The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-21
ARMISTICE DECLARED
Between Turkey and Greece Pend
ing Peace Negotiations.
TO LAST FOR SEVENTEEN DAYS.

Meantime n Mixed Commission of Of
fioers of Superior Rank VIII Estab-
Iish q Neutral Zone Between the Two
Armies.
Athens, May 81. An armistice be-
tween the Turkish and Greek troops in
Thessaly to extend over a period of
II days, was formally concluded yes
terday.
The armistice agreement stipulates
that a mixed commission of officers of
superior rank shall. establish neutral
zone between the two armies, and that
no advance on either flank shall be
permitted. 1t is understood that Tur-
key wants the commission to be con-
Btituted of the foreign military attaches
with the two armies.
Crown Prince Constantin, 1t Is said,
Bent personal appeal to the czar not
to allow the Greek army to be crushed
by force four times greater than it.
self, and as consequence the czar
Insisted on the armistice
The numerous suggestions as to the
conditions Of peace now coming in
from all quarters may be dismissed,
Tor the most part, as unreliable. 1t is
probable that majority are prompted
from Constantinople with the Idea of
BOUNDING the powers. In all likelihood
the negotiations will be protracted.
The alacrity with which the sultan
consented to an armistice at the behest
Of Emperor Nicholas shows his own de-
sire to stop military operations, es-
pecially as compliance with the request
places great power under obligation
TO Turkey in the negotiations.
A newspaper correspondent says he
learns on unquestionabe authority that
the powers have agreed upon the chief
conditions of peace, namely, indemnity
to the amount of G5O0O,OOO, guaranteed
by a control of the Greek customs.
and the rectification of the frontier,
"details as to which have not yet been
settled.
The armistice has caused widespread
discontent among the Turkish troops
In Thessaly and Epirus and the milf
larry commission has ordered the most
prominent grumblers to be sent home
under escort. The priests who are
with the army have been instructed
TO preach special sermons exhorting
The soldiery to be loyal and obedient.
An imperial order prohibits the sale
Of drawings, photographs or poetry
dealing with the war or with the ex-
plpits of the commanders. the object
of the prohibition being to prevent any
individual general becoming a popular
hero.
The former Greek consul at Gambia,
bat
the Greek troops have left the island
delegates of the Cretan people will
meet to constitute a provisional gov
eminent and to proclaim the political
union Of Crete with Greece. He adds
that Admiral Canevaro, commander OF
the Italian fleet in Cretan waters, told
the Cretans that if after time au-
fonomy proved unsuccessful the Cretan
people would be free to fulfill their own
destiny,
The Austrian mail steamer Minerva,
which was captured by Greek cruisers
and towed to Orei, has been released,
bit the 72 Turkish seamen and re-
--isyyes found on board her have been
detained as prisoners,
The report that fresh hostilities had
taken place Wednesday near Arta ap-
pears to have grown out of an incident
of comparatively small Importance. The
Turks, despite the existence of the
arInistice, began to repair the breaches
In the walls of Fort Skafdaki, on the
Gulf Of Arta, whereupon Greek gun
boat opened fire, with the result that
ihe repairing was stopped.
j Il is now known that when the
crown prince arrived at Lamia he had
been practically abandoned by his
army. Colonel Mastrapas and his di-
vision had already quilted the town,
directing their flight toward Alamana,
Moio and Atalanti. After vainIy try
ang to collect the remnants of his army
at Lamia the crown prince, with his
staff, went TO Alamana, where another
attempt was made to rally the fugitive
troops. But this was only partly sue
cessful, and during the whole of Tues
day Lamia lay deserted and at the
mercy of the Turks, who, however,
made no attempt to occupy it.