1889. Mar. 28

Apr. 20

May 10

Bissinger's reply; probability that the antici-
pated closing of the schools and further inter
ference with them will be prevented, and that
the schools referred to in Mr. Bissinger's letter
as having been closed will be re-opened.
Exclusion of Jews from Palestine: Memorial on
the subject from the Jerushalaim Lodge of the
Independent Order of B'nai B'rith at Jerusalem.
Action of the United States legation and of the
English and French embassies has removed the
restriction. Mr. Strauss has informed the
memorialists that his action in the matter was
in strict compliance with Department's instruct-
ions. Copy of memorial inclosed.
Robert College: Application of the president of
the college to the Ottoman Government for per-
mission to erect additional buildings; addi-
tional buildings enumerated and described;
specifications and plans filed; the necessary
iradé of the Sultan issued and the formal pa-
pers granting the desired permission to be de-
livered to the college authorities within a few
days.

May 18 Citizenship of George Meimar: Refusal of the
Ottoman Government to recognize the Ameri-
can citizenship of Meimaraghlon Yorghi, natu-
ralized under the name of George Meimar, and
sned in Smyrna by an Ottoman subject; action
of the United States at Smyrna, reported in Mr.
Emmet's dispatch to the consul-general (No. 90)
of March 22, 1889, was approved by Mr. Strauss,
and his reasons for such approval communi-
cated to the Porte in reply to its request that
he refrain from interference in the case; judg
ment against Meimar, who has no property and
fears execution against the property of his
father, who was co-defendant; should his Amer-
ican citizenship be recognized by the Ottoman
Government the judgment would be vacated;
Mr. Strauss, on a request for an answer to his
note, informed of the Ottoman law prohibiting
change of citizenship without permission of the
Sultan, which permission the minister for for-
eign affairs alleges Meimar not to have ob-
tained; the Ottoman Government has consented
to a naturalization treaty with the United
States; necessity for such a treaty; reference to
former correspondence; awaits instructions;
incloses copy of Consul Emmet's dispatch.
Schools of American missionaries in Turkey:
Cause of interference with such schools by the
local authorities as stated by the missionaries;
complaints of the missionaries set forth in a let
ter from Beirut, Syria, April 9, 1889, from Rev.
Dr. H. H. Jessup and Rev. George A. Ford,
copy of an extract of which is inclosed; Mr.
Strauss's observations confirm the statements
of the letter; he has repeatedly brought the
matter to the attention of the Porte; vizierial
order issued, and copy sent to consul at Beirut;
its execution will doubtless be delayed, but the
missionaries will be afforded opportunity to de-
fend themselves; copy of the order inclosed.
Robert College: Expresses the Department's
gratification at the intelligence of the grant of
permission to erect additional college buildings.
Citizenship of George Meimar: Expresses De-
partment's approval of Consul Emmet's action
in the case, and instructs Mr. Strauss to make
energetic remonstrance against any action of
the Porte tending to abridge his rights as an

May 27

214 Mr. Blaine to Mr. Strauss. May 29

215 Same to same.

201

June 5

Mr. Strauss to Mr Blaine... June 13

217 Mr. Blaine to Mr. Strauss... June 11

American citizen.

Schools of American missionaries in Turkey:
Those lately closed in the vilayet of Van are re-
ported re-opened by a letter from the Rev. Henry
O. Dwight, copy of which is inclosed.
Schools of American missionaries in Turkey: Ex-
presses Department's congratulations to Mr.
Strauss upon the success of his efforts in their
behalf, and hopes for a more liberal cause of
treatment in the future.

715

716

717

718

720

722

722

722

723

202

1889. Mr. Strauss to Mr. Blaine... June 17

June 18
June 19

33

Mr. King to Mr. Blaine..... Oct. 12

Oct. 16

Nov. 8

Johnstown Blood: The Sultan's sympathy with
the sufferers from the recent flood at Johnstown
and his desire to contribute a sum of money to
their relief.

