The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-12
THE CONFLICTS IN CRETE
They May Result in War Between
Turkey and Greece.
CHARGES AGAINST THE SULTAN.

A. Usual, the Turkish Ruler Is Charged
with Sending Agents to Foment Mas
saores--Many Cretan Villages Now Re-
ported In Flames.
London. Feb. ia dispatch to The
Times from Canea says that Prince
Georgi Berovitch, governor of Crete,
notified the sublime porte and the con-
sular body representing the powers
that he was desirous Of resigning, but
the sultan is anxious to have him re-
main at his post. The porte requested
the powers to use their influence to
restore order in Crete. If this is i'm
possible 1t has been decided that more
troops will be sent to the island. Sew
eral Cretan chiefs have written to the
Turkish authorities declaring that the
Cretans have decided to reject the
'ft..N'sa ruiz and invoke the protection
of the king of Greece. All of the Mos
lem villages in the vicinity of Sivia
have been destroyed. Three burning
villages are visible. 1t is rumored that
many Mohammedan women and chill
dren have been killed.
The Paris Temps prints telegram
from Athens giving certain evidence
received there tending to show that
the sultan sent his aide-de-camp to
Crete with instructions to the Turkish
troops to act in concert with the Mus
sulmans for the purpose of provoking
a massacre before the enforcement of
the reforms could be undertaken. 1t Is
said this is what incensed Greece to
retaliate by sending Prince George to
Crete in command of the. torpedo flo
tilla.
a Rome dispatch says that King
Humbert yesterday afternoon confer
red with Admiral Canevaro, who is to
command the italian squadron des-
tined for Crete. Admiral Canevaro re-
ceived instructions from the king as to
the course to be pursued upon his ar
rival at Canea.
Another dispatch says that the en-
tire Mohammedan population of Va
levisi, Temenos, Pyrgiotissa and Mono
fatsi entered Herakllon, attacking and
assaulting the Christians in the streets
and pillaging the shops and houses. 1t
Is stated that the soldiers assisted in
this work Of pllnder No foreigners
have yet embarked on board the mem
of-war. The local prefect at Sitia re-
ports 300 Mohammedans killed in that
district, and he is afraid that the Mo-
hammedanS in the town of Sitia VIII
massacre the Christians out of revenge.
1t Is also reported that the Mohamme-
dams are exploding dynamite under the
houses of the Christians of Retimo.
The latest kilograms from Sitia re-
ports 10 villages now in flames. Chris
tians are killing the Mohammedan in
habitants. Those who have succeeded
in escaping from the scene of the mas
sacres are flocking to Sitia, which Is
still in possession Of the Turks. 1t is
feared that this news will produce a
dangerous reaction at Heraklion. 1t is
probable that the persistence Of the
Mohammedans in preventing the de-
parture Of Christians and foreigners
will make necessary active measutes
on the part of the commanders Of the
foreign fleet.
A dispatch from Vienna says that II
Is stated that Austria will demonstrate
with Greece against the dispatch of
the torpedo fiotila to Canea under the
command of Prince George.
The papers this morning are full of
long kilograms from European capi-
tails and editorials dealing with the
gravity of the situation in Crete, and
expressing fears of a war between
Turkey and Greece. Says The Chron-
icle in an editorial: Europe is face
to face with a dramatic situation.
Prince George, of Greece, is the roman
tic figure. He Is bound on romantic
business. He is a born sailor and
born fighter, and happens to be the
cousin and intimate friend of the czar,
whose life he saved in Japan"