The record-union., 1897-04-20
It Will be Left to His Discretion as to
the Best Course to Pursue,
Though There is Little Apprehension
in Washington Official Circles of
Ili-Treatment of Americans in
Either Turkey or Greece The
President r1ay Issue a Proclama-
ton of Neutrality.

WASHlN GTON, April l9.-Ihe fol-
lowing official statement was made at
the State Department:
THE Department of State has re-
ceived a dispatch from the United
States Minister to Turkey relating to
the situation between that country and
Greece, ard the Turkish declaration of
war. Minister Terrill states that the
Minister from Greece has been in
formed that he must leave before next
Wednesday. He is not permitted to
communicate by telegraph with the
Greek Government. There are per-
haps 10000 men, subjects of Greece, in
Turkey. All the subjects of Greece are
required to leave Constantinople with
in fifteen days. A note of the Porte
to the foreign Powers disclaims any
desire for territorial acquisition.
THE Creek Minister informs Terrill
that the Greek Government requires all
the subjects of Greece of military age
reserved for military duty.
THE Turkish Government claims
that regular Greek troops had seized
and were terrifying Analipolis in viola
ton of an agreement prohibiting it.
Hence the attack there by the Turks
on the 10th. The Turkish troops are
scattered along the border of Thessaly,
and cannot quickly concentrate for a
decisive battle. This may enable the
Greek army to fight in detail
NO DECLARATION OF WAR.
WASHINGTON, April 19-The Turk
ish Minister, Moustaph Rey, has COM
municated with Secretary Sherman on
the status of the Turko-Grecia con-
fict. He officially informed the Amer
lean Secretary of State of the terni-
nation of diplomatic relations between
Turkey and Greece and the attitude of
offense which Turkey has been com
PEELED to take by reason of the agrees
i've course of Greece. It was express
ly made known, however, that no de-
claration of war had been issued. Until
this declaration is made, the United
States Government is not likely to give
official recognition to the existing state
of affairs.
Another belated dispatch from Mr..
Terrill was given out at the State De-
partment. 1t bears date of Saturday
from Pera, the diplomatic suburb of
Constantinople, and in it Mr.. Terrill
initial statements of the breaking out of
hOstilitieS.
The United States navy is preparing to
do all that is necessary for protection of
American interests. Admiral Selfridge,
the commander of the European squad
ron. consisting at present of four war
ships all in the eastern Mediterranean,
has been expecting an outbreak of hos
tilities, and from time to time has adj
vised the Navy Department of the out
look. He is now under general instruc-
lions to look after American interests,
and no attempt has been made. or is
likely to be made in the immediate
future to give him precise directions as
to his conduct The movements of the
vessels of the squadron will be left en-
tirely to his discretion, the Department
believing that as he is at the seat of
war he is better prepared than any one
here to act to the best advantage
The first sign that the Admiral has
begun the disposition of his little SQUAD
ron to meet the war epoch was the re-
ceipt of a cablegram at the Navy De-
partment to-day announcing the arrival
of the United States crusier MINNEAPOLIS
at SYRIA. This is an island in the Greek
Archipelago, lying at the foot of the
Aegean Sea, and at a point almost
equally distant from Crete where war
has actually been going on for weeks,
and Athens, the entrance to the OAR
danelles, so that it is admirably selected
in the judgment of the department Off
Gals as a place of observation and a
no of in, pi hnr
an American warship may be needed.
The officials of both the State and
Navy Departments, however have little
apprehension of i'll treatment of Ameri-
cans in either Turkey or Greece, which
is regarded as about the only possible
cause of friction now. Possibly, at a
latter stage in the war, in the event that
the Turks are defeated, there may be
rioting at Constantinople or some of
the larger Turkish cities, but that is not
feared at present.
1t has been suggested that the Presi-
dent probably will be called upon to is
sue a proclamation of neutrality. now
that war is begun between Turkey and
Greece. The officials have looked into
the precedents in such cases. and have
concluded that the conditions at present
do not require the issue of such a notice.
The purpose of a neutrality proclama-
ton is to guard American citizens
against the consequence of infraction of
the neutrality imposed upon matters
not party to a war. 1t does not di-
rectly concern either of the belligerents.
but is intended to warn American citi-
zens that if they espouse the cause of
either combatant they will absolve
their own country from extending pro-
lection to them.
Conditions may arise later on. it is
said at the State Department. warrant
ing the issue of a proclamation. but the
Americans in Turkey and Greece are so
few in number and are of such charac-
ter as to make it unlikely that they will
involve themselves in trouble.
The progress of hostilities is being
watched with the keenest interest in
military circles here. Already there
has been a great demand for accurate
maps of the scene of the first outbreak
and this has been responded to by the
military information bureau by giving
orders for the preparation of such a
map as was issued during the war be-