The record-union., 1897-03-07
CREIAN SITUATION
IS IMPROVING.
An AmiCabIe Exit From the Difficulty
Possible,
If Greece is Willing to Meet the
Powers Half Way.
While the Powers Are Agreed as to a
General Policy, They Are Divided
as to the Method of Coercion to be
Applied to Greece - Russia and
Germany Stand Together, While
Great Britain, France, Italy and
Austria Favor Mild Methods.

|
Austria Favor Mild Methods.
| LONDON, March copyrighted,
| 1897, by the Associated Press 1.-The
midnight dispatch of yesterday from
| Henry Norman, Daily Chronicle" cor
respondent at Athens, has created anX-
! iety and an intense impression here
| He said there are grounds to believe
that the Cretan situation is improving,
that moro than one power has init
mated unOfficially that an amicable exit
from the difficulty is still possible, if
! Greece is willing to meet the powers
| half way and that Greece is willing
to consent to a temporary Turkish
suZerainty over Crete if the powers will
allow the inhabitants of the island
when order is restored to decide their
own fate by a plebiscite and will ap
| point a Greek Governor for the present.
The good impression caused by this
message is due to the fact that the
| latter part of it is believed, rightly or
wrongly, to have emanated from the
Greek Government, and is looked upon
as giving promise that the matter may
y
The stock ext nge here to-day opened
with better tone. The upward ten
dency was not very pronounced, how
ever, owing to the flatness of the con-
tinental bourses.
The advices from Athens and Con-
stantinople indicate that while the
| powers are agreed to the general pol
! icy, they are divided as to the method
of coercion to be applied to Greece.
Great Britain, France, Italy and Aus
| tria on one hand are sympathetic to
Greece and favor mild methods, while
Germany and Russia insist upon Wig
orous measures. This divergence is
manifested in the negotiations pre-
liminary to the drawing up of the note
to Greece The powers first named in
sisted upon the insertion in the decla-
ration that Crete would not be annexed
to Greece "at the present juncture.'
This implies that the four powers are
disposed to acquiesce in the annexation
| of the island to Greece when the war
like feelings have subsided. Russia
and Germany only agreed to this being
done upon the insertion of the words:
VIII not hesitate to take any coercive
steps in the identical notes presented
to the Greek Government on Monday
| last by the representative of the qoW
ers at Athens. Thus the last clause
of the note was made to read: There
fore, Greece is solemnly warned that
unless the aforesaid withdrawal (of
the Greek troops from the island of
Crete and of the Greek ships from Gre
tan waters or from points where the
powers are in occupation) occurs within
six days, the powers will not hesitate
to take any coercive steps necessary
to enforce it, and their decision is ir-
revocable.''
The separation of Russia and France
may have considerable influence on the
future developments in the situation.
The English Liberal newspapers are
working the pluclxy Greece vein for al
it is worth and are indulgng in hysteri-
cal praise of her attitude. A big mass
meeting has been called to take place
in Hyde Park tomorrow, to protest
against the coercion of Greece, and the
Liberal newspapers are publishing
pages of letters from unknown people
cheering for Greece. The Greek Charge
d 'Anaires in London says he is receiV-
ing every day offers of volunteers to go
to Greece, and adds he has also re-
ceived subscriptions for the Greek
cause amounting to $4,000. 1t is fur
ther stated that some of the English
volunteers have already started for
Athens. Several retired officers of the
British army have offered their serv-
ices and a body of 100 volunteers COM
manded by English officers will start
for Greece next week.
The Greek Consul at Liverpool has
also received offers of volunteers.
The feeling on the continent appears
to be that war between Greece and
Turkey is inevitable. According to the
"Gaulois'' of Paris, if Greece does not
withdraw her troops from Crete in obe-
dience to the mandate of the Powers,
Turkey will Immediately declare war.
The feeling in political circles in Eng
land, however, is that the Powers will
succeed in warding off war. This sem
timent is voiced with the Saturday
Review" which says:
"The Powers are resolved that there
shall be no war The rumors reach us
from Athens that the King of Greece
asserts he has an agreement with Bull
garia as to the future partition of Mac
donna, ana II is Known Ifdt the BuISa-
rians have an agreement with the Ser
vians If this be true, these three Pow
ers might go ahead and divide Mace
donia and the Powers would have more
than enough to do keep out of the
fray But, we repeat, the Powers art
determined there shall be no war.
Neither Russia nor Austria are ready
for war, and Germany has nothing TO
gain thereby. Consequently, in spite of
the Greeks, Bulgarians, Servians and
hysterical English radicals, we believe
the peace of Europe will be preserved"
At the same time a large number of
Unionists are dissatisfied with the posi-
ton Great Britain has been placed in.
They say in the Marquis of Salisbury's
dread of war he is yielding far too
much for the Powers who are anxious
that the integrity of the Turkish En-
pire should be maintained regardless
of what may happen to all the Eastern
Christians. and they blame the Marquis
of Salisbury for not insisting that both
the Turks ana Greeks quit Crete alto
gether.
The Spectator expresses itself as
follows: