New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-22
GREECE GAINS DELAY.
BYZANTINE TACTICS AT ATHENS.
TWO WEEKS NOTICE BEFORE GRECIAN PORTS
ARE BLoCKADED-A CRISIS EscAPED-1TE
FORCES on TILE FRONTIER

FORCES on THE FRONTIER.
Berlin. March 21.-The understanding here Is
that Great Britain has insisted upon the Pow
ers according to Greece two weeks notice be-
fore the foreign warshps enforce blockade
against the Piraeus the port Of Athens and the
port of Volo, In Thessaly and is rot at all In
favor OF Russia's project that the foreign
troops on the island Of Crete shall attack the
Greek army of occupation under Colonel vassos
and compel It's withdrawal. 1t is known here
that Lord Salisbury continues to treat directly
with the Greek Government. but no official
opinion regarding Englands action in this mat
ter has been publicly expressed.
The unseen allies Of King George at the courts
or St Petersburg. London and Copenhagen are
splendidy assisting him. Without incurrine A
cent of expenditure for a secret service fund the
Greek Government is kept apprsed OF every
move on the diplomatic board. and has thus
beeN enabled to counter the efforts Of their
foes at the three imperial courts. To this is
largely due the prolonging of the negotia-
TORS, which from time to time. have threatened
to end IN the vigorous coercive measures.
The Kaisers Government, bafIied and annoyed.
have definitely retired from the front and now
limit their action to following the persistenty
active diplomacy of Russia. NJ Delyannis, the
Greek Premier, has abundantly shown in the
course Of his career that he does not lack in
courageous initiative, sometimes approaching
rashness. But he Is now resorting, as BELTS the
position. to Byzantine tactics. The successive
notes Of his Government to the Powers have
continued TO lead them into series Of dpo-
matte colloquies the tendency Of which was
toward compromise and the aim of which has
been to give Greece in the last resort. some way
! lof cvlt elf
A most critical juncture Of the last week was
when the Russian Government alone or In
conjunction with Austria. and supported by the
approval Of the Kaiser threatened to cut short
all parleying with Athens and send the Russian
and Austrian squadrons 10 the Piraeus. In
structions were actually sent by Admiral Tyr
toff, Russian Minister Of Marine, to Admiral
Ardreieff commander of the Russian squadron
in the Mediterranean. to take his squadron to
the Piraeus and await orders from NJ Onon
the Russian Minister at Athens, who was 10
present an ultmatum from the three lmperal
Powers. This precptate action IS understood
TO have been averted more by the representa-
tions Of France than by any regard on the part
of TIE Cars Government for the maintenance
! Of the concert" II had the effect, and perhaps
IT was so designed of forcing the hand Of NJ
/ Hanotaux. French Minister Of Foreign Anars'
| who reluctant 10 OHtnu FRENCH leeiihS ~
striking at Greece and at the same time dis
! inclined TO hold aloof from Frances ally. Whiie
the Kaiser. like the Car. has been all for ac-
tion first and pareying afterward Lord sails
bury's tentative policy has been directly the
reverse.
Probably the Kaiser would not have hesitated
at q direct rupture of the concert The hesita-
tion came from St Petersburg. whether due to
secret Court influences to the delay OF de
cison on the part of France or to both combined
is n matter Of surmse
Greece has obtained pause which by all ac-
! counts was badly required. Out OF most con-
Trajectory reports to the state Of the Gree%
Treasury and the Greek Army which have been
received here It l. difficult 10 ascertain the exact
| truth Putting aside the obviously untrust-
worthy and fictitious reports from Greek sources.
which credit the Government with having organ
ized a perfectly equipped force of 6o.ooW troops.
most Of which are now on the frontier. the state
ments from quarters friendly TO Greece credit
her War Office with managing to send to the
front an effective force of about 2JOOO men, In
Guiding the best of the reserves. There are. be-
sides. about 10000 men under drill, but small
portion of which force could be relied upon for
service in the field though they could take part
in irregular warfare. The enthusiasm of the re-
serves appears to have cooled down. and many
events they are no longer with the colors What
happened in 1856 when the Greek army was
modified has occurred again. At that time
there fair rush of men on the frst cali
The enthusiasm spent itself rapidly. out of
60 900 men that the War Office counted upon,
not half came under drill. and deserions be-
came numerous. Gendarmes and troops had to
hunt up the reluctant in every district and at
one time nearly 2I,WO men were on the police
rolls as being wanted for evading service. The
men called to the ranks may not want patriot
iSrp nd Wrptched payment
able food and the need of their work at home
have put strain on their patriotism. AS to the
Treasury, il was announced as ready for war
with only f750,000 in the chest and no credit in
Europe. The troops on the frontier are mostly
barefooted and badly clad.
The advces of the Vienna Correspondence
Politique." generally unbiased and fairly accu-
rate describe the condition of the Turkish
troops on the frontier as bad, but asserts that
the equipment of the troops. so far war ma
terial is concerned, is excellent. These consid-
eratiOns must weigh with the Greek Government
In rendering II averse to risking war. These dis
patches last week announced Serbo- Bulgarian
alliance, but since then II has been learned that
the Athens Cabinet had merely hoped for ef-
fective and immediate aid against Turkey from
these Balkan States. 1t is now known that they
are rather against Greece than with her. The
personal equation has come in again, and to the
disadvantage Of Greece. In the spring Of last
in connection with his proposed marriage to the
only daughter of King George. The then
Premier Of Servia, NJ Novakovitch, q Pan-He-
lenist projected this matrimonial alliance but
King George had no liking for IT, King Alex
ander returned TO Belgrade. where a new Min
istry. under NJ. Smtch. was formed aiming at
the Serbo- Bulgarian entente. concluded.
The Princess Marie Of Greece has been betrothed
to a Grand-duke OF Russia and the King of Ser
Via has become a willing instrument in settling
the arrangement with Bulgaria No encourage
ment to Hellenism is main point In the Balkan
Slavonic alliance.