
a force of Is, 900 Greeks, is that
the LATHE have abandoned the
position on the heights they had
previously captured. and have
Withdrawn to the olive groves of
GremenitZa."
London, May IA dispatch
to the Daily Mail from Coastan-
tinople says the Pores reply
demands in it's concluding para
graph an extradition treaty with
Greece. and that the ports of
Volo and Prevesa be kept open
for vessels carrying food supr
plies to the Turkish troops. Ger
many is urging the Sultan to in
sist upon the European control
of Greek finances as the only
means Of securing the payment
of an indemnity. Representatives
of the Deutsche Bank will arrive
next Saturday to realize on the
promise of important concessions
uhioh tho Sp1tan hoc ro01o ~ 49,