Turks Won't Yield; May Resume War.

New York Times 100 years ago today, January 19, 1913:
Refusal to Surrender Adrianople or Near-by Islands Embodied in Reply to Powers.
THIRTY WARSHIPS IN BATTLE
Greek Fleet Puts Turkish Naval Force to Flight to the Dardanelles.
    CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 18.— Noradunghian Effendi, the Foreign Minister, submitted to the Council of Ministers tonight a draft of the reply to the note of the powers. It is understood that it insists upon the retention of Adrianople for these reasons:
    First, because the Bulgarian inhabitants are in the minority in the city, not only in comparison with the Moslems, but as compared with other Christians;
    Second, because of the splendid defense of the garrison;
    Third, because the surrender of Adrianople, containing the temples of the Caliphs, would ruin the prestige of Islam;
    Fourth, because the loss of the city, which is the gate of Constantinople, would endanger the existence of the empire.
    "The Porte therefore prays," continues the reply, "that the powers take consideration of the vital necessities of the empire, and make representations to the Balkan States with a view to peace. Turkey sincerely desires to find a common ground of understanding, and will even consent to fresh sacrifices."
    Regarding the Aegean islands, the reply says that Turkey refuses to abandon the islands near her coasts, but is ready to continue pourparlers respecting the distant islands.
    Noradunghian Effendi has instructed the Ottoman Ambassadors abroad to sound the powers again with regard to Adrianople. The Superior Council of War has handed the Council of Ministers a report on the military situation.

    LONDON, Jan. 18.— Turkey's decision, as indicated by dispatches from Constantinople to-night, refusing to cede Adrianople and the Aegean Islands, will, it is believed, lead to the resumption of hostilities within a week.
    The Balkan allies, after considering the situation earlier in the day, had decided to wait until the middle of next week for the answer of the Porte to the powers' note, and if the reply was not received or was unsatisfactory to give Turkey an ultimatum, allowing Turkey forty-eight or seventy-two hours for a final decision.
    Should Turkey at that time be unable or unwilling to come to the allies' terms, the Balkan plenipotentiary decided that a rupture of the peace conference was inevitable. Sofia, Belgrade, and Cettinje would denounce the armistice, and four days later the war would be resumed. The allies do not see the possibility of such proposals from Turkey or the powers as would allow a resumption of the negotiations at St. James's Palace unless the Porte openly declared its readiness to give up Adrianople.
    The instructions of the Bulgarian delegates are categorical on the question of the surrender of the city, and do not admit of a discussion of the proposal that Turkey retain Adrianople, even after dismantling the fortifications, or of continuing the negotiations on the other conditions of peace, leaving the question of Adrianople to be disposed of last.
    Servia, Montenegro, and Greece support Bulgaria in this attitude. The success of Bulgaria would mean an easier accomplishment of their wishes, especially in the case of Greece, which by the conquest of Adrianople by Bulgaria sees the Greek occupation of Salonika less likely to be disputed. In addition, the allies feel that the time will never be more favorable for them to act.
    From the reports received it is evident that the Turkish resources are not in the best of condition, while the allies, as the result of their long preparation, are nerved to a high pitch. The seven weeks' armistice, it is said, has restored their armies, and they have been gathering their forces at the important points.
    Throughout all the Balkan States according to the plenipotentiaries, only one cry goes up:
    "War to the bitter end — until our eternal enemy is driven out of Europe forever!"
    Osman Nizami Pasha, Ambassador to Germany, one of the Turkish envoys here, commented to-day on the powers' alleged neutrality. He said he could not help remarking that Europe, which four months ago had proclaimed the principle of the maintenance of the status quo, whatever the result of the conflict might be, has now taken the strange course of demonstrating its neutrality by making open allusions to the possible loss by Turkey of Constantinople and some of her Asiatic provinces, when it says that a resumption of the war would "bring into question the fate of the Turkish capital and perhaps an extension of hostilities to the provinces of Asiatic Turkey," Ocman Nizami Pasha added:
    "Nobody could consider the Porte too exacting if it asked for an explanation of what the powers mean by moral and material support, judged by the efficacy of the benevolent support so lavishly poured out in the Ambassadorial note."