The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-05
REFORMS IN ARMENIA
Great Britain, France and Rus
STA May Force the Sultan
to Comply.
ONE SQUADRON IS ALL READY
The Willy Turk, However, Thinks
Germany VIII Stand by
Him.

CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY, June A.
The reply of the Turkish Government to
the notes of the representatives of Great
Britain, France and Russia regarding pro-
posed reforms in Armenia has been de-
not satisfactory. The Turkish Govern
ment does not agree to the principle OF
control of proposed reforms by the powers.
After receiving the reply ENJOYS OF the
three powers held meeting, at which
they decided to refer the whole matter to
their respective Governments.
The situation is serious, as last week the
British Embassy informed the Porte that
Great Britain had decided not to accept
any notifications of the propositions
affecting reforms in Armenia, and repre-
sentatives of other powers have made the
same declaration to the Porte. The reply
of the Turkish Government causes sur
prise. 1t is thought such an answer would
not have been given without encourage
ment from some European power. But
the presence of the British Mediterranean
squadron, consisting of seventeen ships,
at Beyrout, points to an agreement be-
tween Great Britain, France and Russia to
force Turkey to comply with the demands
of the powers.
Consequently interesting news may
shortly be flashed from Beyrout, Syria,
where it is believed the British fleet will
be called upon to support the demands OF
the three powers.
The measures which Great Britain,
France and Russia insist upon as pre-
liminary to reform include the appoint
ment OF high commissioner from Ar
menia, general amnesty and release of all
political prisoners, the revision of certain
judgments and the appointment of COM
mission to sit at Constantinople charged
with the application of the reforms and
working in concert with the high commits
sioner.
1t is also demanded by the powers that
the Governor and Vice-Governors of Van
Ezeroum, Sivas. Bitlis, Khartoum and
Trebizonde be Christian or Mussulman,
according to how the population of the
places is inclined. In any case, however
either the Governor or Vice-Governor o.
the places named is to be Christian, and
the appointment of those officials is to b.
| approved by the powers.
Taxes are to be collected by local ant
| not by State officials and enough is to b.
retained before the money is forwarded ts
Constantinople to provide for the cost O
local government, as under the present
system all tax money is first sent to Con
stantinople and but little of it returns tt
Armenia.
The powers also propose to compel the
Porte to make radical changes in the Judi
cial system in order to insure fair trials
the surveillance of prisons and the aboli
ton of torture, and the police is to be com
posed of Turks and Christians equally
Finally, the Turkish Government is to be
compelled to strictly enforce the law.
against compulsory conversion to Islam
ism.
As already cabled by the Associated
Press, when the Sultan read the note O.
the representative powers outlining the
proposed reforms, he was not unfavorably
impressed. He had several conference.
| with the foreign ambassadors, and the
Austrian ambassador urged him to acqui
esce in the demands of the powers. But il
| was added at the time that the Sultan ap
peared to be counting upon the moral sup
port of Emperor William of Germany, tt
whom he is known to have sent an auto
graph letter on the subject.