The herald., 1897-04-19
that they were given a fortnight's notice
to leave the Ottoman empire.
FEELING AT ATHENS


ATHENS, April 1S, II a. m.-The
Turkish batteries at Prevesa, on the
northern shore of the entrance of the
gulf Of Arta, where, according to the
treaty of Berlin, the Turks had no right
to erect Notifications, fired on and sank
a Greeks steamer. the Macedonia, this
morning, while she was attempting to
leave the gulf of Ambracia. The crew
of the steamer was saved by boats from
the shore. but the captain Of thaMace-
donia was severely wounded.
Upon receipt of this news the Greek
government sent orders to the Greek
fleet in the gulf Of AmDracia to bonn
bard Prevesa. Consequently the bonn
bardment of Prevesa commenced at u
o'clock this morning and continues as
this dispatch Is sent. Prevesa, which is
in Epirus, and eighteen miles from Arta,
Is strongly fortified.
The Turkish minister here, Assim
Bey has asked for his passports; they
have been handed to him, and he has
left Athens for Constantinople. The
German minister at Athens, Baron Won
Plesson, has undertaken to protect
Turkish interests in Greece during the
severance of diplomatic relations be-
tween the two countries.
The Greek minister at Constantinople,
Prince Mavrocordato, has been recalled.
Throughout the day there was
extraordinary excitement here. The
streets were crowded with people, ca
gerly discussing the outbreak of war
and the probable outcome. The general
feeling was one of satisfaction at the
relief from the irritating tension of the
past few weeks, which had gradually
become almost unendurable, and which
is ended at last by overt acts, 1t is con-
tended, on the part of Turkey.
The Greeks hold that 1t was an at
tempt on the part of the Turkish forces
to occupy a strategic position near
Mount Analysis, not far from Nezeros,
on the neutral zone, which led to the
encounter on Friday between the Greeks
and Turks This, it is added, was used
at Constantinople as reason for or
dering Edhem Pasha the Turkish COM
mander-in -inchief, to assume the offensive
and led to the rupture of diplomatic re-
lations between the countries.
The so-called outbreak of Prevesa.
this morning, when the Turkish batter
les there sank the Greek steamer Mace
luit tltl .JQotliicQ 1lcCSC, III tliC
minds of the Athenians, in wagng war
to the death against Turkey.
The Greek government, therefore, is
warmly commended for recalling the
Greek minister at Constantinople, and
not waiting, according to the Greek ver-
sion, until Prince Maurocordato was
handed his passports.
1t is stated in some quarters that As
sim Bey, the Turkish minister to Greece,
did not wait for his passports to be
handed to him, but as soon as he re-
ceived the sum of 5000 francs, telegraph
ed to him from Constantinople through
the Athenian bank for travelling ex-
penses etc., he hastily quilted this city.
Little news of a reliable nature has
been received here or is allowed to leak
out regarding what has really trans
pired on the frontier. 1t is known, how
ever, that the whole frontier of Thessaly
has been blazing with murderous firing
since early this morning, and the the
Greeks have captured a fortified posi-
tion at Menex in Macedonia.
According to the general understand
ing here, the Turkish plan of campaign
is a concentration of the Turks near the
important Greek frontier town of Tyr
navos, with a view of forcing the noun
tain passes leading toward Larissa. One
report which is generally credited, has
it that Edhem Pasha, at the head of
10000 men, has already begun this
movement. and rumors in this respect
are floating, the substance of them being
that the battle which is expected to be
fought at or near Tyrnavos has already
commenced.
The Greek plan of campaign, so far as
1t is understood by the Athenians, is
founded on the defense of Larissa in the
first instance, an attack upon that place
having been anticipated and prepared
for by-occupying and taking every pos
sible advantage of all strategic posi-
tions. The country here is admirably
suited for defense, and while this de-
fense is undertaken the Greek fleet is
relied upon to destroy the coast ports
of Epirus and Macedonia. The Greek
belief in ultimate success is based on
the expectation of universal rising
Of the Macedoninas and Epirotes SO
soon as the Greeks succeed in winning
brilliant victory anywhere over the
Turks.
IN THE CHAMBER
ATHENS, April 18.-There was a late
sitting of the legislative assembly which
was held today. The public galleries
were crowded. Amid intense excite
ment, M. Delyannis, the premier, an
nounced that the Turkish government
had today notified Greece of the rupture
of diplomatic relations on the ground of
aggressive attitude Of the Greek gov
ernment. In a cool, but deliberate
speech, he reviewed the recent events to
show, on the contrary, that Turkey had
been the aggressor; that her troops had
attacked the Greeks and attempted to
occupy neutral positions and that her
batteries at Prevesa had sunk the Greek
ship Macedonia. Turkey" said M Del
yannis, declares war against us. We ac-
cept it,
This statement was received with pro-
longed cheers from the galleries and the
floor of the chamber
The premier then read dispatches re-
citing the events which had happened
on the frontier and with reference to the
reported capture of Menexa, he said that
the batteries at that important position
had been brought into action, but he
knew nothing as to its reported capture.
He added that the Turks, after repeated
attempts to force passage at Reveni,
which commands the road to Larissa,
lad been driven back.
The leader of the opposition, amid re-
newed cheers from all parts of the cham
ber and from the galleries, eloquently
indorsed the patriotic declarations of M.