Lord Rosebery to
Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Foreign
Office
,
March 11,
1893
.
Sir: I transmit herewith a copy of a dispatch
and its inclosure from Her Majesty’s ambassador at Constantinople
relative to the destruction, [Page 332]
by incendiaries, of the American college at Massouvan, and I have to
request you to communicate these reports to the United States
Government.
I am, etc.,
(For the Earl of Rosebery,)
T. V.
Lister.
[Inclosure.]
Sir Francis Clare
Ford to Lord Rosebery.
British Embassy,
Constantinople
,
February 26, 1893
.
My Lord: I have the honor to forward to
your lordship herewith copy of a dispatch which I have received from
Her Majesty’s consul at Trehizonde, reporting the destruction, by
incendiaries, of the American college at Massouvan.
I learn from another source that on the 5th and 6th of January last,
in the week of prayer, during which all Protestants in the Empire
hold daily meetings, placards were affixed to the principal
buildings in every town and village of the province of Sivas, and
the Yazgat Sandjah of the province of Angora. These placards were in
Turkish and copied by means of a hectograph or cyclostyle. One of
the placards was an attack on the Sultan, the other was an
exhortation to the Moslems of the Empire to rise against the
Christians.
The Vali of Sivas laid the responsibility of these placards, somewhat
illogically, in my opinion, on the American college at Massouvan,
where it appears a hectograph is used, and caused the professors of
the college to be arrested.
Romchid Bey, a Circassian military officer and ex-brigand, was sent
to Massouvan to investigate the circumstances of the case. He
reported that the college was at the bottom of the sedition, and
declared that he would turn the ground on which it stood into a
plowed field. A few days afterwards a recently constructed wing of
the building was burned to the ground.
It is said that 2,000 Christians are in prison suspected of having
posted the placards. A few Moslems have also been imprisoned,
notably one from a village under Mount Argiens, in whose possession
several copies of the placards were found.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Longworth
to Sir Clare Ford.
Trebizonde
,
February 15,
1893
.
Sir: The following is an extract of a
dispatch, dated the 13th instant, from Mr. Spadaro, at Tavsoum,
reporting the destruction by incendiarism of the American college at
Massouvan:
[Translation.]
Continuing my letter of the 3d instant, I bring to your knowledge the
following information bearing on a recent occurrence somewhat
connected with those with which you are already acquainted.
The female college quite recently built at Massowan by the American
missionaries, was burnt on the 2d of February. It was not caused by
an accident. According to information that has reached me from a
positive source, the tire was set by one Khorsoff Bey, second in
command of the “gendarmerie” (armed police) in the Vilayet of Sivas,
Alay Bey (a brigand), the latter of whom is said to have declared
two days before to Dr. Nelson, an attaché of the college, that he
would burn it. The misdeed was perpetrated by means of wool
saturated with kerosene placed at the four corners of the building.
Two American teachers of the institution, Turkish subjects, named
Tamayan and Cayaian, were subsequently lodged in jail.
I would not venture to state positively what were the motives or the
watchword that led the author of this crime, for fear of giving you
incorrect information. The inquiry that will be set on foot will
surely disclose them. My duty is to keep you [Page 333] informed of the situation,
although you may have already received intelligence from Mr.
Jewett.
From what I have heard, the Vali of Sivas has proceeded to Massouvan
with the consul of the United States to investigate the facts about
which I write to you. Mr. Jewett will certainly make the results
known to you and will give you more precise information than I. In
any event I shall bring to your knowledge all such as I may have
gathered.
The police wanted to enter the establishment of the Jesuit fathers at
Massouvan, but these latter replied that they would forbid admission
so long as there should be no authority therefor issued by the
French authorities.
I have, etc.,
