Ambassadeurs relatives à la question visée par la note étaient officieuses. En Nr. 10983. adressant une note verbale aux Ambassadeurs la Porte semble vouloir donner à la question un caractère plus officiel. Grossbritannien, Frankreich, Russland. 2. Les Ambassadeurs n'ont pas basé leur projet sur le Traité de Berlin, 20. Juni 1895. ils n'ont fait aucune déclaration à ce sujet et c'est la Porte elle-même qui vise le Traité dans sa note. 3. La note parle d'Articles du projet des Ambassadeurs qui seraient acceptés en principe et de points et détails pouvant donner lieu à discussion. Pour éclairer son Gouvernement sur les intentions de la Porte, l'Ambassadeur demande quels sont les Articles acceptés en principe, et quels sont les points et détails pouvant donner lieu à discussion. || La réponse à ces questions implique la solution des autres points visés par la note. Nr. 10939. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Auswärtigen an die Botschafter in Paris und Petersburg. Die Pforte soll zu einer Erklärung aufgefordert werden. Foreign Office, June 19, 1895. Grossbritannien. Telegraphic. || Sir P. Currie's telegrams, reporting the latest com- Nr. 10939. munications between the three Ambassadors and the Turkish Government on the subject of the scheme of Armenian reforms, have been repeated to your 19. Juni 1895. Excellency. I request you to communicate their substance to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and to state to his Excellency that Her Majesty's Government propose that instructions should be sent to the three Ambassadors at Constantinople to call upon the Turkish Government for a reply within fortyeight hours, explaining clearly their intentions with regard to the scheme, in order that the Governments may be in a position to decide what course they shall pursue. Nr. 10940. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Peters burg an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Fürst Lo- St. Petersburgh, June 21, 1895. (Received June 21.) Gross Telegraphic. || With reference to your Lordship's telegram of the 19th Nr. 10940. instant, Prince Lobanoff is unable, before taking the orders of the Emperor, britannien. to reply officially to your Lordship's proposal that a reply should be demanded 21. Juni 1895. from the Porte within forty-eight hours, but he does not personally see the use of thus pressing the Porte, and strongly objects to doing so. || His Excellency considers that, in view of the fact that the Grand Vizier has only lately come into office, and that he seems to favour the reforms, more time should be allowed him, especially as, from his past history, he offers better guarantees than any of his predecessors of being able to carry them out satisfactorily. Nr. 10941. britannien. Nr. 10941. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Auswär tigen an den Botschafter in Petersburg. Russland lehnt eine solche Aufforderung ab. Foreign Office, June 22, 1895. Sir, The Russian Ambassador called at this Office to-day, and made Gross- the communication, for which your telegram of the 21st instant had prepared 22. Juni 1895. me, with regard to the proposal to demand an explicit reply from the Porte within forty-eight hours on the project of Armenian reforms. || M. de Staal said that the Emperor was unable to agree to this proposal, as His Majesty did not think there was sufficient ground for making a communication of such gravity, especially in view of the consequences which might result if the reply of the Turkish Government should prove unfavourable. Kimberley. Nr. 10942. britannien. Nr. 10942. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Der französische und russische Botschafter sollen eine Erklärung von der Pforte verlangen. Constantinople, June 24, 1895, 7.30 p. m. (Received June 24.) Telegraphic. || To-day I have learnt from the Russian and French AmGross- bassadors that their Governments have instructed them to press for an early 24. Juni 1895. answer from the Porte in order that they may be in a position to consider the situation. Communications respecting the reforms have been passing between the Palace and the Porte and the two Embassies, and there are grounds for hoping that in the next twenty-four hours a communication. of a more satisfactory nature may be made to us. Nr. 10943. britannien. Sultan wird eine Kommission zur Prüfung der Reformprojekte ernennen. Constantinople, June 26, 1895, 3.50 p. m. (Received June 26.) Telegraphic. With reference to my telegram of the 24th instant, Gross- Turkhan Pasha this morning summoned the three Dragomans to the Porte, 26. Juni 1895. and informed them that he expected to receive during the afternoon an Iradé from the Sultan, appointing an Inspector of Reforms not a High Commissioner. He did not know who it would be, and his name would not be submitted to the approval of the Powers. || His Excellency also delivered to them the following message: "A Commission is to meet at once to examine and discuss which are the Articles of the Memorandum and project of the Ambassadors, that are accepted in principle, and which are the points and details reserved for discussion. The Commission will consist of the Ministers Gross of the Interior, of Justice, Public Instruction, and Foreign Affairs, and the Nr. 10943. Under-Secretary of the Grand-Vizier." We can hardly expect any satisfactory britannien. results from a Commission so composed. Nr. 10944. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Petersburg an den Minister des Auswärtigen*). Unterredung mit Lobanoff über die Differenzen zwischen England und Russland. St. Petersburg, July 3, 1895. (Received July 8.) 26. Juni 1895. Gross My Lord, | In the course of conversation this afternoon, Prince Lobanoff Nr. 10944. told me that he had seen a letter addressed by Mr. Gladstone to a corre- britannien. spondent whose name it was not necessary to mention, in which he had ex-3. Juli 1895. pressed his regret that there appeared to be a divergence of opinion between England and Russia as regards the Armenian question. Prince Lobanoff had informed Mr. Gladstone's correspondent, who had consulted him as to the reply which should be returned, that there certainly was a divergence of opinion between the two countries, and that it was impossible for Russia, on account of her geographical position and the large number of Armenians living on Russian territory to countenance any scheme which might lead to the creation of anything in the nature of an autonomous State in Asia Minor. Russia had always been considered the protector of the Christians in the Turkish dominions, and she would be only too happy to obtain greater securities for their welfare and the protection of their lives and property, but her