DEATHS OF LEIGHTON, MILLAIS, MORRIS 1896 In this year died Frederick Leighton, the famous English artist. In 1855 he exhibited as his first picture, "Cimabue's Madonna Carried Through the Streets of Florence" in the Royal Academy in London. The picture attracted immediate attention, and was purchased by Queen Victoria. Fourteen years afterward, having contributed noteworthy pictures to almost every exhibition of the Royal Academy, Leighton became a full-fledged Academician, when he contributed "Electra at the Tomb of Agamemnon," and "St. Jerome," his diploma work. John Everett Millais, one of England's foremost artists, died on August 3. He began painting very young. One of his earliest works, "Pizarro Seizing the Men of Peru," was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1846, and in the following year a gold medal was awarded to Millais's historical canvas, "The Tribe of Benjamin Seizing the Daughters of Judah." Henceforth every exhibition of the Royal Academy contained new contributions by Millais. Millais, together with Rossetti, Holman Hunt, Madox Brown, and a few others, founded "The Brotherhood of the Pre-Raphaelites.' While thus engaged Millais formed close ties of friendship with John Ruskin, the famous art critic, which were not even broken by the fact that Ruskin's wife was divorced from him in order to be married to Millais. By the death of William Morris, the poet, on October 3, the English School of Modern Romantic Art and Literature lost one of its leaders. Morris, together with Rossetti and Burne-Jones, embarked on an artistic enterprise for the designing and manufacture of original decorations for house interiors. This enterprise proved eminently successful, and had a lasting effect in improving the style of English decorative designs. Besides this, Morris undertook the printing and binding of high class books, a venture which likewise proved a complete commercial success. 1896 SULTAN CONCEDES CRETAN AUTONOMY The coronation of the Czar and Czarina at Moscow was celebrated with great pomp. At their very close the festivities were marred by an awful panic and stampede, during which 3,000 persons were crushed to death or seriously injured. Shortly after this a flurry of political excitement was caused in October throughout Germany and Austria by Prince Bismarck's piqued revelations concerning the exist ence of a secret treaty between Germany and Russia. It had been concluded just after the Triple Alliance was formed. During the last days of August another massacre of 5,000 Armenians was perpetrated-this time at Constantinople. Serious riots were also reported at Pera Galata. The Divan was endangered by the connivance of the Imperial troops. The Powers protested. Seven days later at Eguin, on the Euphrates, 2,500 Armenians were murdered with the connivance of the Turkish authorities. In Crete disturbances arose at Canea. The Turkish soldiers went about pillaging and killing Christians. Abdullah Pasha was appointed Civil and Military Governor of Crete, with the object of restoring tranquillity. The Porte agreed to accept in principle the suggestions of the Ambassadors for the pacification of Crete, including general amnesty. The Greek Government, during the summer, under pressure from the Great Powers, took measures to prevent armed volunteers from embarking for Crete, or from invading Macedonia. At the same time the Mussulman population of Crete pillaged the houses of the Christians. Before long, Ptakni, chief of the insurgents in Macedonia, arrived on the Greek frontier, pursued by the Turks. With fifteen companions he was arrested by Greek soldiers and taken to Larissa. Finally the Sultan acceded to the demands of the Powers, consenting to a local government under a Christian governor, who was removable only with the consent of the Powers. The Cretan deputies agreed to accept this autonomy. EVENTS OF 1897 Cretan Insurgents Proclaim Union with Greece-Turkish Governor Resigns-Foreign Fleets Occupy Canea-They Fire on Insurgent Camp -Powers Submit to Porte and Greece Policy of Cretan Autonomy -Sultan Accepts-Greece Refuses and Calls Out Reserves-Autonomy is Proclaimed in Crete-Moslems Attack Christians-Powers Blockade Crete and Shell Insurgents-Sultan Demands Evacuation of Crete by Greek Troops-Greeks Cross Their Frontier into Turkey -Turkey Declares War-Edhem Pasha Captures Maluna Pass and Occupies Thessaly-Greeks Fall Back to Larissa-Smolenskis Repulses Turks at Velestino, but Evacuates Position-Turks Force Greeks Back from Pharsalos to Vomokos, where they Defeat Them -Greece Begs Intervention of Powers-Greeks Evacuate CreteGreeks Best the Turks at Gribovo in Epirus-Treaty of Constantinople-Greece Pays Indemnity and Turkey Holds Thessaly Till it is Paid-Greece Resigns Finances to_International CommissionParliaments of Transvaal and Orange Free State Repeal Anti-Immigration Bill-British Storm Dhargai Pass on Indian Frontier-McKinley is Inaugurated President-Congress Passes High Tariff Dingley Bill-United States Annexes Hawaii-Discovery of Gold in Klondike Leads to Boundary Dispute with Canada-Greater New York is Organized-Four-Cornered