Office of the Historian

Mr. Hirsch to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, April 20, 1892. (Received May 5.)
No. 434.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a note verbale, addressed to the Sublime Porte in the matter of Dr. Matheney’s application for permission to finish a building erected five years ago, and to erect new rooms on the same plat of land.

I have, etc.,

Solomon Hirsch.
[Inclosure in No. 434.]

Mr. Hirsch to Said Pasha.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, April 20, 1892.
No. 99.]

The legation of the United States begs to inform the Sublime Porte that more than five years ago the American citizen, David Matheney, residing at Mersine, obtained permission from the local authorities to build a house on land purchased by him, and paid the required legal dues; he proceeded to erect the building and had it almost finished when the authorities stopped him from completing it; and notwithstanding his frequent applications, the last of which was made by him through [Page 562] the United States consular agent, who in person delivered the petition to the mutessarif on April 8, 1891, no permission has, as yet, been granted for the completion of the said house. This same petition contained also an application for permission to erect several rooms on the same piece of land, but although more than one year has elapsed, no reply has been received from the local authorities and Mr. Matheney is in consequence unable to proceed with his work.

The legation has had the honor on several previous occasions of calling the attention of the imperial ministry of foreign affairs to the rights acquired by American citizens under the protocol of enjoying the possession of, as well as purchasing, landed property in this Empire. This right has for many years been withheld from Mr. Matheney; for, although he has paid to the authorities all the fees which legally can be required, he is not permitted to finish his building which he has erected five years ago, nor has he even received answer to his application made more than a year ago for permission to build the other rooms.

The legation therefore requests the imperial ministry of foreign affairs to give the necessary orders to the provincial authorities for permission for Mr. Matheney to finish his building, as well as to erect the other rooms for which he has made application.