CONSTANTINE'S ASSURANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 292, 8 December 1915, Page 5

CONSTANTINE'S ASSURANCES.

WILL MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY TURK CAMPAIGN AGAINST EGYPT. RECRUITING IN SOUTH AFRICA PREPARING FOR EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN. £ing Constantine has expressed in most emphatic terms the intention of Greece to continue the policy of neutrality towards the Allies. He is deeply grieved and hurt at the suspicions as to his intentions, and suggests that these are due to vexation at the failure in Bulgaria. He emphatically denied that there was a treaty between Greece and Serbia, and asserted that no breach of the treaty with Serbia had been committed. The Allies had not defined their programme in the Balkans, and in view of that fact Greece could not commit herself. Nothing detrimental to the Allies need be feared from Greece, and, whatever the Allies' plans may be, Greece will not abandon neutrality. The Italians, despite the King's declaration, believe that Greece is plotting treachery against the Allies, and assert that Greece is feverishly hastening her military preparations. German officers are openly at work brazenly suggesting participation on behalf of the Central Powers. It is stated that King Constantine is completely under Germanic influences. A British submarine has sunk a Turkish destroyer and a number of supply ships in the Sea of Marmora, besides damaging the railway at Ismid. Germans in Constantinople assert that 2,000,000 Turks will be armed- by the spring, and that an attack on Egypt will be made in January. fiONSJANTINE'S ASSURANCES TO THE ALLIES DEEPLY HURT AT SUSPICIONS. MUST KEEP GREECE CLEAR OF DISASTER. .NO BREACH OF THE SERBIAN TREATY. (By Cable.—Prese Association.—Copyright.) ATHENS, December 7. In an audience he gave to the correspondent of the Londoa "Times,"' King Constantine said:—"l am .deeply grieved and hurt at the suspicions as to my intentions and sentiments. I always preferred Britain to other countries, and have spent my holidays there, but Britain has forgotten that I am King of Greece, and my first duty is to keep Greece clear of the disaster. The pitiable condition of Belgium is always before my eyes. I will only consent to war if the existence of Greece is threatened, or the certainty of victory is so great that the rewards justify the sacrifice." King Constantine added that he had given the most solemn assurances that Greece would never cherish designs against the Allies. It was an insult to think Greece or her King capable of treachery. MIGHT HAVE BECOME A SECOND BELGIUM. King Constantine, referring to the Dardanelles campaign, said:—"The attack was a gamble which might or might not succeed, but Greece was . unable to run such risks. Nor was the Allies' Balkan policy very definite. If Greece had joined and the Allies had decided to retire, Greece would have become a second Belgium. The friendly feelings of Greece were sufficiently demonstrated when she placed her railways and telegraphs at the disposal of the forces at Salonika. Perhaps she overstepped her neutrality." King Constantine then asked sharply if the Allies' confidence in Bulgaria had been justified, and suggested that Greece was now the victim of vexation at unsuccessful policy elsewhere. The Graeco-Serbian treaty dealt with the Balkans only, and came into force if Bulgaria alone attacked Greece or Serbia. He emphatically denied the rumoured treaty between Greece and Bulgaria. The latter was the hereditary enemy of Greece. AX.LIES , INDEFINITE PROGRAMME. Continuing, he said:—"The present situation can be summed up in a few words. The allied Powers have made certain demands regarding the Greek forces in Macedonia. We replied, giving the most solemn assurances that nothing detrimental to the Allies need be feared from Greece, but before we bind ourselves irrevocably to the programme we are desirous of knowing •what the programme of the Allies is. We have been told by Britain that the ' Allies are deliberating, and that no fixed programme has yet been decided on. Can Greece in justice be invited,to remove troops to other districts "while the Allies are still undecided whether they will occupy or evacuate the region, though whatever the Allies' plans may be Greece wilj not abandon tlieutrality." King Constantine concluded by expressing gratitude for the visite of Earl Kitchener and M. Denys Cochin, and reasserting that the suspicions xegarding his political views and aims were unjustified and cruel. BRITISH SUBMARINE IN SEA OF MARMORA. SINKS A DESTROYER AMD SUPPLY STEAMER. ISMID RAILWAY LINE DAMAGED. WELLINGTON-, December X. The High Commissioner nas sent the following statement from London under date 6th inst.:— "A British submarine in the Sea of Marmora on Thursday fired on and Samaged the Ismid railway. On Friday the submarine torpedoed and sank the Turkish destroyer Yar Hissar outside the Gulf of Ismid, picking up two ; officers and 40 men, who were placed on board a sailing vessel. On Saturday ; the submarine sank a supply steamer of 3,000 tons by gunfire, and destroyed ifour sailing vessels, also supply-carriers." I Tho Yar Hissar, one of the most modern of the ten destroyers Turkey i iad at the outbreak of the -war, was built at Bordeaux in 1907. She was of '/: 280 tons displacement, and had a speed of 28 knots, .She was atmeiwith one v ; and two torpedo tubeaj •■ ' ' u^