Mr. Calhoun expects to remain another ten days in Cuba, and on his return we may hope for some solution of the difficulty.

* * * * *

The report that Russia has persuaded Turkey to grant an Armistice proved to be true.

On the 18th of May the Czar of Russia sent a letter to the Sultan, asking him in very polite and friendly terms to grant a cessation of hostilities.

The Sultan replied in the same friendly manner, and said that on receipt of the Czar’s letter he had ordered the Turkish generals to stop fighting.  He said that he was very willing that the Powers should arrange a settlement of his difficulty with Greece.

The next day an Armistice was signed, which bound all the land and sea forces of both nations to keep the peace for seventeen days.

A commission was appointed to decide on a strip of land between the two armies, which should be regarded as neutral ground, and across which neither army should be allowed to advance during the continuance of the armistice.

The Armistice has not found favor with the Turks; they are grumbling very much at it.  They do not want to withdraw from Greece until they have reached Athens itself.

The most open of these grumblers are being sent back to Turkey under escort, and the priests who are with the army have been ordered to teach the soldiers to be obedient, and to listen to the commands of the Sultan.

In spite of the Armistice there is still some fighting going on.  The Greek Government has sent word to the Powers protesting against it, and also against the way the Turks are destroying and robbing the villages in Thessaly.

During the Armistice the Powers will do their best to arrange the terms of peace, but, as we have already told you, the victorious Turk is going to be a very difficult person to deal with, and the Powers find they now have very little influence with him.

It is said that the Sultan is not willing to have the Powers interfere at all, and has sent word to the Greeks that his general, Edhem Pasha, can arrange the terms of peace with them.

The Greeks, however, replied that they had put the case in the hands of the Powers, and therefore could not treat with Edhem Pasha.

The Powers are annoyed that Turkey should try to put them aside, but this is probably but a foretaste of what the Sultan will do, now that he feels himself of importance in Europe.

There was for a time some difficulty in getting all the Powers to agree about the terms for peace, but word reaches us that Germany has at last given her approval to the note of the Powers, and that it has been despatched to the Sultan.

The exact wording of the note has not been made public, but it is said that its tone is very mild and friendly.

The note is said to object to the Turkish demand for Thessaly, and while it agrees that Greece should pay some money to Turkey for the expenses of the war, it declares that the sum asked for is much too large.