THE GRECO-TURKISH WAR. 640 either distributed freely or sold for a mere trifle to its members and sympathisers in Greece. Every man and boy could have a rifle and ammunition almost for the asking. Armed bands of volunteers,theAndartoi,wereorganised in Thessaly and Greek Epirus,obeying only the orders of the Association,andready to cross the Turkish frontier when it gave the word. And it was announced that a widespreadinsurrection embarked on board of transports at the Piræus the port of Athens. It put to sea under the escort of a torpedo flotilla commanded by Admiral Prince George,the king's second son. Next day, before the European admirals of the international fleet that lay off Canea and in Suda Bay had either received any precise orders from their Governments, or decided what course to take, Vassos and his men landed at COLONEL VASSOS AND HIS SON.

had been organised wherever Greeks were to be found in the Sultan's dominions. At Athens wildly excited crowds, often with arms in their hands, thronged to the palace, cheering for Greece, for Crete, for war against the Turk. Had the king attempted to resist the popular movement, the result would have been a revolution.

He put himself at the head of it, and took steps to force the Powers to take prompt action to settlethe affairs of Crete, boldly asserting the claim of Greece to have a leading voice in that settlement. On February 14th a force of 3,000 Greek troops, commanded by Colonel Vassos, fiatama, a village a lew miles to the west ot Canea, and put themselves in communication with the insurgent leaders at Akrotiri.

On the same dayon which news was received of this aggression the Sultan ordered the mobilisation of one-fourth of the Turkish army. But even yet the friends of peace did not despair. It was remembered that in 1885 the Bulgarian army had marched into Eastern Roumelia, that the Sultan had ordered a mobilisation of his forces,but that,nevertheless, no warbetween Turk and Bulgar had followed, and the Porte had resigned itself to the peaceful union of Eastern Roumelia with the Bulgarian