Evening journal., 1897-01-18
THE EASTERN QUESTION
Ashmead Bartlett's Views OF
Turkish Situation.
JUsT;RETURNBD FROM THE LEvANT

Russia. He Declares, Stands In tho Way
of Solution of the Problem-EngIand
Might Cooperate with France and BE
Successful. as In Crimea.
PARIS, Jan 1s-Sir Ellis Ashmead
Bartlett passed through here on his return
10 England after his rapid visit to a mum
Der of European capitals. Asked what
was the object of his journey, he replied
My main object was TO ascertain the
real state of affairs in Constantinople; also
to do anything in my power to help pro.
noting the good understanding between
England and the triple alliance The
concert of Europe is delicate matter. We
might cooperate with France in the east,
as England did so successfully in the Cri-
mean war, but Russia now entirely directs
French poli,y in Turkey, and Russian
policy is hopelessly antagonistic to British
interests.
'Russia's great ambition is CONSTANT
nople and let Russia get Constantinople
and ths straits, this would be fatal to Eng
lish supremacy in the Mediterranean and
ultimately the English empire in India. "
Referring TO the interview with the sui
tan, Mr.. Ellis said:
His majesty gave me long audience
and explained his position and view very
fully My impression of his majesty was
that of all who converse with him in
reasonable and friendly spirit-a most fa-
yorable one l do not believe the sultan
ordered the massacres or cruel deeds what
soever. He is essentially a kind hearted
man, but he is in position of the desper-
ate kind.
AS for the deplorable massacres that
took place in Asia during October No
vember and December, 1895, they were
the result of Mussulman Indignation and
fanaticism, which had been aroused by the
sham atrocity agitation of England, by
the reckless abuse of the sultan and the
Turks, and by the provocation of the
Armenian revolutionists, especially by the
emeute at Constantinople, on Sept 30,
1885,.
The Agitation Denounced In England.
"What do you mean by the sham atroci.
ty agitation in Englandg''
g. i mean that for ten months-from De
cember, 1894 to September, 1s95-an Eng
land was deluged with the most mon
strous, shameless exaggerations and false
hoods regarding the suppression of the
Gassun revolt in August, 1894. Their bo-
gus atrocity mongering produced bitter
feeling between England and Turkey, and
that was greatly intensified by Mr.. Currie s
scheme of reforms for Armenian districts
only, issued in July, 1895
This produced, as a distinguished Amer
lean told me previously, the same effect
upon the dominant Mussulman caste as
the negroes produced upon the southern
whites in 1867. The Ku Klux Khan in
reprisal maltreated hundreds of negroes.
On the top of all this exaggcration there
were many deliberate outrages committed
by Armenian huntchakist societies in or
der to provoke Mussulmans TO deeds OF
blood. There were most deplorable massa-
cres in the last three months of 1895.
''All good Mussulmans in Constantine
pie regret and condemn these, but the Sas
sun atrocities were fraud. At the wors
500 men were killed in suppressing the re
volt. Reckless Christian fanatics and th'
political gobe mOuches of England had I
large responsibility in all the troubles.
Sir Ellis went on TO speak of the 70
forms inauguratcd by the sultan and pro
phosied speedy improvement if the Turk
ish administration is given breathing tim'
and if TRANQUILITY maintained.