Nr. 11046. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minist er des Auswär tigen an die Botschaften in Paris, Berlin, Rom, Wien. Gross Telegraphic. || A Telegram has been received from the British Vice- Nr. 11046. Consul at Mush, stating that he hears on reliable authority that the greater britannien. part of the surviving villagers of the districts of Saird and Chabakchor, and 16. Dez. 1895. some portions of the Vilayet of Diarbekir, have been compelled to adopt the Moslem religion. || Such forced conversions would be entirely contrary to the declarations made by the Sultan. || I have communicated on the subject with the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and he suggests that the Ambassadors of the six Powers at Constantinople should be authorized to take steps to verify the report, with a view to a joint representation being made to the Porte if confirmation of the fact is received. || I shall be glad if your Excellency will request the Minister for Foreign Affairs to send instructions in the sense suggested. Gross Nr. 11047. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Frage der Einsetzung eines verantwortlichen Ministeriums. Constantinople, December 18, 1895, 10.30 a.m. (Received December 18.) Telegraphic. There is now a greater disposition on the part of some Nr. 11047. of my colleagues to recommend that pressure should be exerted for the britannien. establishment in Turkey of a responsible Ministry. || They insist strongly on 18. Dez. 1895 the importance of carefully preparing the ground before any definite proposal is made. As a first step they will, I hope, write to their Governments recommending that instructions shall be sent to the Ambassadors at Constantinople to consult together and propose some remedy for the existing state of disorder, which if left uncontrolled must lead to a breakdown of the entire machinery of government, and to a reopening, in an aggravated form, of the Eastern question. Nr. 11048. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Allgemeine Lage in der Türkei. Constantinople, December 19, 1895. (Received December 24.) Gross My Lord, I Regret to say that I am unable to report any improvement Nr. 11018. in the state of affairs here. || The Ministry appointed after the fall of Kiamil britannien. Pasha remains in office, but appears to exercise no control over the affairs 19. Der.1895. of the Empire. Such orders as are given emanate directly from the Sultan. *) Die deutsche und österreichische Regierung erklärten sich am 17. zur Unterstützung gemeinsamer Vorstellungen an die Pforte bereit, die französische am 19. Red. britannien. Nr. 11048. The accounts from the Atsiatic provinces show that the ravages of the Kurds Gross- continue unchecked. The perpetrators of the massacres remain unpunished, 19. Dez. 1895. while innocent Armenians are committed to prison on frivolous charges. || The Redifs who have been called out are an undisciplined body. The Treasury is unable to find money for them, and, instead of restoring order, they will only swell the ranks of the plundering mob which prey upon the unfortunate population. || At Zeitoun the Turkish troops are closing round the Armenians, and if the resistance of the latter is overcome, it is feared that the whole population of the district will be exterminated. || Disturbances have commenced in Crete, and are threatened in Macedonia. The financial situation is going from bad to worse, and it is to be feared that by next spring the Turkish Government may find itself unable to cope with its difficulties. || This condition of affairs would appear not only to justify, but to call for interference on the part of the Treaty Powers, in order to obtain the restoration of order and to prevent further disturbances, which would be dangerous to peace. But, unfortunately, the concert of the Ambassadors, so far as the Russian Ambassador is concerned, is limited to the protection of foreigners, and M. de Nélidoff does not consider himself authorized to enter into discussion with his colleagues as to the general state of the Empire. || I have had many converstaions with my other colleagues, who appear to be strongly impressed with the critical position of affairs, and I have suggested that if we were, each of us, to report our opinions to our Governments, they might possibly, if they concurred in our views, be able to induce the Russian Government to modify to some extent their present attitude. || I habe drawn up the following statement, in order to show the limits within which my colleagues would appear to beinclined to act on my suggestion: || "The disorders and discontent which exist in all parts of the Ottoman Empire and in all Departments of the Administration are likely, if some means are not found to remedy them, to lead before long to a breakdown of the machinery of Government, and so to re-open the entire Eastern question. The Sultan seems powerless to bring about an improvement, and the men who surround him are too corrupt or incapable to act on his behalf. Is is clear, therefore, that unless some influence is brought to bear from without, Europe is exposed to serious risk. "Under these circumstances, if the Powers of Europe are agreed that something ought to be done, the best course would appear to be that they should instruct their Ambassadors at Constantinople to exchange views as to the nature of the remedy which they could jointly recommend to their Governments." || It will be seen that the recommendation goes no further than a suggestion that the Ambassadors should be authorized to consult together, and to report to their Governments the result of their exchange of opinions. Philip Currie. Nr. 11049. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstan tinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Be schwerde wegen der Kontrollkommission. Pera, December 24, 1795. (Received December 30.) Gross My Lord. With reference to my despatch of the 24th December, I have Nr. 11049. the honour to state that I met my Russian and French colleagues on the britannien. 24th instant in order to discuss the steps that we should take with a view 24. Dez. 1895. of having the Commission of Control placed on a proper footing. || As it appeared evident that the Porte was neither willing nor able to deal with the matter, we decided to make a direct representation to the Sultan through his First Secretary. || We have accordingly instructed our three Dragomans to call together on Tahsin Bey, and, after informing him of the unsuccessful communications which they have made to the members of the Commission and to the Porte, to request him to call His Imperial Majesty's immediate attention to the following points: || 1. The nomination of a President of the Commission. || 2. The enlargement of the powers of the Commission, so as to make it in fact what it is in name, a Commission of Control. || 3. Authority to be given to the Commission to communicate direct with the local authorities and not, as at present, with the Ministry of the Interior. || 4. That the Judicial Inspectors sent to the provinces be instructed to cause judicial inquiries to be held into recent events. || 5. That the instructions given to Shakir Pasha be communicated to us. || 6. That a Christian Muavin be at once attached to Shakir Pasha. Philip Currie. Nr. 11050. