The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-06
CHANGE OF FRENCH PLANS.
Smyrna Was Not Seized Because of
the Porte's Promises.

PARIS. Nov. 5.-Admiral Caillard's
squadron arrived off the Island of syria,
Grecian archipelago, yesterday and dis
patched a boat, which entered the port of
syria and received from the telegraph sta
ton batch of dispatches containing def
mite instructions from the French govern
ment regarding carrying out the sealed
orders which were handed to the admiral
previous TO his leaving Toulon These dis
patches directed Admiral Caillard to pro-
coed to the Island of Mytelene and seize
the customs at Mydill and two other ports
The squadron is now on its way to Myte-
lene and probably will arrive at its destina-
ton tomorrow. The Foreign Office here
has not yet received the Sultan's reply to
the note presented by NJ. Bapst, counselor
of the French legation at Constantinople,
following out the instructions of NJ. Del
casse, the foreign minister under date of
Nov 8. The correspondent here of the AS
ISOLATED Press is enabled to make the fol-
lowing statement:
When the French government decided
to send French squadron to Turkey ii
debated whether to seize the customs al
Salonica. Beirut or Smyrna, as 1t was
realized that the receipts of one of these
three big ports woGld be required to pro-
duce a sufficient sum to pay off the French
claims without a long occupation, which
was considered inadvisable. The occupa-
ton of SalOnica was at once dismissed be-
cause IL might create the false impression
that France was aiming to reopen the
Macedonian question The occupation of
Beirut also was set aside owing TO the
French position and interests in Syria,
where the population looks upon France
its protector. The occupation of Beirut,
therefore, was certain to create efferves-
cence and perhaps even rebellion. The
choice of NJ. Delcasse consequently fell
on Smyrna, which offers equal advantage
to the other ports without having their
political drawbacks. On Saturday. however,
came the dispatch from M. Bapst announce
ing the issuing of the Sultans trade ac-
cepting the Lorando claim in its entirety,
as France demanded. This dispatch slight
ly modified the aspect of the situation,
cluson that the Sultan would now settle
the money claims and would within a few
days produce the guarantees which France
demanded for their payment.
THE necessity for seizing big customs,
therefore, became less pressing, although
the necessity for occupying Turkish terri
tory in order to exercise pressure and COM
pei the Sultan TO cOncede the demands re-
specting Turkeys disregard of French
treaty rights still remained urgent. The
government, therefore, decided that Ad-
miral Caillard should occupy three of the
ports on the Island of Mytelene, which is
convenient 20 Smyrna. So should the gov
ernment's impression that the Sultan will
satisfactorily settle the monetary question
without delay prove unjustified and the
customs receipts at Mytelene not be suffi-
cent to meet the French claims Smyrna
can yet be occupied. In the meanwhile the
occupation of the ports on the Island of
Mytelene Is more convenient from mill
tary point of view, as the French cannot
easily be disturbed on that island, whereas
SMYRNA being on the mainland its Occupa-
ton might have more serious developments
than desired. The French government.
however. trusts that the whole difficulty
will very shortly be arranged to its salts
faction, and hopes that the treaty stlpu-
lations will be carried out by the issue of
trades. such as giving certain French
schools permission to open, which thus far
has been withheld and also by giving off,
cial recognition throughout the Turkish
empire TO diplomas issued by the French
medical faculty at Beirut, etc