Evening star., 1903-09-09
Secretary Hay Departs to
Complete His Vacation.
QUIET AGAIN AT BEIRUT
ADMIRAL COTTON REPORTS THF
SITUATION IMPROVING.
American Warships Will Remain There
for the Present-Advices Of
the Turkish Minister.

That Secretary Hay is not seriously dis
turbed by the situation in Turkey and In
Colombia Is indicated by the fact that he
has gone back to his summer home at Lake
Sunapee,, N. H., to complete his vacation
with his family. Unless his presence here
is required sooner, 1t is not likely that he
will return to this city until about the mid
die Of October. During his absence Assist
ant Secretary Adee will act as secretary
of state and will be in close telegraphic
touch with the President at Oyster Bay
and with Secretary Hay at Lake Sunapee
at all times. 1t Is expected that Secretary
Hay will visit the President today or to-
morrow on his way to New Hampshire in
order to discuss the latest developments in
Turkey and Colombia, with a view to future
action.
Situation at Beirut Improving.
A brief cable message was received by
Acting Secretary Darling this morning from
Admiral Cotton, commanding the American
squadron at Beirut, in which he said that
there were no serious disturbances In Beirut
Monday night The admiral added that
the situation apparently was improving,
and that public feeling was growing more
quiet The dispatch was sent under date of
yesterday.
vices was gratifying to the officials, as in
dicattng that the Turkish officials had af-
fairs in Beirut well under control and that
there is no prospect of recurrence Of the
rioting between the Mohammedans and the
Christians. SO far as known no Americans
were involved in the riots of Sunday, and
the report published abroad that an Amer
lean had been killed is not credited here,
for the good reason that the reports re-
ceived from Minister Leishman and Ad-
miral Cotton make no mention of such an
occurrence.
Owing to the presence of the American
fleet at Beirut for the avowed purpose of
protecting American interests, 1t is not like
ly that any violence will be offered to the
few Americans residing or sojourning in
the Turkish city. In case of q general at
tack on the Christian element, the citi-
zens Of the United States would be afforded
asylum either on board the American war;
the protection of guard of marines. which
Admiral Cotton has promised to land, if
necessary
Ships to Remain at Beirut.
The cruisers Brooklyn and San Fran
cisco will remain in Turkish waters for the
present in order to afford what protection
may be necessary to the persons and in
terests of American citizens. The future
movements of the vessels will depend
affairs as they may develop, and on the
wishes Of the American minister. The
remain at Port Said for the present. No
orders governing her movements in the
immediate future have been sent to her
commander.
Turkish Minister'S Advices.
A cablegram from the Turkish foreign Of
flee to Chekib Bey, the Turkish minister
here, gives the following version of the
trouble at Beirut Sunday, reported by Ad-
miral Cotton in his dispatch to the Navy
Department.:
Some Christians of the city of Beirut
attacked four Mussulmans and during the
melee which followed four persons were
injured. Three of these were soldiers. Two
persons are dead, one Of whom is sol
dier.
The minister also received a dispatch
from Constantinople chara cterizjng as lab
solutely false" the published reports that
there was no security in Constantinople
and that Mussulmans and the imperial
troops were responsible for massacres and
the setting fire to houses in ROumelia
This dispatch was in reply to one sent by
the minister calling the attention Of his
government to the reports of this char
acter.
Another dispatch received last night says
that twenty-five Bulgarian brigands were
killed in the vicinity of Resne (Monastir)
and forty others on farm at Frorina.
band of brigands intrenched on a small
elevation at Lapschinek was dispersed
Advices From Minister Leishman.
Acting Secretary Adee received two cable
messages today from Minister Leishman at
Constantinople. which it was not deemed
expedient to give out for publication for
the reason that they were mainly for the
purpose of consultation and did not indicate
any material change in the situation either
at Constantinople or at Beirut The min
lister said that affairs at the Turkish capital
were very much complicated and that he
was experiencing the usual delays in his
communications with the officials.
1t is understood that he mentioned this
fact to explain his inability to secure
prompt and definite information from the
sublime porte in regard to recent happen
ings at Beirut and elsewhere affecting
American interests directly indirectly.
Minister Leishman also informed the de-
partment that his advices from Beirut indi-
Gated that the situation there was less
grave" than it had been, but SO far as
known he did not say that peace and order
had been restored in that city as practi-
cally reported by Rear Admiral Cotton in his
message to the Navy Department.