ence existing between the Turkish and the French texts of Article V of the regulation) accepts the interpretation of the Turkish texts of this article as far as regards the cavasses and dragomans employed by the American consulates of this Empire. It consents in like manner to instruct the privileged employés of these consulates to pay the taxes for exemption from military service. But the legation of the United States respectfully requests, as a matter of courtesy, the Sublime Porte to dispense with the service as redifs of the cavasses and dragomans employed at the present moment by the American consulates. [Inclosure 3 in No. 33.] Note-verbale from British embassy to Sublime Porte. On the 3d of February last the Sublime Porte was good enough to address a noteverbale, No. 9, circular to Her Majesty's embassy on the subject of the liability of dragomans or cavasses employed by foreign embassies and consulates in Turkey to military service. A careful study of this question has enabled Her Majesty's embassy to establish that the French text of article 5 of the Turkish regulation of 1863, which decides the point in question, does not agree with the Turkish text of the same article. The latter text establishes, it is true, that during a period of five years from the date of the regulation the cavasses employed by the consuls should be exempt from military service in the "Redifs," while according to the French text this exemption would appear to have a general character, no limit of time being fixed for those who benefit by it. Consequently, as Her Majesty's embassy can not accept a regulation entailing upon it any obligation whatever, except when thoroughly acquainted with the import of the regulation in question, it is evident that in the case in point it is the French text of the article above mentioned alone which could have been binding upon it. However, Her Majesty's embassy is not unwilling to accept the interpretation of the Turkish text of the said article as far as regards the cavasses in the employ of the British consulates in the Empire. It consents in like manner to instruct the privileged employés of these consulates to pay the taxes for exemption from military service. But Her Majesty's embassy does not doubt that in return for this concession the Sublime Porte will be good enough as a matter of courtesy to dispense with the service as redifs of the cavasses employed at the present moment by Her Majesty's embassy or by the consulates depending upon it. Further, in order to prevent all difficulties and misunderstandings with the local authorities, the vali of a province should, when the appointment of a cavass is notified to him, be bound to inform the consulate interested, officially, of the exact position of the said cavass as regards his military service. Her Majesty's cnbassy would therefore be much obliged if the Sublime Porte would be so good as to send the necessary instructions to the authorities concerned, in order that this formality may be carefully carried out should occasion arise. No. 34.] Mr. King to Mr. Blaine. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Constantinople, October 10, 1889. (Received November 4.) SIR: In 1883 there was an attack made on two American missionaries, Rev. Mr. Knapp and Dr. Raynolds, which was reported to the State Department in Mr. Wallace's No 234 of June 18, 1883, and was the subject of much subsequent correspondence during 1883, 1884, and 1885. Moussa Bey, who committed this outrage, has since that time become notorious by his many murders and outrages committed in Kurdistan, especially against the Armenians. These outrages have attracted wide attention and have become the subject of discussion in the English Parliament. Much information rela tive thereto may be seen in a recent publication of the British Government: Correspondence respecting the condition of the populations in Asiatic-Turkey, 1888-89. (Presented to Parliament August, 1889.) Chiefly through the influence of the British ambassador the Turkish Government caused Moussa Bey to come to Constantinople to answer these charges against him; he arrived here in June and is here yet, but he has not been put under arrest. He presented a petition to the Sultan denying the charges and asking for a trial. I inclose a copy of this petition as given in the English "Blue-Book" above spoken of. In the course of the summer about fifty witnesses against him arrived in Constantinople, mostly Armenians, but including at least one important Mussulman witness. Moussa Bey is yet under forty years of age, and is a man of wellknown family in Kurdistan and he has many influential friends and