THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 5

THE WAR.

-♦ • ' THE DEFENCE OF LARISSA. GREAT BATTLE EXPECTED. THESSALY ARMING. FIGHTING AT KARNIA. GREEK SUCCESSES AT VOGLA. BOMBARDMENT OF PLATAMONA. OPERATIONS AT ARTA. EXCITEMENT IN CONSTANTINOPLE. THE TURKISH FLEET. Pf ess Association.—Electric Teleeraph.-Copyrlglit. Athens, April 22. The troops guarding the Royal Palace at Athens, as well as the garrison at Yolo, have been ordered to reinforce the Greeks at Larissa The Greeks are strongly entrenched north and west of Larissa.

The Turkish forces, under Edheui Pasha, which gained a viotory at Maluna, are marching upon Larissa. The Turkish commander is proceeding with caution and coolness, and does ,uot expect the Greeks to offer a stubborn resistance at Larissa.

.Heavy fighting is goipg on along the line of route from Tirnavao to Zarkos, south-west of Larissa.

The Turks have abandoned Fillippindo, and before evacuating burned the town.

The entire population of Thessaly is arming in readiness to assist the troops to repel the Turks.

Tlie struggle at Karnia still continues, Haradi Pasha's division has been fighting with great ferocity for the past forty-eight hours. It is expected the Turks will soon have surrounded the Greeks unless the latter retire.

The Greek artillery is making a vigorous attack upon Vogla, a position comman ding Turnavo,and have silenced half the Turkish batteries and captured two outposts. The Greek squadron is bombarding tlu? town of Platamoua, on the shores of the Gulf of Salonioa. A magazine has exploded. Later despatches state that the Greek fleet destroyed the magazines and provision otores at Platamona and Higaria. The squadron is now proceeding to Katarvna, some miles north of Platamona.

The Greek artillery destroyed two Turkish batteries at Geros, north-east of Elassonu, in Thessaly, and caused great slaui?htei among the Turks. The Turku have burned Strevina, and are retreating upon Pentepigidia, where a battle is expected.

Edhem Pasha is massing his forees at a point some distance south of Maluna in the direction of Larisfla, aud is concentrating his artillery arv'd cavalry reserves.

Edhem has asked for 40,000 troops to reinforce the Turkish divisions on the frontier.

The Turkish reserves at SaJonica are moving towards Larissa,

The Greek batteries at Artu compelled ii section of the. Turkish garrison in the forts on the opposite side of the river to retire into their forts at the back of the town. There they were shelled by the Greeks. The Turkish garrison was reinforced, and defended the position until nightfall. London, April 22. The Daily Telegraph's war correspondent wires that a great battle is proceeding at Damasi, north-westerly from Larissa. The Standard's correspondent telegraphs that the excitement which arose among the Greeks and Turks in Constantinople on the outbreak of the war is increasing, and it is daily feared that serious disorder will ensue.

Mr. Gladstone, in a letter to the press, mikes reference to the incredible sham and incomparable bundling 011 the part of the Powers in keeping the Greeks from Crete, which lie says drove them to Macedonia. Constantinople, April 22. The Sultan has issued an irad, instructing the Turkish squadron which sailed under sealed orders to avoid fighting the Greek fleet, and to remain under the protection of the Turkish forts.

THE LATEST. RENEWED FIGHTING IN MALUM PASS. GREEKS REPULSED WITH GREAT LOSS. SERVIA AND BULGARIA. THE SITUATION IN CRETE. Athens, April 22.

The Greeks made a desperate attempt yesterday to re-capture the Maluna Pass, I nut were repulsed with tremendous loso.

The Greeks ha ve re-occupied Salagora on the Gulf of Arta.

Taking advantage of the present situation Servia ;is agitating for the cession ofjii Turkish port, while Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria threatened to mobilise the Bulgarian array unless writs forthe election of five bishops of the orthodox Greek Church were granted.

The threat proved elective, for the Sultan has yielded, and is ordering the issue of the writs.

Colonel Vassos state.? that the Cretan insurgents are likely to attack the positions held by the forces of the Powers unless the blockade js raised.

Athens, April 23. The Greeks retreating from the Maluna Pass rallied at Mafci, and repulsed the Turks with great loss. The ships composing the Grecian Eastern squadron are bombarding Katarina on the Gulf of Salonica. Heavy firing is going on. They have, destroyed telegraph lines, magazines, and stores.

The Western squadron lias sailed for Epirus. It is believed that its presence there will promote a rising of the Albanians in support of the Greeks.

The Governor of Heraklion, in Crete, reports that five .thousaud Cretan insurgents are massed ' in the vicinity of the town, which lie fears they intend to attack. The forces of the Powers in the town are inadequate, bile the

Turkish troops have no field guns, and foreign warships are unable effectively to fire on the attackers.

Athens, April 23. Larissa reports that four hundred members of a foreign legion, including 26 Englishmen, have proceeded to the frontier, the English singing the national war song. The town of Larissa is overcrowded, and food is scarce. The hospital is full of Greek wounded, who are arriving hourly. The roads are blocked by fugitives from the villages carrying their household goods. Many pitiful scenes have been witnessed.

The London Daily Telegraph correspondent states that no incident of any campaign compares with the scene of the present war for pathos and tragedy. The Greeks on Wednesday fortified Kritiri, but lost the summit. In the retreat from Maluna Pass the Turks from the opposite side of the ravine kept up a terrific fusillade. The Greeks attempted to storm the Turks' position, but were repulsed with great loss. Djelal Pasha, one of the Turkish generals, was killed. The struggle was received at other points on the plains, the Turks driving the Greeks ahead by their artillery, at range of two thousand yards, which was most effective. AMERICA AND THE GREEKS. Washington, April 23, The Senate has referred a motion expressing sympathy with Greece to the Foreign Relations Committee. THE BAPTISTS j*ND THE WAR. Sydney, April 23. The Baptist Union has carried a resolution expressing appreciation of the heroic efforts of the Greeks to safeguard the interests of the Cretan and Armenian Christians, and hoping England would do nothing inimical to Greece, but help to thwart the evil designs of the Turks.