Bulgaris, President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs to the minister of foreign affairs, March 24, 1872

The consul of Greece at Larisse to the minister of foreign affairs.

Mr. Minister: A band of brigands, composed of eighteen men, captured ten days ago, near Derali, a village in the province of Domoko, a farmer, who was tormented and forced to pay a ransom of 15,000 piastres, after which he was released.

Accordingly, I believe it to be my duty to repeat again, Mr. Minister, that which I have many times said to you, namely, that the incapacity and the carelessness of the Turkish authorities and troops who have the pursuit of brigandage in charge; the care with which they avoid co-operating with our own authorities and troops; the carelessness which I have observed for some time, even among the high functionaries, in the application of the rigorous measures ordered against the brigands and their confederates—this carelessness which is an indication of the decrease of the severity of the orders, strict and imperious as they were, lately transmitted by the Sublime Porte to its functionaries; these indications, I say, make me foresee that not only the bands will remain on the frontiers, but yet there may be an increase of brigandage, in general, favored as they are by the fine season of the year, and especially encouraged by the want of success of the many extraordinary measures taken against them by the governments of the two adjacent countries. On account of laxity on the part of the Turkish authorities, as before stated, the brigands can now move easily, and recruit themselves among the men who are inclined to live upon plunder.

The established authorities of Thessaly, instead of troubling themselves about the brigands, are to-day most concerned about the collection of taxes, having received repeated orders from the Porte to finish this work, and with this end in view they are marshaling detachments of soldiers into that sort of service.

I have the honor to remain, Mr. President, your excellency’s most obedient servant,