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

Mr. Newberry to Mr. Foster.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, October 19, 1892. (Received November 10.)

No. 580.]

Sir: For your information I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of my note to the minister for foreign affairs, regarding the closing in 1891 of the American mission school at Agantz.

I have, etc.,

H. R. Newberry,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.

[Inclosure in No. 580.]

Mr. Newberry to Said Pasha.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, October 19, 1892.

No. 131.]

Excellency: I beg to call your urgent attention to the failure of the Turkish authorities of the province of Van to give effect to the orders for the reopening of the American school at Agantz, in the district of Arjish, province of Van.

The following is a brief review of the case as it now stands:

This school is one of the long-established primary schools of the mission, was closed in 1887 at the request of certain Armenian notables of the village, was reopened, after some discussion, upon its being shown that the books and course of study conformed to the programme authorized by the board of public instruction in Van, and was arbitrarily closed again by order of the governor-general of Van early in 1891, on the claim that, even authorized, the school could not be held in any building not purposely set apart for the purpose by Imperial firman. In June of this year the grand vizier informed me that he had sent orders to have school reopened. Up to the present time the authorities at Van declare that they have received no such orders, and refuse to allow the school to be reopened.

Since the sole reason recognized by the law and also by the agreement between this legation and the Sublime Porte justifying the closure of an American school is refusal to conform to the requirements of the department of public instruction in reference to the choice of teachers, books, and course of study, and since even a new school may be opened upon the sole condition of conformity to those requirements, and since this school long ago (in 1885) conformed to these requirements, I should be pleased to be informed by your excellency why the orders of the grand vizier have not been carried out. I should also be pleased to receive from you an official communication authorizing the reopening of this school.

Permit me to reiterate, etc.,

H. R. Newberry.