The herald., 1897-04-11
WAR DOGS
LET LOOSE
And Threaten to Tear One
Another
A RUMOR AT MIDNIGHT
May Prove Fact or Fancy at
NOTHING SHORT OF REAL WAR
COULD MAKE THE EUROPEAN
SITUATION MORE GRAVE
The Greek Soldiers, Hot With Memo
ries Of the scio Massacre, Are
Not Likely to Submit
to Restraint

Associated Press Special Wire.
LONDON, April 1o.-(Copyright, 1871
A dispatch to the Observer from Rome
says that 1t was reported at midnight
that war had been declared between
Turkey and Greece.
Short Of an actual declaration Of war
between Greece and Turkey the situa-
tion coud not possibly be graver than 1t
is. Tomorrow is the seventy-ffth ami
versary Of a day the Greeks have only
too great cause to remember with hor-
ror-the massacre by the Turks Of 10000
of the inhabitants of the island Of Scio
during the war Of independence. The
memory Of this, in connection with the
little the powers have done by their
vaunted concert Is not likely to put the
Greeks in the humor to withdraw now,
even though King George and his min
listers are surprised at the immense
army Turkey has unexpectedly put upon
the frontier, well armed and ordered,
in spite of her supposed want Of re-
sources, and may forsee the futility Of
fighting Turkey If the powers are de-
termined, as they threaten, that neither
combatant shall get any advantages
therefrom. Whether. once fighting COM
mences, the powers will be able to ex-
ecute their threat, 10 a question OF the
future. The danger OF the situation is
In the fact that Turkey is undoubtedly
anxious to give the Greeks lesson and
has only thus far been prevented from
doing 50 by the influence of the powers
The orders which Edhem Pasha, the
Turkish commander-in-c chief. received
from Constantinople when the invasion
became known, were speedily to ascer-
tain whether any soldiers of the regular
Greek army were among the insurgents
who crossed the frontier. kilograms
conflict upon this point, but it may be
supposed that Edhem Pasha will not
stop to inquire carefully If there are sus-
pected Greek officers among them. The
country around Krania and Grevena is
very fertile, well wooded and watered,
and crossed by narrow roads, or Bride
paths, where 1t is impossible to move
large bodies of troops, but extremely ia
vora BILE to guerrilla warfare. The Turks
have an entire division of infantry, cav
airy and artillery at Grevena under COM
mand of Hakkia Pasha. Their positions
are much stronger than those of the
Greeks opposite. and 1t is believed it
will tax Prince Constantine to the ut
most to prevent some Of his troops from
flying to the help of their compatriots.
CRETE IGNORED.
Interest in Crete itself will now lapse,
and should war break out the Greek fleet
would Immediately proceed to attack
the Turkish islands. The warships of the
European fleets already there will hard
ly suffice to prevent the Greeks from TAX
ing action.
An ominous rumor received in London
today is that the Duke Of York, who is
captain in the royal navy, is to join the
British squadron after leaving Lord
Wolseley, the commander-in-chief of the
British forces at Gibraltar. The chan
mel squadron was intended to form the
mainstay of the jubilee review, but in
the event of war 1t will be impossible for
the warships composing 1t to take part
in the celebration.
The duke Of Connaught. who COM
mands the Aldershot district, while in
specting the Suffolk regiment today.
previous to its departure for the island
of Malta, to replace the troops which
have been sent to the island Of Crete,
exhorted them. under any circum-
stances, to uphold the prestige Of the
British army.
ToDAY's SITUATION
So far as the powers in the concert are
the position today appears
unchanged from what 1t has been during
the week. 1t is understood that the
blockade of Greece hangs fire because
some of the powers decline to send the
necessary warships, arguing that as
Great Britain possesses the largest fleet
she ought to endure the brunt of the
work.
Great Britain. however, Is reluctant
to constitute herself the policeman of
and to discharge a distasteful
duty. This state of affairs applies also
to France and Italy and certainly to Ad-
miral CanevarO. the Italian officer in
OF. the allied fleets, who offered
to resign rather than take part in the
blockade. In so doing he represented
the feeling of the Italian nation. but in
the interest Of the concert Of powers, he
was advised to remain at his post.
Great Britain. France and Italy favor
which will enable Greece to
recede from her present situation. Rus
sia and Austria appear to be rather un-
decided as to what course to pursue, but
Russia is credited with the desire to
allow the Cretans to decide their fate by
4 plebiscite.
Germany declines to yield on any
point. and besides IL ENCOURAGING Tur-
<ey against Greece. and refuses to con-
lent to the broad scheme Of autonomy