Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-18
BITS OF GREEK HISTORY.

At this time when the little king.
dom OF Greece apparently 10 at the eve
OF entering upon another unequal
struggle for the liberation OF a part OF
her race from oppression. u brief 70.
view OF her past history ID OF interest.
1t took the Turks about one hundred
years, and this when their power waB
Mt the highest, to subdue the Greeks
completely. II was about the year
1900 that ancient Hellns was reduced
to a Turkish province. A couple Of
centuries later the Venetians wrested
the southern part Of the country
from the sultans but were
unable to keep 1t. During
all this time the country was
rich source OF income to the sulianp,
because the Greeks carried on -four.
ishing trade and all the profit beyond
what was necessary ior keeping the
people alive found Its way into the
packets Of the sultans and theiI
officers.
The revolutionary ideas OF the
eighteenth century, however, found
fertile soil In the Greek nation. When
Russia made her threatening move
against Turkey during the reign of
Catherine III, the Greeks prepared IL
strike for their liberty. The Russian
campaign was not quite so successful
na Vra n. n " nj hint n flFaaCa n hah
the effect OF rousine the people,
particularly the young men, to a
consciousness OF their degraded posi-
ton. Numerous patriotic societies
were formed, and in 1921 these
were strong enough to venture an
active struggle with Turkey. The
revolution was commenced which
after nine years OF sanguinary COM
bats ended In the establishment OF the
Greek kingdom.
During the struggle the European
powers generally favored Greece, par.
ticularly France, where the movement
that led to the so.called July Revolu.
ton was disturbing all parts OF society.
Russia on the contrary assumed cool
attitude, for the reason that the c1lrs
themselves dreamt OF the dismember-
ment OF Turkey and hated to see any,
body else take the initiative. In 1895 II
looked ss IL the Turks might win the
day, but when they In the intoxistion
of their anticipated victory visited the
rebellious provinces with blood.
shed under the most barbar.
qua circustsnces, until Europe
became sick Of the daily bulletins OF
the carnival of blood, the powers
exerted themselves In ConstAntinople
in behalf OF humanity. This, how.
ever, did not have the slightest effect,
and finally the foreign sdmlrals were
authorized to destroy part OF the
Turkish fleet, which they did very
effectively.
The Turks now received aid from
Egypt. Mehemed All sent his
son Ibrahim Pasha with well
equipped army over to Greece. and
he insurgents, now between two fires,
leemed doomed to defeat. In this
,risis Gear Nicholas made his attack
IN Turkey, not in order to aic the
jreek, but to carry OFT the program
II Russia to advance towards the
Dlrdanelles. This esved the Greeks.
N 1880 the sultan was compelled to
:ecognize the Greek kingdom.
1t was only small part, though, OF
Greek territory that obtained auton.
omy. The rest remained under
Turkish msrule. The patriotic so.
sleties in the liberated country now
became Panhellenic association
with the project of ultimately uniting
III Turkish provinces containing n
srge Greek population. This pro.
ram has never been abandoned. In
1852 Great Britain presented SONS Of
he Ionian islands to Greece ne a mark
II good will to the newly elected
ing.
In 1868 an inturrection occurred on
Crete. perhaps instigated by The