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Wien an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Graf Goluchowski ist der Einsetzung eines verantwortlichen Ministeriums abgeneigt. Vienna, December 26, 1895. (Received December 26.) Gross Telegraphic. I have been informed by Count Goluchowski that he Nr. 11050. has received Baron Calice's report of the discussion on the subject of a britannien. responsible Ministry, which had taken place at Constantinople between the 26. Dez. 1895. latter and his English and French colleagues. || It is still Count Goluchowski's conviction that a question of such importance can only be approached with safety if all the Powers are unanimous on the subject; such unanimity he thinks impossible to obtain at the present moment. Although no reply has as yet been sent to Baron Calice, it is my conviction that Count Goluchowski will answer in the negative. Nr. 11051. Gross Nr. 11051. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. mittlung der Konsuln in Zeitun. Ver Constantinople, December 28, 1895, 3,15 p.m. (Received December 28.) Telegraphic. In view of the fact that the Zeitounlis have not yet. britannien. surrendered, it was decided, at a meeting of the Ambassadors this morning, 28. Dez. 1895. that we should offer to the Porte the mediation of the Consuls at Aleppo. If our offer is accepted, we shall urge them to grant an armistice. Nr. 11052. Goluchowski über die neuesten Misshandlungen der Armenier. Vienna, January 1, 1896. (Received January 4.) My Lord, I wrote this morning to Count Goluchowski a private note, britannien, in which I briefly communicated to his Excellency the purport of your Lord1. Jan. 1896. ship's telegrams of yesterday's date, respecting the massacre at Ourfa, and the selling of Armenian boys and girls by Circassians in the districts near Aleppo. I should have gone to speak to Count Goluchowski on this subject, but as it is New Year's Day, his Excellency had informed the Diplomatic Body that he would not receive. || He, however, immediately sent me word that he would come to the Embassy in the afternoon; and on his arrival began at once to express the concern with which he had learned from me this distressing intelligence, of which he had not heard from Baron Calice. In answer to my observation that your Lordship had instructed Sir P. Currie to endeavour to persuade his colleagues to join him in making earnest representations to the Porte, he said that Baron Calice would certainly, in virtue of the formal instructions long ago given him, associate himself with any joint action taken in this matter; and that he had indeed heard to-day from his Excellency that, after a meeting of the Ambassadors, communications had been made by all of them both to the Porte and to the Palace; probably, added Count Goluchowski, very much on account of these fresh horrors. || His Excellency went on to deplore that beyond making these representations the Powers can do nothing for the Armenians, of whom several thousands may now be computed to have perished by violence; while the rigours of winter, bringing famine, want of shelter and warmth, in fact, destitution in its most appalling shape, might be calculated to destroy many more before the return of spring. In presence of this heartrending prospect, said Count Goluchowski, it is intelligible that numberr of humane people are revolted at the idea that Europe is powerless, and, regardless of consequences, would wish that action should be taken by some, or even by one of the Powers, to put a stop to the extermination of the miserable Armenians. But practical statesmen are bound to consider the situation from another standpoint, and to face the Gross certainty that the conflicting interests, which are only conciliated by the Nr. 11052. maintenance of the Ottoman Empire as it stands, would at once, if the latter britannien. were threatened by coercive measures, be brought into active opposition, with 1. Jan. 1896. infinitely more calamitous results to humanity at large than even the savageries now being perpetrated on this wretched people. Nr. 11053. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Edmund Monson. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Die Pforte hat die Vermittelung der Konsuln in der Zeitunfrage angenommen. Constantinople, January 2, 1896, 10.30 a.m. (Received January 2.) Gross Telegraphic. || Zeitoun. With reference to my telegram to your Lord- Nr. 11053. ship of the 31st December, I have just had a visit from the Foreign Minister, britannien. who informed me that the mediation of the Consuls at Aleppo is accepted, 2. Jan. 1896. and that orders have been sent to suspend hostilities. Nr. 11054. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Wien an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Goluchowski ist gegen eine gewaltsame Intervention. Vienna, January 14, 1896. (Received January 17.) Gross My Lord, With reference to my despatch of the 1st instant, reporting Nr. 11054. Count Goluchowski's observations on the impossibility of risking a European britannien. war by undertaking coercive intervention in favour of the Armenians, I have 14. Jan. 1896. the honour to state that his Excellency called on me yesterday afternoon, and that our conversation turned upon the same subject. || Count Goluchowski said that the prospect of the suffering through which the Armenians have passed, and which they have yet in all probability to undergo, is so terrible that pure humanitarians would naturally be prone to accuse those in whose power they believe it to be to prevent such misery of heartless cruelty, or at any rate of cynical indifference. Considerations of this nature, however painful, must not, nevertheless, be allowed to outweigh the arguments against attempting armed intervention which he had so repeatedly adduced. No one can more clearly than himself perceive the horrors of the situation, nor feel more acutely the bitterness of the incapacity of Europe to ameliorate it. || I report this because I am anxious to do justice to Count Goluchowski, and to assure your Lordship that, in taking the line which he has followed, he is but adopting the policy which all his countrymen who are responsible for the direction of affairs approve, and which is urged upon him from sources the importance of which he is bound to respect. Edmund Monson. Staatsarchiv LVIII. 14 |