No. 447.
Mr. Heap
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Constantinople, October 10, 1884. (Received October 27.)
Sir: Referring to your dispatch of July 17th last, No. 214, relative to the restrictions on the sale of the publications of the American Bible Society by the Ottoman authorities, I regret that I have nothing satisfactory to report.
I have had repeated conversations with the minister of foreign affairs on the subject and he has assurred me that he has asked the minister of public instruction to issue orders to put a stop to the arbitrary acts of the subordinate officials in the provinces who interfere with and practically stop the sale of books hawked about the country by colporteurs. If such orders have been given they have had no effect. The [Page 575] authorities do not seem to object to the sale of books by stationary Vendors in the large towns, where there are employés who are able, from a knowledge of the law, to control the sales, by determining whether the publications have been duly approved by the censorship; but they do object to books being hawked about the country and in villages where there are no competent officials.
Although we have entire confidence in the integrity and loyalty of the missionaries and are sure that they will not transgress any law or regulation upon the circulation of printed matter, it is difficult to in spire the Turk with the same confidence.
The frequent emigration of young men to the United States, who return to this country with naturalization papers, is attributed in a large degree to the influence of the books issued by the American Bible House, and especially to the instruction given at numerous schools established in Armenia under the auspices of the American Board of Foreign Missions.
The Turks are probably indifferent to this proselyting which is confined to Armenian Christians, but the Armenian clergy do not take so calm a view of the matter, and it is owing to their influence, which is, in some matters, very strong, that the missionaries encounter so many difficulties in the prosecution of their beneficent and civilizing work.
This influence is daily felt not only in the sale of their books, but in the opening of schools, which were formerly licensed without much difficulty, but are now strongly opposed by the Turkish authorities. The refusal to grant permission for the establishment of printing presses is another frequent occasion for complaint.
I am, &c.,