Johnstown flood: The Sultan donates £200 Turk-
ish for the relief of the flood sufferers.
Johnstown flood: Expresses the grateful appre
ciation of the President and Government of the
United States for the Sultan's generous contri-
bution to the relief of the sufferers from the
flood.

Military service of cavasses and dragomans em-
ployed by foreign consulates: Such persons are
liable to service, but there is ambiguity in the
text of the regulation requiring it; incloses
copy of the Porte's note on the subject of the
reply of the British embassy and of his proposed
note verbale on the subject.
Murderous attack upon two American Mission-
aries, the Rev. Mr. Knapp and the Rev. Dr.
Raynolds, by Moussa Bey: These outrages have
become a subject of discussion in the English
Parliament and much information in relation
thereto may be found in a British publication
upon the condition of the population in Asiatic
Turkey; Moussa Bey caused to appear at Con-
stantinople to answer charges; his arrival; his
petition; witnesses against him; description
of him; disposition of the case unsatisfactory:
the British ambassador secures a second trial
on the charges, which is not yet completed; de-
sire of the missionaries that he be punished for
his attack upon Mr. Knapp and Dr. Raynolds;
Mr. King's efforts to re-open the particular case;
copies of Moussa Bey's petition and of Mr.
King's note to the Porte on the subject inclosed.
Murderous attack upon two American mission-
aries, Mr. Knapp and Dr. Raynolds, by Monssa
Bey: Expresses the Department's approval of
his cause in re opening the case against Moussa
Bey, and the hope that he may be justly
punished.

Nov. 8 Military service of cavasses and dragomans em-
ployed by foreign consulates: Expresses the De-
partment's approval of his proposed note to the
Porte on the subject, and the hope that tho
exemption sought, not being claimed as a right,
may be conceded as a favor.

723

723

724

724

725

723

728

CORRESPONDENCE.

No. 204.]

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

Mr. Hanna to Mr. Bayard.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, February 27, 1889 (Received April 8.)

SIR: I have the honor to report to the Department that by order of Dr. Costa, minister for foreign affairs, Mr. Aristides Almeida, chief of the bureau of statistics, has made a statement of the arrivals of immigrants to the Argentine Republic, from which it appears that in the thirty-two years from and including 1857 to and including 1888 no fewer than 1,374,797 immigrants abandoned Europe to start new homes in this country. This figure is more important when it is considered that the total population of the Argentine Republic is to-day calculated at 4,000,000 souls, and that the total immigration to all South America from Europe during the same time was 1,703,000.

The percentage of nationalities of the above total immigration to the Argentine Republic during the period stated was about as follows:

The tabulated statement of the movement of immigration for the year ending December 31, 1888, published by the same authority, shows that the arrivals during the past year amount to the number of 150,000, which promises to reach 370,000 in the ensuing year, if the arrivals con tinue on the same scale as during the month of January. On the 16th of this month 2,000 Irish immigrants landed, and 2,000 left Queenstown yesterday for this place. On the 22d, the German steamer Stassburg anchored with 1,500 Dutch and Frenchmen, and advices have been lately received announcing the departure of several thousand Belgians for this country.

FR 89-1

1

The National Government, aware of the great impropriety of sending out at one time so many poor emigrants, largely women and children, who can not even speak the language of the country, is taking steps to put a stop to its recurrence. Telegrams, I understand, will be sent by the minister for foreign affairs to the immigration agents of the Argentine Republic in England and Ireland, notifying them that the emigration must be limited to 200 per month.

The 2,000 immigrants just arrived here have been greatly embarrassed, and much suffering has ensued. This Government was not prepared to receive and appropriate them. They were thrown on public charity, and, though the response has been hearty and generous, it has been next to impossible to feed and house such a large sudden influx, in the absence of ample preparation beforehand.

