The sun., 1897-05-06
The Military Situation in Thessaiy.

The Military Situation in Thessaly.
The report of the interview Of the cor.
respondent of lie Journal of Paris with
Prince CONSTANTINE at Pharsala, tele-
graphed by our London correspondent yes
terday, tends rather to mystify than
elucidate the question as to who was
responsible for the order for the
retreat of the Greeks from the from
tier and Larissa to Pharsala. Like
the order for the Balaklava charge, no one
will care to assume the responsibility;
and it will remain one of the ,nys-
teries Of military history. The italian
disaster in Abyssinia was traced to
Signor CRIsPI, and perhaps it is not
unfair to assume that there was some un-
derhand meddling from Athens with the
conduct Of the campaign, by some one who
had confidential agent among those
composing the stan of the Crown
Prince who have been recalled. The mat
ter is only Of interest now as it may affect
the future of the campaign. In the alb
sence of any proper Notifications and
preparations for siege at Larissa, to fall
back upon Pharsala was the best course
to take. 1t has heightened out the
enemy's communications over q con-
siderable distance in a country desti-
tute of supplies, and where every increase
to his force augments the difficulty of pro-
visioning it. The repeated repulses in
ficted by the Greeks at Velestino will
diminish the prestige and spirit OF
the Turks unless counterbalanced by
compensating successes elsewhere; and as
vat cod TIa
direct from Gen. SMoLESITs. command
ing the Greek division holding Veles-
tino, speaks Of a terrible baptism of
blood received by his troops, from
which it is TO be inferred that the Turkish
attack was sustained and in force. From
this it appears that the fighting quality of
his men is unimpaired, and that their teeth
are set to hold their ground.
From the persistence with which EDHEM
Pasha is pus hing the attack of Velestino,
regardless of the sacrifice of men, it is evil
dent that he attaches the highest impor-
tance to its possession, which is required to
enable him to carry out the consequent
movements against the centre of the
Greek line. From various indications, it
would appear that the Greeks are Great
ing strong position at Dhomoko, on the
road from Pharsala to Lamia, through
the Furka defile on the Othrys noun
tains Supposing the Turks to force
the positions in and about Phar-
sala, they would gain little by following
the Greeks to Dhomoko while Velestino and
Volo were held in force by the Greeks. The
range of hills covering Volo toward the plain
of Thessaly offer strong points of defence
II supported by the fire of the heavy guns
of the ironclads, and in the triangle formed
by Volo, Velestino, and Armyros, sup
ported by the fleet, it would be pos
sible to organize a movable column that
would seriously threaten the Turkish COM
between their advance and
Larissa. The delay of the Greek Government
in replying to the reported offers of media
tion by some of the powers is presuma-
bly, owing TO the desire to put the military
on a good footing and so offer a
practical refutation to the boast of the
Turks and their friends that the march to
Athens was only an affair Of a week. The
alleged proposal by Lord SALISBURY, sup
ported by France, that the status quo
should be unqualihedly restored in Thes-
sally and Epirus, would probably be resisted
ny tuc uuu tHtH arise tne
which, it is allowable to be-
lieve, have been played for all along.
The capture of that well.known Turko-
phile, Sir ELLIS AsHMEAD BARTLETT, a
British NJ. p, with compromising papers
In his possession, on board Turkish craft
near Platamona, on the Greek coast, by
Greek cruiser, introduces a comic element
into the situation. 1t Is difficult to under
stand what part this gentleman could be
acting but that will be revealed in due
time, when the contents of the papers are
made known.