Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.

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.,

J. Pauncefote.
[Inclosure.]

Sir William A. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.

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.,

W. A. White.
  1. Printed infra, p. 727.