THE EUROPEAN CRISIS

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 123, 22 April 1897, Page 3

THE EUROPEAN CRISIS

WAR DECLARED. AlTElt giving no sign for some days tho wire has conveyed the intelligence, which was only to be anticipated after the aclion of Greece, that the Sultan bod declared war against the country. The different items of news extending from the events of the loth to the 10th April, are too lengthy for us to publish in full. Wo Lave, therefore, made the following summary of events :—The Greek Premier on tho loth asked the Chamber of Deputies for a war vote of 2.'J million drachmai (i'OJO.OOO). Wiiting under the same date the Times' Alliens correspondent telegraphed that the main body of the National Leaguers entered Thossaly to avoil being surrounded by the Turks, and that the population of Athens were dispirited. On the same date a Constantinople cablegram states that tho Sultan was constantly telegraphing to the Czar nnd Kaiser, who were reported to bo in favour of an advance on the Greek frontier. The Turks prevented a hundred nnd fifty Greek regulars from surprising a Tmkish blockhouse on tho frontier at Datum'. 'J he Greeks explained lhat they bud lost their way. This goes a long way towards dispelling (ho claim of Greece that only Leaguers bad crossed the frontier. Russia, Germany and Austria are said to favour the blockade of Greek ports by the allied fleets; but Britain, France and Italy hesitate to join the movement. Tn any case the blockade has been delayed m oider not to allow Greece an excuse for breaking the peae-e. Russia and Austria are reported to have secured the r.eutiality of the Bulkan Slates unless co-Nationalists are attacked. A cablegram from Athens slates that the Tuiks have re-occupied tho outposts captured by the National League. The latter are said to be furious at the regular army not having come to their assistance. A body of Itulian Volunlcors, which were raiding Turkish territory at Kiania, has been disbanded. A spirit of pessimism prevails in Alliens. The King and Government despair of being able to control the war spirit. A member of the National League, who was captured by the Turks, admitted being a soldier, and that Greek officers commanded the Leaguers, and that the Government supplied them with Brms. The Pope has offered lo meditate. Mr Gladstone, in a letter ;o D»mpzes, a Macedonian chief, says a twoyear - okl and a few full - growu despots, who have not earned the confidence of Eui ope, ;re directing the Eastern policy of Great Biilain, whose degrading office it is to supply ships, soldiers, aud sailors to suppress liberty in Crete. Under date April ISth a cablegram from Constantinople states that the Sultan had ordered Edhitn Pasha to assume tho offensive against Greece. Ambassadors were withdrawn. The Porte issued a ciicular stating that the Greek Regulars were acting on the frontier, and asked the Powers to recognise Ibat Greece is responsible for the war. It formation was received in Athens that hostilities bad bioken out en th« evening of the lllth. The Turkish fort at Prevasa fired uton and sank a Greek mercantile sic timer. The Greek fleet opened fire upon the foit and kept up a heavy bond ardment. On the 19th a cablegram was received giving the following particulars of a great battle. Further delai's fiom the seat of war show that fifty thousand troops took part in the fighting on Saturday and Sunday, and were mostly without food and sleep the whole time. The chief points of conflict were Karya, Daman, Shunipa, and Mnluna. In tte battle at Mnluna i'ass, which commands the road to Larissa, 20,000 troops were engaged. The fighting lasted throughout the whole day and night. At first the Turkish forces, under Edhim Pasba, wjio successful. They succeeded in repulsing the Greeks and rescuing the garrison at the Turkish blockhouse, which the Greeks had surrounded. They stormed a Gre?k blockhouse at the point of the bayonet. The defenders offered a desperate resistance, and the artillery caused great execution, and eventually the Turks succeeded in dealing the greater portion of the pas ; . The Greeks, however, captured a Tuikish battery. Amongst those killed was Hnfid Pnsha, a leading Turkish officer. Latest telegrams state (bat the chief officers (presumably Turkish) aud a large number of men were killed and wounded. Nine Turkish battalions were engaged against 15,000 Greeks. At. Karya, from an opposite hillside, a heavy artillery fire was kept up. 'ihe intention of the G: «)ks was to secire the road to Larissa. Roth sides lost heavily. Greece has called out the last of her reserves. Tho Turks have deslroyed the Aclium fort, opposite Prcvisa. The Greeks have silenced one battery at Previsa. Severe fighting is taking place in connection with the defence of the Salonica railway. Edhitn Pasha is holding a council of war with his officers. It is believed the object is to arrange a decisive attack on the Greek position. The efforts of the Turks to seize Malapsis failed. Athens, April 10. Two thousand Greek troops are ap proaching Prevesa, on the Gulf of Arta, by land. Four Greek gunboats are attacking Salakhura, a Turkish town on the noith shore of the Gulf of Attn. The Greeks repulsed a fresh attack upon Analipsis. The Greek ironclad Spetdia assisted the flotilla of gunboats inside; the Strait in bombarding Prevesa with so much effect, that the town is now in asb;-s. Two Tuikish shore batteries have been silenced, but the third, commanding the town of Aita, is still replying to the fire of tho fleet. After two days' desperate fighting the Turks captured the whole of the Mnzura Pass. The losses on both sides were enormous. Furious fighting is going on roui d the Gulf of Arta. Some desperate hand-to-hand fighting be'.ween the Turks and Ihe Greeks occurred nt Raveni, a town on the northern frontier. The engagement rcsulte-Jh'n the repulse of the Turks, Greeks aie now a I tacking VFgWn, and have captured one b ittery. The Greek forces me atlack'ng Epirus at several points.

Jinny of tbc shells fired by the Til'lrish artillery during the recent bailies failed to explode. Tito Greeks irregulars are menacing the Salonica railway, with the view cf blocking the arrival of Turkish rerein forcements from Constantinople.

Liter reports show thatthe fighting in the vicinity of Raveni proved disastrous to the Greeks.

The Turks eventually repelled the attack on Vigalia, and captured one of the Greek batteries. The Turkish forces are now in turn invading the districts in Epirus held by the Greeks.