Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-03
IN FORM OF COPY OF NOTE
TO AMERICAN MINISTER

>s presented by the charge. the com
munication was in the form Of a copy
of a note handed 10 American Minis
ter Droppers. at Athens, on November
rs, and signed by Acting Foreign Min
istcr Ialocostas.
The communication. "a delivered to
the state Department. WAS In French.
a translation OF the fun text follows:
From tho beginning OF the Eu-
ropean war tho Greek government
conscious OF its duties for the defense
Of the national interests and OF its
responsibility toward the country had
after an exhaustive examination of the
situation. come Ia the decision that
Greece ought not TO enter the bloody
struggle in which almost all Europe
was engaged. The Greek government
In holding TO neutrality. had in mind
ALL the time the abandonment OF this
policy. II AT any given moment it
should come TO the conviction that;
however great were the sacrifices and
the dangers Of a war. il would serve
the national aspirations
"Uufortunatcly. II has not been
possible for us. up TO this moment to
obtain the necessary guarantees that
Greece. In entering into the European
conflict would not be going 20 in
cVitablc destruction
In remaining neutral the Greek gov
crnment had in mind solely Greek in
,ercsts. and not has been repeated
ly insisted on. sympathy with one OF
the two groups OF bclligerents \
Greek government could only think Of
the interests of Greece. The eeograph-
teal situation Of Greece. which pia
II in very direct contact with one of
the two groups of belligerent powers,
makes the application of its policy Of
neutrality very difficult: IL is for that
reason that she has been forced to
submit TO the occupation by foreign
arms Of her Macedonian provinces and
10 permit the belliccrents to dispose
OF her ports. public buildings and
works Of art; that her highways and
railroads have been forcibly occupied.
while bridges and tunnels worth many
stroyed.
t0MPELLED TO ORDER
SURRENDER OF FLEET
'At the moment when the present
Greek government assumed power, an
imposing feet was blockading the on
trance OF the Strait Of Salamine. the
anchorage Of the Greek fleet. and. in
spite OF our protests and our formal
refusal. we were constrained to order
our officers and sailors to abandon the
vessels of the light fleet in order to
spare them the grief Of surrendering
the vessels upon which. not very long
ago. they bad gone TO two victorious
wars.
For a long time Greece has been
able to import from abroad only what
is absolutely Indispensable to feed and
sustain the country and to furnish for
its commerce. both by land and sea the
necessary fuel
And now the traditional hospitality
Of the Greek people has suffered an
affront which has been profoundly pain
full. The Will of the strong has been
constantly placed in opposition to the
legitimate protests of Greece: never
thelcss, the latter has IN to now en-
dured everything with the PATIENCE and
dignity which small nations possess in
the highest degree. but the last de-
mand OF the admiral commanding the
naval forces Of the cnt.nte in the Med
iterrancan. in which he invites the
Greek government To- hand over the
war material acquired nt the price CT
CONTINUED on Second Pnge.)