The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-12-13
SULTAN -:DEFIES POWERS
Threat That Ports Will Be Seized
Doesn't Move Him.
International Fleet at the Piraeus ID
Ready to Garry Out Plan Of
the Europeans.

Constantinople, Turkey.-The Sultan
has refused to comply with the de-
mands Of the Powers regarding Mace
donna. This decision was taken at q
council Of the Ministers, the Sultan
approving, and a reply to this effect
was sent to Baron. de Calico, the. Aus
trian Ambassador, who as dean of. the
Diplomatic Corps, had presented the
joint proposals of, the:PoWers. -
1t is Understood that the .Porte's note
demurs, to&tke xahheme as an, interfer.
'ence withAhs+Sultan's prerogatives and
as calculated to offend public opinion.
which would certainly oppose it.
1t is further stated that the. Porte
will not sanction an extension of the
mandates of the foreign agents, who
are experimenting the reforms in
Macedonia, beyond two years.
X Athens, Greece.-The warships sc.
Seted by the Powers to make a DEM
,U;nttration against Turkey have ar.
IntoS at the Plraeus. The usual ga
iutes ND visits were exchanged by
theli coNmanders and the Greek au,
Their ordersN'0
London, Observation-Disclosures the
Sultan, ACCORDING TO Constantinonle
dispatcnes' Ina mas P PnSNly rejected the de-
bined1 fleets now at t. pirao ,me ,udor
Admiral Won Nipper OF tho he'I Auo urt
Navy will presumably forSwith carru
|, out measures which are supRsed ~ no
Z intended to- bring the Turk n his
knees. OF the effectiveness oStba5r,
: action doubt lis widely expresse n
Europe; although their course of ~
ton as yet can only be ~specufated
upon.
Among the other difficulties to be
foreseen in %blockading the Dardanelies
assuming that such a step is part OF
the international scheme, is the lack OF
homogeneity among the vessels Of the
combined fleet. The. British cruiser
Lancaster is the fastest among them
she having a speed Of twenty-foul
knots. The speed Of most Of the Others
ranges from twenty to twenty-one
knots, but the Russian vessels are OBJ
selete, and are only capable of making
twelve knots.
1t is said, however; that the interna,
tional squadron is able to land nearly
5000 men and, twenty guns if desira'
bic, butitis :not'susgested what such a
force would be able to achieve.
The reply which the Sultan has now
made. appears to be virtually a reitera
ton Of the ~retusals he gave in July
and October, slightly altered to. NEE
the modification made by the Powers
in their latest demand.
Judging from recent dispatches, TIT
Sultan is justified in appealing to pub
lie opinion, so far as it exists in Tur
key. The correspondents have made
it clear that the educated Turks greatly
resent the attitude Of the European
Cabinets. Even sincere refOrmers art
hoping that the Sultan will resist Il
the utmost.
The Turks are especially bitter al
seeing Russia, while in the throes OF
revolution produced by centuries Of
oppression, taking a leading part IL
Forcing reforms on Turkey. It is sar
sastically suggested that the Powers
you'd have been better employed II
y binding their fleets to Odessa, to stoI
IN e massacre Of the, Jews, and. it IL
al ked why Europe is 50 excited ovel
ma lcedonia. and so indifferent;tR events
in the CAUCASUS hahds PolanGs The
iwh1 lie thir : Seems 10th: :FsSktn:be an
Enst1 bnce o. Christian fanaticism.
mn e retort of the Powers to such
iewyb and question is that the Mace
Ln,sAn disorders threaten the peace o
E,ronte, while the Russian disorders
al, entirely internal and concern only
heself1
S,me treports from Constantinople by
way ON Vienna represent the Sultan
as still \wavering, having personally,
but vainly, appealed to the Austrian
Emperor\ and the Gear TO procur
further delay. This is not confirmed
from any trustworthy source.
On the contrary, every important
consideration indicates the opposite
The Sultan knows he will have the en-
th~usiastic support Of his subjects il
defying Europe. Moreover, he realizes
that sooner Or. later he, will. have t.
fight to keep Macedonia, and'that sucf
a good opportunity as the present. will
Russia powerless, Austria weakened
and Germany believad'to be lukewarm
is not likely to ,recuc.