Severe Fighting at Matti.

Hastings Standard, Issue 306, 26 April 1897, Page 3

Severe Fighting at Matti.

TIIE GREEKS COMPELLED TO RETIRE. THE EVACUATION OF LARISSA. MORI-: DESTRUCTION BY THE GREEK SQUADRON. Athens, April 25. Renewed fighting of a severe character has taken place at Matti on the Thessaly side of the Maluna Pass, and lasted for six hours. The Turks were eventually strongly reinforced, and compelled the Greeks to retire.

The Duke of Sparta, together with members of his stall", have left Larissa for Phersala as a second line of defence. A semi-oflicial newspaper at Athens states that the troops will concentrate at Phsrsala. It was found impossible to avoid the evacuation of Larissa. Later advices state that Larissa is completely evacuate.l. The guns were spiked. The < ■ reek squadron bombarded Sant (Juaraiua. The town was burned. A quantity of war material and a large quantity of stores and provisions were also destroyed. The Turks have occupied Tirmovas. The Greeks are returning towards Laris.-ona in good order, taking their field artillery and ammunition. Time Greek brigades have assembled at Phensalla, the ancient Pharsalia, a town of Thessaly >ouie twenty miles south of Larissa, and in line to the westward with the head of the Gulf of 010. A force of a thousand Greek- fought a superior force of Turks for many hours near Pentepigadia and lost 150 men. Four battalions of the Albanian troops have musgjred at .Janina. The Mo-dems have left the town and the position of the Consuls and the Christian- is considered critical.