File No. 763.72/2746
The Consul at Trebizond (Heizer) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 16.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that the city of Trebizond was occupied by the Russian forces on Tuesday, April 18, without opposition by the Turks. On Sunday, April 16, the Turkish Governor General left the city, having authorized the Greek Archbishop to enroll the police to maintain order. Monday evening the last Turkish official, a gendarmery officer, departed. I called upon him just before he left and inquired about the arrangements for maintaining order after his departure. He stated that arrangements had been made to have the city patrolled by Greek gendarmes and there was no occasion for anxiety. The force, however, was quite insufficient and without arms. I slept at the Consulate that night and the following morning arose at 6 o’clock and went out with two kavasses to inspect the city. I soon discovered people carrying bolts of new cloth on their backs, and as they were all coming from the direction of the customhouse, I hurried thither and found the customs warehouse open and several hundred men, women, and children breaking open bales and boxes and helping themselves to the contents. As it was impossible to make any impression upon them in any other manner, I drew a revolver and began firing, whereupon most of the crowd dropped their booty and fled. Those who attempted to carry anything away were stopped by the kavasses. A great deal of stuff had been carried away, however, before our arrival, as the looting had been going on during the night. After leaving a kavass on guard, I returned to the Consulate.
[Page 36]At about 9 o’clock two. Russian torpedo boats began to bombard the city from the east. As there were no Turkish forces in the city, it seemed best to try to inform the Russians and thus save the city from further bombardment so I rode out on horseback, accompanied by a kavass and a representative of the Greek Archbishop carrying a large white flag. After we rode over the crest of the low hills to the east of the city, the firing ceased and we soon met a Russian officer on horseback to whom the situation was explained. We were then taken to the commanding officer, General Liakhoff, and the same evening (Tuesday) he sent in a large force of soldiers to occupy the place and maintain order.
Although I had received a telegram from the Embassy on April 3, authorizing me to depart for Constantinople to be attached to the Consulate General, when I got ready to leave on April 12 the situation was so critical and the interests entrusted to the Consulate were so important, especially the Russian interests, that it did not seem proper to leave until after the Russians had entered the city. I have now applied through General Liakhoff for permission to travel via Batum, Odessa, and Bucharest, to Constantinople, and if a permit is obtained, will turn over the office to Mr. Montesanto, the Vice Consul, and proceed to Constantinople.
I have [etc.]