relations in the employ of the Turkish Government; he has influential friends at the Palace (Yildez), who are trying to screen him in these matters. He has not yet been put on trial in the true sense of the word. An official was appointed to investigate the case and to hear the testimony, but the investigation was made in a manner very unsatisfactory to the witnesses against him. Finally, after long delays it was reported that the testimony against him was of little importance, and that he was not guilty; but from the representations of the British ambassador or other causes immediately another official was appointed to make a new inves tigation. This second "trial" has been going on for some weeks and is not yet finished. As soon as the missionaries in Eastern Turkey learned that Moussa Bey was coming to Constantinople, they expressed a wish to have an effort made for his punishment for the outrage against Mr. Knapp and Dr. Raynolds. Mr. D. A. Richardson, secretary of the Eastern Turkey Mission was here during the summer and I had several conversations with him and Rev. II. O. Dwight, of the Bible House, upon the subject. Mr. Dwight and Mr. Richardson interchanged opinions with the missionaries in Eastern Turkey, and it was the general opinion that it would be well to re-open the case with the Sublime Porte. I at first did so by conversation with the grand vizier, but later it was thought best also to send a note to the minister of foreign affairs, of which I inclose a copy. I did not feel that after the failure of justice in this aggravated case in 1883 and 1884, that I could now secure the punishment of Moussa Bey, except under unusual circumstances, but we hope that my note will strengthen the efforts which the British ambassador, Sir William A. White is making so skilfully against him, and that if not imprisoned he will at least not be allowed to return to Kurdistan. I have, etc... PENDLETON KING. [Inclosure 1 in No. 34.] Petition presented to the Sullan by Moussa Bey. I, your humble servant, am one of those who from their youth up till now have shown fidelity and good service to Your Imperial Majesty both in offices and in war, even to the point of risking life. A parcel of fabrications have been submitted to Your Majesty, making me out a brigand and a notorious rascal. I, your servant, while purposing to come to Your Majesty's throne and submit my case and not to accept any one of these fabrications, immediately on your gracious message set out and came to take refuge in Your Majesty's justice. Now, whoever has suffered any injustice, wrong, or oppression from your servant, let him come forward. I am ready to appeal to your imperial justice. I venture, relying on Your Majesty's clemency, to pray that, if I am found guilty of these fabricated charges I may be punished, but if I am found innocent that the authors of them may be punished for their calumnies and that any right may be made public. This and all other matters depend on the iradé and firman of Your Majesty. Your servant, MIRZA BEY ZADE, MOUSSA BEY. [Inclosure 2 in No. 34.] Mr. King to Said Pacha. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Permit me to recall to your excellency's attention an outrage committed on two Americans, Rev. Mr. Knapp and Dr. Raynolds, in the year 1883, near the village of Ghourie, in the region of Bitlis. The matter was reported to the Sublime Porte, by General Wallace, United States minister, in his note, No. 167, of June 13, 1883, and in detail in his Ño. 179, of September 10, 1883. Many notes were exchanged upon the subject during the years 1883, 1884, and 1885. United States legation to Sublime Porte, No. 184, November 7, 1883; No. 185, November 12, 1883; No. 190, December 13, 1883; No. 198, January 24, 1884; No. 241, February 27, 1885. Sublime Porte to the United States legation: June 21, 1883; December 8, 1883; January 28, 1884; February 27, 1884; April 21, 1884; January 12, 1885; April 8, 1885, and others. Mr. Knapp was severely beaten with a club, and Dr. Raynolds received ten sword cuts. They were dragged into the bushes, gagged, bound, and left to die. It was well established, as the above notes show, that the leader of the attacking party and the person who inflicted the sword cuts on Dr. Raynolds was Moussa Bey, who has since that time become notorious through many other outrages committed by him. Through the garbling of the record of the investigation for which the examining magistrate and the deputy imperial prosecutor were afterwards placed under judg ment (see notes from H. E. Assim Pacha to General Wallace, April 21, 1884, and January 12, 1885) Moussa Bey was allowed to go free