The Portland daily press., 1897-05-17
THE SICK MAN.
He Is Becoming Hard Patient To
Handle.


is now evident that the Powers do not
possess the control of the Sultan which
it was assumed in many quarters would
speedily bring an end to hostilities as
soon as Greece sought their mediation.
| The Porte virtually refuses to consent to
an arInistice until the Turkish troops
shall have taken Domokos, where the
Greek headquarters in Thessaly are now
situated. The Greeks have given flip
to the campaign in Epirus but by their
| spirited advance, which has already led
to severe fighting, the war will probably
continue in a serious fashion for several
days longer, both in Thessaly and
Epirus. z Evidence is lacking, however,
of any general revival of the esprit de
corps of the crown princes army, and
futher successes for Edhen Pasha are
expected. These successes will further
| increase the embarrassment of the Pow
ers, which is already great.
. The fact is, the Sultan is quite out of
hand. His apologists say that he would
be glad to acquiesce in the wishes of the
Powers, but the military party in Con-
stantinople is too strong for him. This
is constant explanation, but the Porte
is really master of the situation, short of
actual coercion by the Powers which has
not yet been thought Of The latest ver-
sion of the Porte's demands is that Tur-
key shall get Thessaly in exchange for
| Crete, which the Powers will give
| Greece if they choose. 1t is hardly possit
BILE that the concert will consent to this
and Greece is not likely to submit,
though she is almost helpless in her pres
emit condition. 1t is beginning to be real
lied in Athens that Greek interests would
have been vastly stronger if the Govern
ment had negotiated directly with the
Porte instead of calling upon selfish medi-
ators, who will seek only their own ends.
The Powers really made the war by pre-
venting Greece from settling her own
difficulties.
1t is pretty evident now that when a
ettlement is reached it will include some
so-called ratification of the Thessalian
frontier, despite the opposition of Eng
land, and, perhaps of France. This
means, of course, that Greece will lose a
slice of. territory. The government or
gans of the English press are already pre-
pairing public opinion for this fresh de-
monstration of the impotence of Great
Britain in European affairs. There is
cynical amusement in the fact that those
English enemies of Greece are now earn
estly hoping for a revival of her arms in
| order to break the obstinacy of the Sultan
and preserve the present map of Europe.
Desperate fighting was in progress all
day yesterday near Griboro, on the road
to Fillippadia in Epirus. Two brigades
of Greeks, with many guns two compa-
MES of sappers and a squadron of cavalry,
attacked the Turks, who were almost
without artillery. The Greeks forced the
first Turkish line of defence, but met with
a stubborn resistance at the second. The
| fighting ceased at o. clock last night.
The Greeks have occupied various heights
| in the neighborhood. Twenty five officers
and 400 men are hors de combat The
battle will be resumed today. At the
same time the gunboat fiotilla was attack
ing Metropolis from inside the Gulf of
Ambracia, with simultaneous attack
proceeding from the land side The
| Turkish batteries replied vigorously and
firmly resisted the attack. The coming
on of darkness stopped the engagement.
All the Greek efforts are now concentrated
| upon capturing Metropolis and Prevessa
| before advancing to Pentepighadis.
In an interview yesterday, M. Rail, the
| premier, repeated his statement that hui
manitarian motives are responsible fol
the advance into Epirus, but he did not
deny the advantages which might be
hoped for from the capture of Prevessa
and the occupation of the adjoining
Turkish territory. eve are still at war, y
he said land until an armistice is con-
cluded Greece retains her liberty of action
| We cannot allow our activity to be con
fined to Thessaly, where the Turks are pre-
ponderant. The Powers have hindered us
from acting in Crete, but Greece cannot
be barred everywhere, nor compelled tc
restrict her operations to limited area u
| A Demented Man With Two Guns.