An armistice means that both sides agree to cease fighting for a certain time which has been agreed upon between them.
After the delay of a week, during which the Turks kept pressing forward into Greece and gaining all the advantages they could, the Sultan sent his reply.
He simply stated his terms, and added that he would grant no armistice until they were accepted.
Instead of demanding $15,000,000 and certain points in Thessaly, as it was supposed he would do, he said that he must have $50,000,000 for his war expenses, and the whole of Thessaly.
The dismay in Europe over the reply of the Sultan would have been comic, if the poor Greeks had not been suffering so severely from the muddle the Powers had made of the whole business.
The Powers supposed that Turkey would he willing to listen to them, and stop the war just as soon as they asked her to.
Acting on this belief, they made Greece give up certain advantages which she had regained in Epirus, and made her withdraw her troops, promising that Turkey should not advance any farther, if Greece would obey their wishes.
Greece obeyed, only to find that the Powers had made promises which they could not perform.
Turkey has become intoxicated with her success, and may no longer allow the Powers to influence her.
The Turks have taken Dhomokos, the last stronghold of the Greeks, who fell back on this city after the retreat from Pharsala. It is feared that the Moslems will advance to the very gates of Athens, unless something is done to prevent them. What this something shall be, the Powers are at a loss to state.