New-York tribune., 1905-11-26
WILL NOT AID RETOLT.
Present Demonstration Not TO Be
Com promised by ReUoIutionists.

Paris, Nov 25.-It was learned at the For.
eign Office to-day that Austria and Russia, in
behalf of the powers, have addressed a strong
note to Bulgaria Servia and Greece, warning
them that the naval demonstration against Tur-
key should not be made a pretext for revolu-
tionary movements on the part of these coun-
tries against Turkey The note speaks of the
action against Turkey being dictated by
the interests of Europe. and therefore the pow
ers do not wish to have this high purpose COM
promised by revolutionary propagandas.
1t is now definitely determined that the OBJ
jective of the demonstration will be the island
OF AIitylene, where the customs will bs seized,
but the international fleet will not act within
twentyfour hours, and probably within forty
eight hours. In the mean time the Porte
and the Ambassadors continue their discus
sions, with some prospect that Turkey will yield
before the fleet acts
Information reaching official quarters leads
to confidence that Turkys resistance to the
powers will not go to the extent of military or
naval measures of defence. An official who
passed the Dardanelles within the last few
days said to-day that Turkeys few available
warships at the Golden Horn were worthless
huIks. Moreover, the official view is that the
Sultan will not permit the firing of a shot which
might precipitate Turkish land operations,
said the official, are equally unlikely.
eral hundred troops, but the French officials
say these were Withdrawn to remote part of
the island when the French landing occurred in
1901, owing to the Sultans desire to avoid the
possibility of armed conflict. The present
seizure of the Mitylene customs is expected to
be executed with a similar absence of armed re-
sistance
The Temps this afternoon printed dispatch
from Constantinople saying that the palace Of
fCials were deeply agifated by the frmness Of
the powers, leading to indications that the Mega
tive response of the Porte would be reconsid-
cred.
The island of AIityIene was formerly known
by it's old Greek name of Lesbos, it's chief fame
being derived from its connection with the earli-
est developments of Greek poetry and literature,
having produced what is called "the Eolian
school" of lyric poetry. Homer referred to the
wealth of Lesbos. and to it's populous cities. It
is the largest Of the islands Of the Aegean Sea,
and lies south of the Troad, or region at the
greater part of which Lesbos once controlled.
On November ., 1901, French squadron, un-
der Admiral Calliard occupied the three prin-
cipal ports of Mitylene and held possession of
them until the Porte satisfied the demands of
France for the settlement of certain claims of
French citizens against Turkey. The squadron
left the island November IL of the same year.
Mitylene is one Of the most prosperous islands
in the Grecian archipelago. 1t has an area of
675 square miles, and a population of about
900, of whom 90 900 are Greeks. The prin-
cipal town is Mitylene. at one time one of the
ti4O@C po''0iAul SlltoS VI <AsiS b1llIoI~ II
was long stronghold Of the Venetians in the
Middle Ages but has belonged to Turkey since
1860
Besides the capital, the principal towns and
villages are Moria, Pamphila, Thermi, Manda-
mado. Molivo, Calloni, Plumari and Vera. The
island possesses two gulfs, both being almost
inland lakes, from the fact that their entrances
are long and narrow. They are the Gulf of
Vera and the Gulf of Calloni. Natural ports are
formed also by islands close to the mainland
where good anchorage can be found. Mitilene,
the capital has two artificial ports, that on the
south Of the town being in good repair. The
harbor receives vessels only up to 700 tons reg
lister.
There large number of business estab-
lishments on the island The United States has
a consular agent there and most of the Euro
pean powers have Yice-consuls.