The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-29
THE TURKS ARE DILAT0RY
The Sultan Makes No Haste to Fulfill
His Pledges.
THE PORTE ANTICIPATES TROUBLE
And Has Made warlike Preparations at the
Dardanelles- Meantime There Comes
News of Further Massacres and
Confirmation of others.

CoNsTANT1NoPLE, Nov 20-In spite Of
the assurances which the Turkish min
lister for foreign affairs Tewilk Pasha
gave the ambassadors of Great Britain,
Russia Austria and Italy on Wednesday
that the firman allowing the passage
through the Dardanelles Of four extra
guard ships for the use of their embassies
would be Immediately issued by the porte,
the necessary documents have not been
forthcoming. Consequentlya serious con
dition of affairs, which was looked upon
as having been definitely cleared up. is
now again perplexing the ambassadors
and threatening TO cause the adoption OF
strong measures upon the part of the
powers.
The answer of the powers to the request
of the porte that they refrain from press.
ing their demand for the extra guard ships
was that they could see no reason not to
support the demands of their ambassadors
for more effective means of protecting the
foreign residents of Constantinople in an
emergency, and in the presence of this
unanimous reply it is considered in foreign
official circles that the sultan has no alter
native but to yield especially in view of
the extra gunboats conveyed through the
Dardanelles by battleships of the sultan.
Indeed it seems highly probable that
the ambassadors have already determined
not to wait beyond a certain time for the
flrmans. That the porte anticipates trou-
Bile is evident from the fact that all the
forts about the straits are now fully man
ned and supplied with ammunition, and
have been placed in the highest state of eff
flciency compatible with the circum-
stances. Search lights are kept in good
order and are worked nightly over the
waters. For over a month past the work
of strengthening the Notifications in this
vicinity, and particularly about the Dar-
danelles, has been in progress, and it is
understood that the system of submarine
mines and torpedoes has been practically
completed so far as the resources of the
government will allow it.
1t is reported that the extra gunboats of
the powers have commenced to arrive at
the entrance to the Dardanelles, and are
now awaiting permission to pass the
straits.
The anxiety caused by the absence of di-
rect news from Syria increases, 1t is re-
ported however, that large numbers of
Turkish troops have been drafted there
and religious war seems imminent The
soldiers are said to be bearing the green
flag of Mohammedism instead of the regll-
lar Turkish flag; denoting, it is declared,
that although the authorities assert this
mastering of fighting men is for the pur-
pose of putting down the insurrection of
the Druses, a wholesale onslaught upon
the Christians of Syria may be anticipated.
Jerusalem is said to be crowded with Turk
ish troops and Palestine is reported to be
overrun with the soldiers of the sultan.
This is considered TO be one of the most
dangerous features of the present situa-
tion.
Another dispatch states the whole of
Syria and Palestine are flooded with Turk
ish soldiers, and that in the country be-
tween Jaffa and Jerusalem there are 90, 600
troops, all raised within the last twenty
days.
The embassies here have learned that
in the massacre at Marash on Nov. IS a
thousand persons were killed The Chris
tian quarters of the town were burned
from three points. A letter received here
describing previous massacres says that
before it commenced the town crier ordered
the Christian shops to be opened under a
penalty for refusal. 1t was then that the
pillage and murder began. The writer of
bllS lbUUGI, WIZ lltbu DCbll u BEetU DnllO-
Turk adds that there was no sign of either
a rising or of resistance on the part of the
Christians.
The embassies hear from their consuls
that all possibility of rendering assistance
to the Sassounites who were the victims
of the outrages at that point has been
ended, and that the Kurds are wiping
them out of existence and have destroyed
all the buildings which have been erected
by the expenditure of the English relief
fund. A similar story comes from the
Van country, whore the disturbances con
tinue as badly as ever
The proposed naval demonstration by
the powers against Turkey is now regarded
as futile as restraining influence The
latest news received from the interior Of
Turkey has depressing influence on the
diplomatic circle. Reports have been re
ceived that renewed attempts to massacre
the surviving Armenians at Erzeroum
have resulted in eight being killed. Some
of the friests, in sheer despair, are advis-
ing their focks to save their lives by en-
bracing Islam.