GREEK CRISIS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17264, 4 September 1916, Page 7

GREEK CRISIS.

KING CONSTANTINE.

REPORTED ABDICATION

Aufttclian nnd N.fc. Cable Association,

LONDON, September 1

It' is reported from Salonika that King Const&nt-ine has abdicated and hanc?ft over the regency to Prince George. M. Zaimis remains with M. Venezelos to support Greece in siding with tho Allies.

(King Constantine succeeded to the throne of Greece on the assassination of his father, George 1., on March 18, 1913. Pie wae born on August 2,18 fa», and in 1889 married Princess Sophia of Prussia, sister of tho Kaiser. King Constantine has three sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Pnnce George, who will probably succeed to to* throne if the King abdicates, was boi : n on Jtily 19, 1890. Prince. Andrew, who has just been recalled from Britain, i« the King's brother.)

RUMOUR DISBELIEVED

The Times " Service

LONDON, Septemebr 1. ■The Greek Legation disbelieves the rumour that King Constantine has abdlThe Foreign Office has received no official confirmation.

REPORT DENIED

KING CONFINED TO ROOM

Australian and K.Z. CabU Association. (Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 2

The Greek Minister in London denies the report of King Constantine s abdiAthens telegrams on Friday stated that King Constantine’s temperature had risen and that he was confined to his bed. UNDER ALLIED GUNS. SQUADRON AT PLR/EUS. WIRELESS STATION AND LINERS SEIZED. (Received September 3, 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, September 2. Twenty-three Allied warships arrived at Pineus at noon on Friday, acconipanied by transports from Salonika. The Allied squadron includes cruisers and smaller vessels, accompanied by hvdroplancs. The squadron is under the command of a- French admiral and continues to cruise boloro l’irtous. No vessel as yet has entered tho har-i hour. . . English newspapers interpret the presence of the Allied warships at Piraeus as an indication that tho Allies aro weary of the tergiversations of the Athenian politicans, and are resolved to baffle German intrigues. ATHENS, September 2. Two Allied warships entered thq

Navy yard at Piraeus, and landing parties seized tho wireless station and four German levant liners. It is reported that the Allies demanded the delivery of sixty suspected Gormans. According to the “ Hestia.” the Greek na.val officers and men vrolo recalled from leave. C-HAOS IN GREECE. URGED TO JOIN ALLIES. VENEZELISTS WILL NOT JOIN " ZAIMIS. Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. . (Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) ' LONDON, September 2. Latest detailed descriptions from Athens, dated Thursday, before the arrival of Allied warships at Piraus, overshadowed the news of the Salonika insurrection showed that tho situation was one. of extraordinary chaos. The King is in a sick room, tho parliamentarians are dispersed, and tho elections arc postponed. Despite Rumanian triumphs and the happenings at Salonika, M. Zailiiis b still of tho opinion that a policy of benevolent neutrality is sufficient to meet the crisis.

It is understood that the Venezclists notv refuse to join the Znimis Ministry and share the responsibility of the present policy. The people, lacking proper leadership, are in a state of muddled despair. Liberal newspapers are wildly exhorting the King and Government to follow Rumania’s example before it is too late, owing to Bulgaria throwing up tile sponge. The newspaper “ P atl'is ” states; — “Italy is becoming a great Mediterranean Power, and Rumania, is becoming an empire, but Greece is led to a living tomb for the Hellenic race. Awaken, impose j our will, or to-morrow you may he too late.” The general confusion is reflected in the army, which is just demobilised. The personnel of the higher commands is in the melting pot, as General Dousmauis attempted to staff the army with pro-Germans, some of whom have been dismissed, hut the rest form a, discordant element. Other officers favour deserting from their regiments and joining tho Allies, hut are not dosirous of acting while there is a. chance that Greece will declare war. The Bulgarian invaders have retired. General LepatTuotis, tho lender of the 1909 revolution, has appealed for volunteers for the army of Salonika, to.drive out tho Bulgars. i VENEZELIST DEPUTATION. KING REFUSED TO RECEIVE CITIZENS. (Received September 9, 5.13 p.m.) ATHENS, September 2. A deputation from M. VcnCzelos’s meeting waited on M. Zaimis and presented a. ropy of a resolution, and also the protest against King Constantine’s refusal to' receive a deputation. M. Zaimis bogged tho deputation to defer further action, assuring thorn that tho question agitating them would soon be cleared up.

REVOLT BN GREECE. THREE REGIMENTS MUTINY. ' NEW YORK, September 1. It ia -reported from Salonika that several Greek cities havo revolted and that three regiments have mutinied; REVOLUTION IN SALONIKA. GARRISON DISARMED. LONDON, September 1. The Pro-Entento Oommitteo of National Defence organised a revolution in Salonika and other towns. The revolutionists besieged the Salonika garrison

Tho Greek troops, after bloodshed, consented to-disarmament on General Sarrail's intervention.

