Mr. Terrell to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, October 3, 1895.
(Received Oct. 18.)
No. 634.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
letter from Mr. Schma-vonian, the attorney for the female college at
Scutari. The delivery of the irade when no new buildings are to be
constructed is equivalent to a firman. This is the only institution in
whose favor an irade exempting from all taxes forever has ever been
issued, and it is not probable that any similar one will ever issue.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure No. 634.]
Mr. Schmavonian
to Mr. Terrell.
American Han 3,
Constantinople, October 1, 1895.
Your Excellency: In reply to your inquiries
concerning the tenure of the property of the American College for
Girls in Scutari, I have the honor to inform your excellency that
the document officially announcing the Imperial irade was handed to
me some time ago by the ministry of Ercaf. Thus the property of the
said college is exempted from all kinds of taxes, and also by an
exceptional Imperial favor from the payment of the yearly moucata’a
of 5,632½ piasters.
[Page 1236]
According to precedent, so long as no new building is erected, no
firman is issued for the moucata’a-i-zémine (the present change of
tenure), and the document given by the ministry of Ercaf is
considered by many similar institutions as fully sufficient. We
have, however, applied to the department of title deeds and
requested them to issue new deeds in the name of the college, Our
request has been accepted, and I expect to obtain the said deeds
within a short time. No fees will have to be paid for this.
Allow me to thank your excellency for the indefatigable efforts which
you have used in this matter.
I am, etc.,
Arschag K. Schmavonian,
Advocate.
