The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-05-19
Terms Of tbe Turks.
Annexation of Thessaly One
Of the Demands.

Constaotinople. May The porte
has replied officially to the note of tbs
powers aud declines to agree to an
armistice until the following conditions
are accepted:
The anDexa,ion Of Thessaly. au in
demnity Of e16.O00.000 Turkish and
the abolition of the capitulations The
porte proposes that plenipoteotiaries OF
the powers meet at Pharsalas TO discuss
I the terms Of peace aud declares that il
these couditious are declined the Turk
ish army will continue to advance
The demand for the annezation Of
Thessaly is based up on the fact that the
province was originally ceded to Greece
on the advice Of the powers with the
object Of ending brigaudage aud Greek
incursions into the Ottoman territory,
the poste believing at that time cession
would attain the objects, but the recent
iocursions Of Greek bands and the
events Immediately preceding the war
have proved to the contrary. This is
the substance of the reply.
The ambassadors met today to con-
slider the por.e's answer. which 10 re-
garded as raising an extremely grave
issue. tits believed that representa-
tioo will be made to the sultan perRon-
ally to induce modification Of these
terms. but it is foreseen that this will
be very difficult. owing to the attitude
Of the powerful Old Turk war party.
II the porte should prove obdorase a
European conference is not improbable,
although at prescott Rassia is opposed
to this.
It is regarded as quite certain itha.
the powers will not consent to retroces
eiop of Thessaly Even Germany is
believed to be resolute on this poiut.
because it would Twelve a violation of
the Berlin treaty aud imperil the peace
Of the Balkans
Altogether the reply Of the porte has
caused the greatest surprise. 1t ap-
pears that during the discussion Of the
note from the powers BY the couucil Of
the snltan's ministers. Jews reached
the council sbat 5000 Greeks had
landsd at Palona and were marching to
Janina With the intention of co-operas-
iog with other forces frcm sAr,a. This
created bad impression among the
ministers
The council Of ministers met again
to-day and the soltan has ordered a
distribution Of troops at various points
along the Salonica railway. Official
dispatches have been received from the
commandant at Janina. who says that g
division Of the Greek forces approach
Jog the town by a narrow gorge from
the direction of Gremenitza. charged
the heights Of Griboro aud Kokonaria.
bat suffered heavily, losing 200 killed.
while on the other side. the Greeks
we're driven back upon Paraskevi.
The commandaut also says tbas fight
ing has occurred at Kumuzades. No
further details are given. except that
all three battles lasted until evening.
and that the imperial troops retained
their positions. The Greeks will proba.
bly, be reinforced, and the fighting re.
newed on the morrow No statement is
made as to the Turkish losses The
Tarkish commander as Luros telegraphs
under yesterdays date as follows:
ssThe outcome on desperate battle.
lasting two days, against force of 49,
900 Greeks. is that the latter have
abandoned tue position of the heights
they had previously captured aud have
withdrawn to the olive groves Of Gre
meni.za.
L7ndon, May IA despatch to
the Daily Mail from Constantinople
says the porte's reply demands 10 its
concluding paragraph. an ex,radision
treaty with Greece, and that the port Of
Vole and Prevesa be open for vessels to
carry food supplies to the Turkish
troops.