Mr. Straus to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, November 19,
1898.
No. 23.]
Sir: Regarding the question of local passports
(teskeres), the denial of which has for the past year or more been a
matter of frequent hindrance
[Page 1100]
and inconvenience to Americans and foreigners of all nations, I have the
honor to report:
Supplementary to my report on this matter contained in my dispatch No.
21, of November 16, I have received from the Porte the note verbale, of
which a translation is attached. I also attach a copy of my reply to the
minister of foreign affairs.
I regard this as a satisfactory solution of the matter, brought about by
my negotiations. The other powers whose subjects suffered from some
denial of teskeres receive equal benefit from this decision of the
council of ministers.
The American missionaries are very much gratified with this result, and
have expressed to me their high appreciation for the success achieved.
They value this even more than the exequatur for our consulship at
Erzeroum, as the denial and delay in granting teskeres, by the ministry
referring requests to the palace for the Sultan’s irade, was a constant
source of hindrance to them in going to and returning from their
stations in the interior.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
23.—Translation.]
Sublime Porte, November 16, 1898.
circular note verbale.
The Legation of the United
States of America:
By virtue of a decision of the council of ministers sanctioned by
imperial irade, foreigners desiring to travel in the Empire can in
future obtain local passports on producing an ilmu-haber
(application) from the consulate of their country setting forth
their identity, the object of their journey, the places to which
they wish to go, as well as the approximate duration of the stay
they intend making.
As persons desiring to travel in the Empire should have nothing to do
with politics, and as the departure for the interior of anarchists
and other disturbers of the peace should be rigorously forbidden,
the imperial ministry hopes that the foreign missions will kindly
facilitate the task of the Imperial Government in the application of
measures which will be adopted when necessary with a view to public
order against individuals of that category who may succeed in
surreptitiously procuring these local passports, and persons who,
during their journey, may conduct themselves in a reprehensible
manner.
In having the honor to bring this decision to the knowledge of the
legation of the United States of America the ministry for foreign
affairs requests it to notify those whom it may concern.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 23.]
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, November 18, 1898.
note verbale.
The legation of the United States of America has received the note
verbale of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the 16th of
November, 1898, No. 30,625/232, in regard to the local passports
hereafter to
[Page 1101]
be issued
on the production of an ilmu-haber (application) of the consulate of
the country of which the foreigners wishing to travel through the
Empire are citizens or subjects.
The legation of the United States of America hastens to express its
satisfaction for the disposition of this matter of teskeres or local
passports. It will do all in its power to facilitate the Government
in this matter, with a view of preserving public order, in
accordance with the rights, privileges, and obligations of its
citizens in this Empire.
The legation of the United States avails itself of this opportunity
to express to the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs its
appreciation for its prompt decision of this question which it
recently had the honor to submit for its consideration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sublime
Porte.
