The herald., 1897-02-13
GREECE HAS DETERMINE
Turkish Troops Shall Not Land
in Crete
THE POW ERS ALSO DECIDE
That Greece May Annex the Island II
She Can
A Oreco-Turkish War Is Almost Certain.
II is Entirely Certain That Europe
VIII Not Interfere
Associated Press Special Wire

Greek government had decided to pre-
vent the Turkish troops from debarking
in Crete by all the means in its power.
| ATHENS, Feb. 12.-(Copyright, 1879
The warlike excitement has increased
with the departure of troops for the
frontier and the equipping of additional
war vessels for service in Cretan waters.
| Nobody seems to doubt that a clash at
arms will occur between Greece and
Turkey unless the powers intervene, but
it is believed here that Greece will be
given a free hand in Crete and that If
she succeeds in anneXing that island her
right to do so will not be questioned by
the rest of Europe.
1t is quite certain that King George
has not acceded without consulting his
friends to sending torpedo flotilla into
Cretan waters with instructions to pre-
vent at all hazards the landing of Turk
ish troops in Crete.
The porte is understood to have ap-
pealed to the powers to restrain Greece
in this emergency, but nothing further
| is known of the policy Turkey is adopt
| ing. though it is reported that large
| force of Turkish troops is assembling at
Salonika for embarkation to Crete, that
| there is great activity in military circles
| on the Turkish frontier and that por-
| ton of the Turkish fleet is being prepar-
| ed for active service.
| Advices received here from Canea say
| that Gorgi Berovitch Pasha, the Turk
| ish governor of Crete, sought refuge last
| night in the Greek consulate at Canea.
| fearing the anger Of Mussulmans and
| dreading arrest 1t is understood that
| Berovitch Pasha had previously tender
| ed his eciOna ri0n and that the sultan
| had refused to accept it.
| In reply to the request from the Turk
| ish minister here, Assim Bey, made yes
| terday for an explanation of the de-
| parture of the Greek fiotilla for Crete
| ard the issuing of the note to the powers,
| stating in brief that Greece cannot re-
main inactive in view of the present out
I RACES upon Christians in Crete, the gov
| ernment of Greece says that the meas
| ures taken are due to a desire not to dis
courage the Christians from occupying
Halepa at a moment when an attack
upon that town is threatened
| The town of Canea is now said to be
tolerably quiet, but from four to five
thousand insurgents are near there
| awaiting reinforcements. When the re-
| Inducements arrive, it is stated the in
surgents will attack Canea in force
1t is known here that the Turkish Of
ficials in CEete have'reported to the porte
tnaI II is aDSUlutely lllpOSSlDlt u pdClly
| the island without very large force OF
troops and the occupation of every town.
| village and mountain stronghold in the
| country The hatred which has always
| existed between Mussulmans and Chris
| tians has been famed into fever heat by
| the recent collisions between the insur-
gents and the Turks and this feeling
| has been still further intensified by the
proclamation of the independence of
| Crete from Turkish rule and its union
| with the kingdom of Greece.
| Conflicts of a more or less serious na-
| ture are reported from many parts of
the island, and Heraklion is said to have
| been set on fire a a number of points
| The foreign fleets have left Canea for
! Heraklion, which seems to confirm the
report that it is now the center of dis
| turbance.
| Other reports say that the situation
! at Retimo is almost as serious as at
| Heraklion. The Turks at Retimo re-
! fuse to allow the Christians to leave the
place until a detachment of 100 Turkish
| soldiers and forty Mussulmans, who are
| held at Amari as hostages, are re-
| leased.
The opinion expressed in official cir
oles here is that nothing short of
landing of bluejackets and marines
| from the foreign fleets will subdue the
| insurrection, and it is not believed the
| powers can agree to take this step. I'M
| der these circumstances therefore,
| Greece feels justified in the course she
! has adopted even in the event of con
| flct with Turkey.
| The report that Breat Britain will, If
| necessary take the initiative in prevent
| ing the Greek war vessels from actively
| interfering in Crete is not believed here.
| 1t is thought that any action that may
| be taken will be by Great Britain. Rus
| sia and France in common, but it is con-
| fidently reported that these powers have
| decided to allow Greece TO have her own
| way in the matter,
The insurgents Of Crete. acting in
| concert with the foreign consuls, have
| declared Halepa to be neutral territory,
| which must not be infringed upon with
! out twentyfour hours notice.
| The commanders of the foreign war
| ships have obtained the promise of The
| Greek admiral that he will give forty
| hours notice of any attack which ne
| may determine to maks upon Canea.
AUSTRIAN INTENTIONS.
! VIENNA, Feb. 12-The semi-oGcial
| Fremden batt today says: Greece must
| be restrained from going any further
/ Austria has already acted, and the other
| powers will not be backward. They will
| not assist Greece nor hinder Turkey in
| sending troops and responding with hos
| tilities to the aggressive action OF
| Greece.
| PRINCE GEORGE ARRIVES.
| LONDON, Feb. pa dispatch to the
| Times from Canea announces that four
| boats belonging to the torpedo 1otilla
| and the transport commanded by Prince
| George of Greece have arrived in the
| harbor of Canea.
| 1t is also reported that the Italian of
| ticer attached to the new gendarmerie
who went to Kisamo for the purpose of
investigating the alleged atrocities there,
! has returned to Canea and fully con-
| firmed the dispatches of several days
| ago. In these reports it was announced
| that the Mohammedan inhabitants had
| been besieged in their houses a Kisamo
| Firing in the streets finally followed and
! % persons were killed, the bodies re-
naming unburied for several days. This
Italian officer says in his report: Firing
by the Christians in the streets caused
a stampede of the Mohammedans Only
a few Of the Christians were wounded. l
did not see any corpses. Most OF the
bodies had been removed or buried, but
their names have been recovered, and
the evidence as to the number Of the
killed and wounded has not been exag-
gerated.
According to reports received al Canea
Turkish warship arrived at Kisamo
on Wednesday and was Immediately
| fired on by the Christians. The Moham-
medan population is now shut up In
! Kisamo fortress, where six Christians
have also taken refuge.
Reports from every quarter in Crete