Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1892

Mr. Hirsch to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, June 14, 1892. (Received June 27.)

No. 470.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a circular, issued and distributed among the American missionaries throughout the Empire, in relation to the late arrangement of the school difficulties and the present status of American schools.

I have, etc.

Solomon Hirsch.

[Inclosure with No. 470.]

Circular.

The American schools in various parts of the country, although they have generally been conducted for several years in conformity to the requirements of article 129 of the school law, have been notified that they must obtain official permits within three months or close their doors.

These schools already possess what is equivalent to an official permit under the arrangement concluded between the United States legation and the Sublime Porte, and set forth in the dispatches of the United States legation No. 137 and 144 of December, 1886, and in the order issued by the ministry of public instruction December 16, 1302. This arrangement and its official recognition of the schools was confirmed by the vizierial order of 16 Ramazan, 1306 (May 16, 1889). These documents, which were printed and sent out at the time, constitute a sufficient official authorization for all American schools which have submitted their books, course of study, and the diplomas of their teachers to the approval of the local authorities, as provided for in article 129 of the school law.

This being the case, Hon. Solomon Hirsch, United States minister, has obtained from the Sublime Porte the issue of a circular directing that existing schools and chapels be not interfered with until fresh instructions in explanation of the order to require new permits from these schools are promulgated by the Imperial Government.

The United States legation has communicated a copy of this circular to the mission of the American board at Constantinople, with the understanding that it will be placed in the hands of the various missions interested, and will be shown to the local authorities in case of further inquiry as to special individual permits for the schools which are already entirely conformed to the requirements of law.

The expectation of the United States legation is that all managers of existing American schools will see that the course of study and the books used in the classes are approved by the officials of the department of public instruction, and that no teacher is employed whose diploma lacks the certificate of approval of that department. In whatever American schools these requirements of the law are carefully observed there will be no ground for complaint, and no new requirements will be enforced upon the schools except by the intermediation and assent of the legation.

In case it is desired to erect new buildings or to open new schools, application should be made to the local authorities with a declaration that this is in conformity with article 129 of the school law, and with offer of facilities for inspection of the school by the proper authorities. The legation considers that conformity to article 129 of the school law should remove all difficulty in the way of granting authorizations which are requested.

The above is submitted for the information of all concerned.

Henry O. Dwight.

Constantinople, June 1, 1892.

Translation of the circular of instructions issued by the Department of the Interior, May 3, 1308, in reference to chapels and schools.

The decision of the council of ministers, concerning the extension by three months of the term of one month and a half set for the schools and places of worship opened without official permission by foreigners in the Ottoman Empire, has been communicated to every point in general orders of identical form; but it has been learned that the times fixed have been different, some long and some short in proportion to others, and that in some places useless difficulties have been created by refusing permission for small and needful repairs, like repairs of roofs and walls of schools opened in this way, or that the owners are being threatened by declarations that their schools are to be closed. Certain embassies, also, are making continuous complaints to this effect.

Hence, by vizierial order, it has been commanded that the vilayets and independent sanjaks be informed that, until the framing of a decision by the Government in explanation of the former instructions, the present condition of schools and places of worship is not to be interfered with, and general orders having been issued in conformity therewith you will take the steps required.

May 3, 1308 (May 15, 1892).