Vice-Consul Doughty-Wylie to Sir G. Lowther.
I HAVE the honour to report the following, in continuation of my letter of yesterday:
Arrests of Armenians still continue on a large scale; there are over 200 in custody. One man with a bullet wound in his leg and unable to walk was arrested as he was being carried to my wife’s hospital. I protested against the inhumanity of this; the Vali, in reply, sent a police officer to say that the man had been questioned and found guilty: he would now be sent to the Turkish hospital. If this is true he will be the only Christian in it. We have in our hospital two or three Moslems, a Syrian priest and one at least of his flock. The rest are all Armenians.
Thirteen thousand five hundred people were fed in the Yeni Mahalla camp to-day.
Some blankets received from Beirut, were distributed. I thought it well to raise the ration, which now amounts to one oke of bread, one oke of flour and half an oke of rice to every eight men, and occasional olives and beans. The sick get soup and milk, as well as flour, rice, and oil.
I asked for a medical inspection of the camp to-day, two doctors were sent. I am afraid dysentery will soon be very prevalent. We have fixed on a spot for the dysentery camp and made thirty shelters for it. There is already a measles camp containing 300 or 400 people. Two dispensaries have been opened to-day, one under the Turkish doctor and one under Miss Wallis, an English nurse.
The Captain of the “Swiftsure” wrote to me officially on the subject of hastening some arrangements by which the Turkish authorities could take over medical and other relief, so as to set free the men from his ship in case he had to sail. He has recalled Commander Carver to-morrow, but kindly replaces him by a Lieutenant, temporary. I hope to have the pleasure later in sending an official Report to your Excellency on the invaluable assistance afforded by officers and men of the “Swiftsure.”
The German factory was cleared to-day, and the men camped down in a similar quarter to Yeni Mahalla. They will number about 8,000 - 4,000 from the factory and 4,000 from outside. We are again working to prepare lists from the various communities of those in absolute want.
An Armenian Bishop from Constantinople called on me to-day; he said that his community were most anxious to work with the Central Relief Committee. I replied that the Committee existed to help everybody, and that if he would nominate a member and prepare a list we would supply the rations temporarily. He said he would do so, and further that he would have all supplies sent by his co-religionists consigned to me for better distribution. This Committee will replace the first nominee of the Gregorian community, who has now escaped to Cyprus.
On going into the ways and means, I find that we have spent at present about 1,600 l., on relief, and that we have received about 1,300 l. as donations, of which the bulk are 500 l. from the Ottoman Bank and 500 l. from the American Mission. I am anxious to get the people back to their homes, but there is as yet no confidence.
I received from your Excellency a telegram offering me an Assistant for a month or two; I have replied that while the “Swiftsure’s” were available such assistance was not absolutely necessary, but if they are withdrawn it will be most gratefully accepted.
Efforts are being made to get the people to go out harvesting: no Christians dare do it; but a new English threshing machine steamed away from the railway station to-day. Work in the fields and factories will tranquilize the country more than anything else. Turkish friends have assured me that there will be no more trouble, but I heartily distrust the vindictive spirit which shows itself in all the officials.
A large number of troops have arrived, of which I propose to send your Excellency a list to-morrow. I cannot discover myself any necessity for 10,000 men in Adana, and I am afraid they will further accentuate the distress already existing.
A certain number of seriks have been taken off to-day, especially in this quarter.
No proposal as to relief has reached me from the Vali yet; he asked for time to go into the food question.
I think I forgot to report the destruction of Missis. When Lufti Bey, who in the beginning preserved it, left for Hadjin, it is said that all the Christians were killed and their houses burnt.
I received your Excellency’s telegram that a Military Commission to inquire into the massacres and fix responsibility was coming from Constantinople, and that the Chamber there had voted 20,000 l.
It is said here that the extraordinary activity in arresting Armenians is caused by the desire of the local authorities, such as, if I may guess, the Ferik and his staff officer (Selim Bey), to whitewash themselves by the discovery of some monstrous plot and to punish while they still have the power. Mahemet Ali Bey was in Erzeroum on or soon after the massacre fourteen years ago. He seems to me an intelligent man and a good soldier, but certainly detests Armenians. However, I do not believe that he will be guilty of the cruelties of which I strongly suspect the other two.
7 A.M., May 5.A shot was fired about midnight, and a panic ensued among the Armenians, who left the German factory yesterday. Bugles from all directions sounded, and in about an hour everything was quiet. I don't know yet what damage was done. The officer of my guard has now charge of all the patrols around the refugees, and had reported to me the night before what steps he had taken, which appeared to be sufficient.
By the sound of the bugles he had men all round the quarter where the disturbance was. It is said the shot was an accident.