New-York tribune., 1896-01-29
CONFIRMING THE HORRORS.
ARMENIAN OIrTRAGES PROVED BY THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT REPORTS.

v,.pns .Nn sorpJEDs WERE THE JOINT AtTliof'
or TIE BURNING OF ENTIRE VILLAGES N
THE sAssoox prsTRIcr-DUT STORIES
OF MORTALITY SAID TO HAVE
BEEN EXAGGERATED.
London. Jan 2S-"The Chronicle VIII to-mor-
row say that two blue books on the Armenian
massacres have been issued by the Govern
ment The first contains the dispatches pe-
tween the consuls and dipl' maiists. while
the second gives the proces verbal OF the AT
menian Commission The blue books deal ohiF
with the Sassoon outrages and do not mention
the later reports The consuls confirm the news
paper stories far as the nature oi the Out
RACES goes telling OF brutal tortures. burning
alive the violation Of women. the cutting open
OF pregnant women the tossing or childreh on
bayonets etc. by Kurds and soldier' Long
extracts are given from the report OF the con-
su.ar delegates on the Commission to Sir PhiHp
Curric the British Ambassador to Turkey Ihis
rcpor, saws that the fact that Kurds accom-
panied the troops and that no steps were taken
10 compel them TO withdraw. may be regarded
az proved II must also be regarded az having
been established tho. the Kurds and soldiers
were the Joint authors ~ the burning of entire
villages Moreover It was not proved that the
Armenians were in revolt. The victims at Gheli-
guzan are estimated TO have been about forty
The report does not support the newspaper
stories which said that the victims numbered
thousands. but II protests against the difficulty
thrown in the way OF the inquiry and the dupli-
city OF the Turkish Commissioners and officials
The second blue book contains an important
memorandum by Consul Shpey upon the re-
port OF tn. delegates. This declares that the
Consul IS compelled t. regard the stories told
by the newspapers ami similar stories told else
where as being enormously exaggerated ana,
In certain instances absolutely invented for the
purpose of adding 10 the horror Nevertheless.
Consul Shipley says IL is impossible to doubt
that In certain ravines Of the Antck Mountains
fugitive villagers We're attacked by soldiers and
Kurds and mdssacred with savage brutality
regardless OF age sex
Consul Shipley remarks that an agitation sub
versive Of Government authority has proceeded
for years among the Armenlans in the Moosh
and Taori regions This agitation was insti-
gated by the Armenian Committee abroad. 1t
was the failure successfully 10 cope with the
agitation that finally eXasperated the Turkish
officials. on the other hand. the Government
entirely failed to protect the Armenans from
the constant extortions OF the Kurds and ra-
pacity OF the officials The Armenians were
obliged 10 pay tribute to the Kurds to prevent
their houses from being burned and their cat
tie stolen the Government never attempting to
prevent such outrages. 1t was impossible to
expect the Armenians to be contented under
such conditions. Mr. Shipey concludes that
It was not much suppression of a pseudo
revolt that was desired by the Turkish officials
as the determination Of the Armenians in the
Ghegrizan and Talori districts He estimates
at 900 the number of victims in Sassoun.