The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
GREECES USELESS NAVY.
LIGHT ON IRIS FAILURE TO STRIKE a
BLOW LGAINgT TURIEE.

the Question, "ehould Wives Workf''
IoypoS. Aug. 20.-"The latest war news"
m London p~arlance. now refers not to the op-
~erations Of the American forces against Spain.
but to the campaign just begun by the British
army In Egypt for the capture Of Khartoum.
The Spanish-Amerioan affair has become the
late war" But the subject Of this paragraph
IA not either Of these encounters, It deals
with a much more ancient chapter in history
An event which persons OF good memories win
recall as the Greco-Turkish war OF 1897. In
those bygone days the Turks fell upon The
Greeks-or perhaps IL was the other way about
and in the result the Hellenic kingdom was
reduced to the same condition Of impotence In
which the Spaniards now find themselves. The
easy v ~ictories OF the Turks, the apparent pusil-
lanimity Of the Greeks. have ever since been
mysteries to the world at large.
The Rrea test puzzle OF all has been the fact
that while Turkey was practically without a
navy, the Greek feet. which was apparently
OF good strength and eQuipmept. never struck
q blow against the enemy. Those who wish to
round out their knowledge Of contemporary
history will be interested to hear the e~xplana-
ton OF this mystery. which ia now forthcoming
IN the record Of the court-martial that has Just
finished the trial OF Commodore Sachtouris,
the Greek commander. It is the temperate and
apparently unbiased testimony Of Prince
George. who commanded the Greek torpedo
fotilla. which throws the last light upon the
humillatinR ineflciency Of the Greek Navy.
Beginning with the departure Of the feet
from Orel on April 20. he describes the at
tacks upon Platomona and Leptokaria and the
destruction Of the Turkish stores at those
places. These operations were carried out In
strict accordance with the orders issued by
n. Levid es. Minister Of Marine. whose object
was to create q diversion on the left flank Of the
Turkish army. Shortly before sailing. how
ever. Commodore Sachtouris received from
the Ministry Of Marine an inimstion that the
Turkish feet had sailed out Of the Darde-
nelles. This information. the Prince observes.
naturally compelled the Commodore to take
all his me asures with a view to the early ap-
pearance Of the Turkish feet on the scene Of
action. The western squadron was at that
time composed OF two ironclads. three eruis-
ers and ten torpedo boats. The enemy's feet,
on the ether hand. consisted Of ave ironclads
and sixtaen torpedo boats and torpedo-boa
destroyers.
The information received by the Ministry
with regard to the issue Of the Turkish feet
from the Dardanelles proved TO be totally IN
founded; nevertheless. the intimation sent to
the Commodore was allowed to remain with
out contradiction. His request that the Spot
sac should be ordered to rejoin his squadron
NuS cOmpllcu Will, dlu On APEu co. d1toI tl0
arrival Of the ironclad, the Commodore sum-
moned the senior oflcers to q council and laid
before them the instructions and Information
he had received from the Ministry. These
we're. briefly. as follows: 1.-THE Turkish 1eet
has sailed from the Dardanelles; lombard
Fort Karabournou at the mouth OF salonikA
haFbor prevent transportation OF Turkish re- |
Inducements from the Dardaneles. Creta. and
elsewhere: DO sparing Of your ammunition"
The council Of officers had to come to . decis-
ion upon these somewhat contradictory Or
ders. 1t was aware that the supply OF ammu. |
milton on the feet was insufficient and the |
most important consideration was the possi- |
bic approach OF the Turkish feet. In these |
circumstances the council decided not to at |
tempt the bombRrdment Of Karabournou. |
Such an operation. even II successful. could |
have but little effect on the result OF the war. |
while the Greek feet. with Its ammunition ex-
hausted. its crews fatigued. and some Of its ves-
sells possibly Injured by the fire OF the Tur-
kish fortress. would have been unfit to err
gage the Turkish feet. should: the latter ap-
pear. In support of this decision Prince
3 George instances the defeat inflicted at LISA
on the Italian feet. which was surprised by the
Austrian Admiral while engaged upon the
bombardment OF that fortress. The Austrian
squadron was inferior In strength. but the
Italian Admiral had no time to concentrate his
ships.
In order to prevent the transportation Of
Turkish troops the western squadron was
bound to remain in the Thermaic Gulf. The
Turkish army was thus menaced with q descent
upon its left flank. and. in point of fact.
kdhem Pasha despatched 5000 men to
the coast after the operations at Aikaterina.
On April % the ironclads proceeded to coal
at Tsagezi. The coal. the Prince remarked.
Ung ~ u,lnh infarirn n,,aIIk, kLnk n u.I.aNa
could only steam at the rate Of Ok knots.
He adds that at this time the crews OF the tor
pedo boats were completely exhausted and
much In need of rest. The appearance OF the
turkish heet was momentarily expected.
A fresh series OF orders now came from the
Ministry. The Turkish feet and mercantile
marine were to be blockaded. the Turkish
Islands In the Northern Egean were to be cap
tured. the railway at Dedeagatch to be de-
stroyed. while renewed orders were given to
lombard Karabournou and other fortified Do
eitions. In my opinion" the Prince writes.
such orders couldsonly be Issued by persons
possessing no knowledge Of naval affairs. Their
contradictory character confronted those who
were responsible for their <eoution with o
dilemma" The council OF ira was again
summoned. and 1t was decided that the feet
should sail for the Dardanelles. The depar-
ture. from Tsagezi took place on the night Of
April 20. The weather was at first favorable.
Out when the feet arrived of Mount Athos a
violent north wind began to blow. the torpedo
boats were in danger. and. eventually. the
commodore gave the signal to retreat to Ski.
amos. What considerations prompted him
to give this order" says the Prince. 'I do not
know"
1t was Commodore S~achtouris's intention to
sail again for the Dardanelles as soon as the
weather abated. But shortly after his arrival
al skiathos he received a telegram from the
Ministry relieving him from his duties. At
This %luncture Sub.Lieut. Kokorris sent his ia
nous telegram denounclng his commanding
nicer as Il traitor. The voyage to the OAR
aAhelIes was abandoned and Commodore
s'anatellos. who succeeded to tho command,
sailed Tor Volo. The feet subsequently pro-
teeuea 70 Hagla Marina. where 1t remained
I'LL the end of the war.
IIllnA lAAEnn .nEILna.