34 BALKAN WAR 



The 2 columns united near Banitza, encountering little opposition, though their approach 

 no doubt influenced the result of the battle of Monastir. As it was, they captured large 

 numbers of prisoners and several guns in the defiles of Pisoderi and dispersed some bodies 

 of Turkish troops retreating via Fiorina. On November 25th, the Greek cavalry, sup- 

 ported by an infantry division, attacked Kastoria (south-west of Sorovech), capturing 

 more prisoners and guns. In December the Main Army, advancing by Goritza, defeat- 

 ed the Turks at the Sangoni Pass, and then pushed on towards Janina. 



The Western Greek Army under General Sapuntsakis crossed the frontier near 

 Arta on the outbreak of war, and detached a force with some heavy guns to besiege 

 Prevesa; that fortress surrendered on November 4th, after bombardment by sea and 

 land, with 500-600 prisoners. The main column continued its advance towards Penti- 

 pigadia, but met with a slight reverse on October 23rd. On November i4th General 

 Sapuntzakis had again advanced and had captured Mount Metsovo. On November 

 28th his troops appeared before Janina. Meanwhile the Turkish force in Epirus had 

 been reinforced by the remnants of the Western Army from Monastir. 



Hostilities were continued during the Peace Conference, as the Greeks were not 

 parties to the armistice. About December loth an attack was made on the Turkish 

 position near Janina, while a force of 2 Greek battalions and some irregulars was landed 

 at Santa Quaranta to effect a diversion on this flank. This detachment was re-embarked 

 after an encounter with 8 Turkish battalions west of Janina. On December I2th/i3th 

 the Greeks attacked Janina and made some progress towards the Bizani fort; on 

 the 2oth/22nd the Turks took the offensive against the Greek forces south of Janina but 

 were repulsed with heavy losses. 



Naval Operations. 



Except in the inland seas the Greek fleet had held undisputed maritime command 

 throughout the war. About October iyth some destroyers were detached to the Ionian 

 Sea to assist in the siege of Prevesa and blockade the Epirus coast ; about December 4th 

 Greek warships are said to have bombarded Valona and occupied the island of Sasseno, 

 evoking a protest from the Albanian provisional government. The remainder of the 

 fleet, under Admiral Conduriotis, acting in the Aegean, occupied Mudras Bay (Lemnos) 

 as a base, on October 2ist, and blockaded the Dardanelles. Subsequently the islands of 

 Thasos, Imbros, Samothrace, Tenedos, Ikara, Psara, and Strati were captured by the 

 fleet, and troops were landed on Chios and Mitylene, where fighting continued for some 

 weeks. On October 3ist a Greek torpedo boat sank the old Turkish cruiser Feth-i- 

 Bulend in Salonica harbour. 



The Turkish fleet was occupied during October in convoying transports from 

 Trebizond and Sinope to Constantinople, and in blockading the coast of Bulgaria. In 

 November it assisted in the defence of the Chatalja lines, enfilading the Bulgarian at- 

 tacks on the southern flank. On November 2ist the cruiser Hamidieh was badly dam- 

 aged by a Bulgarian torpedo attack about 15 miles off Varna. On December i6th the 

 Turkish fleet issued from the Dardanelles and exchanged shots with the Greek squadron, 

 afterwards retiring within the straits. 



After negotiations commencing on November 251)1 between the plenipotentiaries of 

 the Turks and Allies at Bagchekeui, in front of the Chatalja lines, an armistice was signed 

 on December 3rd between Turkey on the one hand, and Bulgaria, Servia, and Monte- 

 negro on the other. The chief conditions were that the belligerent armies should retain 

 the positions they then occupied; that the besieged fortresses should not be revictualled, 

 and that the Bulgarian army should receive supplies by way of the Black Sea and of 

 Adrianople, but not for 10 days after the signing of the armistice. It was also stipulated 

 that negotiations should begin in London on December I3th. Greece declined to sign 

 the armistice, being unwilling to relax the blockade of the Epirus coast. The interrup- 

 tion of the Turkish maritime communications was therefore maintained during the 

 peace conference. (H. H. WADE.) 



