The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-06
A BIC CELEBRATION
Greece to Celebrate Indepepd-
ence Anniversary.
PROTEST AGAINST POWERS
TURKISH COMMANDER ALIVE TO
DANGERS OF SITUATION.
TO BLOCKADE GULF OF ATHENS
The Crown Prince Orders All Troops
to Dispiayth the Utmost Self Restraint
This May be a FatefuI
Week For Greece.

Athens, April 5.-All the preparations
for the celebration tomorrow of the an
nlverSary of the declaration Of Greek
independence in 1872, have been complet-
ed. public meeting will be held here
to protest against the powers toward
Greece and pledge support to the Greek
government in any action it may think
fit to take in the premises. In this con-
nection there has been a belief that the
declaration of tomorrow would be fol-
lowed by declaration of war against
Turkey. This feeling, however, is not
general. Tuesday in Greece is regarded
as an unlucky day to enter upon anything
of great Importance and for this more
than for any other reasons, political or
military is based a hope that the indie
pendence celebration will pass off with
out the frontier incidents which are like
ly to precipitate the struggle for which
Greece has been preparing for the past
two .monfhs. Although this week is
likely to be a fateful one for Greece the
orders of Prince Constantine, the crown
prince and commander in chief of the
Greek forces in Thessaly, are so strict
that anything in the shape of demon
stration in the direction of the Turkish
frontier must be suppressed. The SOL
dlers and armed peasants, however, are
in no mood to be curbed. and nobody
would be astonished to hear of an ag-
greSsive movement at least upon the part
of the Greek irregulars.
The Turkish commander in chief.
Edhem Pasha, is fully alive to the diff
ficulty and dangers of the situation, and
has already strengthened the frontier
outposts, besides taking other means to
meet any contingency which may arise.
Fifty thousand Turkish troops, at few
hours notice can be sent across the
Greek frontier and according to un-
biased military. experts, the Turkish flag
might be flying over Larissa a few days
later The Greeks, while animated by
fierce enthusiasm and desire for war, are
not nearly so well disciplined as the
Turkish troops, and the German of
ficers are assisting Edhem
Pasha in the campaign pre-
parations and anticipate little
difficulty in winning the first battles. 1t
is stated to-day that the Queen of Greece
has decided to start Immediately for
Thessaly in order to superintend. with
her daughter-in-law, the Crown Princess
Sophia, the field nurses attached to the
Greek ambulance corps The next actual
step anticipated in the eastern game is
the proclamation of the Admirals of the
foreign fleets to blockade the Gulf of
Athens. This was to have occurred to-
day, but hitch has occurred at the last
moment Nobody here seems to doubt
that the blockade of the Gulf of Athens
would he followed, if not preceded by
declaration of war against Turkey.
Larissa. April 5.-The Crown Prince
has issued the following general order to
the troops:
Officers and Soldiers:
In view of the great anniversary to
be celebrated tomorrow, | order all the
troops under my command to display the
utmost self restraint and not to allow
themselves to be carried away by the
remembrances of the glorious day. Be
sure my orders are respected.
(Signed) CONSTANTINE"