Mr. Olney to Mavroyeni Bey.
Washington, January 14, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, special No. 4, of the 8th instant, in which, by way of contradicting what you characterize as a rumor (bruit) that the buildings belonging to the foreign missionaries at Harpoot were set on fire “under the eyes of the Imperial troops,” you communicate the text of a telegraphic report received from the governor-general of the vilayet of Mamouret-ul-Aziz to the effect that the Imperial troops did not fail to do everything possible for the protection of the foreigners and that it was through their efforts that the conflagration did not spread to the greater part of the missionary property; adding that a company of soldiers is still charged with watching over the security of those persons.
From information in the possession of this Department, the statements in the governor’s telegram unquestionably relate merely to the later incidents of the Harpoot disturbance, when, after the unchecked destruction, pillaging, and burning had lasted for some hours, a guard was furnished to the American missionaries residing in that city upon their repeated request, and the assistance of the soldiers was lent to help the students and servants to confine the fire to the school buildings and dwellings already in flames and to save the few remaining houses from destruction.
A copy of your note will be sent to the United States minister at Constantinople for his information, together with a copy of my present reply.
Accept, etc.,