Office of the Historian

File No. 367.112 Er 4/11.

The American Minister in temporary charge of the Embassy at Constantinople to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]
American Embassy,
Constantinople, January 31, 1911.
No. 310.]

Sir: With reference to your telegram of January 3, relating to the case of Mr. Telford Erickson, I have the honor to inform you that I immediately sought an interview with Rif aat Pasha and was received at his konak on the 10th instant, and had a private conversation with him on the subject of your telegram.

I went over the whole case again with him and pointed out the unsatisfactory explanations thus far given of the acts complained of. He remarked that we must be aware of the unsettled state of affairs in that part of the country at the time, and that things happened which under ordinary circumstances would be otherwise, but that he was most anxious to close the matter and felt sure that he could write a note such as would satisfy our Government as to the spirit with which the Ottoman authorities are animated.

After waiting two weeks, in which time Rifaat, I may explain, was most of the time confined to his house and part of the time to his bed with illness, I finally received on the 21st of January a note which, while expressing regret for past circumstances and promise of future good behavior, proceeded to state, as a reason why no explanatiton had been given, that their reports from their own officials did not coincide with those of ours.

I again saw the minister for foreign affairs and confidentially pointed out to him that I was sure that my Government would be unable to accept such a note as closing the affair. He said that if I would give him the note and treated it as non avenue he would prepare another one which could be substituted therefor and which he hoped would meet with the views of my Government. This was returned to me yesterday, and I herewith beg to inclose a copy thereof, and I should be glad to know whether it meets with the Department’s approbation.

I have, etc.,

J. R. Carter.
[Inclosure.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Minister in temporary charge of the Embassy at Constantinople.

[Translation.]
Sublime Porte, Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Constantinople, January 21, 1911.

Mr. Minister: I have had the honor of receiving the note verbale which you were good enough to send me, No. 142, of the 7th of December last,1 informing [Page 748] me that Mr. Erickson had temporarily abandoned the idea of going back to Elbassan and was leaving Constantinople to rejoin his family.

It gives me great pleasure to assure you on this occasion that Mr. Erickson will enjoy at Monastir all the guarantees of security which the Imperial Government is always happy to secure to strangers within its territory.

I beg to add that the Sublime Porte regrets exceedingly that the unusual circumstances beyond its control should have necessitated the temporary measures taken in Mr. Erickson’s regard, measures which find their apology in the unusual circumstances themselves.

Kindly accept, etc.,

Rifaat.
  1. Referred to in the telegram of December 8,↩