A CLASH INEVITABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16886, 10 November 1922, Page 4

A CLASH INEVITABLE.

GREAT TENSION PREVAILING. CONSTANTINOPLE. November 8. Is met Pasha held a conference with the Allied High Commissioners. He then left for Angora, where he will report to his Government on the crisis. The Bourse is closed. Turkish exchange is depreciating hourly, and merchants are cancelling orders. The new Customs tariff has disorganised trade. The new Government is in a deplorable state financially and cannot pay its officials' regularly. Dr Nansen has asked Angora to negotiate for th© exchange of Turkish Nationals with Greece, but the Kemalistfl expect that the negotiations will prove abortive, owing to Greek opposition to the evacuation of Constantinople by 400,000 Greeks, who collectively possess enormous wealth. If the Greeks go, other foreigners must follow, which would ruin the city’s commerce. The Grand V izier lias sent a final appeal for reconciliation between the Porte and Angora. Th© greatest tension prevails in the city. A clash seems inevitable if the British forces guarding the Galata Bridge continue to prevent the Turks from traversing th© Grand Rue. Concealed machine-guns are posted at the end of the bridge and in houses overlooking it. The guard lias been strengthened by motor-cars, armed with machine-guns.