Since the opening up of the Russian oil fields, the sale of American oil in Turkey has become very spasmodic, as the policy of the American companies appears to favor leaving this territory to the Russians in preference to having other territory invaded by the Russian oil, which, although very inferior in grade, is sold much cheaper, so that about the only American petroleum that is sold here regularly is what is consumed by the light-house service, which declines to use the poorer grade from Russia. Conditions for the past year, however, have been exceptional, owing to the great falling off in production in the Russian fields on account of the destruction of property by the revolutionists which has brought about a forced demand from America, and as the leaders foresaw a great advance in the price of oil on account of these conditions they laid in heavy stocks, and the action of the Turkish Government in imposing increased storage charges has naturally caused considerable anxiety, as their profits would thus be greatly reduced. When the question of establishing government storage depots was first brought to the attention of the legation last spring, I immediately addressed a note to the Porte protesting against the conditions of the proposed law on the ground that the new regulation practically amounted to the establishment of a new monopoly and an indirect increase in the customs dues, both of which being contrary to the treaty agreements. (See legation's dispatch No. 1074 of May 27, 1905, with inclosures.) a The action taken by the legation is receiving the support of the Russian and other embassies, and pending a final adjustment I have confined myself with filing another protest with the Sublime Porte as per copy inclosed herewith. I have, etc., JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN. [Inclosure.] No. 644.] Minister Leishman to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, January 31, 1906. EXCELLENCY: Referring to the note which I had the honor to address to your excellency under date of May 19, 1905, numbered 553, concerning the new regulation proposed by the Imperial Majesty's Government, with a view of establishing central petroleum depots in the populous districts, I beg to advise your excellency that according to advices received from Beirut and other points, the local authorities, despite the protest contained in above note, are attempting to enforce the payment of the high assessment, which practically amounts to an increase in the customs dues and the establishment of a monopoly, which is contrary to agreement existing between the Sublime Porte and the treaty powers. As cited in my note of May 19, 1905, the American Government would not be disposed to raise any objection to the establishment of central depots, whether by municipalities or by private enterprise, for the storage of petroleum for the better protection of the different municipalities providing the charges were limited to the cost of proper administration of such establishments, but as the charges proposed in the new regulation are very much in excess of the actual requirements of properly conducted storage depots, the proposed regulation in its present form must be viewed as a revenue measure which indirectly increases the agreed upon customs dues, against which the legation is compelled to renew its protest. a Printed in Foreign Relations, 1905, page 878. Under these circumstarces I am compelled to instruct the several consulates that the charges proposed are contrary to agreements existing between our two Governments, and the legation reserves the right to file a claim hereafter for all charges that may be improperly assessed upon American petroleum, whether collected directly or indirectly. I take this occasion to renew to your excellency, etc., JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN. PETITIONS FOR RELEASE FROM PERSONAL TAXATION. No. 1280.] Minister Leishman to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, February 10, 1906. SIR: Referring to the department's No. 708 of October 10, 1904, inclosing copy of a petition addressed to the Sultan by Moses B. Harutun, the original having been given to the Ottoman legation at Washington, in which exemption from personal taxes is prayed for, I have the honor to inclose copy and translation of a note received from the Sublime Porte upon this subject. The applicant should be instructed to address himself to the Ottoman legation at Washington should he wish to follow the advice contained in the inclosed note. I have, etc., JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN. [Inclosure. -Note verbale.-Translation.] The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Minister Leishman. SUBLIME PORTE, Constantinople, February 3, 1906. The ministry for foreign affairs has received with its inclosure the note verbale which the United States legation has been good enough to send it on October 22, 1904, No. 467, concerning the request of a certain Moses Baghdonian Harutun to obtain exemption from all personal taxes in Turkey. As according to the advices furnished by the governor-general of the Vilayet of Aleppo the above-mentioned individual is indebted to the treasury for the sum of 1,850 piasters for military service exemption and taxes and "temettu" taxes for the years 1300–1322 (Turkish style). The imperial ministry before taking a decision on his behalf begs the United States legation to kindly request him to pay his debts. No. 80.] Ambassador Leishman to the Secretary of State. a AMERICAN EMBASSY, Constantinople, November 2, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your instruction No. 53 of the 18th ultimo with reference to the petition of George Kanavuts to be relieved from personal taxation in the Ottoman Empire, and to inform you that I am transmitting a copy of the same to the Sublime Porte. I beg leave to state, however, that the Porte prefers that similar petitions be handed to the Turkish minister at Washington, a copy only being forwarded to the embassy for transmission to the minister of foreign affairs. For the department's further information I must state that such petitions in recent years have almost invariably been pigeonholed at the Porte without further action being taken. The personal tax in question is what is known as the military exemption tax, which is cheerfully paid by all non-Moslem inhabitants of the Empire, as it is in lieu of service in the army. This tax, which amounts to about $1.70 a year, represents the quota owed by those who do not serve in the ranks as their share toward the yearly maintenance of a soldier. The Turkish authorities as a rule do not collect this directly from individuals, but from communities. A Christian village, for instance, is held responsible for a certain amount each year, the same being based on the size of its population. But if anyone should emigrate from such village, the tax would none the less remain the same, the village elders when necessary collecting the amount due by the emigrant from his nearest of kin. Petitions to escape taxations are therefore made with a view of avoiding this. The Turkish Government, however, hardly ever takes action in such cases, for by so doing they are not only obliged to strike the names released from off the list of taxation, but it would be also admitting the right of an Ottoman subject to change his allegiance without permission from his Government, which has not been the case since the treaty of 1869. I have, etc. JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN. The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Leishman. No. 93.