Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-04-29
THE SITUATION IN THESSALY

IHE SITUATION In THESSALY
The Graco-Turklsh war is
now on in earnest, and while all
humanity is interested. the stu~
dent of ancient, medieval and
modern history will fol~
low and watch the maneuvers
with inexpressible concern.
There seems no longer any
reason to doubt that the Turks
have succeeded in forcing the
Greek defence on the frontier OF
Thessaly. A body of Turkish
troops, the numbers of which
are not stated, appears to have
turned off the road between Els
lassona and Damasi and, eluding
the Greek force watching the
Reveni defle, to haye crossed
the hills behind Turnavos, an
open village on the plain at their
foot, about twelve miles from
Larissa. Here Edhim Pasha is
reported to be assembling his
battalions preparatory to an ad-
vance on the Greek headquar>
tiers. The gravity of the situa
ton is shown by the call to a levy
en- masse of the population of
the kingdom capable Of bearing
arms, which has been issued by
the Greek Government. The Sit
uation of the army under Prince
Constantine is most critical, and
its withdi laval to the South of
the Salamvria in the face of the
victorious Turks will be an opers
alton of extreme d%elicacy. 1t will
be fortunate if it is effected with.
out losses that may end in its
disorganization aud lay
Greece at the mercy of the in
vading army.
The reports show the fighting
on both sides to have been Of the
most determined character.
Mutual hate animated the oppos-
lines and drove them into
a death grapple of gladiators
rather than a conflict of discip-
lined troops. The failure Of the
Greeks is due as much to the
natural d faculties OF their line
of frontier as to the abilities of
the Turkish commander and the
qualities Of his soldiers.
It is worth while giving here
the history Of this frontier, as it
is intimately associated with the
present policy of certain Of the
powers toward Greece. The
Conference of Berlin that was
called together in the summer
of 1880 on the initiative of Ma I
Gladstone's Government awarded
the Greeks aline starting from the
shore of the Hgean above
Platamona to the summit of
Mount olympus, and from there
to the eastern flank of the Amar
bes Mountains, along their crests
toward Meizovo on the Pindus.
No better frontier from a military
point of view could have been
desired. It did not, however,
suit Austria and Germany, who,
Notwithstanding that they had
agreed TO it, together with all the
other powers, at once set to work
to upset their own decision.
Austria was the active instru>
ment in the matter. During the
autumn of 1880 several Austrian
officers in the guise of commers
cial agents were sent to Salonica,
and from there, furnished with
passports by the Turkish auth-
critics, they went down int
Thessaly to study the country.
When the time arrived in 1881
for the award of the Berlin Cons
ference of the previous year to
be put into execution, the Turks
ish Government. supported by
Austria and Germany, raised
objections, and when the new
line of frontier was finally agreed
upon, it was along the present
line which had been traced by
the disguised Austrian commer>
cial travellers. 1t was purposely
drawn so as to be as difficult as
possible to defend and easy to
attack. The effort of the Brit>
ish Government to obtain the
adherence of the Constantinople
conference of Ambassadors to
the Berlin line failed, the French
Government being the only one
giving active support to it.
No success gained elsewhere,
by land or sea, will affect the
ultimate issue. It is around
Larissa and on the line of the
Salamvria that the Importance
of the struggle lies There is
the pivot of the present and fu~
ture destiny of Greece. That re-
in the hands of the pow.
ers; meanwhile Greece is left to
face a savage and victorious foe.
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