Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.
Constantinople, March 1, 1903.
Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your cablegram of February 28, and have just forwarded my reply.
As indicated in cable, I am quite of the opinion that no disrespect is meant, and no real intention exists to refuse audience, and were it not for the fact of the President being personally interested I would have ventured to recommend a little more grace, as in addition to the congested state of affairs and pressing financial needs, the Sultan has been busily occupied for the past two weeks considering the demand made by the powers for reforms in Macedonia; but having made the demand for audience in the President’s name I could not treat the matter on general lines, as I could accept no excuse for the failure to at least reply to the President’s communication, and even prior to your cable I had brought the matter very forcibly to the personal attention of the minister for foreign affairs, impressing upon him the grave position that the President would be warranted in assuming in the event of the demand which has been made in his name not receiving prompt and proper attention.
An audience is seldom granted, even to an ambassador, except on Friday after the Salamlik ceremony and as several of the ambassadors generally attend the Salamlik and must be accorded an audience, the [Page 745] Saltan seizes upon the excuse of prior engagement, or fatigue, etc., to avoid an audience with others. * * *
Pending further instructions from the Department I shall continue to press the minister for foreign affairs for a reply to my demand for audience, and will keep you fully posted by cable of any change in the situation.
I have, etc.,