The Cretans are Greeks and Christians, and long to be under the rule of a
Christian monarch.

In 1869 they made another struggle for freedom, and appealed to the powers
of Europe to free them.

They asked to be allowed to join themselves to Greece, or else to be given
liberty, under the protection of some Christian country.

But they got no help, and the Turks still ruled in Crete.

The present outbreak is but a renewal of the old feud. The recent murders
of Christians in Armenia have made the Christians in Crete restless, and
they are determined to make one more effort for freedom.

The Greeks are anxious to aid the Cretans, and at the first word of the
revolt in Crete sent war-ships to Canea, the port at which the fighting
has taken place.

The revolt appears to have been well planned, for the main cities of the
island were soon in the possession of the Cretans, who only waited a
signal from Greece to declare a union with that country, and to overthrow
the rule of Turkey.

The signal seems not to have been long in coming, for, if the news can be
believed, the union of Crete and Greece has already been proclaimed.

This will probably mean a war between Greece and Turkey; indeed, it seems
impossible that war can be prevented, for Turkey is not going to sit
quietly down and allow her possessions to be taken from her.