The Saint Paul globe., 1896-09-13
CONsTANTINOPLE RECOGNIZES A
CRISIS IN THE EASTERN QUEs-
TION.
SULTAN MUST SOON FALL.
WHILE HIS CRAZY RULE CONTIN-
UEs NO REMEDY CAN BE Eff
FECTIVE.
POWERS CONSIDERING HIS CASE,
AS Soon as They Can Reach De-
cisiOn Turkey VIII See New
Regime.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 1.-THE
British feet which has been strongly
reinforced. Is now in anchor in Kavala
bay, northwest Of the island of Thasos,
off the coast Of Salonica The war
ships arrived off Kavala yesterday.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 11.-(via
Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept. PA feeling of
the greatest anxiety prevails in all cir
cles here. There is no doubt that a crisis
OF extreme gravity has been reached,
and that the powers are discussing
the deposition Of the sultan, that be-
ing, apparently, the only means of
restoring quiet and confidence within
the Turkish empire. A British fleet
of about fifteen warships is off the isl
and Of Thasos and within easy strik-
Ing distance, should an emergency
arise. and it is believed that Great
Britain will not hesitate to act alone
In the matter Of putting an end to the
present disgraceful state of affairs if
the other powers delay action too
long. AS almost generally expected,
the extraordinary tribunal which has
been trying the men accused Of mas
sacreing Armenians in the streets of
this city and its suburbs, has turned
out to be nothing more than a white
washing court. The men who were ar
rested for brutally killing two Ar
menlans before the guard house of the
BRUSH embassy, and in full view Of
several British officials, have been ac-
Quilted. AS there was no possible
doubt OF their guilt, their acquittal is
regarded here as showing that it is
useless TO expect Mussulmans will be
punished fror crimes Committed
against Armenians.
rms has aroused the greatest indig-
nation among the foreign population
mere, and has served to greatly increase
the feel1ng Of uneasiness which pre-
walls on all sides. The Europeans feel
that the action Of the extraordinary
tribunal in acquitting the murderers
whose guilt was SO fully proven,
SHOWS that the peaceable residents of
Constantinople. are absolutely without
any guarantee that their lives or prop
erty are safe, and that they must
henceforth depend almost entirely upon
the Warships of the powers for protec-
ton. Such condition, it is admitted
cannot last for any length of time, as
business Is at a standstill to all intents
ana purposes, and the impoverished
l.
adding daily to the discomfort prevail
ing, not only in the army and navy,
but in Turkish official circles generally.
Many more officers have been arrest
ed for claiming their pay and for re-
signing their commissions when in
formed that there was no money for
them. If this Is the situation among
the off1cers, 1t may be judged that the
common soldiery are feeling still more
fc ri
and provisions for the strong BODY
guard of the sultan and for the troops
which constantly surround the palace
and 1t is believed that this display Of
Torce alone saves the sultan from wit
Messing demonstration which would
surely open his eyes to the disgraceful
state Of affairs existing.
The full text of the note which the
representatives of the powers sent to
the sultan. on Aug. 81, has only just
been communicated to the press 1t is
a decidedly strong document and says
that their 4remonStrance is based on
positive data 1t adds that the savage
bands which murderously attacked the
Armenians and pillaged their houses
were not accidental gatherings of fa-
natical people, but there is every indi-
cation Of their special organization,
and that it was known to, if not di-
or the powers then, under sew
en- specific clauses, gives evidence in
support and concludes with a demand
that the principal actors in these TRACE
dies be punished with the utmost rigor.
Therefore, 1t will be seen the acquit-
tai of the men who deliberately MUIR
dered two Armenians in front of the
guard house Of the British embassy
is all the more significant, and must
no fnya frrr o<,+f 49,
of the powers. The Turkish govern
ment has answered the note of the
powers in long communication The
ministry, In trying to refute the
cha1ge made, practically denied the
ocular testimony of the representa-
tives OF the powers, and this is now,
with good reason, regarded as tanta-
mount to defiance of Europe.
AS usual, the porte is relying upon
the jealousies existing among the six
powers to save the sultan once more.
and at the last moment from being
brought to terms, and, as Abdul
Hamid has so frequently escaped pun
ishment during the course of his long
and much-troubled reign, 1t has
grounds for believing that even now
Europe will not step in and put an
end to this disgraceful condition pre-
vailing in the Turkish empire.
News from Armenia shows that a
very serious condition prevails there,
and that further maSsacres are anti
cipated. 1t is true that the sultan has
caused all the governors to be notified
that they will be held responsible
If outbreaks involving destruction Of
property and loss of life occur But
sCch warnings have frequently been is
sued in the past, and as they have
served more to create disorder than to
suppress 1t, and this would seem to be
the case in the present instance, for,
while warning the governors, as al
ready stated, the soldiers have been no.
tilted that they are authorized to use
their arms in self-defense If they are
attacked. Thus the Arrnenians and
others look upon these orders of the
Turkish government as little less than
notification to the provincial authori-
ties that they are to take the most rig
orous measure in suppressing the Ar
menians IL the latter take part in any
demonstrations" and those who know
the Turks are we'll aware that the lat
ter can provoke such demonstrations at
the shortest possible notice. They have
frequently done so in the past and are
not unlikely to do so again in the near
future
The representatives of the powers
met again today and discussed the sit
uation, but 1t Is not known that they
came to any decision, although com
munications- with their respective gov
ernments are being constantly ex-
changed. The inaction of the embas-
sizes continues to be sharply criticized
here, and radical measures are de-
manded in order to prevent a renewal
of the disorders. Unless such steps
are taken, 1t is believed it will not be
long before there is another outbreak
here, and it may be of much more
serious nature than those which have
preceded it, in spite of the fact that