The record-union., 1897-03-31
King George Of Greece Sends a Message
to the Gar Of Russia,
Saying It is Impossible to Yield to
Demands of the Powers.

Crete Would Fail to Satisfy the
Greeks, Who Are So Imbued With
the War Spirit That Nothing Short
of Severe Blood-Letting Will Serve
to Cure Them.
CONSTANTINOPLE, March Bore
ports from Turkish headquarters at
Elassona say that the Greek leader,
Alexis Taxi, brother of the famous
chieftain, crossed the frontier into
Macedonia last Sunday, accompanied
by about twenty-five followers.
Near Grevna the Greeks engaged the
advance post of the Turkish troops,
commanded by German officer
The Turks lost twelve men killed and
had twenty wounded including the
German officer. The loss of the insur-
gents is not known. They subsequently
returned across the border into Greek
territory.
1t is difficult to see how war between
Greece and Turkey can be avoided 1t
is rumored in diplomatic circles here
that King George sent a message to
the Car saying it is impossible for
Greece to yield to the Powers regarding
Crete, and it is equally impossible to
recall the Greek troops from Thessaly
in view of the excited condition of the
public mind
1t is believed that even the annexa-
tion Of Crete would fail to satisfy the
Greeks, who are so imbued with the
war fever that nothing short of severe
blood letting will cure them
The Greeks, it is further believed,
greatly under estimate the strength of
the Turkish forces in Macedonia and
Epirus. Edhem Pasha, the Turkish
Commander-in -in-Chief, now has at his
disposal about 100000 fighting men and
800 Krupp guns. He also has an ample
supply of ammunition, a fair commits
sary and his medical staff and hospital
corps are in satisfactory condition. All
the strategic points on the frontier are
occupied, defended by newly thrown UP
earthworks and other defenses, and
are supplied with powerful batteries of
artillery.
To attack this line of defense, it is
understood the Greeks cannot muster
Ocs'CV l.
lars, although some estimates here have
it that the Greeks may be able to mus
ter so 600 men in ALL counting the has
tily armed peasantry and the raw re-
cruits and rough reserves which they
have been pushing toward the frontier
for a month past. This force is known
to be weak in cavalry, and especially so
in artillery, in which arms the Turks
are Overwhelmingly strong. 1t is true
that the Greeks are animated by a
warlike spirit and a degree of enthu-
siasm rarely before witnessed, but war;
like enthusiasm cannot prevail against
big battalions and heavy and numer-
Gus batteries of artillery
Thus it is that the Turkish officials
are calmly awaiting the outbreak of
war, if war is to come, confident that
every step possible has been taken to
meet the emergency
MORE TROOPS FOR THE POWERS.
LONDON, March 30.-The following
semi official announcement was made
this evening: In consequence of the
request of the Admirals it has been
decided that a further battalion of 600
men be forthwith sent to Crete by each
Power
The Welsh Fusileers at Malta have
been ordered to be ready to sail imme-
diately. Otherwise. the situation as re-
CARDS the action of the Powers is un-
changed
1T has not yet been decided to de-
mand the withdrawal of the Greeks and
Turkish forces from the frontier, such
course appearing impracticablc at the
present moment"
AS to the Cretan situation proper. it
is understood that the Admirals in COM
mand of foreign fleets in Cretan wat
ers are Of the opinion that. now that
Greece has virtually completed her war
preparations on the frontier of Thes-
sally. blockade of the principal Greek
ports would be useless, thus bearing.
out the forecasts previously made in
these dispatches that the refusal of
Great Britain to take active part in the
blockade of Greece might lead to the
collapse of that scheme to prevent an
outbreak of hostilities
Under these circumstances. all the eff
forts Of the ambassadors of the Powers
here are now being directed toward
prevailing upon the Turkish Govern
ment to advise the Sultan to withdraw
the Turkish troops from Crete as an
other sop to Greece. and as another
attempt to prevent war and, in addi-
tion, the ambassadors are endeavoring
to prevail upon Greece and Turkey to
agree to the establishment of neutral
line between the opposing Turks and
Greeks on the frontier
The ambassadors have made strong
representations to the Porte in favor
of permitting the immediate departure
of those of the Mussulmans in Crete
who have expressed a desire to emf
CRATE, and this will probably be agreed
to- but as to the withdrawal of Turkish
troops, the Sultan has not yet shown
any disposition to submit to that de-
mand.
The Austrian Government upon the
representations of the Porte. has pro-
hibited the importation from Trieste of
seven millions of cartridges which were
in course of shipment to Greece. The
representatives of Greece have protest
ed against this action upon the part of
the Austrian Government, claiming it
is illegal and arbitrary, as no state of
war exists. 1t is not likely that the
protest will have any effect
The work of preparing for the de-
fense of Salonica is now said to have
been completed. and all danger of an
attack upon this Turkish base of sup
plies is believed to have passed.
GREEKS ATTACK FORT IZZIDEN
CANEA. March 30.-The Greeks to-
day attacked Fort Izzden, which domi-