The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-12
THE CRISIS In The EAST.
FOREIGN TROOPS LANDED IN
CRETE.TO.PROTECT MOsLEMs

forts to Reach the Refugees-LondOn
Bankers Say there VIII be No War.
Lord Salfsbury's Speech on the Situa.
tion-Danger on the Grecian.T arkish
Frontier.
here from Crete this morning say that
the siege Of Kandamo has been raised
and the foreign warships have landed
attachments Of marines with Maxim
guns to insure the safety of the Mos
lens who were besieged.
Prince George, commanding the Greek
fotilla, has been ordered to leave Crete
for the island of Skiathos, in the Gre
clan archipelago.
The government contempIateS the
formation of the foreign legion of
troops, comprising persons other than
Greeks, who desire to enter the mill
tary services of Greece.
Canea, March 0.-The Mussulmans
who were besieged by the insurgents
at KandamO have arrived here on
board an Italian warship. British and
Italian transports with troops on board
are lying off this place.
Cologne, March 1O.-The Gazette pub
fishes a special dispatch from Gambia,
Crete, under yesterdays date, which
says that fighting between the force of
Bashi Bazouks and a band Of insur-
gents has taken place before the gateS
Of that town, in which the Bashi Ba-
ZOuks lost sixty of their number killed
and wounded. The fire continues and
the evaporation on both sides in
creases. It is probable that the insur-
gents will set fire fO the town If thew
are able to do so.
London, March 10.-The leading Lon
don bankers now express their belief
that there will be no war in the east
and a general feeling Of confidence is
returning.
Sir William Harcourt, the leader of
the opposition in the house of COM
mons, has altered the pessimistic tone
Of his utteranceS, n 1t is supposed
that his change of front is due to his
having learned that negotiations be-
tween England and France in regard
to Egypt are being continued.
In the house of commons today Mr..
G. N. Curzon, parliamentary secretary
to the foreign office, said in answer to
a question by Sir William HarcOurt,
the leade Of the opposition, that the
government had not heard that Greece
had made or was intending to make a
reply supplementary to her answer to
the identical note of the powers in re-
gard to the Greek occupation Of Crete,
a cessation of which the powers de-
manded. Mr.. Curzon read a telegram
from the British consul at Canea, Sir
Abillotti, announcing the relief from a.
position of great peril of 523 men, Loaf
women and childrne, $40 soldiers and
1 900 Mussulman refugees who had been
besieged at KandamO by Christian in
surgents. The dispatch added that the
rescued persons were embarking on
~-- -x~--L:-- - H. r,Is4 ~1o40
the consul said, was in danger of being
attacked by Christians after the de-
parture Of the w%arships with the refu-
gees. :
Athens, March 10Th Greek gov
has instructed it's representa-
tives abroad to protest against the ex-
pulsion Of Greek subjects from Canea
as an arbitrary violation on the part
of the powers of international law.
Paris, March 10.-The Temps publish
es the announcement hat active negO-
tiations have been opened with a view
to the organization of a new regime
in Crete, and intimates hat the French
government is especially concerned in
the giving Of a satisfactory reality to
the scheme for autonomous admins
tratiOn of the affairs of the island.
London, March 1O.-At the dinner of
associated chamber Of commerce,
which was held this evening, Lord Sal
isbury delivered an address in which
he referred briefly to the crisis which
has been reached in the affairs Of
lordship said it must be remembered
that the British government could not
be guided in their policy by personal
sympathies or religious prOclivities and
sentiments. They were the trustees of
a great nations interests and Obliga-
tons, which they were bound to MAIN
tain above everything else. If they
manfully did their duty under the cir
cumstances it would promote, as no
other course of conduct could do, free
dom and justice, and, above all, euro
pean peace, upon which all commerce.,
industry and well-being must depend.
London, anuary 10.-The Daily News
tomorrow will publish a dispatch from
Canea saying that the Mussulmans who
had been besieged at KandamO and
who have arrived at Canea were con-
veyed there IN board the Italian trans
port Trinicia, and that another vessel
is expected to arrive shortly with more
refugees. The force which relieved the
beleagured inhabitants of KandamO
also assisted 122 soldiers who were be-
sieged in the Spaniko block house.
A dispatch also say that the arrival
Of the Trinicia with her load of refu-
gees had created a deep impression in
Canea. One of the chief beys says it
is impossible to expre the gratitude
felt by the Moslems toward England.
The Daily News correspondent re-
lates the story Of the rescue of the be-
leaguered residents of upon
the authority of the officers of the Tri-
nicia, the Turkish governor at Kan
damo and others. His account Jays the
utmost credit is due to Sir A. BilliottO,
the British consul at Canea, who man
aged the entire affair personally. With
out him, the correspondent says, the
besieged people could never have es-
capped. In the first instance. he went
alone to Kandamo after comforting
with the Cretan leaders. who expressed
doubt of their ability to control their
followers.
The place was surrounded by 1000
| Cretans, who kept up a continuous fu-
sillade, which sometimes was replied
to by a light fire. Consul BilliottO en-
tered the town and remained until
night fall, when, having become con-
WINGED of the absolute necessity of en-
ploying a force of Europeans to effect
the release Of the beleagured ones. he