Contest to be Its First Mayor-Death of Henry George-Venezuela Boundary is Fixed by Arbitration-Germans Avenge Murder of Missionaries by Seizure of Chinese Province of Kiao-Chau-International Exhibition at Brussels-Diamond Jubilee of Victoria's Accession-Assassination of Castillo, Spanish Premier, and President_Borda of UruguayDeaths of Brahms, Composer, and Daudet, French Novelist-Rostand, French Dramatist, Produces Masterpiece - Cuban Insurgents Take Victoria del las Tunas - Blanco Supersedes Weyler, the "Butcher"-Blanco Sends Peace Envoy to Insurgents-He is Shot -Spaniards Hold Insurgents in Check by Trocha. T HE year opened with the release of the Armenian prisoners by the Porte, on the intervention of the Powers. More collisions between the Christians and Mussulmans occurred at Heraklion and other places in Crete, with much loss of life. Canea was set on fire at several places. Sailors from ships of the various Powers in the harbor eventually succeeded in quenching the flames. The Cretan insurgents having proclaimed union with Greece on February 8, orders were issued for all the available Greek torpedo vessels to be commissioned. Prince George sailed from the Piræus amid the greatest enthusiasm. 1897 BLOCKADE OF CRETE On February 13 Georgi Pasha Berovitch, the Turkish Governor of Crete, took refuge on board the flagship of the Russian Admiral, lying off Halepa, and subsequently telegraphed his resignation. In consequence of this, the Greek Consuls at the various towns of Crete, having placed their fellow citizens under British protection, hauled down their flag and left the island. Two days later, Canea was occupied by marines and sailors of the allied fleets. On the 21st the foreign warships fired upon the Cretan insurgents' camp near Canea. In the House of Commons, in the French Chamber, and in the German Reichstag, spirited debates ensued concerning this action. On March 2 a collective note of the six Powersindicating their policy toward Crete-was presented simultaneously at Constantinople and Athens. The Sultan de clared his readiness to adopt the recommendation of the Powers for the establishment of Cretan autonomy. Greece would not withdraw her forces from Crete and called out the reserves of 1890. In the meantime, the palace at Canea and other buildings were burned down by Mohammedan incendiaries. Fort Stavros was captured by the Cretan insurgents, with its Turkish garrison of 3,000 men. The Turkish Zaptiehs at Canea demanded arrears of a year's pay, mutinied against their officers, and shot their colonel. Pickets of sailors and marines were then despatched from the allied fleet, and after a slight resistance the mutineers surrendered. Eventually, on the 17th of March, autonomy was proclaimed in Crete. This was followed by Mohammedan attacks upon the Christians at Canea and Rhetimos. The aged Gladstone bitterly denounced the pro-Turkish policy of the European Powers. On the 21st, a close blockade of Crete was formally declared. The Cretan insurgents, having driven the Turkish troops out of the Akrotiri block-houses and occupied them, were in turn shelled out by the guns of the fleet. The Crown Prince TURKS OCCUPY THESSALY of Greece left Athens for the frontier. 1897 The Porte at once issued a circular to the Ottoman representatives abroad demanding the evacuation of Crete by the Greek troops and protesting against the appointment of a governor of Crete by the Powers. On the following day several bands of irregulars, under the direction of the Ethnike Hetairia, crossed the frontier, invading Turkish territory. They were met by the Turkish troops who surrounded and captured several of the invading detachments. Turkish gunners at Privisa sank a Greek merchantman in the Gulf of Arta. Turkey declared war on April 17. Fighting began in the mountain passes of Thessaly. The mobilization of the Turkish army, as planned by Von der Golz, was effected in four weeks. The first conspicuous skirmish in the pass of Nezeros was to the advantage of the Greeks. The Turks bore themselves well under heavy losses. Under Edhem Pasha the Turkish main column advanced from Elassona and succeeded in conveying their heavy siege guns over the mountains along a new military road prepared weeks in advance. The important pass of Maluna was captured. The Greek vanguard forfeited their best positions. Nearly 200,000 strong, the Turkish forces poured down into the plain of Thessaly. Crown Prince Constantine's retreat from Mati had a depressing effect on the Greeks, and was taken to indicate a lack of serious warlike purpose on the part of the royal house of Greece. The comparative inactivity of the Greek naval squadrons on the coast of Epirus and Macedonia confirmed this impression, for they contented themselves merely with bombarding several Turkish seaports, where depots of provisions and arms had been established. Large quantities of grain were destroyed. In Thessaly, the Greek forces were ordered to fall back on Larissa. The town was evacuated by Prince Constantine amid a panic of the terror-stricken Greek country people. On receipt of this news at Athens, a revolution |