The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-31
HANGS ON / THREAD
Greek Situation About as Cri-
tical as Can Be.
Az oI~AIC nOIAtr tn AFAD
ALL SIGNS POINT TO WAR
KING GEORGE SAYS IMPOSSIBLE
NOW TO YIELD TO POWERS.
FIGHTING ON THE FRONTIER
Comparison of Greek and Turkish
Forces in Favor of Latter--E Hor.s
to Induce Sultan to Withdraw
Forces From Crete.
Forces From Crete.

Forces From Crete.
Constantinople, March 30.-If the re-
ports just received here from the Turk
ish headquarters at Elassona are correct,
fighting has already occurred on the
Turkish side of the frontier of Mace
donia. 1t is said that the Greek leader,
Alexis Taxi, n brother of the famous
chieftain of that name, crossed the from
tier into Macedonia ON Sunday last, ac-
cOmpanied by about twenty-five of his
followers. Near Grevena the Greeks met
and engaged an advance post of Turkish
troops, commanded by a German officer.
In the fighting which followed the Turks
lost II men killed and had 20 men
wounded, including the German officer.
The loss of the insurgents is not known.
The latter subsequently retired across the
border into Greek territory.
The situation is about as critical as it
can be and it is difficult to see how war
between Greece and Turkey can be
averted. Strong efforts in that direction
are still being made, but it is rumored
in diplomatic circles here that King
George has sent a message to the Car
TO yield TO the Powers regarding Crete,
and that it is equally impossible TO recall
the Greek troops from Thessaly an view
Of the excited condition of the public
mind.
1t is believed that even the annexation
of Crete would fail to satisfy the Greeks;
they are so inbued with the war fever
that nothing short of severe blood letting
~ n T. ,,.tt,
believed, greatly underestimate the
strength of the Turkish forces in Mace
donia and Epirus. Edham Pasha. the
Turkish ommander-in-chief, now has at
his disposal about 10000 fighting men
and 800 Krupp guns. He also has an
ample supply of ammunition, fair
commissariat, as Turkish commissariats
go, and his medical staff and hospital
corps are in satisfactory condition. All
the strategic points on the frontier are
occupied, defended by newly thrown up
earth-works and other defenees and are
supplied with powerful batteries of.
artillery.
To attack this line OF defence, it is
understood, the Greek cannot muster
more than 10000 men, mostly regulars,
although some estimate here that the
Greeks may be able 10 muster eighty.
thousand men i'll all. counting the hasti-
ly armed peasantry and the raw recruits
and rough reserves which they have been
pushing toward the frontier for month
past This force is known to be weak
in cavalry and especially so i'm artillery.
in which arms the Turkish are over
whelmingly strong. AS to the Cretan
situation proper, it is understood that the
admirals in command of the foreign
fleets in Cretan waters are of the
opinion that, now that Greece has vir-
tually completed her war preparations
on the frontier of Thessaly. a blockade
of the principal Greek ports would be
useless, thus bearing out the forecasts
previously made in these dispatches that
the refusal of Great Britain to take ac-
tive part in the blockade of Greece
might lead to the collapse of that scheme
to prevent an outbreak of the hostilities
under these circumstances. All the eff
forts of the Ambassadors of the powers
here are now being directed toward pre-
vailing upon the Turkish government to
advise the Sultan TO the withdrawal of
the Turkish troops from Crete, as anoth-
er step to Greece and as another attempt
TO prevent war. And, in addition, the
Ambassadors are endeavoring to prevail
upon Greece and Turkey to agree to the
establishment of a neutral zone between
the opposing Turks and Greeks on the
two frontiers. The Ambassadors have
made strong representations to the Porte
in favor of permitting the immediate de-
parture of those of the Mussulmans in
Crete who have expressed the desire to
emigrate. This will probably be agreed
TO. but as to the withdrawal of the
Turkish troops. the Sultan has not yet
shown any disposition to submit to that
demand
The Austrian government, upon the
representations of the Porte. has prohi-
bited the expectation from Triest of =
100000 cartridges, which were in course
of shipment TO Greece. The representa-
tives Of Greece have protested against
this action upon the part of the Austrian
government, claiming it is illegal and
arbitrary, as no state of war exists.
1t is not likely that the protest will have
any effect.
The work of preparing for the defence
OF SalOnika is now said TO have been
completed and all danger of an attack
upon this Turkish base of supplies is be-
lieved to have passed.
1t is announced here to-day that it
has been decided that Great Britain
should send another military contingent
to the island of Crete.
YESTERDAYS NOMINATIONS.