The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-08
TURKEYS new MINISTRY
Hall Rifat Pasha Succeeds kiamil
Pashl as Grand Vizier.
THE SITUATION IS ALARMING
Mobilization Of Reserves Tho Army's
Loyalty DOubtcd-Talcs Of Terrible
Atrocities in Syria The Threatened
Intervention of the Powers.

AutCINGutiOu Vt Ao"ssSs
Constantinople Nov. 7.-Following
the dismissal of Kiamil Pasha yester-
day as Grand ViZier, a new Turkish
ministry has been formed, with Hall
Rifat Pasha as Grand Vizier. The
other Ministers are: Slati Pasha,
President of the Council of State; Tcw-
fix Pasha, Minister for Foreign Af-
fairs: Hassan Pasha, Minister of Ma
rine; Ria Pasha, Minister of War;
Memduh Pasha, Minister of the Inter
ior; Abdur Rehman Pasha. Minister of
Justice; Sabri Pasha, Minister of FL
nance; Arfi Pasha, Minister without
portfolio.
Ria Pasha was Minister Of War In
the last cabinet, Hassan Pasha was
Minister of Marine in the late ministry,
Hall Rifat Pasha is eX-Minister of the
Interior, and Tewfik Pasha has just
come here from Berlin, where he was
Turkish Ambassador to Germany. Said
Pasha was Minister for Foreign Af-
fairs in the late cabinet, and previously
Grand Vizier.
Advices received here from Aleppo
to-day say that the Kurds belonging to
a Hamidieh cavalry regiment have at
tackled and plundered a caravan near
that place. 1t is also stated that the
Kurds in the province have Joined In an
anti-Christian movement, and that
American missionaries have been ad-
vised not to expose themselves to dan
ger while the present excitement lasts.
At the instance of Mr.. Herbert, the
British Charge dAffaires. all the con-
suls in the disturbed districts will be
provided with guards.
Said pashn's Promise.
The Turkish Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Said Pasha, has promised to
give the Ambassadors of the powers a
definite reply within two days as to
what steps the Porte intends to take
to restore order in Armenia and pro-
vide for the protection of Christians
in that part of the Turkish empire.
This was the point especially alluded to
by the Ambassadors on Tuesday,
when they called separately and repre-
sented that the present state of affairs
in Armenia could not be allowed to con-
tinue, and that If adequate measures
were not soon taken to bring about the
restoration of order. the powers would
be compelled, acting in concert. to take
their own steps in the matter. No
combined action of such grave import
ance upon the part of the powers has
been taken for years and the Porte was
reminded of the intervention of the
powers in Syria at the time of the
massacre of 1860.
AS each day passes. however, the
situation becomes more alarming and
adds to the difficulty of the task before
the Porte, and, possibly, before the
European powers. The most alarming
reports are In circulation as to the
number of Armenians who fell during
the recent massacres, some of the
statements having 1t that tens of
thousands have been massacred. AL
though this estimate is believed to be
exaggerated, there Is no doubt that the
situation is much more grave than any
body here is willing to admit. From
Syria, especially, the most disquieting
rumOrs are coming. and that they are
based on facts is shown by the mo-
bilization of twenty battalions of
Redfs, or reserves, out of the sixty
available. and the steps taken to dls-
patch them as promptly as possible
to that part of Asiatic Turkey.
Revolt Threatened.
This leads color to the report that the
Armenians are receiving support from
unexpected sources, and that the Turk
ish government may soon be face to
face with an open and widespread re-
volt against the rule of the sultan.
1t is even stated that the Armenians
have been successful in fight with the
Turks. and that hundreds of Turkish
irregular troops have been captured.
Revolutionary placards are being
scattered here almost daily in the
streets, and the sultan has been threat
ened with the choice between abdica-
tion and assassination.
The mere calling out of the army re-
serves will have little or no effect upon
the situation, as the troops cannot be
relied upon in such an emergency, and
the wretched condition of Turkish fin
ances bars anything like wholesale and
energetic action upon the part of the
Turkish government. unless a holy war
is proclaimed. and that could only be
done by infiaming the religious fanatic
ism of the Turks against the Chris
tians. This 1T Is believed. the Porte
would not hesitate to do in the case of
an invasion of the Turkish dominions,
but such step would not be calculated
to suppress interior disorders.
Arrests of Armenian and Turkish
suspects are constantly being made
here and elsewhere, but the newspapers
are so thoroughly under the control of
the government that few important
facts in this connection are allowed to
leak out
Army Not Trustworthy.
Possibly the gravest turn in recent
events lies in the established fact that
the dissatisfaction against the rule Of
the Sultan has extended to the Turkish
army and navy. The palace officials
are we'll aware OF this. and are greatly
alarmed. Nobody here would be as
tonished to hear at any moment of an
outbreak in the palace itself: In fact,
persons who are well versed In Turkish
affairs assert that this Is among the
immediate probabilities, and only q
prompt show of force here upon the
part of the European fleets can avert
it,
The police of this city are kept busy
night and day making arrests and
watching everybody and everything.
To such an extent is the system of sur
veillance carried that two servants in
the employ of English merchants here
have been arrested while returning
from the postof1ice with letters and
newspapers. The letters and newspa-
pers were seized by the police, notwith-
standing the protests Of the servants,
and carried away for examination. The
merchants promptly complained to the
British Charge d'Affairs. and he has
made strong representations to the
Porte on the subject.
Trustworthy reports which have been
received here from Erzerum state that
It has beeen established beyond dispute
;hat the Turkish troops took part in the
recent massacre and pillage Of Arme-
mans there, and clear evidence Of this
fact will be placed before the repre-
sentatives Of the powers.
p. - . -