The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-25
THE POWERS STkGGER
Arm Massacre Hal@s Eng
land. Franc. and Italy.
w AIKEN ON TIE BLOCKADE
-STpTORT OF THE SULTAN GAVE
REIN TO HIS SUBJECTS.
THE AMBASSADORS PROTEST

They CemanS mat heir Governments
Shall Force the Sul.an 10 Avange
the Slain Christians MEAN
wniie the Sultan Loils.
tCopyrigh 1897 by the Associated Press.)
Constantinople, March 24.-The steps
taken by the Sultan to punish the Turk
ish officials who are held responsible
for the massacre of the hundred Armen-
ians at Tokat, in the Sivas district of
Asia Minor, and the pillaging of the Ar
menian quarter of Tokat for eight hours.
are not satisfactory to the ambassadors of
the powers and unless there. is a change
in the situation very soon, it is believed
that some of the powers will be compelled
by public opinion to make a radical
change in their policy towards Crete and
Greece. The remonstrance of Sir Phillip
Currie, the British ambassador, (as ca
bled exclusively to The Associated Press
last night, was one of the strongest ever
delivered by an ambassador concerning
the massacres in Armenia and was in
tended for stern notification to the porte
that further outbreaks in Armenia would
not pass without vigorous action upon
the part of the powers The immediate
result was the calling of an extraordin
ary meeting of the council of ministers at
the Yildiz Kiosk last evening, at the
end of which the ambassadors were noti-
fed that the Sultan has ordered the dis
missal Of the prefect of police and chief
Of the Gendarmerie Of Tokat for not
preventing the massacres and for failing
promptly to put an end to the pillaging
Of the Armenian quarter Of that city.
The mere dismissal of the two Turkish Of
monstrate the displeasure of the Sultan
at the wanton killing of hundred Ar
menians and is further looked upon as
being likely to encourage additional out
breaks Of the same nature. Consequent
ly, Sir Phillip Currie has made fresh
representations to the Porte, setting
forth that serious consequences will fol-
low the failure of the Sultan to really
punish those who are responsible for the
Tokat outrage. The ambassadors met
at the residence of the British ambassa-
dor last evening and thoroughly discussed
the matter after which dispatches were
sent by those present to the capitals of
the powers they represent.
Although the result of this meeting of
the ambassadors has not been allowed
to become generally known here, the opin-
ion prevails that unless the ambassadors
put forth definite threats of coercion
in the event Of the failure Of the Sultan
to adopt prompt and efficacious measures
to prevent further massacres in Armenia,
there is absolutely no hope of improving
the situation as it has been so frequent
~ 'intimated" to the Sultan that he must
reform, and he now pays little or no at
tention to such communications.
In well informed political circles it is
generally believed that, if fresh out
breaks occur, public opinion in Great
Britain, France and Italy will compel
the governments of the countries men,
toned to change entirely their attitude
on the Cretan question, not only towards
Crete, but in regard to Greece, which
might mean the lifting of the blockade
SO far as these powers are concerned,
and their positive refusal to take part in
the proposed blockade of the principal
ports and coasts of Greece. Indeed. it
is directly ntimated that this PROPOSE
ton has already been practically aban-
not only because such a step is likely
to force Greece into open hostilities
against Turkey, but because the Sultan,
with true Eastern cunning, has taken ad-
vantage of the blockade of Crete by the
fleets of the powers, the bOmbardment Of
the insurgents by foreign warsL and
the assistance given to the Turks by the
foreign marines, to place himself and his
in
before the populace here and elsewhere
in the Ottoman empire. An official COM
munication addressed by the Turkish
government to the Turkish newspapers
and provincial officers yesterday, repre-
sented that the course adopted by the
powers in the Cretan affairs was an ex-
ample of the success of the Sultan in that
direction, and intimating that he has the
full support OF the powers with their
fleets and armies, in the repressive meas
ures which he may choose to adopt
against the Christians in his dominions.
This amounts practically 10 informing
the Mussulmans that they have nothing
to fear from the powers if they massacre
Christians, as the Christian powers are
supporting the Sultan agains. his So
called "rebellious" subjects. s 81 ~
This has caused decidedly bad inn
preston in diplomatic circles in Con-
stantinople, and gives additional explana-
tion Of the determined stand which the
British Ambassador has undoubtedly
assumed as showing clearly how the Sui
tan and his advisors regard the so-called
concert" of powers. They know it does
not exist except as hackneye1 term and
they feel il never can exist long as
the man of Europe is not rali"al'y chang
ed
In the meanwhile, preparations for
war on n large scale are BEING steadily
pushed forward, and the rcport OF posi-
bic agreement between 'rr"He ond Tar
key on fhe basis Of the arrq.ntment OF
Prince George, % Greece. as high conf
missionc~ of Crete. wes followed by the
issuing this morning Of q special trade