The evening times., 1897-03-03
EUROPE STANDS ON A MINE
Events in Greece May Precipitate
Explosion Any Moment.
WAR is ALMOST INEVITABLE
Nobody Believes the HeIlenes VIII
Obey the Dema nd OF the Powers
TO EvacGate Crete-If Force is
Used the Greeks win Begin Hos
ttljttes in Thessaly.

New York, March "a special cable dis
patch to the Sun from London says: 1t is
no longer possible to deny that the situa-
tion in the East has become one of the ut
most gravity. The Cretan crisis is rapidly
merging into the larger question OF the
fate of the ottoman Empire, and il is be-
coming strongly probable that its radical
solution viii speedily be forced upon Eu-
rope. IL has repeatedly been declared by
Lord Salisbury and other high authorities
during the past year that The only possible
solution of this question is by the swerd.
IL was only a week age that Mr. Baffour
assured the House ofCommons, in the most
Solemn language, that a general European
war was inevitable if the partition of the
Turkish empire was attempted.
The exact limits OF the long-pending
agreement of the powers were made known
last night II was decided to send two
notes TO the Greek government the first
OF which was delivered in Athens last
evening. Ii requests Greece to withdraw
her troops and fleet from Crete within
"a days. No threats are made in this COM
muIdcaIion. If, however, the mandate be
disobeyed, the second note win be dis
patched notifying the intention to employ
coericOn unless the demand be promptly
complied with.
1t is row q matter OF practical certainty
and is uRdcTst God toy the powers themselves,
that Greece VIII refuse TO yield either
10 the request or threat. IL is expected
further that in the event OF any pressure
whatever fIom the powers, She viii de
clare war against Turkey, and within a
few days begin a campaign in Macedonia
aad ThcSsaly. 1t is virtually admitted
that the EoweTs aIe not prepared for any
such exieency, and it is scarcely hoped
that they win Toe able TO deal with il in
harmony. In fact, il is now an open Sc
cret that they have been able 20 reach
the present point Of agreement only with
the greatest difficulty, and that the bonds
which Lold them together at this moment
are Of tie weakest description.
The situation, indeed, is so threatening
that the government made il known pri-
vately to the leaders of the opposition
yesterday, so il is stated in the lobbies
OF the House of Commons, that il would
be unwise and unpatriotic to embarrass
them by serious criticism in the debate on
Crete. Therefore, it was opened by Sir
william Harcourt, in a speech 50 mild and
cOloTless that it astoniShed his followers
until the explanation was puvatc circu-
lated
II should be added that many members
uf the opposition do not share the gov
efnmeuts belief that a general war VIII
follow hostilities between g reece and Tur-
key. Several days OF inactivity may at
ell events be expected before any de
oisive steps are taken, and tension may
relax in the interval
Great Britain meantime, following the
example OF Russia, has begun extTaOrdi-
nay preparations for any eventuality. Dis
patches from all the navy yards in the
kingdom say that work has begun in every
depa rtment on even a great er scale than
when the flying squadron was suddenly
equipped for sea a year ago.