The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-05-30
TURKS ON THE ALERT.
officials Preparing to Prevent the
Armenian Uprising.
KURDs STILL MAKING MISCHIEF.

Fears That Another sia lighter of ChristiAns
VIII BIO Prscipitated Unless tsAs Powers
Atrocities.
DJULFA, Russia, May 3o.-The special
correspondent of the Associated Press who
Is investigating the situation in Armenia
has furnished the following oorrespon-
dence:
Tho Turkish government Is taking
prompt measures to prevent tho uprising
Of the Armenian revolutionists next
month. Within the past fey days all roads
leading from Persia to Van have been
closed by order of the Turkish government,
the intention being to shut off communi-
cation between the revolutionary leaders
In Persia and their agents In Armenia.
Tho last caravan that tried to get through
to Van from Khoi was seized by Turkish
officials. On the person Of one OF the
caravan drawers was a letter from an un.
known writer In Salinas, addressed to an
Armenian in Van. The writer Of the let
ter announced to his friend that 600 revo-
lutionists armed with rifles were waiting
In the Persian villages Of Salinas Plain
for an opportunity Of making an attack
on Van, and asked for information with
regard to the disposition Of the govern
ment troops In and about Van.
The seizure of the caravan and the
blocking Of the roads to Van have caused
no end Of CONSERVATION to the Armenian
revolutionists in Persia, as this action
seriously interferes with some of their
most important arrangements. However,
they assure me that other roads through
the mountains will be found and that the
work will 60 steadily forward. The clos
ing OF the caravan roads, however, will
hamper the movements Of the revolution
lists for several months.
From the lower valleys comes word that
the Kurds are fighting among themselves,
probably as sort Of practice for some
serious work to come. The Kurdish &C
tivity apparently extends as far south as
Mousol, on the Tigris river. Within the
past week the Turkish consul at Sautch-
Bulak, In Persia, tried to cross over into
Turkey with an armed escort of twelve
mon, but he was turned back by the
Kurds, who held possession Of all the
roads. The consul returned to Persia
threatening all sorts Of vengeance on the
heads Of the Kurds.
At the same time the Turkish officials
in the towns near the border were chased
out of the country by the Kurds. They
took refuge in Ravenduz, where they are
now. The Kurds have warned them not
to return. The Armenians have received
this news with unspeakable Joy. They
hope that Kurds and Turks will get into
fight and exterminate each other.
A reasonable explanation for this activ-
ity of the Kurds may be found in the con-
tents Of letter which the Sheik Abdel-
Kadr has recently written from the sui
tan's palace in Constaintinople to his
brother in the mountains Of Kurdistan.
Sheik Abdel-K adr Is son of the great
sheik who made the attack on the city Of
Ouroumia, Persia. fourteen years ago. In
the letter Abdel- Kadr announced that the
sultan had appointed him to command
the Hamideh regiment Of irregular Kurd-
ish troops, and that there was to be great
war, during which he and his troops were
to capture the Russian city of Kars.
Many we'll informed persons in western
Persia believe that Asia Minor is on the
verge Of great religious war which the
sultan of Turkey is forming upon the
world In order to retain his prestige among
the Mohsmmedans, many Of whom have
been for some time grumbling at him for
his lukewarmness In the cause of their re-
ligion and threatening to deprive him of
his caliphate.
AS eight months have passed since the
Sassoun and Moosh massacres, and moth
ing has been done in consequence by the
Turkish government, the Moslems of Per-
sia are beginning to believe that nothing
will be done, and that Europe's protests
count for nothing. As result the Per
SLAMS are beginning to talk of having a
massacre Of Christians on their own &C.
count. have been very frankly told in
Persia that II nothing is done to punish
the Turks for the Sassoun affair the zeal
Gus Moslems Of Persia will seek to win
the favor Of their God by scourging and
driving out the Christians.
Since the fnots of the Sassoun massacre
were made known the Moslems have
grown even more Indifferent and resent
full Of the presence of Christian among
them, and especially Of Christian mis-
sionaries, and the hatred of the Moslem
priests has apparently grown moro viru-
lent and outspoken. Beyond the occa-
sional sacking Of Christian village along
the western border OF Persia, however, no
violence has been attempted, but the more
bitter of the Moslems make no conceal
ment of theirintentions.
The news which have Just received of
impending trouble in Bitlis, as we'll as in
Van, is not reassuring to persons who
have been putting faith in the moral in.
fiuence attending the presence of the for
eign Delegates on the commission Of In
quiry at Moosh. My information is to the
effect that Bitlis and Van are on the brink
Of q massacre, and that trouble may be
looked for at any moment. Not only that,
but the peril to Christian people has
spread eastward into Persia.