Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-05-21
A SURPRISE TO EUROPE
TURKEY SHOWS HER STRENGTH TO
EUROPEAN POWERS.
The Porte Placed In n Stronger Po-
sittOn Than Known In Fifty
Years.

London, May 1.-THE sultans reply TO
the note Of the ambassadors at Constan-
tinople offering mediation. saying he
would be ready TO discuss the matter af-
ter the great Bairim festival. which ended
last night, justities the fear that the pow
ers have aroused a spirit they can not
easily subdue.
Abdul Hands attitude Is cool to the
point of insolence. 1t Is that OF a sover-
eign with a powerful army behind him.
and he Is disposed to treat the powers
cavalierly.
Articles publsned in the SEMI official
press of the continent show that the in
crease in the prestige OF the sultan is the
chief concern o. European cabinets, and
the prospects VI prompt enforcement
of general reforms Tor the Turkish en-
pire are thereby relegated to the very
distant future. The Journal Des Debats
declares the result OF the war has been
to place Turkey in position she has not
held for the past half century adding:
Her tremendous military effort Is
largely in excess of what the struggle
against Greece required. 1t was done to
refute the allegation OF decrepitude. and
to demonstrate to the sultan's own SUBJ
jects and to those Of the smaller states
and to the great powers that Turkey Is
able to hold her own against war with
Greece
The British. Russian and Austrian
newspapers echo these remarks, and 1t
is generally felt that this fact will have
to be reckoned with in the negotiations
upon the conditions of peace. In the
meanwhile the postponement Of the sui
tan's reply until after the great festival
Is interpreted as meaning that his majes-
ty intends that his army shall continue
its victorious advance until every strateg-
ic point on the Othrya mountain range
Is In the hands of the Turks, and that
only then will Edhem Pasha receive or
ders to stop fighting. The resumption Of
fighting by the Greeks in Erirus IL re-
garded as foolish move. and only fur
nishes Turkey with a plausible motive
for refusing an armistice.
The chancellories are also occupied with
the difficult problem of how Greece will
pay the war indemnity which Turkey
seems certain to demand. NJ. Delyannis,
the former Greek premier. in his news
paper sanguinely argues that Greece can
not be expected to pay an indemnity be-
cause the Turks declared war officially
without provocation."
This view OF the question Is not shared
elsewhere, and an International congress
to administer the finances OF Greece on
the lines of similar Turkish commissions
Is mooted The Greek commission would
1t Is proposed. sit at Athens and over the
Greek customs for the purpose of collect
ing the Greek debt, and possibly for the
war indemnity.
Indemnity Demanded.
Constantinople. May l7.-Sixteen million
pounds (Turkish) Is mentioned as the
amount Of indemnity Turkey will ask
from Greece. Placards have been posted
in the STEAMBOAT quarter protesting
against the shedding OF Mussulman blood
on the ground that the sacrifices imposed
upon Turkey by war are out of proper
tion TO the advantages she cam gain.
Prevesa About to FAN.
Athens, May ia private dispatch
from Arta. just received. says the Turk
ish garrison at Prevesa. at the northern
entrance to the Gulf OF Arta. which ras
been besieged by the Greek land and sea
forces almost from the outbreak CT the
var, has sent the Grsak archbishop and
five notables OF Prevesa to the comma n =
der IN chief Of the besieging Greek army
with a message saying the Turkish force
Is ready to capitulate 20 the regular
forces Of Greece.
Emperor William'a Work.
Paris. May lit Is stated that the &C.
lay of the sultan of Turkey in arranging
for a cessation of hostilt.ies il due to the
direct advice Of Emperor William of Ger
many, not 10 grant an armis,!ce until the
Greeks have again retreated.