And these people have been misled in the matter of public lands and the feasibility of getting homesteads. The public lands of this nation are about all absorbed. They are held by speculators in blocks of from 3 to 10, 10 to 50, and 50 to 100 leagues. There are men here who own from 100 to as high as 800 leagues of land. Now the Government is talking of buying back the lands it has practically given away, and of selling in small parcels of 120 acres to actual settlers, and though long time is to be given for payment, in the end, with the footings of speculation and the interest to be added, it will make dear land.

The only inducement proposed to these immigrants as yet is in the form of a contract offered them by a private land-owning corporation, under which they may obtain title to lands near Bahia Blanca by assuming an indebtedness of about $20 gold per acre, to be paid within twenty years in installments, with 9 per cent. interest on all deferred payments, the company agreeing to furnish seeds, tools, animals, etc., to the amount of $1,000, in the first year, at a like charge and provis ions, etc., at a fixed price, with interest as above.

I am, etc.,

BAYLESS W. HANNA.

No. 219.]

Mr. Hanna to Mr. Blaine.

[Extract.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, April 7, 1889. (Received May 21.) SIR: The immigration from European countries to these shores, hitherto chiefly Italian, Spanish, and French, is now rapidly setting in from other quarters-England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, and Germany. It is marvelous, indeed, in what great numbers they are arriving. This element of newcomers will work a great change in agricultural development, which may become a serious question for the United States.

The prices of our wheat and corn product are already strained and depressed, about as much, perhaps, as they can well bear. All this immigration is assisted by the Government by payment of the passage of the immigrants. In this way they are easily persuaded to leave the overdone Old World for the brilliant outlook of the New. The amount

the Argentine Government paid last month for immigrants' passage is reckoned at $500,000. This, kept up throughout the year, would reach $6,000,000. Already this vast influx is beginning to tell on the volume of grain exports. Last year the country shipped 445,000 tons of corn; this year it will go above 2,000,000 tons.

In addition to the vast sum paid out by the Government in encouragement of immigration, there is another great outlay. The Government lands the immigrant, keeps him and his family some days at the Immigrants' Hotel, pays his passage in river steamers and in railroad trains to reach the colonies or join the farms or estancias where employment has been secured for him. This probably costs the Government fully as much more as the cost of the ocean passage-say, $12,000,000 in all paid in encouragement of immigration in one year alone.

I am, etc.,

BAYLESS W. HANNA.

No. 222.]

Mr. Hanna to Mr. Blaine.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Buenos Ayres, April 11, 1889. (Received May 25.)

SIR: In further justification of President Harrison's admirable policy, as announced in his message, for the promotion of steam-ship facilities between the United States and the Argentine Republic, I have the honor to make an additional suggestion to what I have hitherto said on the subject.

The flow of European immigration hitherward is phenomenal, not only vastly adding to the overplus product to go upon the market for sale, and increasing the supplies needed in machinery and general merchandise, but in more certainly drawing the resulting advantages away from the United States.

We need ships, steam-ships, United States ships flying our own flag, and when they are once put into service, I have little doubt we will need many of them. We certainly have the best things on earth to sell, all the means we need for obtaining necessary supplies, and there is no reason why we should not be in the market here and everywhere. As things are now going, over 20,000 immigrants are coming to the River Platte monthly. In the first quarter of 1888, 40,527 immigrants came, and for the same period in 1889, 74,090. The showing for March, just closed, as appears from official figures, is 20,831. Sixty-nine ships were engaged in the importation of these people, thirty-eight of them under the English flag, ten French, nine German, eight Italian, two Belgian, one Spanish, and one Dutch.

The fleet of commercial ships constantly in this port equals, if it does not outnumber, that of Liverpool, but it is a rare thing to see among them the United States flag, and that only confined to small barks of from 500 to 600 tons capacity. I have never seen a United States merchant steamer carrying our great flag in Argentine waters.

I am, etc.,

BAYLESS W. HANNA.