The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-17


Porte has replied officially to the note
of the powers and declines to agree to
an arrnistice until the following condi-
tions are accepted:
The annexation of Thessaly, an in
demnity of f1O,OOO,0OO Turkish, and the
abolition of the capitulations. The
Porte proposes that plenipotentiaries
of the powers should meet at Pharsalos
to discuss the terms of peace, and de-
clares that if these conditions are de-
clined the Turkish army will continue
to advance.
The demand for the annexation Of
Thessaly is based upon the fact that
THE province was originally ceded to
Greece on the advice Of the powers,
with the object of ending brigandage
and Greek incursions into Ottoman ter
ritory, the Porte believing at the time
that the cession would attain these OBJ
jects, but the recent incursions OF
Greek bands and the events immediate
ly preceding the war have proved to
the contrary. This is the substance of
the reply.
The ambassadors met today to con-
slider the Porte's answer, which is re-
garded as raising an extremely grave
issue. 1t Is believed that representa-
tions will be made to the sultan per-
sonally to induce modification of
these terms, but 1t is foreseen that this
will be very difficult, owing to the att
titude of the powerful old Turk war
party. If the Porte should prove OBJ
durate a European conference Is not
improbable, although at present Rus
sia is opposed to this.
It is regarded as quite certain that
the powers will not consent to retro
cession Of Thessaly. Even Germany
is believed to be resolute on this point,
because it would involve a violation Of
the Berlin treaty and 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 council
of the sultan's ministers, news reach
ed the council that 5000 Greeks had
landed at Palona and were marching
to Janina with the intention Of Coop
Grating with other forces from Arta.
This created a bad impression among
the ministers.
LONDON, May ia dispatch to the
Standard from Constantinople sayS::-
"The Porte's reply to the powers is
based upon a Mazbata presented by the
ministers to the sultan representing that
Greece was responsible for compelling
Turkey to declare war; that for the last
fifteen years Greece had ignored her en-
gagements under the Berlin treaty, by
onitting to pay indemnity, by seizing
and confiscating Vakoups, or religious
domains, and. finally, by anvadlng
Turkish soil; and that, therefore, the
council were of opinion that Greece
had no just claim upon him for lenien-
CIV. Then follow the proposals upon
which the council would base a peace.
LONDON, May 1.-THE Times CORE
spondent at Athens says: To-day (Sun-
day. NJ Ralli, the premier, visited the
various legations and obtained assur-
ances that the powers would under
take to prevent any offensive action on
the part of the Turks, providing the
Greeks maintained a strict defensive
attitude. Under this understanding he
wired the commanders Of the three
Greek divisions at Domokos, Sourp1
and Arta, instructing them to abstain
from all hostile action unless attacked
now on Turkish territory is the band Of
Epirote volunteers led by Botzarls,
which landed at Prevesa and advanc-
ed along the banks Of the Louros. This
force will now proceed westward along
the coast, where it will be taken off by
the Greek fleet. The losses at Griboro
were the heaviest since the beginning
of the war. Seven officers were killed.
Tho vlronnCf%arO11S
terms proposed by the Porte must be
regarded as the natural and usual
method of Oriental bargaining. They
would not be serious did they not force
a continuance of the fighting. With the
failure of the Greek dash in Eplrus
there is no chance to make further
stand unless at Thermopylae, which, by
virtue of it's natural conditions, is an
immensely strong. position, from which
the Turks would have the greatest diff
Guilty in dislodging the Greeks. At
Dcmokos the Greek troops must be
suffering severely from the heavy rains,
as they have nc tents. The capture or
evacuation of the town is only 1ues-
ton Of a few days. The Turks have
been seen at the pass east and west OF
Domokos, and Gen. Smolenski has
attack.
LONDON, May IA dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Constantinople dated
Saturday says: Germany is urging
the sultan to insist upon the European
control Of Greek finances as the only
means of securing the payment Of an
indemnity. Representatives of the
Duetsche bank will arrive next Satur-
day, to realize on the promise of inn
portant concessions which the sultan
has made to the bank
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Ccnstantinople says the Porte's reply
demands in it's concluding paragraph
an extradition treaty with Greece, and
that the ports Of Volo and Prevesa be
kept open for vessels carrying food sup
plies to the Turkish troops.
The Daily Mails correspondent at
Kephalcsis, under date of Friday, re-
ports an interview with Gen. Smolenski,
whose headquarters are at that point,
close to the hills. Gen. Smolenski be-
lieves that he can hold his own and is
still confident of the pluck Of his troops,
which has already been shown three
times. He said: L intend to await the
Turkish attack here and not retire 10
Thermopylae, unless absolutely COM
PEELED to do so.'' Gen. Smolenski has
10000 men, his line extended from
Naklari to the port of Almyros.
The Daily Mails correspondent at
Copenhagen says the newspaper Poll
tiken publishes the following dispatch
from Athens: "The remnant Of the