The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-18

Constantinople, May 1.-THE Porte
has replied officially to the note of fine
powers ana declines to agree to an armis
tlce until the following conditions are me-
copied: ~
The annexation of 'Thessaly, an indem-
nifty of SIC, 000,0 600 Turkish, and the abo.
lition of capitulations. The Porte pro.
poses that Plenipotcntiaries of the.powers
should meet Mt Phavsalos to discuss the
terms of peace, and declares that if these
conditions are declined the Turkish army
Will continue to advance.
me demand for anne Ration of Thessalv
is based upon the fact that the province
was originally coded to Greece OH the adj
vice OF the powers, with the object of end.
ing brigandage and Greek incursons into
Ottoman territory, the Porte believing at
the time that the cession would attain
these objects, but the recent incursions
of Greek bands and the events immedi
ateiy preceding the war have proved to
the contrary. This is the substance of
the reply.
The ambassadors met to day to consider
the Portes answer, which is regarded ms
raising an extremely grave issue. 1t is
nelieveu that representations will he made
to the sultan personally to induce a mod
liication OF these terms, but it is foreseen
that this will be very difficult, owing to
the attitude of the powerful Oil Turk
war party.
If the Porte should prove obdurate. a
european conference is mot improbable,
although at present Russia is opposed TO
this,
1t is regarded as quite certain that the
powers Will not consent to restoration
of Thessaly. Even Germany is believed
TO he resolnte on this point, because it
would involve a violation of the Berlin
treaty and imperil the, peace of the Bal
kans
Altogether, the reply of the Porte has
caused the greatest surprise. It appears
that during the discussion of the note
from the powers by the council of the
sultnn's ministers, news reached the coun-
Gil that 5000 Greeks had landed Mt Pa
iona, AMI were marching to Janina with
the intention or co operating with other
forces from Arta. This created a had
impression among the ministers.
turkeys council of ministers met again
to-day, and the sultan has ordered dis
triDution OF troops ut various points
along the Salonica railway. Official dis
patches have been received from the com
mandant ut Janina, who says that di-
vision of the Greek forces, approaching
the town by narrow gorge from the di-
rection of Grcmenitza, charged the
heights of Griboro and Kokonara, but
su fered heavily, losing 200 killed, while,
OH the other side, the Greeks were driven
back upon Paraskevi. The commandant
states also that fighting has occurred at
Kumuzades. No further details are given,
except that all these BATTLES lasted until
evening, and that the imperial troops re-
tanned their position, with the probability
that the Greeks will be reinforced and
the fighting renewed on the morrow No
statement is made as TO the Turkish
losses
The Turkish commander at Luros telc.
graphs under yesterdays date ms follows:
The outcome of a. desperate battle,
lasting two days, against II force of TO- 800
Greeks. is that the latter have abandoned
the position on the heights they had pre-.
viously captured. and have withdrawn to
the olive groves of Gremenitzan
London, May IA dis patch to the
Daily Mail from Constantinople saws the
Porte's reply demands in its concluding
paragraph IN eXtradition treaty with
Greece, and that the ports of Volo and
Prevesa be kept open for vessels CARRYING
food supplies to the Turkish troops Ger
many is urging the sultan to insist upon
European control of Greek finances as the
only means of securing the payment of an
indemnity. Representatives of the
Deutsche Bank will arrive next Saturday
to realize on the promise OF important
concessions which the sultar has made to
the bank.