No. 1105.
Mr. Bayard to Mavroyeni
Bey.
Washington, March 5, 1888.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 2d instant, in which you inform me that, in view of the alleged inconvenience of the resort of numerous alien Israelites to Palestine for purposes of business and residence, the Sublime Porte has decided only to authorize the entrance of such Israelites on the condition that they bear passports which shall “expressly state that they are going to Jerusalem in the performance of a pilgrimage and not for the purpose of engaging in commerce or taking up their residence there;” that the passports so drawn up shall be visaed by the Ottoman consuls, and that, on arrival, the holders shall be bound to supply themselves with “permits of sojourn” issued by the Imperial authorities and couched in the same terms as the passports.
As the matter to which your note relates is pending at Constantinople, and representations in respect thereof have been made to the Sublime Porte by the envoy of the United States, I have transmitted a copy of your communication to Mr. Straus with suitable instructions.
[Page 1628]I may, however, remark for your information, apart from other and weighty considerations, touching which Mr. Straus is fully advised, that by the settled practice, and by the laws governing the Department of State, it is precluded from giving to citizens of the United States preparing to go abroad any certificate as to their purpose in so going.
Accept, etc.,