Evening journal., 1897-05-15
GREECE YET DEFIANT
The Operations In Epirus Com
plicates the Situation.
FIERCE FIGHTING At VARIOUS PLACES
The Sultan Is sorely PerpIcxed by Innu-
ences Which Advise Against Leniency.
The Grecian Minister Complains of
the Action of the Powers.

The Greoian Minister Complains of
the Action of the Powers.
London. May 15.-The correspondent
Of The Times at Athens says:
"The resumption of offensive opera
ticns in Epirus greatly compiicates the
situation and tends to hamper the me-
gotiations for peace. The evident in
tention of the Greek commanders is to
capture the Turkish positions there in
order to show that they have not been
defeated.
'In an interview NJ Ralli, the pre-
mier. repeated his statement that hu-
manitarian motives are responsible for
the advance in Epirus, but he did not
deny the advantages which might be
hoped for from the capture of Prevesa
and the occupation of the adjoining
Turkish territory.
owe are stin at war; he said, and
until an armistice is concluded Greece
retains her liberty of action. We can
not allow our activity TO be confined 20
Thessaly, where the Turks are prepon-
dorant. The powers have hindered US
from acting in Crete. but Greece cannot
be barred everywhere nor compelled to
restrict her operations to a limited
ayea.'"
The correspondent of The Times at
Constantinople says:
"The sultan is sorely perplexed and
embarrassed by the Islamic influences.
military and theological, which are
united in vehement protests against
leniency 70 Greece as defrauding Tur-
key OF the legitimate fruits of victory"
Except for the fighting in Epirus, the
Turco-Hellenic situation is virtually
unchanged 1t is tolerably certain that
only a few Greek troops remain in
Domokos, the bulk of Constantine's
army having withdrawn to Lamia,
where he will be in closer communlca-
tion with General Smolenski. This
probably explains the reported move
ments OF the Turkish army, as a num-
ber of Edhem Pasha's troops have been
marching from Trikala to Volo. With
out doubt the respite of the feast of
Bairam is very welcome to the IA
tigued men.
The fighting in Epirus has been inde-
cisive. 1t IS believed that Nicopolis Is
aot yet captured, but only the heights
commanding the town. The Greeks
make a pretext Of the protection of the
peasants, but they evidently have in
formation as to the reasons for the APP
parent inactivity of the Turks In Epi-
rus. This is the seventh time the
Greeks have attempted TO advance tc
Tanina and have met with a repulse
which the Turks have never followed
lp.
Evidently, there is something wrong
with the Turkish forces at that point
The recent report that a number OF
officers were taken from Janina TO Con
, stantinople i'm chains may perhaps eN
plain it; or, possibly, Turkey is holding
her forces there through Gear OF
movement from Bulgaria.
A dispatch to The Daily Telegraph
from Athens says that the Greek gov
eminent learns that Turkey has decid
ed to resort to piracy against Greel
merchantmen, and that NJ. Skoloudis
the foreign minister, Will protest to th'
powers.
The Constantinople correspondent O.
, The Daily Telegraph says:
"The sultan, acting upon the advice
Of the Emperor William, has declared
to NJ. Cambon, the French ambassador
! , that he cannot agree to granting al
armlstice until the basis of peace ha
, been decided upon and approved b,
Z hin,