Evening star., 1897-03-30
GREEK MEETS TURK
A Brisk Fight Takes Place in Mace
donia.
DIFFICULT NOW TO AVERT WAR
Strength of the Opposing Forces
on the Frontier.
PRESENT PLAN OF POWERS

CONSTANTINOPLE. March 30-If the
report jyst received here from the Turk
ish headquarters a Elassona correct
fighting has already occurred on the Turk
fish side of the frontier of Macedonia 1t
Is said that the Greek leader Alexis Taxi
brother of the famous chieftain of that
name. crossed the frontier into Macedonia
Sunday, accompanied by about twenty-five
of mis- followers Near Grevena the Greeks
met and enga ged advance post of Turk
ish troops. commanded by a German off,
GER In the fighting which followed the
Turks lost twelve men killed and had
twenty wounded, including the German
officer. The loss of the Greeks is not
known The latter subsequently returned
across the border into Greek territory.
The situation Is about critical as it
can he, and it is difficult to how
between Greece and Turkey can be avert
ed Strong efforts IN that direction are
still being made but il is rIlrnored in dipio-
matte circles that King George has sent a
message to the czar saying that it is i'm
possible for Greece to yield to the powers
regarding Crete, and that it is equally i'm
POSSIBLE TO recall the Greek troops from
Thessaly in 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 will
cure them.
Turkish Forces on the Frontier.
The Greeks. 1t is further believed. greatly
underestimate the strength of the Turkish
forces in Macedonia and Epirus. Edhem
Pasha. the Turkish commander-in-chief
row has at his disposal about 150,Oo0 fight
Ing men and 800 Krupp guns. He also has
an ample supply of ammunition. fair
connissariat. as Turkish commissariats go,
and his medical staff and hospital corps are
In satisfactory condition. All the strategic
points on the frontier are occupied. defend
Ell by newly thrown-up earthworks and
cther defenses and are supplied with power
full batteries of artillery
To attack this line of defense, it is under
stood the Greeks cannot muster more than
"'op men. mostly iTrtgularS. although
sc me estimate here have ii that the Greeks
may be able TO muster S0,eU men in all
counting the hastily armed peasantry and
lhe raw recruits and rough reserves which
they have been pushing toward the from
'ier Tor month past. This force is known
10 De weak in cavalry and especially so in
arllery, in which arms the Turks are over
Fheimlngly strong. IL is true that the
Hreeks are animated by warlike spirit
@ aI-u d degree OF enthusiasm rarely before
Witnessed but warlike enthusiasm cannot
prevail against big battalions ana heavy
ana numerous batteries Of artillery
mus II Is that the Turkish authorities are
ta4hHly awaiting the outbreak of war IL
war is 10 come, confident that eyery s.an
possible has been taken TO NEE. 1b. emeI
9ency. ''-e CHIC
As 70 the Cretan situation. it Is unGer-
ttcod that the admirals IL, command of
the foreign feet in Cretan waters arc ~
the opinion that now that Greece mas viz
.uaiiS completed her war preparations on
the irontler of Thessaly a blockade of me
principal Greek ports would be useless
thus bearing out the forecasts previously
made In these dispatches that the refusal
OF OF Great Britain to take active part in the
blockade of Greece might lead to the COL
scheme n
break of hostilities.
Withdrawal of Turks From Crete
Under these circumstances all the efforts
OF the ambassadors of the powers here
are now being directed toward PREVAILING.
upon the Turkish government to ad-
wise the sultan to withdraw the Turk
Ism troops from Crete another sop to
Greece and another attempt to pre-
vent war And. in addition, the anias-
SadOrS are endeavoring TO prevail upon
Greece and Turkey to agree to the es,ab-
hsrnent OF neutral Zone between tne oo-
posing Turks and Greeks on the two froa-
tiers.
The ambassadors have made strong rem
resentations to the porte in favor Of per
hitting the immediate departure of those
OF the Mussuln1ans in Crete who have ex-
pressed the desire TO emigrate.
This Will probably be agreed to- bur as
10 the withdrawal of the Turkish troops
the sultan has not yet shown any DISPOSE
tion TO submit to that demand.
Austrfn's Arbitrary Prohibition
The Austrian government upon the rep
resentations of the porte. has prohibited
the expectation from Trieste of 7.OoOooo
cartridges which were in course of snip
nj 10 Greece.
The Representatives of Greece have pro-
tested against this action upon the part or
The Austrian government, claiming il Is IL
legal and arbitrary. state OF war
exists Ii is not likely that the protest
viii have any effect
The work of preparing for the defense of
Salonica is now said to have been CON-
piejed and all danger of attack upon
this Turkish base of supplies is believed 10
have passed.