Evening star., 1897-06-15

A Comparison Favorable to King
Georges Troops.

A Comparison FnvOrH bic to King
Georges Troops.
Correspondence Of the London Chronicle.
Anybody dropped into Larissa from the
clouds could tell it was the headquarters
Of a considerable force. The streets are
crowded with soldiers, the bugle is heard
all about 1t, orderies are trotting about,
the square Is covered with little tin tables,
at which the officers are taking their cof-
fee or mastic, and finally there is not
| bed to be had in the town for love or
| money. This last however. does not trou-
BILE NE. as 1 had already determined to
push on the same night to point much
nearer the frontier But first / called upon
Prince Nicholas and General Macris, to
both OF whom l brought letters from his
royal highness the crown prince and from
whom accordingly 1 received a warm wei
come and very gre at kindness in enabling
me to see as much as possible in the short
time ventured to be away frcm Athens.
Unless they are either extremely good or
extremely bad, soldiers are much the same
all over the world-certainly soldiers rails
ed by conscription are So are barracks
SO are Krupp guns, SO is the drill of a bat
terry OF artillery. ! examined all these in Lar
issa, and the material part of them could
not have been much better. The barracks
were admirable In their construction, be-
ing comparatively new, and better ven
tilated. with view to the hot climate,
than aEy have seen. The cavalry stables
! were equally good, and as sweet as dairy
Each horse is left bed of litter q foot
thick all day In winter, only the soiled sur
face being removed. This is very different
from our own plan. but the difference IS
DUE l susoect, to the necessity of great
warmth In winter for horses that have to
bear 60 very hot a summer. The bores of
the Krrpps shone like the inside of a WELL
kept Purdey. and the breech opened at a
touch. In matters of this kind there was
no slovenliness whatever to criticise. OF the
I hon nnIx 20
vorable verdict can be given. though, of
course. with the limitations that will sug-
gest themselves to everybody as obvious
The men are capital raw material-what
| the Germans SO hideously call Kanonenfut-
| ter. They are mostly accustomed to the
| life Of hard work; soldering, except of
course. on the battlefield, means no addi-
tional prtvatfon to them; they are strong
good tempered, perfectly confident, and one
and all glad to be going to the front That
| last fact Is almost enough Of itself to make
an army.
They arrive at Larissa in trainfuls: thay
march singing through the streets to a
central depot, where each receives a large
bundle, on.aining his uniform and equip
this bundle under an arm. and the new
boots on. they march to the barracks, aid
an hour afterward they issue forth cloth
ed for the ranks. and looking exactly like
French soldiers. though with a notice.
ably higher standard Of physical vitality.
A pale face is rare thing in the Greek
army The infantry drill was really mucn
better than had hoped to see and 1 was
specially struck by the intelligence dis
played by the non-commissioned officers
q very good sign. For instance in volley
nring they were constantly looking over
| the mems shoulders at unexpected mo-
ments to see that their sights were fixed
according to the command, and the very
careful way In which man aimed along
his empty rife showed that he realized
that before long there would be a Turk on
the foresight. These are trifling details
and OF course do not in themselves cali
for any praise, but 1t is easy to see larger
armies where such things are done me-
chemically and listlessly. The uniforms
ere good and warm and ample-not, of
course, with the fit of Aldershot, but up
to ordinary continental standard.
The Turkish post was $50 yards away
obliquely across the top Of the range. A
little distance away from 1t was a broken
down sort Of cabin. and as soon as the
Turks saw that Lieut.. Tricoupi, my com
making for it. the lieutenant In command,
the custom house officer. and two or three
men left the post hurriedly. and went there
to receive us. They evidently did not
wish us to approach toe near the post IT.
SELF. Greetings were exchanged, with
semi nonchalance on the
Greek side and lowering embarrassment
on the other, but were interrupted when
the Turkish officer caught sight of the
man carrying my little camera. He few
into passion and stormed, and hurried
Tie HIGH pdCh u tle HTeek quarters. linen
he became friendly again. Really 1 could
not blame him. He was not at all fixed
to have his picture taken. To begin al the
top, his fez was very old and soiled; he
had not been shaved for days, and half
an iEch of gray srubbly beard-for he
must have been a man Of fifty-gave him
an appallingly shastly appearance; his
tunic was like eirty old dressing gown
with half the buttons gone: his under.
clothing would have affrighted Mrs Moss:
his trousers were green with age, soiiei
and tern and tucked into rough peasants
ancient slippers. Truly he was q pitiable
sight. and he knew 1t. Indeed, standing
beside Tr;coupi, spick and span as French
stan officer on Sunday. from the bright
gold lace In Ills cap to his white Rfoyes
shining revolver case, gl.uering .scabbarti
and neat riding boots, ne could not but be
ser sible OF the comparison