Mr. Gresham to Mr. Terrell.
Washington, August 19, 1893.
Sir: I have received your No. 23, of the 29th ultimo, concerning the complaint of Hyman Rose, an American citizen, in the matter of the refusal of the authorities at Jerusalem to permit him to sell his real estate.
It would appear that the objections of the grand vizier lie against the acquisition of lands by nonresidents for speculative purposes, and that in imposing upon Mr. Rose an obligation to sell his land to “a citizen” or to “a purchaser not an alien,” his excellency is not to be understood as announcing any purpose to impede the bona ride purchase of lands in Turkey by American citizens under the existing real estate protocol.
I am, etc.,