File No. 763.72115/1637
The Ambassador in Turkey (Morgenthau) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 16.]
Sir: With reference to my despatch No. 724 of December 15, 1915, concerning the transportation of Americans and refugees from Beirut and Jaffa, I have the honor to report that since the visits of the [Page 832] U. S. S. Des Moines and Caesar therein mentioned, no American naval vessel has since been able to call at these ports.
Following up its note verbale to the Sublime Porte dated November 24, on December 18 the Embassy again requested the Porte to have instructions sent to Beirut to permit the departure of American citizens.
On December 20 the reply of the Porte to the Embassy’s early communications on this subject was received, stating that no further visits of American naval vessels to Syrian ports could be authorized. The Consul General at Beirut also reported that the local authorities there had instructions to permit no communications between the shore and any American cruiser which might call at that port.
It has so far been impossible to induce the Ottoman Government to alter its attitude on this question. A fresh effort in this direction is being made in compliance with the Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 1710 of January 14,1 in regard to the transportation on the Des Moines of an American Red Cross party from the Piraeus to Beirut, about February 6. As soon as a reply is received from the Porte it will be telegraphed to Captain Blakely of the Des Moines, which is now probably at Naples.
The various belligerent subjects of Jewish race mentioned in my despatch No. 724 of December 52 are still at Beirut, with the exception of a number of Italians, who were sent back to Aleppo (see also my despatch No. 821 of January 6, 19162). The Algerians and Tunisians whom the Caesar was to have taken to Algiers about the end of December could not leave, and most of them have doubtless been enrolled as soldiers.
It has also proved impossible to arrange for the journey to Beirut of the Reverend William Greenslade, connected with the American missions in the Lebanon, concerning whom instructions were sent by the Department to Cairo.
Copies of the correspondence exchanged in this connection with the Sublime Porte are herewith enclosed.2
I have [etc.]