Mr. Sherman to Mr. Angell.
Washington, August 23, 1897.
Sir: Mr. Riddle’s dispatch, No. 1331, of August 4, concerning the indemnity claim of Mrs. Haiganoosh S. Abdalian, has been received.
The reply of the Turkish minister for foreign affairs, of which Mr. Riddle incloses copy, disclaiming responsibility for acts arising out of the recent disorders, is not satisfactory to this Government. His excellency refers to previous expressions of denial to Mr. Terrell to admit similar claims. A review of the correspondence in this relation shows that in every case of this kind the Turkish Government either ignores or distorts the abundantly supported contention of this Government that the injuries to American property during the recent disorders were suffered through the insufficiency of the protective measures afforded. A government being able to quell and not quelling such disorders, and damage to American property having resulted, the United States contends that Turkey can be held responsible under a well-recognized principle of international law. A general disclaimer of responsibility, such as is set forth in his excellency’s present note, can not, therefore, be accepted, and you are instructed to press for a specific reply to the repeated demands of this Government that Turkey acknowledge liability, urging the desirability of a just and prompt settlement of this and other indemnity claims, that the friendly relations which have hitherto existed between the two Governments may continue uninterrupted.
For your better understanding of the position heretofore held by the Department in this matter you should refer to the correspondence found in the volume of Foreign Relations for 1896, pages 879 to 900.
Respectfully, yours,