Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-25
CANEA IS 'BOMBARDED
GREEK CHRISTIANS ATTACK THE
TURKS
Garrison Puts Besiegers TO Flight
After Both sides Suffer Heavy Loss
Prince Berovitch Seeks Safety in
Austria.
Shot and Shell EXCHANGED.

There has been hot fighting in Crete
More Greek troops have embarked al
Piraeus for the rebellious island Greek
forces, under the command of Prince
Nicolas, have started for Thessaly, and
\ Greek war ship has fired on Turk
tsh transport conveying soldiers of the
Sultan to the Canadian shores. Moreover,
the foreign consuls have been compelled
to abandon Canea and to take refuge ON
the cruisers in the harbor.
This, in few words, records the hap
penings of one of the most sensational
Sundays in the history of modern Europe.
The most startling development of the
highly sensational day was the abandon
ment of Crete by it's Governor. Prince
Berovitch, without asking the consent of
the Sultan, abandoned Canea early in the
morning. and he is reported to have taken
an Austrian Lloyd steamer for Trieste
While there are some excuses for this
startling act of the Prince, it must be
said that it shows cowardly lack of
courage at the time when directing hand
was most needed in the Sultan's turbu-
lent province. There are some who be.
lieve that Austria has had hand in the
affair and that the Vienna government
prompted the departure of Berovitch. In
the meantime Turkey now has no direct
ing hand in Crete, and anarchy, chaos
and rebellion rule in the island.
Foreign ConsuIs Seek Refuge. 4
The day opened ominously enough with
bombardment of Canea by the Chris
tians. From the heights surrounding the
town cannon shot and canister were pour
ed into the fated city, creating the wild
est excitement and alarm. The foreign
consuls found it necessary to fee the
city. Representatives of Greece, Russia,
Austria and France deemed 1t wise to
abandon their consulates and to seek shell
ter in the war ships of their respective ma
tions.
Meanwhile the batteries of the Turkish
fortress replied with vigor to the volleys
of the Christians. Shreking shell and
whistling bullet answered each ether with
venomous rapidity, but the uncovered po-
sition of the Christian fighters left them
easy victims to the craftsmanship of the
protected Turks. The Cretans were final
ly dislodged, after a stubborn and fierce
resistance, and the forces of Abdul Hamid
occupied the Alkrotiri Hills.
Dispatches failed TO give the mortality
on either side, but it is believed that the
combatants suffered severely. Ut is ,evi-
dent the military conduct of affairs at
Canes is not satisfactory to the Porte, ,as
the military governor there has been re-
moved from his post. There is consider
able anxiety regarding his suooassor as
the selection by the Sultan will TO a GER
tain extent give an indication of his future
policy.
At Herakiion the situation is most .seri-
ous- The Christians, fearing a massacre
at the hands of the enraged Turks, are
seeking shelter on the war slriDs. and |
soon none but MohammedAns will be left |
in that town. At Halepa the conditions |
are just as distressing. There WINS fight |
ing there all day, the victims of tine saw
age struggle numbering scores.
Greeke at the British Consulate.
When the Greek consul left Canea with |
his staff he boarded the Greek iron |
clad, Hydra, after placing the refugees
at the consulate under the prOtectian off /
the British consul, who told them to board |.
the Greek war ships. Up to the present |,
time, however, the refugees remain :at i
the British consulate. The closing of the /
Greek consular Office seems to indicaa,e N |,
definite rupture of the relations between II,
Greece and Turkey. The Russian and
French admirals have received Identical
Instructions enjOining upon them the
adoption of energetic measures.
This is probably in accordance with the !,
English proposals which the ambassadors
at ConstantinOpie agreed upon, namely.
the joint naval occupation of Canea. Re-
limo and Heraklion, the removal of the
Greek fleet and the prohibition of the dis
ps itching of the Turkish re-enforcements
20 the Island Of Crete.