Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1896, and the Annual Report of the Secretary of State

Mr. Olney to Mr. McDonald.

Department of State,
Washington, March 3, 1896.

No. 139.]

Sir: Your No. 224, diplomatic series, of January 23 last, has been received. It incloses the requests of Dr. Cochran and Mr. Howard, at Oroomiah, for a guard to bring certain American missionaries from Van, Turkey. To these requests you replied that the Persian Government could undertake no protection beyond its frontier, and that to do so would be invasion.

Your view of the case is perfectly proper. These missionaries should obtain, through our minister at Constantinople, a Turkish guard to the Persian frontier. From that point to their destination in Persia your good offices can be invoked. The reported readiness of the Persian authorities to respond to such a request from you is appreciated.

A copy of this correspondence has been sent to Mr. Terrell for his information.

I am, etc.,

Richard Olney.