The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-23
Sunday Dispatches.)

ports.
Sunday Dispatches.)
Co%nstantinople, April 18.-The porte
has handed his passports to Prince
Mavrocordato. the Greek minister to
Turkey, together with a note announ-
cling the breaking off Of diplomatic re-
latiOns between the two governments
and the recall Of Assim Bey and the
Turkish consuls. 1t invites Prince
Mavrocordato and all Greek consuls on
Turkish territory to quit the confines
Of the empire, giving the Greek sub
jects fifteen days notice.
An official communication to the
newspapers states that the imperial
government has spared no pains to pre-
serve the peace, but Greece. having
sent troops to Crete in defiance Of the
wish of the powers and having begun
hostilities on the frontier, has com
PEELED Turkey to defend her integrity
and retaliate by an act of war.
The minister Of war has given ex-
plicit orders to Edham Pasha. in ac-
cordance with an imperial trade. ap-
proving the decision Of the council and
adopting the plan Of operations for
mulated by the military commission.
Edham Pasha is authorized to take
Immediate action, defensive and often
siVe, in accordance with this plan and
in the exercise of his Best judgment.
Athens, April 18.-11 a. m.-The Tur-
kish battalions at Prevesa, on the north
shore of the entrance of the gulf of
Arta, where, according to the treaty of
Berlin, the Turks had no right to erect
a fertilization. fired on and. sunk a
Greek steamer, the Macedonia, this
morning while she was attempting to
leave the gulf of Ambracia. The crew
of the steamer were saved by boats
from the shore, but the captain of the
Macedonia was severely wounded.
Upon receipt of this news the Greek
government sent orders to the Greek
fleet in the gulf of Ambracia to bonn
bard Prevesa. Consequently the bonn
bardment of Prevesa commenced at 6
o'clock this morning and continues as
this dispatch is sent. Prevesa, which
is in Espirus and eighteen miles from
Arta, is strongly fortified.
Athens, April 1873 p. ma late spe-
cial sitting Of the Legislative assembly
was held today. The public galleries
were crowded. Amid intense excite
ment M. Delyannis, the premier, an
HouIlttd t1dl Tie IulhlSu SoVtI IIl1leIil
had today notified Greece of the rup-
ture Of diplomatic relations on the
ground of the aggressive attitude of the
Greek government.
In a cool, but deliberate speech he re-
viewed the recent events to show. on
the contrary, that Turkey had been the
aggressOr; that her troops had attacked
the Greeks n attempted to occupy
neutral positions, and hat her batter
les at PrpVeSa had sunk the Greek shin
Macedonia.
Turkey" said M. DeIyannis, ode
clares wal against US. We accept it."
This statement was received with pro-
longed cheers from the galleries to the
floor of the
The leader of the opposition, mid re-
newed cheers from all parts of the
chamber and from the galleries. elO-
Quently indOrsed the patriotic declara-
ton of Nj. D~elyannis.
A dispatch received here at 9 p. M,
says that the Skafidiki batteries, which
were attacked by Greek WarShipS short
ly before 3 o'clock this afternoon, nave
been completely destroyed. The Greek
battery at Kef~alipanaghia co-operated
effectively with the flOtilla in the bonn
bardment
The Turkish minister here, Assim
Bey, has asked for his passports; they
have been handed him, and he has left
Athens for COnstantinOple. The Ger
man minister at Athens, Baron Won
Plessen, has undertaken to protect
Turkish interests in Greece during the
severance of diplomatic relations be-
tween the two countries.
The Greeks hold that it was an at
tempt upon the part of the Turkish
forces to occupy a strategic position
near Mount Analyipsis, not far from
NeZerOs, in the neutral zone, which led
10 the encounter on Fri6aV between tho
Greeks and the Turks. This, it is add
ed, was used at C~OnStantinODle as a
reason for ordering Edham Pasha, to
assume the offensive and led to the rup-
ture Of diplomatic relations between
the countries.
The Greek government, therefore, is
warmly commended for recalling the
Greek minister at Constantinople and
not waiting, according to the Greek
version, until Prince Mavrocordato was
handed his passports.
According to the general understand
ing here, the Turkish plan of campaign
is a concentration of the Turks near the
important Greek frontier town of Tyr
navos, with a view of forcing the noun
tain passes leading toward Larissa.
One report. which is generally credited,
has it that Edham Pasha, at the head
of $4,000 men,, has already begun this
movement, and rumors in this respect
are uylnS. the substance OF them be-
ing that the battle which is expected t0
be fought at or near TyrnavoS has al
ready commenced.
Foot of Milouna Pass, April $50 q.
ma fierce battle ragged in the pass ali
night. The Greeks, who entered and de-
scended toward the valley, encountered
four battaliOns of Turks. who drove
them back and at the point of the bay
onet rescued the force garrisoning the
Turkish b~lOckhOuSe. which the Greeks
had encircled before entering the pass
Elassona, April carbohydrates OF
the Turkish Army in Macedonia BE
fore dawn Edham Pasha rode out tC
direct the disposition of his divisions
A general engagement ensued. The
battle still continues along the entire
pass, over 10000 men being engaged
The combat turned on the possession of
the Greek blockhouSe, which was most
ObStinatelY denfended. Several yionrous