Evening star., 1896-09-12
How the 'Sultan's Reply to the
Powers is Regarded.
ACQUIFTAL OF UNDOUBrED MURDERERS
Great Anxiety Prevails at Con-
stantinople.
STRENGTHENING FLEETS


northwest of the Island of Tnasos, off the
coast of Salonica. The warships arrived
off Kavala yesterday.
LONDON, September 12.-Lord Rosebery,
the liberal leader and former premier. has
written a letter oondemning IN strong
terms the recent nassacres at Constan-
tiEople. In this communication he says:
1T is far above party question-one of
common Christianity. humanity and civili-
cation 1 do not doubt that her majestys
present advisers share with the rest of
us in detestation of The government under
which such things are possible, and 1 think
more can be accomplished by diplomacy
than by public meetings. i found hopes
the natural sentiment of the young en-
peror soon to be among us. who has such
power and such responsibility for well do
ing
The Right Hon. w. E. Gladstone has
written still another letter denouncing the
Sultan of Turkey. In this communica-
tlon Mr. Gladstone says: In my opinion,
the assassin and Lot his Mahommedan
subjects is the author of the masslCreS.
From first to last their atrocity has no
parallel in recent history. The concert of
Europe is miserable, disgraceful mockery
and some SoVereignS and governments have
given direct countenance and support to
the assassin Indeed. the presence of the
embassies at ConStantinople is iii itself
substantial countenalce of support to him
and his guilty proceedings The coercion
winch should long ago have been applied
to him might even now be the means of
aVerunS another series of massacres."
Anxiety Mt Consfantinople.
Copyright 1896, by the Associated Press)
CONSTANTINOPLE, September II. via
Sofia, Bulgaria, September IA feeling of
the greatest anxiety prevails in all circles
here There is no doubt that the powers
are discussing the deposition of the sultan,
that being. apparently. the only means of
restoring quiet and confidence within the
Turkish empire a British fleet of about
fifteen wdrships is off the Island of Thasos,
within striking distance. should an emer
geEcy arise. and it is believed that Great
Britain VIII not hesitate to act alone in the
matter of putting end to the present
GisgraCcful state of affairs if the other
powers delay action too long.
AS almost generally expected, the ex-
traordinary tribunal which has been try
ing the accused of massacring Arme-
mans in the streets of the city and its sub
Urts has turned out to be nothing more
than whitewashing court The men who
We're arrested for brutally killing two
Armenians before the guard house of the
British embassy, and in full view OF sew
erai British officials, have been acquitted
as there vas possible doubt of their
sl.iit. their acquittal is regarded here as
showing that it is useless to expect that
MUssuirnans will be punished for crimes
committed against Arrnenians.
This has aroused the greatest indignation
among the foreign population here. and has
served to greatly increase the feeling of
uneasIntss which prevails on all sides
The Europeans feel that the action of the
extraordinary tribunal in acquitting the
murderers, whose guilt was fully proven,
Shows that the peaCeable residents of Con
stantinopie are absolutely without any
guarantee that Their lives or property are
safe. and that they must henceforth de-
pend almost entirely upon the warships of
the powers.
Army and Navy DiscOntented.
Such a condition, it is admitted. cannot
last for any length of time, business is
at d staudstilI TO all intents and purposes,
and the impoverished condition of the Tur-
k-sh treasury is, adding daily to the dis
content prevailing not only in the army and
navy. but iii Turkish official circles gen
orally.
Mdny more officers have been arrested
for ella .minG their pay and for resigning
their commissions when informed that
there WiS LO MOI ey for them If this is
the situation among the officers, it may be
judged that the common soldiery feel
Ing still more irrtated. But there is plenty
of money and provisions for the strong
body guard of the sultan, and for the
troops wEicn constantly surround the pal
acs. and it Is believed that this display of
force alone saves the sultan from witness
ing demonstration which would surely
open his eyes TO the disgraceful state of af-
fairs existing
Reply to the Note of the Powers
The full text OF the note which the rep
resentatives of the powers sent to the sui
tan on August u has only just been COM
municated to the press. 1t is a decidedly
stroEs document. and says that their re-
mcnStranCe is based on positive data IT
addS that the savage bands which murder
ously attacked the Armenians and pllaged
their houses We're not accidental gatherings
OF f3natical people, but that there is every
1ndieation of their special organization
ard that it was known to- if not diceted
by. the authorities.
The note of the powers then under seven
specific clauses, gives evidence in support
OF this, and concludes with a demand that
the instisatorJ and principal actors in the
trageriss be punished with the utmost
rigor.
Therefore. it will be seen the acauittal of
the men who deliberately murdered two
Armen:ans in front of the guard house of
the British embassy is all the more signif-
cart. and must call for further action upon
the part of the powers.
The Turkish government yesterday an
svered the note of the powers in a long
communication. The ministry IN trying to
refute the charges made, practically denied
TIE ocular testimony of the representa-
tlves of the powers. and this Is now, with
good reason, regarded as tantamount to a
defiance of Europe.
As usual. the porte is relying upon the
jcalouses existing among the six powers
To save the sultan once more and at the
last moment from being brought to terms,
and Abdul Hamid has so frequently
g caped punishment during the course of
his long and much-troubled reign 1t has
81 ounds for believing that even now Eu-
rope will not step in and put an end to the
disgraceful conditions prevailing in the
Turkish empire.
Meeting of the Powers.
The representatives of the powers met
again today and discussed the situation
but it is not known that they came to any
decision, although oommunica tions with
their respective governments are being con-
stantly exchanged.
The inaction of the embassies continues
to be sharply criticised here, and re dical
measures demanded in order to pre-
vent renewal OF the disorders Unless
such steps are taken. 1t Is believed. it will
not be long before there Is another out
break here. and it may be of a much more
serious nature than those which have pre-
ceded 1t. in spite of the fact that the
streets of the sutan's capital are hardly
dry with the blood of the thousands of un-
fortunate people who were victims of the
massacre of about two weeks ago.
stock Exchange RumOr
LONDON, September PA rumor on the