Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-14
THEIR MISSION A FAILURE
 - Robert s. Chiffon and Dulaney Hunter Recalled. NO ESCORT OR EXEQUATERS Nothing Can Be Learned of American Interests
 in Armenia.
MINISTER TERRELL IS DEPENDED
He Has Interfered Effectively to Prevent American Subjects From Being Molest- ed, Says Rev. H. O. Dwight in
 His Recent Report.

Washington, Nov. 13-Robert S. Chil- ton and Dulaney Hunter of the state de- partment who were sent by this govern ment to establish new consulateS at ErZe- roum and Harpoot in Armenia, have been recalled by Secretary Olney, and it is believed the project on which they were dispatched will be abandoned. Officials of the state department are exceedingly reticent about the matter and will ad- init nothing further than that Messrs Chiffon and Hunter had informed the de- partment of their return to ConStantino- pie. Whether or not they are now en route to the United States, or have de- cided to come home, cannot be ascer- tained. It may be that they are in Con- stantinople making second effort to se- cure exequaters from the Turkish gov ernment, but there is good belief that Mr. Chiffon has been ordered back to Wash ington. The principal failure of the mis- sion of Messrs. Chiffon and Hunter is due to the difficulties which the Turkish gov ernmcnt placed in their way. They spent some time in Constantinople in a vain en- deavor to secure eXequaters and finally decided to push on towards Erzeroum. They reached Trebizond on the day of the A ton forwarded a report of what he saw and learned to the department. This re- port has not been made public. The jour ney between Trebizond and Erzeroum must be made by road, and the two con- sular officers expected to have guard of Turkish soldiers on the route. It is prob- able that they failed in securing the granting of this courtesy, and this, in view of the great danger to foreigners in that part of Armenia, is probably one of the reasons why the department deemed their return necessary. Without exequa- ters and having no official standing with the government the position of Messrs. Chiffon and Hunter would have been eX- ceedingly perilous, and in addition they could be of little use to this government The dispatch sent to the Cologne Gazette from ConStantinople about the massacre of Christian teachers between Trebizond and Erzeroum created much interest at the state department. Secretary Olney said he had nothing official about the re- port.
 This afternoon Secretary Herbert called on Secretary Olney, but 1t was stated that the conference had not been followed by any increasing of the American naval force in Syrian waters. cable dispatch was received al the navy department to- day from Rear Admiral Selfridge, the new commander-in-chief of the European naval station, stating that he had joined the flagship San Francisco at Marseilles last night. The San Francisco has been ordered to join the cruiser Marb1ehead in the Bay of Alexa nderetta, where the lat ter vessel was sent on account of the Ar3 menian troubles, and it Is presumed that she started from Marselles on that duty as soon as Admiral Selfridge came on board.
 It was reported today that the state de- partment had received important infor- mation from Mr. Terrell. United States minister at Constantinople, about the Turkish situation. No hint as to whether this is so can be obtained. Officials of the department refuse to tell anything about the condition of American inter- ests in Armenia, where nearly all the Christian teachers are native born cti- zens of the United States, and many of their scholars are DaturaliZed citizens of this country.
 Rev. pr. H. O. Dwight who is specially charged with watching over the inter- ests of our missionaries in Turkey, has prepared and issued a circular in defense of the course of events The topic of this circular has been made public by the state department. It Is dated Constanti- nople, October 26, and In part is as fol- lows:
 It is said that some of the mission sta- tions have expressed dissatisfaction with the administration of Minister Terrell, declaring that he Is neglectful of the pro- tection of American citizens, and in par ticular that\he had advised the abandon ment of the principle of inviola bility of dolnicile, which is our safeguard against the summary search of our houses by ir- responsible and incompetent officials.
 MT. Dwight declares that these allega- tions are without foundation, and adds: s'I have no hesitation in saying from per sonal knowledge that MT. Terrell has car ried in his heart as a burden that permits of no escape all of the anxiety for the safety of American citizens in Turkey during all the dangerous viciss!tudes of the present year. He has used for this end all the means which have suggested themselves to his mind. and has Iabored early and late to make effective the meas- ures which he has adopted. In my own mind there is not the shadow of a doubt that the maintenance of the Ritlis during the fiery trials of the past year. the ex- emption of some of It's members person ally from molestation and perhaps the preservation of their lives, has been due to the repea ted, sustained and vigorous action of MT Terrell ct the sublime porte. It Is known to all that the United States government forbidS It's representatives from interfering in any way in behalf of the ottoman subjects no matter how strong the humanitarian considerations might seem to require such interference. But in every case where an American haturalized citizen has been molested MT. Terrell has interfered sharply and ef- fectively to prevent punishment on sus- picion of connection with revolu tionary Echemes of men who cannot be proven to have violated any law"