The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-16

LONDON, May 15.-The sultan's re-
ply to the note Of the ambassadors at
Constantinople, offering mediation, say
ing he would be ready to discuss the
matter after the greater Bairam fes-
tival, which ends on Sunday night.
justifies the fear that the powers have
drawn genii out of the war, that will
not be easy to get back. Abdul Ham
ids answer is cool, almost to the verge
of insolence. 1t is that of a sovereign
with a powerful army behind him, anu
he is disposed to treat the powers
cavalierly. Articles published in the
semi-official press of the continent
show that the increase in the prestige
of the sultan is the chief concern OF
the European cabinets, and that the
prospects of am effective enforcement
Of general reforms for the Turkish en-
pire are thereby relegated to the very
distant future.
The Journal des Debats declares
that the result Of the war has been
to place Turkey in a position she has
not held for the past half century, add
ing "her tremendous military effort is
largely in excess of what the struggle
against Greece requires. 1t was done
to refute the allegation of decrep1tude
and to demonstrate to the sultan's own
subjects and to those of the smaller
states, and to the great powers, that
Turkey is able to hold her own against
other dangers than war with
Greece"
The British, Russian and Austrian
newspapers echo these remarks, and
it is generally felt that this fact will
h. i,, hn
tiations upon the conditions of peace.
In the meanwhile the postponement of
the sultan's reply until after the
Bariam is Interpreted as meaning that
his majesty intends that his army shall
continue its victorious advance until
every strategic point on the Othrya
mountain range is in the hands Of tbs
Turks, and that only then will Edhem
Pasha receive orders to stop fighting.
The resumption Of fighting by the
Greeks in Epirus is regarded as fool
ish move, and only furnishes Turkey
with a plausible motive for refusing
an armistice It also hinders the prog
ress Of the peace negotiations.
The chancellories are also occupied
with the difficult problem Of how
Greece will pay the war indemnity
which Turkey seems certain to demand
NJ Delyannis, the former Greek pre-
mier, in his newspaper, Sanguinely, ar,
CUES that Greece cannot be expected
to pay an indemnity because the Turks
declared war officially without provo
cation" This view Of the question Is
not shared elsewhere, and an interna-
| tional commission to administer the
| finances Of Greece on the lines Of the
similar Turkish commission Is mooted.
| The Greek commission will, it is pro
! posed, sit at Athens and take over the
| Greek customs for the purpose of the
Greek debt, and possibly for the war
| indemnity.
ATHENS, May ia private dis
| patch from Arta, just received here,
says that the Turkish garrison at
| Prevesa, at the northern entrance OF
the Gulf of Arta, which has been be-
sieged by the Greek land and sea forces
| almost from the outbreak of the war
has sent the Greek archbishop and five
rotabilities Of Prevesa TO the comman-
Ger of the besieging Greek army with
message saying that the Turkish
force is ready to capitulate to the regu.
| lar forces Of Greece.
PARIS, May 15.-It is stated that the