The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-06-06
IHE PANIC IN JIDDAH.
Europeans Fear That the BedOuins
Will Attack the Town.
SEEKING REFUGE ON SHIPS.
The Allied Powers Are Determined 20
Stand by Their Original Demands
and a Conflict Is Regarded In
London as Inevitable.

CoNsTANTINoPLE, Juno 5.--Advices TO.
oeived here from Jiddah Arabia, the sea-
port town of Mecca, where the consular
officers of Great Britain, Russia and
France were recently murderously assault
ed, announce that a panic prevails there
and that it is feared the Bedouins will at
tack the town. The latter are held re-
sponsible for the attack upon the oonsuls
which resulted in the death of the British
vice consul and a number of them were
arrested in consequence. This has caused
an angry feeling among the Bedouins, who
demand their release and who threaten to
use force IL their demand Is not complied
with. The situation is so serious that the
Europeans of Jiddah are hastily seeking
refuge on board the merchant vessels in
the harbor taking with them all they pos
sibly can of their belongings.
It is also stated in the advices from
Jiddah that the arrival there Of the Brit
ish Mediterranean squadron, numbering
II warships Of various Glasses, is anxious
ly expected even by the Turkish authori-
ties, as the garrison is very weak.
In addition 20 the excitement caused
among the Bedouins by the arrest of those
supposed to have been connected with the
assaults upon the foreign consuls, the Bed
ouins are dissatisfied with the quarantine
measures which the Turkish government
has been compelled to take at Mecca at the
instance of the powers, in order TO prevent
the introduction of cholera into northern
ports by the return Of infected pilgrims
from Mecca
One Cause of the Attack.
In fact, it is believed that these santa
tion measures were the real cause Of the
attack upon the consuls The measures
referred to were quite recently taken under
severe pressure from the powers and at the
instance of the Turkish international
councils of health, for the purpose of
cleansing the holy places frequented an
nUally by so many thousands of pilgrims.
These sanitary improvements began in
April last at Jiddah and at other towns
Of the Hejaz or pilgrim district of Arabia,
and they include the building of hospitals
the frequent disinfection Of the places re-
sorted to by pilgrims, the selection by the
health officers of the camping places, fur
nishing wholesome supplies OF water and
provisions and general sanitary supervi-
sion over the pilgrims. To this new order
Of things the latter have been strongly OBJ
jeoting, looking upon it as an unwarranb-
ed interference upon the part Of Europeans
in their religious customs, and it is feared
that tho so called holy men are exciting
the pilgrims against the Europeans.
1t is known here that the pilgrims are
violently opposed to the erection of the
sanitary huts outside OF Jiddah, prefer
ring to crowd together in their usual dirty
fashion in the slums OF the city OF in the
filthy camps usually used by the pilgrims.
Envoys Awaiting Instructions.
The envoys of Great Britain, Russia and
| France in this oity are awaiting instruo-
tions from their governments in regard to
| the situation of affairs at Jiddah as we'll
as regarding the refusal of the Turkish
| government yesterday afternoon to agree
| to the reforms in Armenia which have been
! proposed by the powers. In this conneo-
tion the situation Of affairs is unchanged
| The porte's reply, however, is regarded as
a momentary success for tho military par
| ty. On tho other hand, the policy of Tur-
| key in this matter is criticised by the OF
toman statesmen, who regard the porte's
action as disastrous to Turkey.