The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-20
AMERICAN INTERESTS
Admiral Sclfridgc Amply Prepared
to Protect Americans.
STATEMENTS OF MINISTER TERRELL.
The President Nav Issue n Procla-
nation OF Neutrality.
rATEMENTS OF MINISTER TERRELL.
OFFICER TO WATCH OPERATION
Minister Terrell Not Relieved to
Have Undertaken the Protection
OF Greeks Residing in Turkey.

Washington, April 19.--After much CT
fort. lowing probably to some confusion In
wire transmission. tho state department
officials have succeeded in translating the
cipher cable dispatch received by Secre-
tary Sherman last night from United States
Minister Terrell at Constantinorlc. The
result was the following official statement
Tho department of state has received
dispatch from tho United States minister
to Turkey concerning the rupture Of re-
lations between that country and Greece
and the Turkish declaration OF war. Mr..
Terrell states mat tho minister from
| Greco has been informed that he must
| leave before next Wednesday. He Ii not
| permitted to communicate by telegraph with
| tho Greek governments There are perhaps
| 10 600 men subject to Greece in turkey
| An subjects of Greece are required to leave
| Cunstantinopie within fifteen days. Inc
| note of the porte to the foreign powers
| uisulaiins amy desire for territorial acQui-
| sition. The Greek minister informs Mr.
| Terrell that the Greek government requires
| all subjects OF Greece OF military age re
| served for military duty. The Turkish
| government claims that regular ereeh
| troops seized aud were terrifying Anaiip-
| sis, in violation OF the agreement prohibit
| ing It, Hence an attack there ny the
| Turks on the 18TH The Turkish troopd
| are scattered along the border of Ih"ssa'y,
| and can not quickly concentrate Tor ue-
| cisiye battle. This may enablc the dfeeh
army to fight them IN detail.
Another and belated dispatch from MI
| Terrell was also given out al the hNa'c
| department, IL bears date OF SATURDAY
| from pera the diplomatic suburb oil ION
| stautinople. and in It MIR Terrell confirms
4 n th,4 u
| tho outbreak Of hostilitios He says seV-
| eral partits OF troops from Greece had ~
| yaded the Turkish pruvin of Macedonia.
Responsibility for this movement, now
| ever WAS denied by tho Greek minister AT
| Constautinople Meanwhile an advance on
| Iarisgn the Greek headquarters In North
| rast Greece had been ordered by the TURF
| ish government. which had recalled it's
| minister from Athens. The Greek MINIS
ter at Constantinoplo was expecting every
hour 10 be recalled at the time MI. Ter
rells' dispatch was sent
Tho Turkish minister Moustapha hey,
las Officially informed Secretary Of STATE
sherman OF tho termination OF diplomatic
relations between Turkey and Greece. and
OF the attitude of offense which Turkey
has been compelled to take by reason OF
| tho aggressive course of Greece. liostill-
| light of preliminary movements. designed
| 10 SECURE strategic positions, but not con-
| shutting war, ms contemplated by the for
| mai declaration OF war
| II is the strong belief among repre-
sentative diplomats that tho actual colll-
| siong which have begun on the border Will
| compel the European powers 10 renew their
| efforts with greater energy TO avert long
and bloody contest
Ia t,t-f n ~
all that Ia necessary for the protection of
American interests. though 1t is not ex-
pected that will bo very large task. hd-
mlral selirldge. tho commander oi the Eu-
ropcan squadron consisting AT present OF
four warships, ali In the east Medit"rra-
mean, has been expecting nm outbreak OF
| hostilties ana from time TO time mas hh-
viscd the navy department of the outlook
He rs now under general instructions to
look after American interests, and no at
| tempt has been made or Ia likely 10 Do
made in the immediate future 10 give nan
precise directions as to his conduct. The
| movements Of the vessola OF the squadron
| VIII be loft entirely 10 his discretion. the
| department believing that as he Is at the
| seat OF war he Is bottor prepared than any
| ono here 10 act TO the best advantage. Inc
| first sign that the admiral has begun me
| disposition of his little squadron 10 meet
the war epoch was the receipt OF cable
| gram al the navy department today an
nouncing The arrival Of the United states
| cruiser Minneapolis al SYRIA. THIS 10 an
| island In the Greek archipelago, lying at
| the loot OF the Aegean sea and at point
| almost equally distant from trele, Nbero
war has been actually going on for Weeks.
! Athens and the entrance to the lJarhahe'lps'
30 II Is admirably selected. IN tho judg-
ment of tho department officials, as place
| of observation aud base oil action m cither
| direction where an American waFehlp mby
| be needed
The offleiels Of both the state and navy
| departmcnts. however. have little appre-
| lensioE Of the III treatment OF American
citizens In either Turkey or Greece. when
is regarded as about the only posslbie
| cause OF friction now. Possibly AT Iater
| stage In the war in tho eyelt that the
Turks are defeated, there may be some
thing at Constantinople or some OF the
larger Turkish cities. but that 10 not
feared at present.
| II has been suggested that me president
probably Will be called upon to issue
| proclamation of neutrality, now mat war
| has begun between Turkey ana 'ifeecc'
The officials have looked into !he rfece-
| dents In such cases end nave coheiudeu
| that the conditions at present 40 not re-
| ouire the issue OF such notice. The pur-
| lose nj tho neutrality proclamation is TO
guard American citizens against tie con
sequences of infraetion OF tho neutrality
| imposed upon nations not party 10 WAT
| IA anee mt directly concern either Of the
belligeronts, hut is intended to warn Amer
! lean citizens that II they espouae the cause
| OF either COMPLAINT they will absoiye their
own country from extending protection 70
| them. Conditions may arise iatef on, ~ 10
said nj the state department, warranting
The issuance OF a proclamation. but the
Americans In Turkey and Greece are so
few In number and are OF such character
as to make II unlikely that they VIII In
/ yolye themselves In trouble.
| I, ia noted here with curiosity that the
| cabIeerams so far received are 20 con-