Mr. Olney to Mr.
Terrell.
Department of State,
Washington, November 2,
1895.
No. 650.]Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
No. 639, of the 8th ultimo, inclosing copy of a dispatch from Consul
Gibson at Beirut to Consul-General Short at Constantinople, calling
attention to missionary apprehensions of a massacre in the interior of
Syria.
Mr. Gibson’s dispatch was communicated to the Secretary of the Navy, a
copy of whose reply I inclose for your information. It states that
Rear-Admiral Selfridge, U. S. N., who this day sails for Marseilles to
take command of the European station, has been furnished with copies of
the correspondence touching the disturbed condition of affairs in Syria
and instructed to personally investigate and report fully on the
situation and to keep a vessel in the waters of Syria until satisfied
that her presence is no longer needed for the protection of American
interests.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 650.]
Mr. Herbert to
Mr. Olney.
Navy Department,
Washington, October 31,
1895.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 29th instant, inclosing, for the
information of this Department, a
[Page 1335]
copy of a dispatch from the United States
consul at Beirut to the consul-general at Constantinople, calling
attention to missionary apprehensions of a massacre in the interior
of Syria, and to inform you that the U. S. S. Marblehead arrived at Mersine, Syria, on the 21st
instant.
In this connection I have to state that Rear-Admiral T. O. Selfridge,
U. S. N. will sail from New York on the 2d proximo for Marseilles,
at which port he will relieve Rear-Admiral Kirkland of the command
of the United States naval force on the European station.
Rear-Admiral Selfridge, who has been furnished with copies of the
correspondence received in this Department from the Department of
State in regard to the disturbed condition of affairs in Syria, has
been instructed to personally investigate and report fully on the
situation, and to keep a vessel in the waters of Syria until
satisfied that her presence is no longer needed for the protection
of our interests.
I am, etc.,
H. A. Herbert, Secretary.
