the British Legation, in which they demanded in the name of the three guaranteeing Powers (Puissances garanties) the demobiliza- tion of the army, a general election, the formation of a non- political or " business " ministry to carry out these changes, and the replacement of certain police officials who were supposed to be in close relations with the German propaganda. M. Skouloudes resigned, and M. Zaimes again took office (June 23) in order to accept performance of the note. Demobilization was at last begun on June 29. The army had been kept mobilized at great expense to the State for nine months, and as the Govern- ment had had no intention of entering the war, the only reason for keeping it on a war footing had been in order to increase the political power of the general staff. In order to continue this influence the demobilized men were now organized into " leagues of reservists " pledged to impose what was now definitely known as the King's policy in opposition to that of the Liberal party, and to form in practice centres of German propaganda ' and of active hostility to the Allies. In July and Aug. the Bul- garians advanced, and occupied almost the whole of eastern Mace- donia, including the port of Kavalla, the Greek garrison of which, amounting to 8,000 men, was instructed to surrender to the invaders (Aug. 28) and was subsequently deported and in- terned at Gorlitz in Germany. The Bulgarian invasion of Mace- donia greatly embittered the feelings of the Entente Powers and of Greek Liberals against King Constantine; and when the inva- sion extended to western Macedonia it also led to the abandon- ment (very unfortunately) of the proposed election, the Liberals not caring to insist on carrying through an election without the Macedonian constituencies. The Chamber was not dissolved but adjourned (June 29), and was recalled on Nov. 13.
The evident sincerity of M. Zaimes, however, produced a temporary improvement of the relations between the Allies and the Greek Government. Venizelos promised to give his unconditional support to any government that would follow a policy of intervention; and King Constantine, in order to calm the popular excitement produced by Rumania's decision to enter the war and by the Bulgarian invasion of Macedonia, let it be known that he had authorized M. Zaimes to reopen negotiations with the Entente. On the eve of Rumania's declaration of war (Aug. 27) Venizelos at a mass meeting of his supporters made a final appeal to the Government and to the King to take this opportunity of associating Greece with the Allies before it was too late. King Constantine refused to receive a deputation elected by this meeting. On Sept. i a revolutionary movement was started by some of Venizelos's most prominent supporters at Salonika (P. Argyropoulos and Col. Zymbrakakes), who established a Committee of National Defence with the object of reenforcing the Allies with such troops as they could gather and helping them to drive the Bulgarians from Greek soil. On Sept. 2 a further Entente note, supported by the presence of the Allied fleet at the Piraeus, demanded the control of the posts and telegraphs and the expulsion of certain enemy agents who under the protection of the Palace were thought to be endangering the plans of the Allied forces at Salonika; and on Sept. ir Zaimes resigned, finding it impossible, owing to the action of the Palace, honestly to satisfy the Allies by stop- ping the hostile tendencies in the capital.
A new Government was not formed till Sept. 16, when M. Kalogeropoulos took office but was not recognized by the Allied ministers, whom he was unable to satisfy as to his capacity to restore a more tranquil atmosphere. On Sept. 25 Venizelos left Athens, and, being joined in Crete by Admiral Kountouriotes and Gen. Dankles, proclaimed a revolutionary movement, intended not to displace the throne and the central Government but to force their hands by concentrating and displaying the strength of the Liberal and interventionist parties. This triumvirate, after gathering supporters by a tour of the Aegean islands (Samos, Mytilene and Chios), landed two days later at Salonika and, absorbing the Committee of National Defence, organized a Provisional Government which took on all the functions of a sovereign administration in alliance with the Allied forces, raised a Greek " Army of National Defence,"
and a month later declared war against Germany and Bulgaria. It was not, however, officially recognized by the Allied Powers. " Whenever we find part of the Greek community which is in fact under the Government of M.^Venizelos," said Lord Robert Cecil after an Allied conference at Boulogne (Oct. 20), " where the majority of the population recognize him as their Govern- ment we recognize it as de facto the ruler of that portion of Greece." This cautious attitude contributed to the prestige still enjoyed by King Constantine at Athens, and enabled his League of Reservists to terrorize the ordinary population throughout the country. The report was spread that Venizelists were fomenting a revolution in Athens, and it was suggested that anyone who favoured the Allies was a dangerous rebel. On Oct. 10 a new government had been formed by Prof. S. Lambros, who obeyed the Palace and the general staff.
On Nov. 19, at 48 hours' notice, the French Adml. Dartige du Fournet, in command of the Allied fleet, expelled from Athens the ministers of the enemy Powers, Gen. Sarrail, who had just reoccupied Monastir, being now seriously alarmed about the safety of his left flank owing to the continual communications which were said to be passing between the Palace at Athens and the headquarters of the Central Powers, and owing to the appearance of Greek irregular bands in the neutral zone which had been established in Macedonia between the spheres of the Athens and Salonika Governments. On Nov. 24 the Admiral demanded the surrender of a considerable part of the Greek army's artillery ;' this demand was the result of a private interview between the King and a French deputy, M. Benazet, who had visited Athens at the end of Oct. and understood that the King would willingly comply. Two days later some detachments of French troops were landed, followed on Dec. i, the day on which the time limit accorded by the Admiral expired, by 2,500 French and British marines, the Admiral being confident that no resistance would be offered and that only a show of force was needed. The troops were approaching Athens when they were attacked with machine-gun fire by Greek troops posted in prepared positions. Many were killed and wounded, and the remainder were escorted as prisoners back to their ships, while the Admiral himself was a prisoner in the Zappeion gardens, which he had made his headquarters, until the Allied fleet dropped a few shells in the gardens of the Palace. The French and British ministers retired to their warships and for two days the capital was given over to the excesses of the troops and reservists, who, excited by reports of a Venizelist plot to dethrone the King, hunted down as rebels and traitors all prominent citizens suspected of Venizelist tendencies. On Dec. 7 the Allied fleet began a close blockade of the Greek coasts. A week later a note from the Three Powers and Italy demanded reparation, and the withdrawal of all troops and arms to the Peloponnesus; and on Dec. 19 England officially recognized the " Provisional Government of National Defence," and sent Lord Granville to Salonika as British envoy. On Dec. 31 a further note from the Protecting Powers demanded a reduction of armed forces, the transfer of all armament to the Peloponnesus, the cessation of Reservists' meetings and of the arming of civilians, the re- establishment of the control officers (who had been expelled from the telegraphs, etc., on Dec. i), the release of political prisoners, and apologies; and on Jan. 8, after an Allied Conference at Rome, a further note gave the Royal Government a week for the acceptance of these demands, but assured it that the Provisional Government of Salonika should not be permitted to extend its power or threaten the capital.
On Jan. 16 the Government accepted these terms, and by way of apology the flags of the Allies were formally saluted by Greek troops at the Zappeion. The blockade was, however, maintained, as King Constantine and his Queen were holding out in expecta- tion of a German offensive in Macedonia, and, while organizing Greek irregulars in the Thessalian neutral zone, were sending frantic wireless messages to Berlin, one of which, for example, addressed to the German Emperor, prayed " that God grant you
1 Eighteen field batteries, 6 mountain batteries, 4,000 rifles, 140 machine-guns, with ammunition, etc.
