The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-06
PLANS OF THE FRENCH.
How Decision to Seize Only Small
Customs Ports Was Arrived At.

How Decision to Seize Only Small
Customs Ports Was Arrived At,
Paris, Nov. 5.-AdmiraI Canlard's
squadron arrived off the island of
syria (Grecian archipelago, yesterday
and detached a dispatch boat, which
encered the port of syria and received
from the telegraph station a batch Of
dispatches containing uefinite instruc-
tons from the French government re-
garding carrying out the sealed orders
which were handed to the admiral pre-
vi0us to his leaving TOuion. These
dispatches directed Admiral CaillaTd
to proceed to the island of Mitylene.
where he viii seize the customs Of Nj
dill and at another port.
The foreign Office here has not yet
resolved the sultan's reply 70 the note
presented by NJ Baptiste, counselor Of
The French legation at COn3tantinople,
following the instructions of NJ Del
Casse. the foreign minister, under date
of Nov. 3. The correspondent here Of
the AS ociated Press is enabled tC make
she following statement:
when the French government de-
Cided to send a French SQUADRON TO
Turkey. it debated whethCr to seize
the customs at Sslonica, BEIRUT or
Smyrna, as # was realized that the re-
ceipts of one OF these three big ports
would be required to produce a suffi-
Cient sum to pay of the French claims
without a long occupation, which was
considered inadvisable.
The occupation of Salonica was at
once dismissed. because it might create
the false impression that France was
aiming to open the Macedonian ques-
ton. The occupation of BEIRUT was
also set aside. ewing 20 the French pO-
sition and interest in Syria, where the
population looks upon France as its
protector. Tho occupation of BEIRUT,
therefore, was certain TO create effer-
Vescence. and perhaps even rebellion,
1.-THE choice Of N. Delcasse. cOnse-
QUen1y, fell on Smyrna, which offers
equal advantages to the other ports.
without having their political draw
backs. Saturday, however, came the
dispatch from NJ. Baptiste announcing
the issuing Of the sultan's trade ac-
Cepttng the LOrandO claim in its en-
tirety as France demanded. This dis
patch slightly modified the aspect of
the situation. inasmuch as NJ. Delcasse
came to the conclusion that the sultan
would now settle the money claims,
and would, within a few days produce
the guarantees which France demand
Cd Tor LlelE payment
'The necessity for Selling big Gus
toms. therefore, became less pressing,
although the necessity for occupying
Turkish territory, in order TO exercise
] ressure and compel the sultan 50 con-
c5de the demands respecting Turkey s
disregard Of French treaty rights, still
remained urgent.
The government. therefore, decided
that Admiral Caillard should occupy a
couple of ports on the island of Nifty
lene, which is conveniently close to
Smyrna. So, should the governments
impression that the sultan viii salts
factOTily settle the monetary question
without delay prove unjUstifed and the
customs receipts at Mitylene not suf-
fioie-it to meet the French claims,
Smyrna can yet be occupied.
Meanwhile the occupation Of the
ports on the island Of MityIene is more
con venient from a military point of
view as the French cannot be easily
disturbed on that island. whereas
Smyrna, being on The mainland, its oc-
cupatiOn might have more serious de-
velopments than desired. The French
government however, trusts that the
whole difficulty will very shortly be ar
ranged to its satisfaction and hopes
ttat the treaty stipulations will be
carried out by the issue OF trades, such
as giving certain French schools per-
mission TO open, which, thus far, has
been withheld, and also by giving Off
Cial recognition, through the Turkish
empire. to diplomas issued by the
French medical faculty at Beyrout,"
etc.