Mr. Terrell to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
March 12, 1897
.
(Received March 26.)
No. 1206.]
Sir: I have to inclose the copy of an extract
from a letter from the Rev. R. M. Cole, of Bitlis, in answer to a
circular letter sent to all missionaries.
It shows (1) that no schools taught by Americans have been closed since I
came to this post; (2) that no Mussulmans attend the missionary schools;
(3) that no colporteur, selling the publications of the American
religious societies, has been imprisoned since the massacres began in
1895.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 1206.]
Extract of a letter from Rev. R. M. Cole, of
Bitlis, without date.
Your excellency’s communications of December 18 and 30 came to hand,
but they have received no particular attention, chiefly because
December 23 I was taken down with a serious run of influenza, from
which I have not yet fully recovered, my strength being much
lacking. Of course work has fallen back.
As to the circular—
- 1.
- No schools closed in our field.
- 2.
- Only our girls’ school is held by United States
subjects—the Elvy sisters—and they teach in it when here. We
teach in the boys’ high school, though the building is in
the name of the people.
- 4.
- Mohammedans do not attend our service.
- 5.
- The chief unredressed injury to American citizens is that
of Mr. Knapp, so well known.
- 6.
- Our nearest consul is at Erzeruin, if indeed he is that;
for good man as we believe him to be for the position, we
are not informed that he yet has his exequatur.
- 7.
- No colporteur has been imprisoned.
Questions 2, 3, and 8 I can not answer at this writing, as looking to
the amount of property titles and scholastic attendance in the
schools. Most of the property has heretofore been purchased in the
name of a native (for formerly we could not hold it in our own), and
later turned over to us in the nature of a pawn or mortgage, but not
before the Government, and how valid it would be I do not know.
