News which may hereafter prove of importance has been received
this week from Crete. The Christian inhabitants of the island, who are about two hundred and seventy thousand in number, have been quarrelling with the Mussulman inhabitants, who are seventy thousand, and are besieging the garrison of Vamos. It was reported on Sunday in Canea, the capital, that Vamos had capitulated, and some soldiery from Bares, excited to madness, attacked the per- fectly quiet townspeople. The Turkish soldiery speedily joined them, and put to death twenty-five or thirty Christians without the smallest provocation, besides others in the neigh- bouring villages. The panic-struck Christians, aware of the Sultan's disposition, and expecting a massacre like the Armenian, thronged the churches and the Consulates, and messages were sent to all parts of Europe demanding aid. A British warship accordingly arrived from Malta, a French ironclad from Samos, a Russian cruiser from the Pirieus, an Italian steamer from Messina, and even an Austrian from Fiume, while the entire Greek fleet was held in readiness to depart. The Turks, alarmed, ceased slaughtering in Canes, the dead were buried under the guns of the British vessels, and up to Friday after- noon order was reported as restored. The Christians, how- ever, do not consider themselves safe, and energetic advice will, it is believed, be pressed on the Sultan to despatch a Governor who will restore discipline in the garrison. It is not likely, after the desertion of the Armenians, that the advice will be taken, and if the massacres recommence the Greeks of Athens will be unable to refrain from assisting their fellow-countrymen, and Europe will be compelled either to permit Canes to be occupied or to fire on Greek ships in order to permit Turks to slaughter innocent Christians with impunity. That is a dilemma which, with Russia and France friendly to massacre, may easily result in war.
