File No. 15829.
The Secretary of State to
Ambassador Leishman.
Department of State,
Washington, October 2,
1908.
No. 434.]
Sir: The department incloses herewith a copy of
a letter from the Remington Typewriter Co., of New York City, dated the
25th ultimo, inquiring concerning the removal of the restrictions in
Turkey on the importation of typewriters.
You are instructed to make inquiry in regard to this matter and to report
the result at your earliest convenience Meanwhile the Remington
Typewriter Co has been informed of the receipt by the department of a
report by Consul Jewett, Trebizond, Turkey, dated the 5th ultimo,
containing the following pertinent statement:
The press is now free, and type, printing presses, and all
materials for printing may be freely imported by anyone
Newspapers are starting up all over the land Duplicating
machines, mimeographs, etc., may enter freely Typewriters,
including machines which write the Arabic or Turkish characters,
are no longer forbidden There ought to be a demand soon for
these machines.
I am, etc.,
[Page 756]
[Inclosure.]
The Secretary of the
Remington Typewriter Co to the Secretary of State.
Remington Typewriter Company,
New York, September 25, 1908.
Dear Sir: We desire to address you upon the
subject of the exportation of typewriters to the Turkish Empire.
Immediately after the Armenian massacres the importation of
typewriters of all kinds was prohibited by the Government, which,
notwithstanding the repeated efforts of the American and English
embassies, continued for 18 months, when, under pressure, the
restriction was removed to the extent that a limited importation was
permitted, but there still remains a prohibition on the importation
of typewriters writing in Arabic and Armenian, and we understand
from our traveler who has recently made a thorough canvass of the
situation there that the governmental espionage is such that the
sale of such machines as are permitted to be imported is greatly
restricted.
It has occurred to us that if a more liberal government for Turkey,
about which there is so much in the newspapers at this time, becomes
an established fact, some measures may be taken to remove the
prohibition against the introduction of Arabic and Armenian machines
into Turkey, and perhaps some relief afforded from the conditions
which so greatly restrict the sale of machines fitted with Roman
characters.
The purpose of this letter is to present these facts to your
attention, and to ask for such cooperation on the part of our
Government as can be obtained through its proper ambassadors and
agents, to the end that the restriction upon the importation of
Arabic and Armenian machines may be removed and conditions improved,
with a view to increasing the sale of the machines referred to.
We will appreciate it very much if the matter can be taken up, and we
shall be glad to be advised as to the results obtained.
Thanking you in advance, yours, very respectfully,
Remington Typewriter Co.,
F. E. Van Buskirk, Secretary.
