No. 617.
Mr. Maynard to Mr. Evarts.
Constantinople, June 22, 1880. (Received July 12.)
Sir: On returning from Alexandria, yesterday, I found that during my absence a change had occurred in the imperial ministry. It seems that on the 10th of this month His Highness Saïd Pasha, late prime minister, since the 20th of October last (dispatch No. 350, of October 20, 1879), and His Excellency Sawas Pasha, minister of foreign affairs, were succeeded by His Highness Kadri Pasha and His Excellency [Page 982] Abeddin Pasha, the former as prime minister, and the latter as minister of foreign affairs.
I lost no time in making calls of congratulation and explained why I had not done so earlier. Their manner, as usual with high Ottoman officials, was polite and even kind, regretful that I am soon to leave Turkey and at the same time complimentary touching the occasion of it. Both are comparatively young men and new to service in the ministry. No significance or importance appears to be attached to the change. Perhaps it was an easy way to dispose of the complaints which had accumulated against the retiring ministers from abroad and at home by the numbers dissatisfied with the administration of the Sublime Porte.
Frequent change of ministry has been the rule for years, and perhaps always. Since my arrival, in May, 1875, there have been ten grand viziers and four prime ministers, while in the foreign office there have been nine changes.
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I have. &c.,