The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-15
GREEKS STILL FIGHTING
viii Not Cease Hostilities Until an
Armistice Is Declared.
PREMIER RALLI'S STATEMENT.

"Though Kindred From Acting I'm
Crete, Greece Cannot Be Restricted
to a Limited Area''-The Attitude
of Greece May Prolong the War.
London, May ia dispatch from
Arta says: Desperate fighting was in
progress all day yesterday near Girl
boro, on the road to Filippiada. Two
brigades Of Greeks with many guns,
two companies of sappers and squad
ron of cavalry attacked the Turks.
who were almost without artillery. The
Greeks forced the first Turkish line Of
defense, but met with a stubborn re-
sistance at the second. In several
places the bayonets were so close to
the cannon that they (the bayonets)
could not be used.
The fighting ceased last night, and
the Greeks have occupied various
heights In the neighborhood. Twenty
five officers and 400 men are hors de
combat. The battle was resumed to-
day.
Since o'clock the gunboat flotilla
has been attacking Nicopolis from in
side the gulf of Ambracsa, with ST.
land side. The Turkish batteries re-
piled vigorously, and firmly resisted the
attack. The coming on of darkness
stopped the engagement.
All the Greek efforts are now con-
centrated upon capturing Nicopolis
and Prevesa before advancing to Pen
tepighadia.
The correspondent of The Times at
Athens says: The resumption of Of
fensive operations in Epirus greatly
complexities the situation and tends to
hamper the negotiations for peace. The
evident intention of the Greek COM
manders Is to capture the Turkish po-
sitions there, in order to show that
they have not been defeated.
In an interview yesterday M. Ralli,
the premier, repeated his statement
that humanitarian motives are respon-
sble 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. I'VE are
still at war;" he said land until an
armistice is concluded Greece retains
her liberty of action. We cannot al
low our activity to be confined to Thes-
sally, where the Turks are preponder-
ant. The powers have hindered us
from acting in Crete but Greece can
not be barred everywhere, nor COM
PEELED to restrict her operations to
limited arena.
I'VE have done our best to obtain
an armistice, and until it is accorded
we must act where and when we can,
If we have not already prosecuted the
war at various points and among the
islands of the Aegean 1t is only because
we have taken into consideration the
sufferings to which the Greek popula-
ton might be subjected"
The government apparently thinks
that a renewal of the war will hasten
instead of retard the armistice. This
calculation may prove to be correct,
but it is more likely that Turkey will
seize uDon 1t as an excuse for de-
laying the armistice and will deal a
cruching blow in Thessaly.
Except for the fighting in Epirus the
Turko- Hellenic situation is virtually
unchanged from what it was yester-
day. 1t is toerably certain that only
a few Greek troops remain in Domo-
kos, the bulk of Constantine army
having withdrawn to LAMA, where it
will be in closer communication with
General Smolenski. This probably eI.
plains the reported movements of the
Turkish army, as a number of Edhem
Pasha's troops have been marching
from Trikkala to Volo.
The fighting in Epirus has been in
decisive. 1t is believed that Nicopolis
is not yet captured, but only the
heights commanding the town. The
Greeks made pretext of the protec-
ton of the peasants, but they evidently
have information as to the reasons for
the apparent inactivity of the Turks
in Enirus. This is the seventh time
the Greeks have attempted to advance
to Janina and have met with a repulse,
which the Turks have never followed
up.