Sir Julian
Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, November 11,
1889. (Received November 12.)
Sir: In obedience to instructions which I have
received from Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign
affairs I have the honor to transmit herewith copy of a dispatch which
he has received from Her Majesty’s ambassador at Constantinople stating
that, in conjunction with his excellency, the United States legation has
been using its influence to bring to trial the notorious Moussa Bey.
I am at the same time to express the acknowledgments of Her Majesty’s
Government for the assistance rendered to Sir William White by the
United States chargé d’affaires in this case.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Sir William A.
White to the Marquis of
Salisbury.
Therapia, October 11,
1889.
My Lord: With reference to my dispatch No.
415 of this day’s date, I have the honor to state that the United
States legation has also been using its influence to bring Moussa
Bey to trial.
Mr. Pendleton King, the United States chargé d’affaires, has also
addressed a note to the Sublime Porte, in which he calls its
attention to the fact that Moussa Bey is the same man who, in the
year 1883, committed an outrage on two American missionaries, and
that, while his guilt was clearly established, he remained
unpunished, and asking that, whatever the result of the present
trial, he may suffer his punishment for the former outrage.
Mr. King has kindly furnished me confidentially with a copy of this
note,*
which I have now the honor to inclose for your lordship’s
information. As no complaint whatever has been made by any British
subject against Moussa our title to watch the proceedings in this
case rests purely on general grounds, but the rights of the legation
of the United States can not be questioned; moreover, they can not
be suspected by any one of being guided by selfish political
objects, and I can not sufficiently express my obligation to Mr.
Pendleton King for having acted with me in the matter, and I trust
that your lordship may find some fitting opportunity of conveying to
his Government my appreciation of his action, in which he has found
means of combining the interests of humanity with the national
interest he defends so ably.
I have, etc.,