and was not again arrested. My Governraent regarded "the case of Knapp and Raynolds as clearly made out and the identification of the principal assailant, Moussa Bey, as complete;" and that, because he was never punished "justice was denied," and that the last note from the Sublime Porte was "neither final nor satisfactory"; and on account of the 'magnitude and cruelty of the offense" Mr. Bayard (Secretary of State) instructed this legation "again to appeal to that sense of justice which should prompt the Turkish Government to make honorable amends for this crime." Some years have elapsed during which Moussa Bey has gone unpunished for this crime, and his presence in this city to undergo trial for murder and numerous other outrages leads me again to lay this matter before the Sublime Porte, and, while not wishing to interrupt or embarrass the progress of the trial, to request your excellency, first, to take the necessary measures to prevent this criminal from escaping from this city; and, secondly, whatever the issue of the above mentioned trial may be that at its close Moussa Bey may suffer the punishment required by law for this murderuos attack on American citizens, as above recalled to your excellency's atten tion. Accept, etc., PENDLETON KING. No. 27.] Mr. Blaine to Mr. King. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have received your No. 34 of the 10th ultimo, recalling to the attention of the Department the correspondence with your legation in 1883-85, touching the attack made in the former year on the American missionaries, Rev. Mr. Knapp and Dr. Reynolds in Kurdistan, by Moussa Bey, who, at the instance of the British ambassador, is being tried at Constantinople on charges independent of the above. Your conclusion that, in view of the apparent miscarriage of justice in Moussa Bey's case to which the correspondence of 1883-85 related. and the presence of the alleged criminal in Constantinople, it would be wise to re-open the matter with the Sublime Porte, seems to be justified by the details of your note of 7th ultimo, to the minister of state, of which you inclose a copy. Your action is approved. It is hoped, as expressed in your note, that justice, however long deferred, may at last be done in respect of the well-grounded complaints of the United States Government, and its repeated and earnest appeals to the sense of justice and amity of Turkey for adequate redress for the wrongs suffered by these American citizens at the hands of a delegate of the power of the Sultan's Government. I am, etc., JAMES G. BLAINE. No. 29.) Mr. Blaine to Mr. King. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have received your No. 33 of the 12th ultimo, referring to a note verbale received in February last, from the Sublime Porte, regard. ing the military service of eavasses and dragomans employed by foreign consulates. The terms of your proposed reply to the note of February are approved. It is hoped that the exemption sought for our employés, not being claimed as a right, will be conceded as a favor, so that the business of our officers in Turkey may not be embarrassed by the abrupt withdrawal of such experienced persons from our service. I am, etc., JAMES G. BLAINE. Of the claim of Carlos Butterfield & Co. against Denmark. Geneva tribunal of International court of.. Tribunals, conference of members of the English and French Parlia- Argentine Republic: Immigration into, 1857 to 1888; volume and composition of.... Public lands Recognizes Brazil revolutionary government.. 286, 287 328-345 Army of Mexico.... Ships under United States flag needed in carrying trade with 3, 4,5,6 559 Arrest and commitment for extradition, how procured in the United ..617, 618-621 .25, 35, 36 Arrest, provisional, of fugitives from justice in Great Britain Arrest and imprisonment of Frank Xavier Fisher for non-performance of mil- Arrest of Captain Stilpen, at Coatzacoalcos, Mexico 513, 544 Assassination of Viscount Mori Arinori, Japanese minister of education..538–540, 547 645-648 Asylums in Mexico ... Archduke Carl Ludwig is heir presumptive to the throne of Death of crown prince of. 554 Austria: Arrest and imprisonment by, of F. X. Fisher, for non-performance of mil- Emigrants from Galicia and Bohemia, swindling of. Expulsion (threatened) of Hugo Klamer by 20 .25, 35, 36 36 .21, 23, 24, 27 Naturalization treaty between United States and, examined 28 B. Baldwin, Leon McLeod, claim on account of the murder of, in Mexico...550, 562, 563 Barbosa, Ruy, Brazilian minister of finance.. Barton, Clara, services of, to the Red-Cross Societies Barton, Thomas, extradition of, to Great Britain 656 694, 695 450, 453, 474 |