New-York tribune., 1904-08-07
A WARNING TO TURKEY.
GUNS BACK OF DEMAND.
Warships Ordered to Smyrna-The
administrator Patience Exhausted
fFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAJr. ]


TFRoN THE TRIBUNE BUREAU
Washington. Aug. 6.-The determination of the
administration to make a demonstration in some
Turkish port. either Smyrna or Beirut is the
outcome Of continued procrastinatfon by the
Porte in the consideration Of American claims
and the PERSISTENT neglect to grant to American
citizens and educational institutions the same
rights now enjoyed by French and other
European citizens and institutions of a like char
acter.
Exasperated to the last degree by the dilatory
and unsatisfactory methods Of the Porte unable
to obtain hearing for Minister Leshman. and.
to some extent. possibly, mindful Of the request
that the European squadron he withdrawn from
Beirut year ago the State Department has de
cided that only show of force viii serve to
bring the Turkish government TO terms.
Accordingly. the European squadron. now at
Villefranche. has been ordered to sail for
Smyrna at the earliest possible date. and is ex-
pected 10 coal and weigh anchor not later than
Monday. Meanwhile Minister Leishman has
been instructed TO inform the Sultan that the
time for dilatory negotiations has passed and
that prompt consideration Of all and immediate
acquiescence IN some of the American demands
must he made under penalty Of seizure Of a
Turkish port.
ADMIRAL JEWELS FORCE.
The European squadron. commanded by Rear
Admiral Jewell consists of the flagship Olympia,
the Baltimore and the Cleveland. All are protect
ed cruisers. The Olympia has a main battery of
ten 5-inch rapid fire guns and four S-inch guns.
The Baltimore has main battery Of twelve 6
inch guns and six rapid FIRE 1+-pounders. The
Cleveland has main battery Of ten ,,-inch guns,
In addition TO the ships named. the Des Moines
a sister ship to the Cleveland. with the same
August ~.
It is not anticipated that anything more Sc
rious than a show Of force will be necessary 10
bring Turkey TO terms. hut the Navy Depart
ment has determined To take no chances and
for that reason Rear Admiral Barker command
ing the battleship squadron. now in the neigh
borhood of Gibraltar. has been instructed TO
cruise about i'm that region until he receives fur
ther orders. This squadron. which constitutes
the most powerful fleet in the American navy
consists of the nattleships Kearsarge. Alabama
Maine. Iowa Missouri and Illinois. The neces-
sity of sending this fleet TO a Turkish port is
by no means anticipated. but the administration
feels compelled to take such action as will
leave no possibility Of Turkeys regarding its
demands as a bluff" and It is barely possible
that the appearance Of this powerful fleet in
Turkish waters may be necessary for is moral
effect.
TIE AMERICAN CLAIMS.
Among the claims. the immediate adjudca-
tion Of which is demanded by the State De-
partment are those presented by ex-SeCretatry
John W. Foster. attorney for the American
Missionary Society. which the outsrowth
of the burning Of several colleges and the de
struction of property, and are said to agGre
gate approximately $2J0O0O What the uti-
mate amount of these claims might be after
adjudication cannot he surmsed but thus far
it has been impossible TO prevail on the Sultan
to take the first step toward ascertaining what
amount may be Iegitimately due the society.
A further demand which Minister Leishman
has sought to present has been that American
colleges in Turkey have the same rights as
are now enjoyed by European institutions of
learning. Their status. under existing Condi-
tions, is, to say the least. equivOcaL Further
more this government insists that American
citizens must enjoy the same rights i'm Turkey
as elsewhere, even though they are naturalized
Turks. No effort viii be made to protect
those Turks who leave their country Indebted
to the government for taxes. and. on return
ing seek to avoid payment on the ground that
they are American citizens. but this govern
ment will not tolerate a practice too prevalent
in Turkey of assessing extravagant amounts
on men who have left that country, and then
disregarding their American citizenship on
their return. and the use Of force compel
them to pay this taxes unjustly assessed In
their absence.
DEMANDS ACCESS To THE SULTAN
Perhaps the most important demand Is that
the Minister from the United States shall have
the right Of access TO the Sultan instead of be-
ing compelled to deal with the Porte the equiv
alent of the State Department here On the
ground that the American Minister is not an
Ambassador the Sultan has persistently refused
to grant audience to him, thus avoiding an
explicit answer To the American demands. The
circumocutory methods of the Porte have mean
while been used to the fullest extent. and the
results have been unsatisfactory to the last de-
gree. With. view to Obviatng these difficult
ties without disregarding the SuItan's dignity.
this country invited Turkey 70 send an Ambas-
sador to Washington, but the invitation was de-
clned on the ground of economy. Under exist
Continued second page.
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