MARCH ON STAMBOUL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 485, 19 April 1909, Page 5

MARCH ON STAMBOUL

TROOPS FROM SALONIKA.

; VAIN EFFORT TO APPEASE THEM. ■■■ ;' ■ ijLtIIA"ASPEACEMAKER;... , X:.';'■; (nt telerhami— I'itFJw tssmjiATipN—i:opYmo(lT.) : ■':■:■■ ' ."■.' , Constantinople/April 16. S The attitude-of the 'Constantinople .troops, towards civilians .and foreigners is irre- ; proachoble. : .'.'.*■'■. .'..'. ■ ".., ■ The .-proclamation issued by ...the Sultiiii. i maintains - the ;i Constitution and tho Sher'iat,, innd urge's the .preservation <di tranquillity;.' Tho Yotlng Turkish party at Salonika is : 'apparently under tho .imp'ressip'n that'the. 'Constitution has been abolished,,and is ar-i ranging to march to Constantinople with the Third Army Corps, a • Reuter's agent •at Salonika "reports •■•'that! •two battalions of troops havo' already pro-S Icoeded'by iail!to Constantinople. 'OthersJare' (preparing to start.. -Jazi Bey is expected Ito bring ten thousand -volunteers from.Saloniika.' ■■ ,■..'"•.. ".■,. '. - ; - :■■ : :

SULTAN'S PIETY. i THREATS FROM THE THIRD ARMY CORPS. (Rec. April 18, U. 30 p.m.) Constantinople, April 17. The Sultan, Abdul Hamid, has presented Ithe theological students with £10,000. Tho 'committee of the Ulema (tho auIthority in cbargo of religious teaching) has issued a pacifying proclamation, declaring 'that there is no fear of a return to despotic ■rule. The proclamation has created an excellent 'impression. Dispatches from Salonika to tho "Neue iFrero Presse,' , state that tho Young Turks lordored tho Third Army Corps to manh on The officers replied that it was impossible 'io obey. 'Tho attitude of the troops is becoming doubtful. i The Constantinople correspondent of "Tho ll'imes" states that tho officers of tho Third lArmy Corps hare telegraphed threatening to attack the capital unless the recentlyresigned Grand Vizier (Hilmi Pasha) and (Ahmed Riza Pasha are restored to their ipositiona within twe-lve hours. Protests against the revolution have been received from tho troops and officials at Vanina, and in tho Monastir Vilayet of 'Macedonia. Thero is excitement in Smyrna, tho prin.bipal town of Asia Minor, and rioting has occurred at Seres (tho most important town bf eastern Macedonia, 'd 3 miles from Salonika) and at Mersina, a seaport on tho Levant. Five thousand people, including several heads of religious communities, met at Salonika and appointed a Central Committee to replace iho dissolved Committee of Union bnd Progress at Constantinople.

) : SEVEN BATTALIONS EN' ROUTE. ' SULTAN AEETRMk' LOYALTY TO THE ;■;. ; -constitution. : v ; V;,;'; : .': . :.'(R'eo. April,'lß', '4.'45 p.m.) ';: ■ . Constantinople, April 17.. . ■ The Constahtihople correspondent-of "The Times" states that, the 'avowed reaction-: aries haye retired, dnd that the Sultan has reiterated his assurimee that he will maintain the Cpnstitutii)n.. : v. ■■ ',~'\\.■:....:. '■ Viennese report's dredit tho Sultan with being tho iprime movor in tho'recent trouble; It has been discovered that eeveral military officers connected with the Cpmmitteo 'of Union and Progress were murdered early in the week. . .;.... ... .., ;,■'• : ..,-. : "The Times'! states that seven battalions haye .'-left Salonika, for.'■ Constantinoplej but Without, '■ ■artillery. , 'They will 'be. (net .by tho Parliamentary Committee, and !>y the Ulema, and will be dissuaded.from their'intentions; : , , . : "i : ,V ■■:.'':■ -\-

THE LATEST. ADVANCING TROOPS REFUSE TO BE DISSUADED. FORCE OF 20,000 COMING "WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE. (Rec. April 19, 0.55 a.m.) London, April 18. Router's Constantinople correspondent states that two military trains containing 1600 infantry from Salonika havo arrived at Spartskulch, 76 kilometres {approximately 47 miles) from .Constantinople. | Seven thousand are expected to arrive on Sunday, including sympathisers from Adrianoplo (the headquarters of tho Second Army Corps, , and the third city of European Turkey, ranking next to Salonika). By early thi3 week the Salonika Committee expect to have 20,000 men within striking distance of Constantinople. Tho Chambers of Dcput'ea sent a deputation, including two pashas, threo ulcmas, and three deputies, to meet the Salonika troops, but tho deputation failed to convince the soldiers that tho revolution does not raean ft disturbance of '*ho Constitution.

SALONIKA AND CONSTANTINOPLE. Salonika has for some time been the headquarters of the Young Turks. ..It was at Salonika that the Young Turk : Congress sat from October 19 to November 7, a*nd arrived at a number of "decisions, including the /following:—. ...■..■. ■■■"' ■■' . i .■■•' 1. The Sovereign having sworn fidelity to the Constitution, his prerogatives will be respected so long'as-he keeps his oath. ■*;.* : . - 2. Tho political programme of the Party oi 'Union and Progress is approved. , 3. Members of the Committee elected Deputies shall form a political party in the Chamber, which shall be known as the "Party of Union and Progress." . ■ '■ ' • 4. A committee shall be appointed to collect edit and publish the history of the Committee of Union ' and Progress and of the Turkish Revolution.. ■ . .:. ■ • . 5. Regulations shall be drawn tip governing the relations of tho Committee to the army; G. The mandate of the Secret Central Committee having expired, a new* secret committee has been elected and its election confirmed by the Congress. ■■■*''• ■~ ■" ■ If tho Third Army Corps from Salonika over reaches the point o£ investing Constantinople a sieg« will be no new experience for that ancient oitv: Since the sixth century Constantinople has undergone many sieges by Saspaamans, Persians, Avars, Saracens (six times) Russians (in the ninth to eleventh centum* Latins, and Turks; and of iLs twenty-sixsieees and eight captures, that of the Lat'in*,-,* under Baldwin nnd Dnndolo in 1204, was by far the most disastrous, barbarous, and spoliating In comparison, the Turkish sieges were humane nnd cliivalrons. The first took plncc m 1422 and Mohammed II carried tho city in H53. ■"*'