No. 196.
Mr. Francis to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Athens, May 18, 1872.
(Received June 11.)
No. 53.]
Sir: Referring to may dispatch, numbered 52, of
the date of May 11, I inclose herewith translations of communications
furnished me by the Greek government for my information, to show that
the Turkish authorities are responsible for the existence of brigandage
on the border and adjacent provinces, both in Turkey and Greece.
- 1.
- The communication from Colonel Plessas, commander of the Greek
forces in Phthiotis and Eurytania, represents that the measures of
joint co-operation of the Greek and Turkish troops for the pursuit
of the brigands in both countries utterly failed in consequence of
obstacles interposed by the Turkish military forces, and that, on
their part, there never was anything like earnest co-operation for
the accomplishment of the object aimed at, namely, the extirpation
of the brigands.
- 2.
- The dispatch of Mr. Pervelis, Greek consul at Larissa, in Turkey,
conveying intelligence of a capture made by the brigands on Turkish
soil and the exaction of ransom to secure release. Mr. Pervelis
charges the Turkish authorities with carelessness, if not guilty
indifference, in its policy with respect to brigandage.
I have been informed by reputable citizens here, outside of official
circles, that Colonel Plessas is an honorable and efficient military
officer, whose representations may be relied upon as perfectly
truthful.
The official reports presented tend to confirm the assertion that
brigandage, the great plague of Northern Greece, and which at times
menaces the public security of Attica, has its headquarters, its place
of secure refuge, in the Turkish provinces adjoining the border of
Greece, and in the absence of proper efforts on the part of the military
authorities in Turkey, by co-operation with the Greek troops or
otherwise, to destroy the brigand bands, it is impossible to crush out
the evil.
So far it is believed that none of the brigand bands have crossed over
into Greece this season, and the Greek military forces are on the alert
to prevent their incursions into this kingdom; but if they are allowed
immunity and practical protection on the Turkish side, security cannot
be assured against their occasional raiding across the border into
Greece.
I have to repeat, however, that, with a military escort always tendered
by the Greek government to persons who desire to make excursions to the
northward of this capital, they have the best possible guarantee of
safety.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure No. 1.]
Condensed translation of a report of the Greek
commander of the forces in Phthiotis and Eurytania to the
ministry of war.
Lamia, February 17–29,
1872.
I accompany herewith a report of the officer commanding the post of
Sabhu-Bryons on the Greek frontier, exposing the conduct of the
Ottoman commander in the province of Goura, toward the Greek
soldiers, who, while on a patrol, hearing on the Turkish territory
successive reports of fire-arms, and supposing some encounter of the
Turkish troops with the brigands was in progress hastened to take
part in the same, and cooperate
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with their neighbors in the destruction of the
common plague of the two-adjoining countries.
This occurrence gives me an occasion to report all that I have
written since I have entered on this command about the general
policy of the Turkish authorities charged with the maintenance of
public safety on the frontiers. I will thank the King’s government
to take these data into mature consideration,
and transmit to me the necessary instructions, so that I may
regulate the conduct of our detachments on the frontier in a way to
avoid eventual encounter caused by the harsh behavior of the Turkish
commanders.
Even before the creation of the joint detachments for the pursuit of
brigandage, I had gathered much information, as well from the
officers in charge and inhabitants as from my personal observations
during my stay on the frontier, about the coldness exhibited by our
neighbors in acting conjointly with us against the brigands, and
their provoking manner, a sure token of inward hate, especially when
measures were to be taken against the bands concealed in Turkish
territory.
In many places on the frontier, where I remained some time, I was
visited by inferior Turkish officers, who, it must be acknowledged,
behaved individually with respect, and exhibited an amicable
disposition; but the moment the conversation turned on brigandage
and the bands concealed in Turkish territory, not only their
arguments were weak, but they sought in an unjustifiable way to
avoid acknowledging that the brigands found refuge on the other side
of the frontiers, and to avoid co-operating with our troops in their
pursuit. I was especially impressed by the endeavor of our neighbors
to hinder any relation between ourselves and the Christian subjects
of Turkey, in order to prevent our obtaining information about the
places of concealment of the brigands within their jurisdiction.
I studied with attention the way to neutralize these dispositions of
the Turks, so contrary to the noble object of the Greek government,
namely, the restoration of entire safety in the provinces adjacent
to the frontier; and I endeavored to treat the Turkish officers
charged with this important duty with all possible courtesy and
forbearance, and imposing the same manner on those placed under my
command; but, unfortunately, the conduct of the Turkish officials
remains unaltered.
In August of last year, the project concerning the formation of joint
detachments having ripened, I had an interview with Miralai-Katzi
Emir-Bey, commander of the Turkish detachments, and having agreed on
the necessary basis, we drew up a protocol. In that interview the
superior officer in question seemed to me well disposed toward the
proposed measure; but when, during the discussion, we came to the
details, the disagreement became evident, and my doubts and fears
were fully confirmed by the events that transpired during the
execution of the plan, on the part of those on the Turkish side to
whom it was intrusted.