direct interests on the frontier forbade her to indulge in the philanthropic dreams which seem to prevail in England, whose interests, on account of her insular position and distance from the Armenian districts, were not directly affected. | I told Prince Lobanoff that I quite understood the position which the Russian Government had taken up with regard to the Armenian question, and that I had done my best in the despatches which I had addressed to your Lordship's predecessor in office to explain this position, but at the same time I trusted, that the three Ambassadors at Constantinople might be able to continue to act together with the view of obtaining some improvement in the condition of the Armenians. || His Excellency replied that the Ambassadors were still acting together, and he hoped they might continue to do so. All that he had done had been to instruct M. de Nélidow to be careful not to go too far ("s'avancer trop") in suggesting reforms to the Porte. || His Excellency repeated the arguments which he had previously used to me, and observed that the Russian Government was averse to undertaking any responsibility for the administration of any part of the Turkish dominions. || In connection with this subject, Prince Lobanoff told me that he had recently read a report which had been drawn up by a Russian officer in the Caucasus, *) Seit dem 26. Juni Marquis Salisbury. Red. britannien. Nr. 10944. who had great knowledge of the Asiatic provinces of Turkey. This Report Gross- was based in a great measure on the Reports drawn up by Colonel Trotter 3. Juli 1895. and seemed to show the Armenian population was not so numerous as we were now asked to believe. Frank C. Lascelles. Nr. 10945. britannien. Nr. 10945. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Die Pforte will durch Shakir Pascha die Ausführung der Reformen überwachen lassen. Telegraphic. Constantinople, July 18, 1895, 11 p. m. (Received July 18.) The following communication sent to the Porte by the Gross- Sultan was read to-day by the Foreign Minister to the Russian, French, and 18. Juli 1895. English Dragomans: || "His Imperial Majesty has at heart the welfare of all his subjects. He has sent reiterated orders to the Porte during the last few days to hasten necessary reforms and to insure good administration. || "Those reforms which are not contrary to Laws and Regulations already in existence His Majesty will immediately put into force, and Shakir Pasha is about to be sent to supervise and preside over their execution. || "Orders to take administrative and police measures to prevent conflicts and to control migrations of Kurds have already been given, and Shakir Pasha, whose presence will be a further guarantee, has also received orders to this effect." || The Foreign Minister stated in answer to inquiries that Shakir Pasha's mission was to carry out the reforms which would be announced in a day or two by the Porte in answer to the last communication from the three Embassies, and that he would start as soon as possible. || His Excellency also requested that an early answer should be given to this communication. || After Mr. Block had left, Turkhan Pasha, in a private conversation with the Russian and French Dragomans, said, "We are most desirous of settling the question;" at the same time expressing the hope that Shakir Pasha's nomination would be accepted. by England. Though Shakir Pasha's name was not explicitly submitted for approval, it is evidently intended to give the three Embassies an opportunity of concurring. No objection will, I believe, be raised by the French and Russian Ambassadors. Nr. 10946. - Nr. 10946. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Derselbe an Denselben. Bemerkungen des russischen und französischen Botschafters über die Ernennung Shakir Paschas. Constantinople, July 21, 1895, 6.15 p. m. (Received July 21.) Telegraphic. Following communication to Porte will be made to-day Gross- by Russian Ambassador in reply to that made by Turkhan Pasha on the 18th britannien. instant to the three Dragomans, as reported in my telegram of that day's 21. Juli 1895. date: Gross "The choice of Shakir Pasha would not be objected to by the Nr. 10946. Russian Government, but it is necessary that they should know first whether britannien. the other two Powers accept his nomination, and also what the reforms are 21. Juli 1895. which he will have to supervise, and what powers are conferred on him." || The French Ambassador intends to send a similar reply to-morrow, but I shall await your Lordship's instructions before making any communication. Nr. 10947. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Derselbe an Denselben. Die englische Regierung über die Ernennung Shakir Constantinople, July 25, 1895, 10.30 a. m. (Received July 25.) Gross Telegraphic. | Yesterday I informed the Porte, in accordance with your Nr. 10947. Lordship's telegram of the 23rd instant, that, provided that the reforms which britannien. Shakir Pasha will have to supervise are adequate and satisfactory, and that 25. Juli 1895. the powers given to him are sufficient, we should not object to his appointment, but that, as the selection was not ours, we could not accept any responsibility for it. Nr. 10948. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Petersburg an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Russlands Politik in der armenischen Frage. St. Petersburgh, July 25, 1895. (Received July 25.) Gross Telegraphic. It is Prince Lobanoff's desire that the understanding Nr. 10948. come to by three Powers should be maintained; he will be glad to join in britannien. endeavours to obtain any amount of administrative reforms likely to have the 25. Juli 1895. result of increasing the welfare, as well as the security of life and property, of all the Porte's Christian subjects. If, however, Her Majesty's Government demanded political reforms, by which Armenians in Asia Minor would enjoy exceptional privileges, Prince Lobanoff would find himself unable to follow us. Nr. 10949. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Unterredung mit dem Sultan. Constantinople, July 26, 1895, 10 p. m. (Received July 26.) Gross Telegraphic. I congratulated the Sultan to-day, at an audience I had Nr. 10949. of His Majesty after the Selamlik, on the release of Armenian prisoners on britannien. whose behalf I had made representations on various occasions. His Imperial 26. Juli 1895. Majesty expressed a hope that this measure would be favourably received. || As regards the reform scheme, His Majesty said that the Council of Ministers would consider it finally on Sunday, and that they would put into execution one by one those reforms which were approved. || I said that, in the opinion |