In spite of it, he advanced upon Canea, and the morning after the warning had been received his troops began to fire upon the town.
Immediately, the admirals of the fleets in the harbor ordered the decks of their ships to be cleared for action, and fired their guns upon the Greeks.
After a short while, the Greeks, finding that they could not stand against the terrible fire from the big guns, became disheartened, and withdrew.
The moment the Greek flag was hauled down, the ships stopped firing.
A good deal of indignation has been felt that Christian Powers should interfere to uphold the misrule of infidels, but the Great Powers say they are acting for the best interests of Europe.
It seems quite sure that they do not mean to leave the Cretans under the care of the Sultan of Turkey.
The latest news tells us that Greece has once more been ordered to leave Crete, and that this time she has agreed to do so, provided that the island be made independent.
Lord Salisbury, the Prime Minister of England, suggested that Crete should be given home rule under the governorship of a Greek prince, and thus far the rest of the Powers are willing to agree with him.
Nothing will be done until the Greek troops have been made to leave Crete, and this may not be so easy to accomplish. Word comes from Athens that the people are not at all pleased with the idea of home rule for Crete. They want the island to be joined to Greece, and would rather fight for it, than give it up. It is very natural that they should feel this way.
If the people of some near-by country were almost all Americans and relations of ours, and were cruelly treated by their rulers, we would feel just as the Greeks do. There is hardly a family in Greece which has not suffered wrong from the Turks. It is but natural that they fight for their brothers, the Cretans.