1 JANUARY 1881, Page 10

The newspapers are full of telegrams about the project of

Greco- Turkish arbitration, which, however, is still in its infancy. The Powers have agreed to ask Turkey and Greece to refer their differ- ences to an arbiter, but neither Turkey nor Greece as yet consents.. The Porte, with its usual sardonic graciousness, says it is quite willing, provided it is settled beforehand that the arbitrators shall decide on the line Turkey proposed; but it will suggest an alternative scheme, to be published* in a few days. Greece is also willing, if the arbitrators accept her line, but pleads that if she takes any other there will be revolution. Nothing is, therefore, settled, and while the Sultan keeps forwarding fresh battalions to Thessaly, and spending his whole revenue on the Army, M. Coumortmlouros is opening secret negotiations with the Albanian Chiefs. If they will join Athens in strict alliance,. on a guarantee of the autonomy of Albania, the Turkish defence of Epirus and Thessaly will be exceedingly difficult. The Greek'• provision of torpedoes is large, and they have succeeded in raising a loan, chiefly in Paris, of .C4,000,000 sterling, sufficient, it is said, for a year's expenses. One battle won will do more for her credit than any amount of financing.