Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-04
FAMINE AND PESTIlENcE
Almost Certain to Come to Eastern Tur-
key During summer Months.

Boston May "A writer. conversant
from Smyrna. Western Turkey. says
that relief funds are diminishing, while
the number of destitute is increasing.
continuing. the writer says: From
( every center with the exception of Van
where relief work is being carried on
comes the same story of the increasing
number OF the destitute. who look to
this source of relief as the last and only
means of sustaining life. 1t is indeed
feared by many that the worst has not
yet come, and that famine and pestilence
are all but inevitable during the ap-
preaching summer months. II agricul-
rural implements and seed are provided
for those who have survived in the ex-
tensive farming districts, where the viii
iages have been entirely laid waste, il
may be reasonably hoped that the reap
Ing of the harvest will create very large
measure of self-dependence among those
who are now obliged to rely wholly upon
the help sent from England and Amer
lea. If this provision is not made the
demand for succor will be as great six
months hence as it is today All this
together with the general feeling of in
sincerity suggests the necessity for
other and permanent relief measures, II
this energetic and progressive race fS.to
be preserved from complete extinctigE
AS to the threatened renewal OF III
massaeres, says the writer, perhap64 tn
recent trouble at Kills should not be 4
classed under that general appellation,
yet. II the reports are trustworthy (and
we have no reason for discreditinR
thenn). the affair was of a sufficiently
serious nature to excite the greatest
appTehensions. s4eH &
Kills is town of considerable size. sit
uated nearly midway between the sea-
port of AleXandretta and Aleppo. The
reports of the number of Armenians
Killed vary from 100 to 20O,while the num-
Der Of wounded is said to be some hun
dreds."
In writing upon the trade to the gov
frnors of the interior provinces. author
iiing the immediate expulsion of all the
american missionaries from their villa
vets the correspondent says: The trade
vas issued without any notification
whatever to the British or American
representatives in Constantinople and
Il was rot until three days later that Sir
Philip Currie obtained the intelligence
of it through the British consul in the
Moush district. where it seems the gov
ernor acting promptly on the authority
of his master at Constantinople had
ordered the American missionaries in
Bitlis to leave within As hours.
Sir Philip Currie demanded the imme-
date cancelling of the trade, and that a
copy of the new order issued to each of
the governors should be handed to him
Through his prompt and energetic action
his demands We're executed without de
lay, and l presume but few of the mis-
sionaries are even yet aware of the crisis
through which they have just passed In
view of the fact that the American mis-
sionaries are distributing the relief for
warded from England. through the Brit
ish government and its representative in
Constantinople. Sir Philip Culrie. he
could justly claim that every one of these
missionaries was an agent of the British
government, and as such he had IN equal
right with the American representative
to demand that they should be undis-
turbed in their sphere of service. His
declaration. that in this matter England
and America stood together had a most
magical effect on the sultan's advisors.
This is the spectre which now haunts his
dreams. and the united action of the two
representatives on this question seems to
have the effect of bringing him into i'm
mediate submission to Sir Philip Curries
raremptory demands.