Chapter I: Introduction

This is an important book. It deals with a burning question, and in a way which will command public attention and public confidence.

The author is thoroughly equipped for his task. Birth, residence, and travel in Turkey have made him personally acquainted with the situation which he discusses, and the independence of his position enables him to write without restraint and without prejudice. After nearly four years of service as a missionary of the American Board in Van, the centre of Armenia, during which no criticism of his course was ever made either by the Board or by the Turkish Government, he was recently ordered by his physician to return to America. Having resigned his connection with the American Board, he writes as the representative of no society, religious or political, and is connected with none. In issuing this book he is simply discharging what to him is a personal and unavoidable obligation; and as he frankly avows its authorship, it will be impossible for the Turkish Government to hold any one else responsible for it.

The author shows that the case of the subject races in the Ottoman Empire is desperate, that there is no hope of reform from within, and that relief must therefore come through the interference of the powers of Europe. Their action depends largely on the support of the public. “_Public opinion_,” therefore, “_must be brought to bear upon this case_,” as Mr. Gladstone said in the House of Commons six years ago. Since then there has been added a new chapter of horrors, and the demand for decisive action in the name of our common humanity has become more urgent. The facts furnished by this book ought to arouse such public opinion as will justify and compel prompt and efficient action on the part of the Powers.

The United States need not depart from its long-established foreign policy, but is bound to protect its own honor and the lives and property of its citizens.

JOSIAH STRONG.

NEW YORK, March 1, 1895.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I.— A CHAPTER OF HORRORS 1

Certified Evidence of the Armenian Massacre, Preceded by
an Endorsement of the Evidence, with Signatures in
Fac-simile, and an Explanatory Note.

II.— GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT EASTERN TURKEY 43

The Physical Aspects, Inhabitants, and Administration of
the Country.

III.— THE CHRONIC CONDITION OF ARMENIA AND KURDISTAN 54

Specific and Detailed Instances of Kurdish Plunder and
Oppression.—The Turkish System of Taxation and its
Abuses.—Why these Facts are so little Known.—What can be
Done to Improve the Situation.

IV.— OTTOMAN PROMISES AND THEIR FULFILMENT 70

The Treaty of Adrianople, 1829.—The Hatti Sherif,
1839.—Pledge of 1844.—Protestant Charter, 1850.—Hatti
Humayoun, 1856.—Anglo-Turkish Convention, 1878.—Treaty of
Berlin, 1878.

V.— THE OUTCOME OF THE TREATY OF BERLIN 76

British Naval Demonstration, 1879.—The Identical Note of
the Powers, 1880, and the Turkish Reply.—The Collective
Note of the Powers, and the Aggressive Response of the
Sublime Porte.—The Circular of Great Britain, 1881, its
Cool Reception by the Powers, and the Indefinite
Postponement of Turkish Reforms.—The Effect of the Berlin
Treaty in Arousing Armenian Aspirations and Increasing
Turkish Oppression.—Armenian Revolution a Nightmare of
the Turks.—The Real Armenian Position.—The Only Treatment
for the “Sick Man” a Surgical One.

VI.— THE SULTAN AND THE SUBLIME PORTE 87

The Demands of his Office as Sultan-Calif.—Justice to
Christian and Moslem both Impossible.—Status of
non-Mohammedans.—The Palace and the Porte.—A House
Divided against Itself.

VII.— PREVIOUS ACTS OF THE TURKISH TRAGEDY 95

The Massacres of Greeks, 1822; Nestorians, 1850; Syrians,
1860; Cretans, 1867; Bulgarians, 1876; Yezidis, 1892;
Armenians, 1894.

VIII.— ISLAM AS A FACTOR OF THE PROBLEM 110

A Politico-Religious System.—Indissoluble and Incapable
of Modification.—The Military, Civil, and Legal Rights of
non-Mohammedans.—Freeman’s Conclusion.

IX.— GLADSTONE ON THE ARMENIAN MASSACRE AND ON TURKISH MISRULE 121

X.— WHO ARE THE ARMENIANS? 131

Their Origin, History, Church, Language, Literature, and
General Characteristics.

XI.— AMERICANS IN TURKEY, THEIR WORK AND INFLUENCE 147

Their Attitude and Recognized Position.—Statistics of the
Direct Results of their Efforts.—Their Indirect Influence
on All Classes.—The Present Threatening Attitude of the
Turkish Government.

Appendix A.—A BIT OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY 157

B.—ESTABLISHMENT OF U. S. CONSULATES IN EASTERN TURKEY 163

C.—DR. CYRUS HAMLIN’S EXPLANATION 167

D.—THE CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS 169

E.—BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE SUBJECT 171

GENERAL INDEX 175

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
KURDISH SHEIKHS _Frontispiece_

FAC-SIMILE OF SIGNATURES 2 and 4

VICTIMS OF TURKISH TAXATION 10

REVIEW OF KURDISH CAVALRY 19

NAREG: ANCIENT CHURCH AND MODERN HOVELS 29

ARMENIAN GIRLS OF VAN 39

A KURD OF THE OLD TYPE 47

RUINED KURDISH CASTLE AT KHOSHAB 50

MINAS TCHÉRAZ 80

ZEIBEK “IRREGULAR” 83

TURKISH SOLDIER, “REGULAR” 85

H. I. M. SULTAN ABD-UL-HAMID KHAN 91

HIGHWAY IN ARMENIA 105

ARMENIAN REBELS WHO WOULD NOT PAY TAXES 120

KURDISH HAMIDIÉH SOLDIERS, EXECUTING THE “SWORD DANCE” 127

ANCIENT ARMENIAN TOMBSTONE 135

THE CATHOLICOS OF ETCHMIADZIN 139

THE SUBORDINATE CATHOLICOS OF AGHTAMAR 141

THE ISLAND MONASTERY OF AGHTAMAR 145

ARMENIAN FAMILY OF BITLIS 152