English Mail Items.

Hastings Standard, Issue 347, 14 June 1897, Page 4

English Mail Items.

AN OUTSPOKEN KING. King George of Greece has been interviewed by the correspondent of the Paris Journal, and has made statements, some or which are noteworthy from their outspokenness. He denies that either Greece or Turkey had resolved on war, and intimates that its outbreak is due to intrigues which will be revealed later on. " Orders were received to attack us, all the Powers being " against us, particularly certain nations." The King rather sharply affirmed that Europe having driven him to war there " could be no question of localising it. Hellenism now recognises that it must either conquer or resign itself to disappearing. We have courage euough to defend our rights." Nations do not disappear, but the King's reliance upon aggregate " Hellenism," and his belief that he can avoid localising the war, are not a little curious. The King is only Greek by adoption, being a German Dane by birth ; he is a man of sense, and he has in the whole of these transactions shown great nerve, and perfect devotion to the country which elected him ; but we fear he is deceiving himself with hopes. THE ADVANCE FROM DONGOLA. On Monday Beater published a

statement, evidently inspired, thrt an advance is to be made from Dongola to Abu Hanied as soon as' the rise of the Nile makes it possible for the steamers now on the Merawi reach to pass up the fourth cataract. This, however, will not take place till July. When the movement begins the time occupied will not be long, as the distance along the river is only about 100 miles. It is not thought probable that any formidable resistance will be offered by the Mahdist garrison at Abu Hanied. The advantages of occupying Abu Hamed are obvious. It is not really an advance into the heart of the hostile Soudan, for Abu Hamed is north of Merawi. Yet when it has been occupied, and the railway, as is intended has been extended from Wady Haifa, it will be possible to organise a flotilla which will be able to advance on short notice on Berber or Ivhartourn. From a little above Abu Hamed is practically open water to Khartoum. The work of railway construction is nothing very tremendous. The distance is about 200 miles, and of these 30 are already completed. The advance is not a new attack on the Khalifa, but merely the establishment of an outpost from which the real advance can be made with comparative ease.