I2th-i5th) was without a government. At the end of April, notwithstanding the prohibi 

 tion of the Powers, a number of deputies proceeded to Athens, but a steamer conveying 



a party of nineteen was intercepted by H.M.S. " Minerva," which brought 

 Crete be- the deputies to Suda, where they were detained on board as prisoners for 

 comes Greek. mO re than a month (April 28th-June 6th). On June ist the deputies at Athens 



vainly endeavoured to force their way into the Chamber, which was sur- 

 rounded by a strong force of troops; they were ultimately induced to desist from their 

 efforts by M. Venizelos, who informed them that the Government had decided to 

 prorogue the Chamber till October i4th. On that day Greece addressed an ultimatum 

 to Turkey, and the long protracted Cretan Question found a practical solution in the 

 admission of the deputies to the Chamber. Shortly afterwards M. Dragoumis was 

 despatched to Canea to take over the government in the name of King George. 



On July ist the death of M. Milovanovich (b. 1862), Servian prime minister and 

 (since 1908) minister for foreign affairs, took place at Belgrade. A statesman of re- 

 . . markable tact and shrewdness and a highly amiable man, who in early life 



death of M. had been a professor of law, he had been a member of various Cabinets, and 

 MUovaa- was Servian delegate to the Second Hague Conference. He was succeeded 

 ovich. j n ^ p rem i ersn ip by M. Pashich. 



During the summer of 1912 the condition of Macedonia became more grave; the 

 state of anarchy was increased by a mutiny among the Turkish troops at Monastir, 

 which led to the downfall of the government at Constantinople; another 

 revolt broke out in Albania; fighting was resumed on the Turco-Montenegrin 

 frontier, and a massacre following the explosion of some bombs took place 

 at Kotchane, which aroused the utmost indignation in Bulgaria. Public 

 attention in that country was distracted for a while by the celebration at Tirnovo of the 

 25th anniversary of King Ferdinand's pacific reign (Aug. 1 5th), but agitation for war 

 with Turkey soon broke out afresh. Meanwhile the allied Balkan States, having 

 matured their military plans, determined on making a joint effort to secure a thorough- 

 going measure of reforms in the European provinces of Turkey. 



On September 3oth the allied states mobilized all their forces and Turkey responded 

 by a similar measure on the following day. The Powers at last took alarm and informed 

 the Balkan governments that they would charge themselves with the intro- 

 o/wat? duction of reforms in European Turkey (Oct. yth). In anticipation of 

 European intervention the Porte had already revived the obsolete Law of 

 the Vilayets of 1880 (Oct. 4th). Neither the promises of the Powers nor the Turkish Law 

 seemed a sufficient guarantee to the allied states. On October 13 they addressed identic 

 Notes to Turkey demanding a far-reaching series of reforms. The Porte refused to 

 reply, and on October 1 5th broke off relations with Servia and Bulgaria; an effort was 

 made to detach Greece from the alliance by an offer of the sovereignty of Crete and of 

 long-refused railway communication with Europe. Greece, however,; delivered an 

 ultimatum demanding the revocation of an embargo laid on Greek vessels in Turkish 

 ports (Oct. 1 4th). On the i8th Bulgaria, Greece and Servia declared war. Their action 

 had been anticipated by King Nicholas of Montenegro, who on October 9th invaded 

 Albania. 1 (J. D. BOURCHIER.) 



GREECE 2 



The population was estimated in 1910 as 2,631,952. In 1909-12 a marked economic 

 improvement throughout the country, largely due to good harvests, was manifested by 

 extension of trade, increased railway traffic, development of the merchant navy, and the 

 stability of the exchange, the drachma having remained steady at par. 



Constitution. A new Constitution came in force on July i, 1911. The most impor- 

 tant provisions and changes were: the creation of a Council of State, with the double 

 function of that of a consultative body to assist in drafting bills to be presented to the 



1 See Part I: sect. i. for an account of the war, and of the international crisis and peace 

 proposals. 



2 See E. B. xii, 428. 



