The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-17
Greek Difficulty Regarding the Signing of the Arm istice Has Been
 SurmOunted
WIDE DIVERGENCE IN TERMS OF ALLIES
 AND THOSE OF TURKS
Report Says That Servia Has Agreed 10 Relinquish Durazzo-first Ses- sion of Plcnipotentiaries Is
 Featured by Speech of
 Sir Edward Grey

London December 1G.-Prenmiuarics of the peace conference were completed to- day. and apparently the Greek dlfh- culty regarding the signing of the ar mistiee has been surmounted Every thing is ready for actual negotiations to begin tomorrow.
 So wide is the, divergence between The respective claims of the Balkan allies and Turkey that there is little prospect of an early termination of the conference. Moreover, Christmas, when there will be no sittings. will mean the loss of couple of days.
 The Turkish and Bulgarian delegates had another prolonged informal meeting at o'clock this evening. at which 1t is reported they discussed Adrianople.
 It is reported through Berlin tonight that the seryian ministers in council decided, in deference to Russian end French advice. to yield the port of pu- razzo on the Adriatie. and that the Ser- vian premier. M. Pachitch. is coming tp London in connection with this determi-  nation.
 The report has not been confirmed, but there are indications of relaxation in the Anstro-Serb difficulty.
 The Austria emperor Is credited with re- marking that he was hopeful of tho ability of Austria to carry out her Bai- kan programme in it's entirety without resort to France.
 Prochaska Affair Exaggerated
 The Prochaska also appears 10 have been greatly misrepresented. and no longer affords ground for dlssensIon.
 The first engagement between the Greek and Turkish fleets occurred today. but. so far as is known, without serious dam age To either side
 Plenipotentiaries met today in St. J9mes palace. They adjourned carly in :he afternoon without having enered into dis cusslon of the peace question.
 The days feature was the address of welcome. delivered by Sir Edward Grey. the British secretary for foreign affairs. who was elected honorary president of the conference. The responses of the heads of the various delegations indi- cated desire to accomplish the pun pose of the conference.
 All the delegates applauded Sir Edward Grey's speech. which, like his statement in the House of Commons Wednesday. aimed at impartiality. But the Balkan delegates seemingly are more satisfied with it's substance than the Turks. In the passage ''ln this way you wi.l lay foundations on which 1 trust will be built by true wisdom and statesmanship the proseprity, moral economic and m tionaI, of your respective countries" they sec a plain allusion to their states, as they are fighting for the principle of na- tionality and they are trying to upbuii1 the moral and economic properties os their countries; while for Turkey it is Il question of general demolition. Thus they think the British foreign secretary, not withstanding his efforts at impartiality could not help-perhaps unconsciously but give a hint on which side his sym. pathies are.
 In his reply, Dr. Daneff Of the Bulgarian delegation, emphasized Sir Edwards It. terance, when he said that the conference would work Ito insure the Balkan states. so troubled in the past. an era of tran uufnlg anu pToBrtHNf WHICH i9 as meaning without Turkey.
 Preliminaries Only
 Speaking of the first meeting of fus conference Count Devoinovich, a Mot tenegrin delegate, said.
 Today we simply looked into each others eyes"
 Count Devonovich is one of the ablest of the Balkan representatives. He is S
 tConfiDued on Page EIeyenb TODAY'S AGE-HERALD