Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-11-23
TIE MISSIONS IN DANGER.
New Complications Added to the Gravity
of the Turkish Political Situation.

of the Turkish Political Situation.
Constantinople, November 22.-Tele-
grams late yesterday afternoon from
Marash, apparently delayed by Turkish
officials. say that the American and
other missionarie there are again in
the greatest danger.
Advices from Sivas state that as soon
troops arrive there, the Turkish officials
will notify the Armenians that they
must surrender all the arms and am
mun:tion in their possession. The Ar
menians object to this. as it would placs
them at the mercy Of the Turks. To
this the Turks reply that no harm will
be done them SO long as they do not re-
s.st the authorities, and if they refuse
to give up the arms they will be forced
TO do so. It is asserted that the Turkish
officials added that if they are not sat.s-
fed that all the arms and ammunition
have been surrendered, the troops will
be ordered TO attack the Armen.ans.
Members Of the diplomatic corps point
to the fact that, as the Musselmans of
Sivas are not to he disarmed, the pro-
jected measures against the Armenians
create new danger which may have
the most grave consequences.
The concentration of Turkish troops
at Marash continues as rapidly as pos
s.ble. While the massing continues the
Turkish commander at Marash con-
tinues his negotiations with the Ar
menians at Ze.tOun holding out all
sorts Of promises for their surrender.
But the Armesilns have been so fre-
quently deceived that they apprehend
nothing less than a wholesale massacre
| if they lay down their arms The rep
resentatives of the powers take the same
view of the case and have notified the
Porte that they vii not answer for the
consequences if the Zeitoun Ar
menians are mqssacred.
The Armen:ans of C0nstantin0ple
who can be prevailed upon to talk on
the subject intimate that a surprise for
the Turks is being prepared at Zeitoun,
and that a battle which Will make his
tory and show that the Armenians are
entitled to freedom, or at least self gov
ernment VIII be fought there As, how
ever the Armenians are deficient in ar
tillerv il cannot reasonably be expected
that they can offer an effective resist
ance to a regularly organized eXpedi-
ton.
Rumors Of resh troubles at SAMSON,
a seaport of Asia Minor, on the Black
Sea, have also reached here. The popu-
lation Of SAMSON is almost entirely com
| posed of Turks, and the few Armenlans
there are certain to fare badly If an up
rising has occurred.
Probably the most serious feature or
the situation is the one resulting from
the demand which the representatives OF
Great Britain, Russia, Italy and AUS
tria made to the Sultan for irmans al
lowing the passage through the Oar
danelles to this city Of second dis
patch boat. or small gunboat, to be
attached to each of their respective
embassies. BY the treaty Of Berlin, the
warships of foreign nations are not al
lowed to pass the Dardanelles without
the permission of the Sultan, and II has
hitherto been customary TO allow one
small dispatch boat as a kind or guard
ship for each Of the embassies. The
recent rioting in this city, however, and
the precautions which have been taken
to defend the British and other en-
bassies. have shown that the naval force
of the powers in the Bosphorus is hardly
sufficient to cope with a serious out
break IN or about this city.
1t was at first believed that there
would be no difficulty in persuading the
Sultan to grant the necessary permission
for the passage of the Dardanelles of the
four small warships, but It is now init
mated at the palace that he may decline
to grant these demands of the powers.
As the powers consider that an increase
of the number Of foreign warsh:ps in the
Bosphorus is necessary for the safety Of
foreigners N this vicinity, it is thought
possible that they may insist upon Their
demands, and, in case of a refusal, may
take steps to send the additional war
ships here without the permission of
the Sultan.