The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-30
Re g. P.tersburr Geographical

TIE st. Petersburg Geographical So
cfety last year succeeded By STRAIT
egg IN obtaining satisfactory data
respecting the depth % water and
currents in and about the BoSpo-us ana
Dar1aneIIes. with the OBJECT. L Is under
stood OF enabling Russian feet TO force
the passage OF the Dar1areiIes should sIcn
a step turn out 20 be necessary. The so
ctsty. IL appears. obtained permission from
ths Turkish government for q scientific Ak
petition 20 visit the SEA % Aarrnora on
Turkish vessel. In order, ostensfssly. TO as
certain IL the earthquake CT July last had
made any changes IN the bottom Of tna
sea THIS apparently innocent work vas
aftervard 20 be continued. still By the per
mission OF the porte, IN the Turkish por-
ton OF tire Aegean sea. and on their way
through the Dardanelles the Russian
scientists" were caught sounding those
waters. The Turkish officers protested. the
work was stopped. and the Russians re-
turned home disappointed.
The British admiralty In said TO have OBJ
tanned complete soun9lngs from the En-
gllsh merchant steamers. which have re-
peatedly passed the DardaneIles. and IL IS
suspected in some quarters that British
naval reserve officers have been engaged
on board these vessels in obtaining all the
Information necessary for the admiralty
department.
The most startling reports are still cur
rent here regarding preparations for trou-
bic being made by Russia in the Black sea
ports and along the frontier of Asiatic
Turkey. The different divisions of the
Black sea feet, regular and volunteer. are
said 20 have been brought mp TO the highest
point OF efficiency and TO be ready for inn
mediate operations. The Black sea dock
yards and coaling depofs have undouhte1-
iy been busy, according TO the reports or
ship capfains who have passed CONSTANT
- aue nsf sFwr -
ticed by them in military circles. The Rus
sian officials here claim there IS nothing
alarming in all this; that It occurs every
year at this time, and that X means moth
ing more than the work OF shifting troops
and preparing troops for their winter
quarters. But the steamer people coming
from the Black sea assert that in all their
experiences they have never seen so much
activity displayed at this or at any other
time OF the year in Russian naval and
military circles.
The porte has mad. another report 10
the ambassadors on the situation, annoGnc-
ing that the work OF restoring order in the
disturbed districts was progressing salts
factorily, and that the reforms insisted up
on By the powers were being Effected as
promptly as possible under the circum-
stances.
The anxiety caused by the absence of
direct news from Syria Increases. 1t is re-
ported however. that large numbers of
Turkish troops have been drafted there.
and that a religious war seems imminent.
The soldiers are said 10 be bearing the
green flag OF Accommodation instead OF
the regular Turkish nag. denotng, IL is
claimed that a wholesale onslaught upon
the Christians OF Syria may be anticipat-
ed. Jerusalem IS said 10 be crowded with
Turkish troops, and Palestine is reported
10 DO overrun with the soldiers OF the sui
e ~
most dangerous features of the present sit
uation.
Washington City Nov. 29-The state de-
partment has advices from Minister Ter
rell stating that the missionary school Of
science at Marash was burned on the 18th.
but the missionaries are safe. He also
telegraphs that the Aintab college is pro-
tected.
Boston. Nov. 29-The prudential COM
mittee of the American board sends out
the following call: 1.-The American board
of commissioners for foreign missions
unites with the woman's board Of missions
I'm asking the Christians of America to OBJ
serve Friday, December 6, or such other
day in the same week as may be more con
venlent IN particular churches, as a day
OF special prayer for Turkey, for its suffer
ing people. and for the missionaries and
mission work within the empire. This will
doubtless reach you before Wednesday.
and IL may suit your convenience TO make
this a subject OF earnest prayer that even
ing Let the united cry of Christendom go
up TO heaven that deliverance may come
quickly"
Rev Judson Smith. secretary of the
foreign department OF the mission
board received the following ca
bic last evening from one OF the board in
Constantinople: Induce the Red Cross
Society to enter relief work, as in war
a. ans IN
by an organization under internal ional
protection Four hundred thousand peo-
pie are destitute. Other channels OF re-
lief are closed"