The herald., 1896-04-10
Protestant and Catholic Mis-
siOnaries to Be Removed
TURKEY TO BE RUSSIANIZED
And Priests Of the Russian Church
Given Free Swing
The Car Has Obtained q Virtual Pro
tectOrate Over Armenia
The Step BeipE Decided Upon, . Pretext was
Sought and Found for Getting RID q
Protestant and Catholic r1issionaries and
the Red Cross Workers
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CONSTANTINOPLE, April 8, via So.
fla, Bulgaria, April 9-It now appears.
according to a semi-official statement,
that the Turkish government bases its
action expelling or allowing the expul-
S1onS by the local authorities of BitliS
of the American missionary, Knapp,
on an understanding reached between
the porte and the United States Minis
ter Terrill. 1t is said that it was agreed
between the government and Terrill
that Knapp should leave Bitlis April 1,
and as the missionary took no steps to
depart the local officials politely in
vited him to leave. Knapp has left
Diarbekir for Aleppo, where, unless the
plans of the Turkish government are
interferred with, he will be invited"
to go to Alexandretta to embark upon
steamer. 1t is generally believed the
expulsion of Knapp is the first step
taken by the sultan in the direction Of
eXpelling all Protestant and Catholic
missionaries and agents of the Ameri-
can Red Cross socie+'- from Armenia
There are several reasons given for
this movement. but the affair may be
summed up in the statement that there
is no doubt that Russia and Turkey are
alarmed at the effect of the work of
missionaries in Armenia and elsewhere
and that it has practically been decided
~
excuse or other in order to make way
for priests of the Russian church. This
is believed to be the basis of the under
standing Cor secret treaty. arrived at
between Russia and Turkey when the
fleets of the powers had assembled in the
bay of Salonica and the question of CO.
ercing Turkey by display of naval
strength before ConStantinOple had
been decided upon.
Russia, it is now asserted, cleverly
took advantage of the desperation Of
the Sultan to obtain a virtual protector
ate over Armenia. But such a step
openly taken would, in all probability.
have led to serious trouble. Therefore,
it was decided to begin the Russianiz-
ing of Asiatic Turkey by getting rid
of the Protestant and Catholic mis-
sionaries, and to substitute priests OF
the Russian church. A plausible pre-
text, however, had to be found for such
an important move, and 1t was agreed
that the work Of the missionaries
should be pointed to as being of a
disquieting nature and as likely to in
cite the Armenians to rebellion. This
was to be followed by closely watching
the most active of the missionaries and
to prepare the groundwork for charges
against them of encouraging the Ar
menians to revolt against the Sultan's
rule.
Finally it was decided to begin with
the Rev. Knapp, who has probably been
been the most Jealous of all the active
workers in the cause of Christianity in
Asiatic Turkey, and he was eventually
openly charged with melting the Ar
menans of Bitlis to revolt and was to
have been tried by the local court there
on the charge of high treason.
Now Mr.. Knapp is being expelled
from Asiatic Turkey and nobody here
doubts that this is the first of a series
of such eXpulsions, which will end i'll
n 10
French missionaries out of Turkey. at
the instance of Russia and in acord-
ance with the latter's policy of Begin
ming the outstanding of Asiatic Tur-
key.
KNAPP IS SAFE
WASHINGTON. April Sit can bs
stated on authority that there is no rea-
son for apprehension that Missionary
Knapp will not meet with fair treat
ment and eventually be permitted to re-
turn to his post at Bitlis after clearing
himself from the charges of conspiracy
against the government. Knapp is be-
ing brought to the coast as result OF
agreement between the Turkish gov
ernment and Terrill. The minister se-
cured what might be regarded as
valuable concession from the authors
ties in having the trial of the missionary
taken out of the hands of the Turkish
authorities.
EARLY in the course of the Armenian
troubles. Mr.. Terrell was instructed by
the state department to see to 1t that
any American citizen, native or nat
uralized, who was arrested by the
| Turkish government be surrendered to
the United States minister for trial.
Our government, against the opposition
of the porte, in taking this step, held
under the treaty of 1880 it had the right
to exercise extra territorial jurisdiction
in Turkey where American citizens are
concerned Mr.. Terrell was eXplicitlv
! instructed by Secretary Olney to claim
! all rights under the fourth article Of
| the treaty and to offer any American
| citizen charged with insuTection. re-
bellion, sedition or like offenses, or in
the event of such offer being refused
/ to demand the release of the accused.
FRENCH IRRITATION
! PARIS. April 9.-Considerab BILE irrita-
ton. against Turkey has been caused
| by the report from Constantinople and
London that the sultan had decided to
eXpel all Roman Catholic and Protes-
| tant missionaries from Asiatic Turkey.
The newspapers. particularly Figaro,
| have taken up the question as one di-
rectly and strongly affecting Christ
ianity and SO calling for prompt and
! effective action.
| ENGLISH INTEREST
! LONDON, April 9.-The newspapers
here all give prominence to the reports
of the meeting yesterday Of the Arme-
/ MAN relief committee presided over by
the Duke of Argyll TO protest against
the proposed expulsion from Asiatic
! Turkey of the Protestant and Roman
Catholic missionaries. at which Mr.. G.
| Il. Shewnlan. NJ. r., urged resolution
earnestly requesting the government
to take immediate steps to obtain the
release of Rev George Knapp, the
| American missionary, formerly OF BIZ