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 11, 1906. SIR: In answer to your dispatch No. 80 of the 2d ultimo stating that the Porte prefers that petitions from naturalized American citizens of Turkish birth praying the Sultan to permit them to become American citizens and to release them from assessment for personal taxes in Turkey, be handed to the Turkish minister at Washington, I inclose herewith a copy of a circular to be sent by the department to persons requesting its good offices to obtain the Sultan's permission for them to become American citizens and to release them from assessment for personal taxes in Turkey. I am, etc., ROBERT BACON. [Inclosure.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated in relation to the desire of to obtain release from assessment for personal taxes in Turkey. In reply I have the honor to inform you that under the Turkish law of January 19, 1869, Ottoman subjects leaving Turkey subsequent to that time without the consent of the Sultan are regarded and treated by the Turkish Government as Ottoman subjects, even though they may have acquired a foreign allegiance. It will thus be seen that Turkey does not hold to the doctrine of voluntary expatriation, and hence, having entered into no treaty of naturalization with the United States, does not recognize the citizenship in this country of former subjects who were naturalized after 1869 without the consent of the Sultan. That consent and release from personal taxation can be obtained by Mr. only by petition to His Majesty, through the minister of Turkey to the United States, whose address is , this city. The petition, duly sworn to, should be mailed directly to the minister, and not through this department. It should set forth the facts of the case and the circumstances under which the petitioner left his native land, and should pray the Sultan to grant permission to him to become an American citizen and to release him from personal taxation. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Assistant Secretary. No. 1043.] REMOVAL OF BODIES TO TURKEY FOR BURIAL. The Secretary of State to Minister Leishman. a SIR: I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from Mr. James S. McCarthy, asking if the body of a person who died in the United States will be permitted to enter Syria, Turkey, for burial there, the dead person having died of a disease which is not contagious. You will inquire of the Turkish Government whether the burial in Syria will be permitted; and if so, on what conditions. I am, etc., No. 1347.] Chargé Jay to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, E. ROOT. Constantinople, April 3, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the department's No. 1043, of March 12, 1906, inclosing a copy of a letter from Mr. James S. McCarthy asking if the body of person who died in the United States will be permitted to enter Syria for burial there, the person having died of a disease which is not contagious, and under what conditions this permission will be granted. In reply I beg to inclose translation of a letter addressed to the dragoman of this legation by the secretary of the Ottoman board of health giving the rules governing such matters. I have, etc., [Inclosure.-Translation.] PETER AUGUSTUS JAY. The Secretary of the Ottoman Board of Health to Mr. Gargiulo. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 31, 1906. DEAR MR. GARGIULO: In accordance with your request, I have the honor to communicate to you the conditions required for the transport of a body. Bodies exhumed must be placed in a lead coffin, itself inclosed in wooden bier. "Not printed. The lead coffin will be made with plates of this metal at least 3 millimeters thick, thoroughly soldered together. The exterior coffin must be made of oak or of any other wood equally solid; the walls must be at least 4 centimeters thick; they must be fastened with screws and kept in place by three clamps which can be tightened. Bodies thus placed will be put into contact with disinfectants, in order to avoid the escape of noxious gas from the interior to the exterior. When the disinterment is taking place, if the coffin is found to be complete and in good state of preservation, it will suffice to open it and to introduce a mixture in equal parts of well-dried sawdust and of sulphate of zinc (or of sulphate of iron). The body will be entirely covered so as to fill the lead coffin, which when closed will be placed in the wooden bier on a layer from 3 to 4 centimeters thick of the above-mentioned mixture. If at the time of disinterment the frame is found open or deteriorated, one must, after having taken out the body or its remnants, place them in the lead coffin, on a thick layer of the mixture specified above, and cover them over as above stated, to avoid all shaking in transportation, after which the lead coffin will be soldered up. The principal coffin must be sealed up with the health authorities' seal. It is of course understood that the body must be accompanied by a certificate giving the name, age, sex, nature of the disease, as well as all the details of the placing the body in two coffins. As the second wooden box in oak or other wood is generally an expensive and ornamental box, in order not to deteriorate it, it is often the custom here to place this second box in a common white wooden packing case bound with three steel hoops that may be tightened. In this event the health authorities' seal should be affixed to both boxes. ZITTERER. AUTHENTICATION OF LETTERS OF ATTORNEY IN TURKEY. The Turkish Minister to the Secretary of State. [Translation.] IMPERIAL LEGATION OF TURKEY, Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: Some ecclesiastical authorities transgressing their powers have been issuing letters of attorney. As those instruments can be drawn up and authenticated in the Ottoman Empire by the courts of the "shéri" and notaries only, I beg that your excellency will kindly address to the proper quarter the necessary communications in order that all instruments of that character unlawfully issued shall not be accepted by the American authorities if ever presented to them. Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurance of my very high consideration. No. 1099.] The Acting Secretary of State to Chargé Jay. CHEKIB. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I inclose herewith the translation of a note from the Turkish minister stating that letters of attorney can be drawn up and authenticated in the Ottoman Empire only by the courts of the " shéri ” and |