1 86 The Armenian Trouble [ J 895 



They were sure to play him false. He is now in a very difficult and 

 false position, for they do not back him up fairly at home, and he has 

 used such threats that he cannot well let the whole thing drop, which 

 would have been the wisest course. As far as I understand his 

 thoughts, he intends, in case of the Sultan's continued refusal to accept 

 the English ultimatum, to take some violent action with the fleet, not 

 here nor yet at Smyrna, but elsewhere. He asked me what would be 

 the effect of blockading Jeddah and proclaiming that the Sultan had 

 ceased to be sovereign of the Hejaz. I told him that the Grand Sherif 

 would doubtless succeed to the Sultan's power at Mecca if that power 

 were destroyed, but that he must not count on any portion of the 

 population joining English intervention. Much as they disliked the 

 Turks, they would dislike the English more. 



" Communications between the embassy and the palace are all but 

 interrupted at the present moment, nor is Philip in touch with any 

 section of the Turkish Moslem community. His information depends 

 almost entirely upon what he learns from Christians — no Moslem dar- 

 ing to call on him. Now and again he receives a letter in strict con- 

 fidence, but very seldom, from members of the old Liberal party. He 

 counts on the death or deposition of the Sultan, which he thinks might 

 take place at any moment, and he would favour any attempt to revive 

 a more liberal regime. But, until there is a question as between the 

 Sultan and his Mohammedan subjects, he says, he is powerless to take 

 action. It is a misfortune of the position that England has only treaty 

 rights of intervention in favour of the Christian Armenians. I talked 

 all these matters over with Pom as we rode across the wooded hills in 

 the afternoon to Kilia. 



" On our return we found Yorke and Lady Lilian and Clara Single- 

 ton just returned from Stamboul, where they had witnessed a disturb- 

 ance, which may prove to be an important one, between a body of 

 Armenians and the authorities. According to the accounts given us 

 by Philip of the affair, it appears that some days ago he received notice 

 from the Armenian Revolutionary Committee that they intended making 

 a demonstration in favour of the prompt settlement of the Armenian 

 case. They were to assemble in Stamboul and present a petition at the 

 Ministry. This seems now to have been forcibly prevented — a number 

 of arrests were made — the Armenians fired shots — a Turkish colonel 

 in full uniform was seen dead in the street — the Turks were allowed 

 by the police to arm themselves with cudgels — some Armenians were 

 beaten to death — and six others were bayonetted at the Zaptieh. But 

 accounts differ greatly. The cavass who escorted the Yorkes declares 

 that his party was menaced, and that he drew his revolver to protect 

 them. But Yorke assures me that nothing of the sort took place as 

 far as his party was concerned. All they saw was the Turks arming 



