The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-26
SENSATION AT ATHENS.
News From Maiaxa Regarded as Gilman
of Situation.


Athens, March 26.-The news OF the
dynamiting OF the Malaxa blockhouse
at s O'Clock last night as the culmina-
tlon of day of fierce fghting and pro-
longed siege has made a tremendous
sensation here. II is regarded as an
event of far reaching importance, both
in its effect upon the insurgents them
selves and upon the Greek mind at this
stage of the crisis.
1t confirms the belief generally enter
tained here in official circles. as well as
by the people at large, that the Chris
tians I'm Crete are not in the least de-
TERED by the blockade and not in the
least beguiled by the appeals Of the ad-
mirals or the implied arguments OF the
autonomy proclamation
Advices from Canea as to the details
OF the days lighting show that the in
surgents displayed the most desperate
vaior and left the Turkish garrison OF
the blockhouse no choice but flight.
Evacuation by the Moslems was fol-
lowed Immediately by occupation by the
insurgents, whe-were close upon the
heels OF the flying foe.
To hold the blockhouse In the face of a
rain OF shells from the Turkish war
ships in Suda bay was impossible The
commander OF the insurgents having re-
solved that if they could not keep it
neither should the Moslems, blew the
whole structure into fragments with
successive heavy charges of dynamite.
AT s o'clock last night the long fought
for blockhouse was mass Of burning de-
brfs. and the flames lit up the blockade
waters OF the bay.
Immediately on receipt OF the news
M. Delyannis and the minister Of war
drove together rapidly TO the royal
palace, where they had an audience with
the king. What happened there can
only be guessed at. but one thing is
significant. King George and the cabinet
have given the consent they had with
held for the last four days TO the formal
Gazetting of the Crown Prince Constan
tine as conlmander-in- of the Greek
army In Thessaly. and the decree is
published today. The crown prince did
not wait for the actual appearance of his
commission in print, but started for the
frontier at o'clock this morning.
The departure of the crown prince
with the full approval of the king and the
cabinet 10 take supreme control of the
army can have but one meaning. The
Greek government is determined not to
accept the terms offered by the powers
for peaceful settlement of the Cretan
difficulties. His presence among the
troops Is certain to have the most exhil-
arating effect upon them, and IL is notice
to Turkey that IL a conflict comes the
Greek troops Will enter Il under the
leadership OF their own choice The
step thus taken is momentous.
The official Proia denies that the gov
ernment has made any proposal to the
powers respecting Crete beyond it's
original reply to the Identical notes of
the powers.
The military preparations go on un-
seasingly upon large scale.
The Greek newspapers continue with
one voice TO denounce the proposal that
Prince George should become the gov
ernor OF Crete, and II is generally felt
that the temper Of the people Is such that
this solution could not now be accepted
by the government even IL the powers
were willing TO accept IT,
Thousands OF signatures are appended
TO a protest by Cretans against the
blockade, which runs in part as fol-
lows:
I'VE, Cretans sojourning I'm Greece.
protest before God and man against the
unjust and inhuman death which some
OF the great potentates OF the earth seek
to impose by famine upon our fellow
countrymen, whose only crime IS that
they are seeking for freedom. as those
potentates themselves have formerly
done"