PLESSAS, Colonel to the ministry of war, February 29, 1872

Condensed translation of a report of the Greek commander of the forces in Phthiotis and Eurytania to the ministry of war.

I accompany herewith a report of the officer commanding the post of Sabhu-Bryons on the Greek frontier, exposing the conduct of the Ottoman commander in the province of Goura, toward the Greek soldiers, who, while on a patrol, hearing on the Turkish territory successive reports of fire-arms, and supposing some encounter of the Turkish troops with the brigands was in progress hastened to take part in the same, and cooperate with their neighbors in the destruction of the common plague of the two-adjoining countries.

This occurrence gives me an occasion to report all that I have written since I have entered on this command about the general policy of the Turkish authorities charged with the maintenance of public safety on the frontiers. I will thank the King’s government to take these data into mature consideration, and transmit to me the necessary instructions, so that I may regulate the conduct of our detachments on the frontier in a way to avoid eventual encounter caused by the harsh behavior of the Turkish commanders.

Even before the creation of the joint detachments for the pursuit of brigandage, I had gathered much information, as well from the officers in charge and inhabitants as from my personal observations during my stay on the frontier, about the coldness exhibited by our neighbors in acting conjointly with us against the brigands, and their provoking manner, a sure token of inward hate, especially when measures were to be taken against the bands concealed in Turkish territory.

In many places on the frontier, where I remained some time, I was visited by inferior Turkish officers, who, it must be acknowledged, behaved individually with respect, and exhibited an amicable disposition; but the moment the conversation turned on brigandage and the bands concealed in Turkish territory, not only their arguments were weak, but they sought in an unjustifiable way to avoid acknowledging that the brigands found refuge on the other side of the frontiers, and to avoid co-operating with our troops in their pursuit. I was especially impressed by the endeavor of our neighbors to hinder any relation between ourselves and the Christian subjects of Turkey, in order to prevent our obtaining information about the places of concealment of the brigands within their jurisdiction.

I studied with attention the way to neutralize these dispositions of the Turks, so contrary to the noble object of the Greek government, namely, the restoration of entire safety in the provinces adjacent to the frontier; and I endeavored to treat the Turkish officers charged with this important duty with all possible courtesy and forbearance, and imposing the same manner on those placed under my command; but, unfortunately, the conduct of the Turkish officials remains unaltered.

In August of last year, the project concerning the formation of joint detachments having ripened, I had an interview with Miralai-Katzi Emir-Bey, commander of the Turkish detachments, and having agreed on the necessary basis, we drew up a protocol. In that interview the superior officer in question seemed to me well disposed toward the proposed measure; but when, during the discussion, we came to the details, the disagreement became evident, and my doubts and fears were fully confirmed by the events that transpired during the execution of the plan, on the part of those on the Turkish side to whom it was intrusted.

Wishing to discover the reason which led the Turks to desire the failure of the proposed measure, I have carefully investigated the matter, and have strong grounds for the belief that those charged with the execution thereof feared that the successful results would be attributed to the Greek soldiers, and would discredit their former proceedings. It is for this reason that the inhabitants of the country under their jurisdiction received stringent orders to give no information whatever about the brigands. This fact was made known to me and the officers under my command repeatedly by Turkish subjects, who approached us with the greatest secrecy and in fear and trembling. It is for this same reason that the Turkish officers and under-officers who served in the joint detachment hindered, as far as possible, the necessary movements, and did all in their power to frustrate the daily patrols and nightly ambuscades, so as to prevent any successful results of the pursuit. Deeply grieved at this premeditated counteraction, I communicated to Miralai-Bey what I thought necessary, demanding the cessation of this most injurious condition of matters; but although the answer of that superior officer was courteous, no practical amelioration ensued.

The creation of joint detachments, if no other result was achieved, because of the reasons above stated, established at least the fact that the bands of brigands remain concealed on Turkish territory, a fact officially acknowledged by the Ottoman general charged with the pursuit, in a protocol signed by himself. A copy of this protocol was transmitted by me at the time to the foreign office.

The joint detachments were abolished by an order of the ministry of war in November last, because of sanitary measures then necessary on the frontier, and have not since been re-established. But even now the Turks are very guarded in their relations with us with respect to the pursuit of brigandage, and their dislike against co-operation is still more evident, as they now openly avow it. No understanding remains between us, and whenever any such has been attempted, our overtures were received with the greatest coldness. In the mean time all the known bands remain and live in perfect peace and quiet on the neighboring territory, no measure being taken against them. Of these, the bands of Tacos, Belculah, Kanta, and Baurchi, having abandoned the western districts, went east in November last, and having joined the band of Tatseyianni, are now stationed at Goura and Armyro. Those of Camara, Rentina, Goulo-costa, Coumbrauki, at times united and at times separated, haunt the Turkish districts between Kaitza and Lacrési.

The above facts, which are fully authenticated by the necessity in which the Greek troops find themselves to be constantly on the move in order to prevent any eventual attack on the Greek territory, are a doleful omen for public security in the future; the existence of brigands on the one hand, and the nature of the frontier, which is perfectly open, on the other, rendering an inroad very probable. But what is worse, the negligence, not to say guilty indifference of the Turkish troops, destroys every hope of the extinction of brigandage; and fostered in this way, we may soon see it again flourish in all its ugliness.

I tried all official and private means in order to impress on the Turks charged with guarding the frontier the humane idea of the necessity of establishing public security for the benefit of the inhabitants of the two adjoining countries, and I repeatedly demanded a true and honest co-operation in the pursuit of brigandage, but, unfortunately, with no effect, although I proved to our neighbors the possibility, nay the certainty, of the destruction of the existing bands if the necessary measures were adopted. All that I can do now is to apply to the foreign office with the request to use the means in its power in order to ameliorate, if possible, the disposition of our neighbors, and thus accomplish the great object of the final establishment of public security for which the royal government has already sustained so many sacrifices.