Wishing to discover the reason which led the Turks to desire the
failure of the proposed measure, I have carefully investigated the
matter, and have strong grounds for the belief that those charged
with the execution thereof feared that the successful results would
be attributed to the Greek soldiers, and would discredit their
former proceedings. It is for this reason that the inhabitants of
the country under their jurisdiction received stringent orders to
give no information whatever about the brigands. This fact was made
known to me and the officers under my command repeatedly by Turkish
subjects, who approached us with the greatest secrecy and in fear
and trembling. It is for this same reason that the Turkish officers
and under-officers who served in the joint detachment hindered, as
far as possible, the necessary movements, and did all in their power
to frustrate the daily patrols and nightly ambuscades, so as to
prevent any successful results of the pursuit. Deeply grieved at
this premeditated counteraction, I communicated to Miralai-Bey what
I thought necessary, demanding the cessation of this most injurious
condition of matters; but although the answer of that superior
officer was courteous, no practical amelioration ensued.
The creation of joint detachments, if no other result was achieved,
because of the reasons above stated, established at least the fact
that the bands of brigands remain concealed on Turkish territory, a
fact officially acknowledged by the Ottoman general charged with the
pursuit, in a protocol signed by himself. A copy of this protocol
was transmitted by me at the time to the foreign office.
The joint detachments were abolished by an order of the ministry of
war in November last, because of sanitary measures then necessary on
the frontier, and have not since been re-established. But even now
the Turks are very guarded in their relations with us with respect
to the pursuit of brigandage, and their dislike against co-operation
is still more evident, as they now openly avow it. No understanding
remains between us, and whenever any such has been attempted, our
overtures were received with the greatest coldness. In the mean time
all the known bands remain and live in perfect peace and quiet on
the neighboring territory, no measure being taken against them. Of
these, the bands of Tacos, Belculah, Kanta, and Baurchi, having
abandoned the western districts, went east in November last, and
having joined the band of Tatseyianni,
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are now stationed at Goura and Armyro. Those
of Camara, Rentina, Goulo-costa, Coumbrauki, at times united and at
times separated, haunt the Turkish districts between Kaitza and
Lacrési.
The above facts, which are fully authenticated by the necessity in
which the Greek troops find themselves to be constantly on the move
in order to prevent any eventual attack on the Greek territory, are
a doleful omen for public security in the future; the existence of
brigands on the one hand, and the nature of the frontier, which is
perfectly open, on the other, rendering an inroad very probable. But
what is worse, the negligence, not to say guilty indifference of the
Turkish troops, destroys every hope of the extinction of brigandage;
and fostered in this way, we may soon see it again flourish in all
its ugliness.
I tried all official and private means in order to impress on the
Turks charged with guarding the frontier the humane idea of the
necessity of establishing public security for the benefit of the
inhabitants of the two adjoining countries, and I repeatedly
demanded a true and honest co-operation in the pursuit of
brigandage, but, unfortunately, with no effect, although I proved to
our neighbors the possibility, nay the certainty, of the destruction
of the existing bands if the necessary measures were adopted. All
that I can do now is to apply to the foreign office with the request
to use the means in its power in order to ameliorate, if possible,
the disposition of our neighbors, and thus accomplish the great
object of the final establishment of public security for which the
royal government has already sustained so many sacrifices.
[Inclosure-No. 2.—Translation.]
The consul of Greece at
Larisse to the minister of foreign
affairs.
Lamia, March 12–24, 1872.
Mr. Minister: A band of brigands, composed
of eighteen men, captured ten days ago, near Derali, a village in
the province of Domoko, a farmer, who was tormented and forced to
pay a ransom of 15,000 piastres, after which he was released.
Accordingly, I believe it to be my duty to repeat again, Mr.
Minister, that which I have many times said to you, namely, that the
incapacity and the carelessness of the Turkish authorities and
troops who have the pursuit of brigandage in charge; the care with
which they avoid co-operating with our own authorities and troops;
the carelessness which I have observed for some time, even among the
high functionaries, in the application of the rigorous measures
ordered against the brigands and their confederates—this
carelessness which is an indication of the decrease of the severity
of the orders, strict and imperious as they were, lately transmitted
by the Sublime Porte to its functionaries; these indications, I say,
make me foresee that not only the bands will remain on the
frontiers, but yet there may be an increase of brigandage, in
general, favored as they are by the fine season of the year, and
especially encouraged by the want of success of the many
extraordinary measures taken against them by the governments of the
two adjacent countries. On account of laxity on the part of the
Turkish authorities, as before stated, the brigands can now move
easily, and recruit themselves among the men who are inclined to
live upon plunder.
The established authorities of Thessaly, instead of troubling
themselves about the brigands, are to-day most concerned about the
collection of taxes, having received repeated orders from the Porte
to finish this work, and with this end in view they are marshaling
detachments of soldiers into that sort of service.
I have the honor to remain, Mr. President, your excellency’s most
obedient servant,
- J, PERVELIS,
Consul, &c.,
&c., - D. G. Bulgaris,
President of the
Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
