The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-16
T U r K e Y.
The Financial and Economical Position n
the Empire.
AN AMERICAN SWINDLER SENTENCED.
Attack on the American Mission
in Latakia.

CoNsTANr1NoPLE, Dec. Ia. 1874.
In the way OF actuanties there Is nothing this
week worthy OF record. The minds OF thinking
men IN the Cabinet and out OF It are bent upon
the future. BY the financial measures which tho
Grand viZler mas taken he has at least secured
to the government a few months OF respite from
the fret and worry OF duns, and the last great
loan has sufficiently oiled the wheels Of the gov
eminent machine to enable 1t to go on smoothly
for some time to come. series OF articles has
lately been published in the leading paper OF this
city giving vivid picture OF the actual financial
aud economical position OF the country and the
complications that may arise from 1t In the future
Ia the absence OF more stirring news 1t may not
perhaps, prove wholly uninteresting to your read
ers to have a few extracts from these articles.
WHAT TuE PRESS SAYS.
The public debt OF Turkey, held chiefly, as Il TO-
abroad, has produced worry singular condition Of
round numbers, to fifteen millions. We have not
statistics ascertain how much Of this interest ID
estimate OF five millions. That leaves ten mill.
ions OF gold to be sent abroad every year. The
trace o. the so%ntry SHOWS an o.
statement OF the case, let it be assumed that the
exports balance the Imports. Then there Is
OF the country in money. How Is Il
that this export OF gold has not drained
about q monetary and commercial collapse long
ago.? The answer Is, because there has been
new loan a TO- year men the
Bank, in balancing It's income and expenditure so
as to obviate the necessity Of further loans, what
would the situation be ' Why, In two years the
country would be drained Of specie, and there
would be monetary crisis which would bring
may be Summarized as loilows:-lf tho
government continue to make loans IN
Europe :, the government win become bank.
loans the commerce OF the country will become
bankrupt. TINS is the dilemma with which TURK.
ing loans IN order to save the government from
bankruptcy. and they must devise other measures
OF gold the service OF the public debt. 40 as 70
prevent a general commercial bankruptcy. How
bring revenue and expenditure to meet, as 1t must
do unless It be prepared to face the difficulty Of
a suspension OF paymentsY the drain being far
in excess of the commercial profits OF the
country, how Is the exhaustion which 1t
threatens TO be counteracted? 1t Will sufrce to-
day to state in general terms where the remedy
lies, reservng Tor future study the details OF the
work which has 10 be done. In the first place. the
situation suggests such complete REIMBURSEMENT
OF taxation, direct ana indirect, as may enable the
country To make larger profits upon the CON-
moditles which II already prOduces-such read
tect native industry. In the second place 1t sug.
gests that the greatest possible lnducement
tries, so that new sources OF profit may be tapped
and dormant wealth made active. But as a read.
justment of taxation can scarcely be wrought
1t would be necessary, while such readjusvmenS
was IN progress, to make provisional reduction
OF expenditure, such as might be accomplished BY
suppresslng the extravagant ratOns allowed to
the ngner class OF public lunctionaries and by re-
ducing their salaries To a scale approxmatinG to
that winch in England, France. Germany ana tho
United States has been found sufficient TO secure
for the State the services OF the most able men in
the world.
or course, III country like this, It il impossible
for muzzled press to speak out plainly and ex.
pose the suicidal policy adopted by the Turks a.
regards the development OF national industries.
But well would it be for the country II its rulers
could divest their minds OF their own sufficiency
and allow themselves TO profit by the advice and
experience Of the ''strangers within their gatea"
or themselves they Will do nothing, and let ror.
eigner but propose to open mine or construct Q
railway, which, without farthlng OF expense on
Its part. would bring in revenue to the State, ana
the cry Is raised, "Here Is q stranger,
q Giaour, who wants 10 make money out OF the
country OF the true believers. Put every
obstacle IN his way; don't do 1t openly
or we may have some OF the embassies
down on us. Let him suppose that va
are anxious to facilitate his scheme; but
all the same, let him not touch the concession"
Incidence and jealousy are truly the besetting sins
Of the Turk. Asia MINOR might be the granary of
Turkey as 1t is the treasure house OF her mineral
wealth. but the door is securely locked, ana the
stupid old Turkish porter sits cross.egged without
and smokes his chbouk.
AN AMERICAN swINDLER SENTENCED.
The Turkish courts have passed sentence ON
Thomas Howe, the American swlndler, who at.
tempted to defraud the Imperial Ottoman Bank OF
81, 400, as already related He has been condemned
to three years Imprisonment, the severest penalty
by Turkish law In cases where the pris.
hoe 1n uu
other three American forgers-Hulbut, Beecher
and Maguire-sent up from Smyrna, are still in
the British Consular prison OF his place.
THE AMERICAN MISSIONS PROPERTY
The accounts first received OF the outrage com.
mltted by Turkish military on the American prop.
erty near Latakia are, 1t would appear, in nowise
exaggerated. Dispositions taken on oath BY the
United States Vice Consul OF Latakia describe the
conduct OF the Turks as having been most brutal
and unwarrantable. The premises OF the Ameri.
can missionaries were Violently invaded, houses
plundered. books torn to pieces, women (nattve
stroyed. The Grand Vizier has hastened
to throw the blame on his Provincial Governor;
but 1t cannot be supposed That his subalterni
would have dared TO take upon themselves the
responsibility OF such an unwarrantabe act II
they had not felt pretty sure OF being secretly
commended in high quarters. There is no doubt
tHdJ IIOHl Tue ITsb pOllCy VI nusSeIu ATul I06
been Turkey Tor the Turks, ;" and Tor them alone,
and that he would gladly eliminate from the Otto
man realm the Cnristlan and foreign element,
with their embassies, their grievances, their I'M
solicited advice and their innumerable schemes
for the regeneration OF Turkey.
THE AMERICAN PRoPERTY-IMPoRTANr CUES
TONS INVOLVED
[Latakia dec. 10y correspondence OF Galignanrs
Messenger.I
have received large number OF documents 70.
lating to the conduct OF the Turkish military
authorities at B'haura, near this town. Most OF