Tho committee is now supremo in Macedonia.

(Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, September 2

A 'wireless message says that tho National Committee of Defence at Salonika has interned Colonel Tricoupis, tho organiser of the resistance against tho Nationalist movement.

REVOLUTION SPREADING

(Received September 3, o.o t p.m.)

LONDON, September 2

A Rome wireless messago states that the Greek revolution is spreading in Thessaly and Epirus. Martial law has been declared in Athens and Piraeus. It is reported that tho King's condition is worse.

FRENCH INTERVENE

ROYALIST TROOPS SURRENDER.

SALONIKA, September 1

Tho righting portion of the ..Macedonian, revolution is over. Sarrail in tho morning arrived on the par ado ground, and fifty officers commanding tho Royalist forces camo out without their swords and' met him. They announced tliat they were prepared to surrender to ■ tho Allies, but not to their Greek adversaries. Genoral Sarrail replied that a state of warfare in tho town which was tho base headquarters of tho Allies could not be permitted to continue. General Sarrail laid down conditions which the officers accepted, namely: They would romaiu prisoners until it was decided what further should bo done. The officers were confined in a building on the parade ground. Tho men paraded without arms, and their colonel inspected them and shook hands with every man. In' a speech of farewell ho urged them to maintain strict discipline and. implicitly to obey tho French. Tho men then marched to a French camp at Zlotenlick, under French officers, whero they will remain until further decision. General Sarrail now explains tho action of tho French troops:—"Martial law has been proclaimed in Salonika, and I intend to see order preserved. Last night shots wero exchanged, resulting in pcoolo being killed and wounded, therefore, tho French troops wero ordered to interveno and restore order."

(Received September 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 2.

Mr Ward Trice, whoso messages from Salonika on Thursday were delayed, states that Wednesday's revolution had a confirmation of blood during tho night, when a Macedonian troojp, who had joined: tho Committee of National Defence, defying Athens,' suddenly attacked the. biirracks at Salonika, tho garrison of which had refused to join the separatists. There was brisk rifle fire for five minutes across the parade ground, and then the" attackers practically ceased fire, until daybreak, when a strong force of French, with guns, wero hurried to the barracks. Meanwhile the Macedonians were lying on tho pavement, on one side of tho parade ground, while the garrison was behind tho wall of a fruit garden opposite. A section of tho garrison once endeavoured to come out, to _ secure supplies, but was driven back with the loss of a few men. A body of civilian volunteers reinforced the Macedonians during the night, but they were not strong enough to?seize the barracks. When a thousand French troops assembled SI. Zimbreakakis and other leaders of the Committee of National Defence allowed General Sarrail to control the situation.

PLAIN PROCLAMATION

"TIME FOR ACTION HAS COME. :i

SALONIKA, September 1

A rumour took shape from a special edition of the paper "Angyra" announcing that King Oonstantine had abdicated and handed the rogency to Prince George, and that Yenczolos's position would not be official but rathci that of the power behind the Throne. The announcements must still be received with reserve.

The newspaper also adds that Greece will range herself on tho sido of the Allies, and the people interpret this as njeaning that the army will join the army of tho Orient. Tho army will probably need considerable revictualling and equipment before it is capable of taking the field.

A committee- of national defence has been formed in Salonika with considerable possibilities, although the present 'possibilities are vague. The leaders arc a colonel of artillery, a colonel of cavalry and a Vcnezelist deputy. They distributed long proclamations addressed to the Greek people and army, pointing out that the present state of affairs had lasted long enough. The surrender of forts xAa a grievous misdeed of tho King's and Government's. They add that the time has come when Greece should place herself on the Entente's side. The Entente have always been Greece's friends.

The proclamations are frankly' revolutionary, and urge the Greek soldiers not to pay attention to orders from Athens, but to ally themselves with the Entente and assist in driving tho Bulgars off Greek soil.

BULOARS CAPTURE GREEKS

CHRTSTODOT7LTS SURRENDERS

United Service.

SALONIKA, September 2. The Bulgarinns have captured Colonel Christndouli? and .1000 men. (Colonel Christodoulis, in defiance of orders from Athens, resisted the Bulgarians in Eastern Macedonia.) WITHOUT FIGHTSING. @ ' WHAT GREECE GAVE UP. ’ The Tir»os ” Service. LONDON, September 1. A Salonika correspondent telegraphs that the Bulgarians without firing a shot secured possession of seventeen forts, containing hugo quantities of provisions and hundreds of guns.