The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-11
OF BEIRUT RIOTS
The Consular Dispatches Say That
the MussuJman's First Attacked
teryened for the ussulmans-The
Foreign ConsuIs Make Serious
Representations to the Local Au-
thOrities-Cablegra from Minis
ter Leishman.

4
east today emphasize the seriousness
| of the situation there and confirm the
| belief of the authorities here that ow-
| ing to the general irritation through
| European and Asiatic Turkey toward
| the Christians as a result of the Mace
donian revolt, the sultan may be swept
! by the uncomfortable sentiment of his
| Ottoman subjects into a war with Bull
| garia. despite the unwillingness of the
porte to precipitate such a conflict.
| The Turkish officials express gratifca-
| ton at the Russian-Austrian proposal
| for cOerciVe diplomatic action on
| the part of the powers at Sofia They
! are confident it will be acceded to by
| France, but whether it is adopted or
| not the sultan's hand has already been
greatly strengthened, as he is in a bet
ter position to act than hitherto.
There is no question in official cir
cles here that the porte will take ener-
| getic measures to suppress any trouble
| at Beirut. The announcement is made
| of the arrival at Beirut of Nazim
| Pasha, the Vail of Syria who is eX-
| pected by the Turkish officials to
promptly restore order. That the task
| is difficult is shown by the fact that
| there has been further riots at Beirut.
France may order warships to that
point to protect her interests but Ger
| many has asserted that she will not do
| so. Great Britain whose missionary
| interests in Syria are practically nil,
| has not as yet sent any vessels to
| Beirut, relying upon American war
| ships to protect the consulates
4 ha Tr,rly
er statement today, declaring that the
| reports of massacres emanate from the
| Bulgarian side and are purposely ex-
| aggerated in the hope of securing Eu-
| ropean intervention. 1t reiterates dis
belief in the seriousness of the Beirut
| situation and adds:
| The Turkish government therefore,
| hopes the American warships will de-
| part as speedily as possible, as their
| presence only tends to incite the peo-
pie. From Constantinople the embassy
| is Informed that the is no reason for
! assembling of the American ships at
| Beirut"
Constantinople, September 9.-Con-
| sular accounts received here from
| Beirut totally differ from the Turkish
| governments version of the recent out
| break there. The Vail of Beirut was
not on board the United States flagship
Brooklyn when the first brawl occur
red. but was in the country.
| Contrary to the official version, the
| consular dispatches say the Mussul-
mans first attacked the Christians and
| the troops which intervened sided with
the MusSulmans. One of the pillaged
houses belonged to a French citizen.
Though there has been no further dis
| turbance at Beirut since Sunday great
uneasiness. amounting almost to
panic prevails among the Christians,
many of whom have left Beirut and
sought refuge in Lebanon.
The foreign consuls at Beirut met on
| Monday and decided to make serious
representations to the local authorities,
looking to the preservation of order,
They also decided to telegraph to their
respective ambassadors or Ministers at
Constantinople demanding the recall
of the incompetent Vail of Beirut and
requesting that warships be sent for
the protection of the Euroneans.
Mazim Pasha, Vail, of Syria, was or
dered from Damascus to Beirut where
he arrived yesterday
The porte announces that Mazim
PaSha was sent to Beirut with two bat
talfons of troops to take temporary
charge Of affairs there The Vail Of
Beirut it is also announced, has not
been deprived of his authority but he
will probably remain inactive at his
post during the stay of Nazim Pasha
at Beirut.
While the rioting was in progress,
the Beirut advices further state an
appeal was made to Rear Admiral
Cotton to land marines. but he replied
that he could not intervene in a quar-
rel among Ottoman subjects.
Several of the diplomats here drew
the serious attention of the porte on
Monday to the situation at Beirut de
manding that measures be taken TO
prevent a further outbreak and insist
ing on the recall of the Vail who was
in office when the outbreak occurred.
The porte intends to concentrate So
900 to 10000 troops at Adrianople 1t
is said that two thousand insurgents
have been surrounded at Kirk-Kil-
lisseth thirty-two miles from Adrian
ople and official circles here momen-
tarily expect news of their surrender
or annihilation.
! Notwithstanding the large number
of troops concentrated at Adrianople,
the regiment of Hamidieh cavalry to