San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-19
SIR ELLIS INTERVIEWED.
Discusses Turkey At Con-
siderable Length.
GIVES HIS EXPERIENCE WITH
THE OTTOMAN RULER DUR
ING THE PRESENT WAR.
Occupies More Time In Telling Of
The Sultan'S Personal Affec-
fiction For Him Than He
Does In Discussing The
Situation.

World from Paris says:
Sir Ellis Ashmeade-Bartlett was
seen by the World correspondent, Sir
Ellis being on his way to London from
Constantinople. In an interview he
said:
Il have seen some criticism passed
upon me for my friendship for the
sultan. 1t is true that 1 stand in a
position of peculiar advantage with
regard to Turkey and its sovereign,
simply because l have always advo-
Gated the policy of friendship and al
lance with the Ottoman empire that
was pursued by Disraeli and all the
greatest English ministers. My con-
victions on this point, which are known
to the sultan, are that it is vital for
England to keep Russia out of Con-
stantinople, which would in Russia's
hands be the greatest place of arms
and commerce in the world"
But" suggested the correspondent,
with British naval supremacy in the
Mediterranean she need not fear Rus
sia-"
The Russian Black Sea fleet, allied
with the French fleet Sir Ellis said,
would drive the British fleet to Gil
braltar; Egypt would be seized and
probably Malta also"
DO you consider England as DOW
erless to hold her own against Russia
under such circumstances? was ask
ed.
Yes, Russia would have the whole
fighting force of Turkey, the finest in
the world, organized and armed under
Russian officers. and England would
be unable to hold India against an ar
my of 100000 Turks led by European
commanders who have watched them
in the present campaign and if the Ca
liph of islam was under Russian con-
troll, the Queens sixty million MussuI-
men subjects in India would be under
Russian control also.
Il believe both policy and justice
demand equal treatment for Turks
and Christians by England on which
account 1 avow and have espoused the
cause of the Ottoman empire. l know
the great mass of Turks to be honest,
temperate, kind and above all, courag-
eous."
But do you consider that Turkish
administration needs no reform?"
duHllJ ludI the luTklSu govern
ment needs improvement but that can
best be secured by temperate advice
and friendly pressure from England.
The recent vilification and coercion as
1 can say from personal knowledge
of his majesty's mind, have only driv-
en- the sultan to rely upon Russia and
Germany and if pursued, will be cal
amitous to British interests in the
east. l have never wavered i'm these
opinions"
Il espoused the Ottoman cause in
the height of the atrocity fever when
no other man in England did so. The
Turks are naturally extremely CRATE
fur for this support. When 1 visited
Constantinople last January l was re-
ceived with open arms by the officials
and the people. The sultan gave me a
special audience as he did again later
of exceptional length. During my stay
the Sultan placed a pasha in attend
ance upon me, put a steam launch and
royal equipage at my disposal and in
January bestowed on me the Grand
Gordon of Medjidieh, the highest OF
toman decoration"
Was not the acceptance of the dec
grafton made the subject of wide
spread attacks?'
Yes it was severely criticized in
England and meetings were held to de-
nounce me to my constituents at Shelf
field; but they failed. When the sui
tan heard that 1 was going to follow
the campaign at Thessaly, he gave
particular orders to the Valia and Ed
hem Pasha that special facilities be
given my party to see all that we
wished. Accompanied by my eldest
son, a dragoman and an escort of
twelve soldiers and an officer, we left
Sffialonica on April 20 for Ellesona
We saw the battles at Matt and Deli
qui, the decisive struggles of the first
part of the war. I was the first nom
combatant to enter Larissa- beating
by five minutes German officer who
raced me.
when I left the front on Nav 3D. I