The maritime measures taken by the Allies on all the coasts of Greece began at 7 o’clock this morning. The newspapers tonight announce that Allied warships have prevented Greek vessels from entering or leaving the Pireus, Syros, Milos, and other ports.
This embargo has given rise to the belief that a blockade has been instituted. After the occupation of Fort Rupel the Entente Ministers informed the Greek Government that if the Bulgaro-German force were permitted to advance into Greece the consequences would be serious. We have reason to believe that the extreme severity of the Greek censorship has made it impossible for our Athens Correspondent to keep us informed by telegram of the real situation in Greece.
TRAFFIC STOPPED. GREEK SEMI-OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
The following Greek semi-official statement is issued here: The Greek government was yesterday informed by its port authorities that traffic by Greek trading vessels between ports of the Kingdom is being stopped by Allied cruisers. The Inspector of the port of Salonika has received a letter from General Sarrail stating that the French Government has decided to suspend all Greek navigation. French warships yesterday prevented Greek mail boats entering the Pireus, and they were sent to Milos. Other Greek cargo boats have been detained in French ports. Neither the Royal Greek Government nor the Legations of the Entente Powers at Athens are aware of the reasons for this measure, which has been applied without any previous notice and without any request whatsoever having been presented to the Greek Government, which was thus given no opportunity of considering whether it was acceptable or not.
This virtual blockade of Greek ports threatens the starvation of the entire population of the Kingdom as well as the ruin of Greek commerce and navigation. Public opinion is unanimous in strongly resenting these coercive measures, taken without any military necessity, against a whole people which has never ceased, since the beginning of the war, to give evidence of its sentiments of affection towards the Entente Powers. An incident indicative of the impression produced is here recorded. There were still 24 Deputies who had given notice of their intention to speak in the Chamber against the entry of Germans and Bulgarians into Greek territory when the news of the measures taken by the Allies was announced. More than half of them at once declared that they would take no further part in the polemic.