War between Greece and Turkey

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 246, 22 April 1897, Page 2

War between Greece and Turkey

BOMBARDMENT OF ARTA. HALF THE TOWN IN RUINS. DEFEAT OF THE GREEK ARMY. TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER. (Per Press Association.) Atiikns, April 20. The residents of Arta, on tbe West Coast of Greece, on tbe boundary of Turkey, fearing the town will be bombarded by the Greek fleet, fled the country. The Porte has declared the Gulf of Arta blockaded. The Turkish Government of Crete has caused the Island to be placarded, allowing the Greek troops fifteen days to depart. The fall of Prevesa is believed to be imminent. In the battle fought at Oritzvali, the Greeks first repulsed the Turks but afterwards retreated to Mati. The Turks captured the heights at Skumpa. Tbe Turks allege the Greeks were drunk while the fighting was going on. The Greeks have recaptured Gretiovla, in the vicinity of the Malita Pass. The Turks renewed the attack on the Reveni Pass and penetrated the entranchments for a distance of a hundred yards. The Greeks offered a desperate resistance and the fighting was of the bitterest character, the carnage being fearful. Tbe Duke of Sparta, who, at the outbreak of hostilities went to the front to assume command of the Greek forces, has returned to Larissa, the chief town of Thessaly, in Greece. The Turks are now bombarding Trenuvo, in Macedonia. Latest reports from the front state the Greeks are in full retreat on Larissa, pursued by the Turks. They are suffer- i ing terribly from the heavy artillery fire directed upon them by their pursuers. The Turkish soldiers are highly elated with their success and are singing and laughing like children. April 21. In the fighting which took place near Salonica tbe Greek irregulars lost one hundred men. The Duke of Sparta reports that the Greeks under Colonel Smolenita, the former Minister of War, repulsed seven assaults of the Turks on their positions in the Rivini pass. 14,000 Turks were en«a»t d in the attack on the pass, which commands one of the chief entrances to Tbessaly. Ihe Greek Home Office has issued a prodiiuat on declaring the country in danger aud calling upon all citizens to join the army, The Greek gendarmerie and police bave been organised as a military force and have proceeied to the frontier to reinforce the troops. The Turks bombarded tbe military hospital at Arta despite the fact that the red cross flag was flying. Fighting has been renewed at Turnova, where the Turkish artillery silenced the Greek batteries, and compelled the Greeks to evacuate the town. Details of the fighting at Maluna Pass show that after the Greeks were driven from the pass and were retiring across the plain below the Turkish artillery kept up a constant and murderous fire from the heights. The shells bnrting among the batalions as they retired in close marching order caused terrible slaughter. The Greeks left 1000 dead and wounded on the field. Hafiz Pasha, who was eighty years of age, and took part in the Russo-Turkish war, was leading the Turkish attack at Maluna when he was killed. An orderly suggested he should dismount, but b. 6 replied, " I never dismounted during the Russian war." Before he received his death wound he was twice struck by bullets, in tho left arm and right hand, but despite his wounds he insisted on retaining command of the attack. The fatal bullet struck him in the mouth, killing him instantaneously. London, April 21. The Athens correspondent of the Times lays that the scene of the conflict has now been removed to Koutra, south of Damasi, and where the Turkish batteries engaged the Greek artillery, and to Zarkos. When these points have been occupied Edhem Pasha's advance on Larissa will be easy. Constantinople, April 21. The second Turkish squadron, consisting of three ironclads, five torpedo vessels, four steamers which have been converted into auxiliary cruisers, sailed through the straits of Dardanelles under sealed orders.