Griggs courier., 1897-07-09
a LEAF FROM TURK HISTORY.


a LEAF FROM TURK HISTORY.
The Heroic strsxxle Asalnst the
Turks IN lS2l.
Seventy years ago Greece had q far
more terrible baptism of fire than she
is experiencing now, and her independ-
ence was plucked from q most desper-
ate situation. 1t was, in fact, the re-
suit Of the arrogance of the Turks
after they had overrun all Greece and
captured Athens. The Greek war for
freedom broke out in 1921, and in the
Pel0ponnesus the insurgents were SO
successful that independence was de-
clared in the following year. In strong
contrast with the strategy Of the pres
ent struggle, the Greek fleets of that
day, commanded by Canaris and
Miaulis, destroyed many Turkish ships.
In vengeance for disasters sustained
at sea the Turks massacred the inhab-
itants of the islands of Chios, Kasos and
Psara. A fear. that the Turks would
destroy the towns captured during the
last month, and lombard their inhab-
itants, has doubtless restrained the
Greek fleet during this war. In 1924
the sultan called the Egyptians to his
aid, and the Greeks were soon reduced
to extremities. /
Far more thrilling and terrible were
the events of that period, when Georgia
lSas, penned in a monastery, blew up
the building, killing himself and fol-
lowers, and a thousand Turks as well.
There was no pretense then Of Turk
ish forbearance. The Greek patriarch
at Constantinople was hanged ut the
gate of his palace, with an Easter lily
in his hand, and Christian families
were slaughtered in every quarter of
the city. On the island of Psara oc-
CURED the blowing up of the 1nonas-
terry of st. Nikaloas. The gates were
opened by the thousand starving men
and women, and when 1000 Moslems
had swarmed in besiegers and besieged
alike were killed by the explosion of
the mine that had been laid. At Mis-
solonghi women dressed as men, with
children strapped to their backs, Joined
band of 1880 and cut their way
through the Turkish army investing
the place. leaving 5000 dead behind.
But the most devoted heroism failed to
turn the tide of defeat, and Athens,
with the Acropolis, which was last to
fall, passed into the possession of the
Turkish army.
1t was at this point that the sultan's
naughty pride in his complete conquest
yielded to Greece indirectly what she
had failed to secure by every conceiv-
able self-sacrifice., The powers of Eu-
rope had not been entirely Indifferent
to the sufferings of Greece, and the
English people especially were stirred
by indignation. In July, 1927, a
protocol was signed at London by Rus
sia and France, in which it was agreed
that if the Turkish government, within
a month, did not consent to a truce, the
three powers would recognize the in
dependence of Greece. Turkey was in
no llumor to concede that it was not in.
vincible, and the Turkish feet ventured
to fire on the ships of tie powers. In
the ensuing general battle in the bay
of Navarino the allied fleets completely
wiped out the Turks, who lost in thai
memorable sea fight not less than 6.0O(
men. Modern Greece dates from that
October day in 1927. = Perhaps the pres
ent sultan will avoid the mistake of his
predecessor, but his armies have sud.
denly acquired tremendous idea OF
their superiority. - St. Louis Globe.
Democrat.