File No. 9757/4–5.
Chargé Brown to the
Secretary of State.
American Embassy,
Constantinople, November 29,
1907.
No. 493.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your
instruction No. 287 of the 13th instant (file No. 9757), in reference to
the opening by Turkish officials of the mail of American
missionaries.
I have already had occasion to unofficially call the attention of the
Ottoman postal authorities to abuses in this respect, and in compliance
with your instructions I have this day addressed a formal note to the
minister of foreign affairs (as per inclosure), reminding the Sublime
Porte of its assurances in 1892, and the positive orders which it issued
in the latter part of that year, that letters addressed to Americans
should not be detained.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Chargé Brown to
the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
American Embassy,
Constantinople, November 29, 1907.
No. 943.]
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to inform
your excellency that it is complained by American missionaries
residing in Turkey that their mail is often opened and subjected to
long delay in delivery.
Acting under the instructions of my Government, I would respectfully
remind the Imperial Ottoman Government of the assurances given by
the Sublime Porte to the legation in 1892 in this regard, and of the
positive orders issued the latter part of April of the same year
that letters addressed to Americans should not be detained.
I am confident that such instances of abuse as alluded to have been
without the knowledge of the superior postal authorities, and that
necessary steps will be promptly taken to guard against further
interference with private mail by subordinate officials.
I take, etc.,
