The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-10-07
ENCOURAGING NEWS FROM BEIRUT.
Extract From a Letter Written by His
Son to Rev. w. A. West of This Place.

JHe NEWS, JDeTo Is UTOuDle III Lne
Ottoman Empire. The eyes of
the civilized world are turned to
Macedonia, the storm center of
trouble, where conflagration,
murder, and raplne at the hand
of the ruthless Turk are laying
waste that fair land. In the op-
posite direction from CONSTANT
nople, the capital of the empire,
the ancient land of the Bible has
not wholly escaped. This is es.
pecially true of Beirut, a city of
$4,000 or 10000 inhabitants, situ-
ated on the shore of the Mediter-
ranean Sea, between so and SO
miles west of Damascus, the cap.
ital of Syria and one of the oldest
cities in the world.
On Sabbath, Setember 9th, an
attempt was made to assassinate
the Vice Consul of the United
States; on the Saturday follow.
ing a Christian was murdered by
party of Mohammedans. On
Sabbath a riotous conflict occur
red between the Mohammedaus
and the Christians in one of the
districts of the city, in which
some 80 Christians were put to
death. Fortunately, for the safe
ty of the Christian population
numbering well-nigh one. half
the Mediterranean squadron of
our navy had been ordered to
Beirut by the President immedi-
ately after the attempt upon the
life of our Vice Consul. When
the murderOus riot occurred, the
American war vessels were clear
ed for action, and Commodore
Cotton held 500 marines in readi.
ness to land at any moment. The
desired result was secured. A
week ago it was said by mis-.
sionary who had spent 40 years
in that country, and who is now
home on furlough, that the pres
ence of our war vessels and the
precautions taken by the com.
manding officer had undou btedly
been the occasion of averting a
general massacre.
Happily, quiet and a sense of
security have returned to Beirut,
as indicated by letter just re.
celved by DR.. w. A. West of this
place from his son, who is a pro.
fessOr in the Syrian Protestant
College located there, and who
has been resident of Beirut for
twenty years. His letter is writ
ten from his summer home on
the western slope of the Lebanon
mountain, and is headed Aleih,
Sept. 13. In part of it, which we
are permitted to publish, he says:
II spent the whole week In the
city, coming up only on Wednes-
day for the night. The situation
steadily improved all week, and
now / think it will settle down to
normal very quickly, if only the
Christian population returns to
its ordinary business life. In.
deed, the chief danger now is
that the Christians will take up
some impossible demands or ir-
reconcilaple attitude. The chief
event looking toward qulet has
been the recall of the governor,
whose corruption and laxlty were
responsible for the state of af-
fairs leading up TO the riot. The
governor of Damascus, an excel.
lent man, is in charge for the
time being.
"Whlle there Is still a good
deal of soreness among both Mo.
hammedans and Christians, and
not little threatening talk on
both sides, / think there is little
danger of another outbreak. In
any case, you must feel no ankle
ty about us. Even were trouble
! to recur, 1t is extremely unlike
ly that Americans or American
property would be attacked. -
Moslems In general are very
friendly to us, and the Christian
population as well. OF course
the presence of our men.of.wal
at present gives absolute protec
ton, but even If they were no
| here there would ha very littls