File 6/1912 Part 1 'Persia: Shiraz affairs; attack on Mr Smart; Swedish gendarmerie' [‎400r] (293/472)

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protection of a British ship. Upon enquiry here, however, and as no reliable facts
could be produced, it was not considered necessary that such a step should be taken.
In consequence, however, of constant warnings given by Moslems to their Christian
friends, to leave Adana “ before January,” the feeling of unrest became undoubtedly
well defined and widespread.
Aleppo.
The general state of the city and district calls for no special remark. Apart from
one serious brawl in the prison beneath the Serai on the 18th August, in which one
man was killed and seven badly wounded, there have been no incidents.
On the 21st September Mezha Bey, the new vali, succeeded Hussein Kiazim Bey;
he has so far shown himself business-like and friendly. ^
The news of the outbreak of the war excited a lively interest for about ten days
amongst Turkish officials, but the futility of the struggle from the Turkish point of view
has left the population cold and resigned.
Erzeroum District.
Towards the end of the last quarter a great deal of ill-feeling and discord was
caused m Moslem circles m Erzeroum by the publication, m an Armenian newspaper, of
an article strongly criticising the present regime, and demanding in scarcely veiled terms
an Armenian autonomy. ^ i
As a result of this imprudent step, meetings of the supporters _ of the Committee
of Union and Progress were held, at which the expediency of “ giving the Armenians
another lesson ” was discussed. Thanks, however, to the conciliatory attitude of the
vali, moderate councils prevailed.
The announcement of the Turco-Italian war at first caused a certain amount of
excitement, which developed into a general feeling of depression at the prospect of the
loss of Tripoli, which is regarded as certain. _ . i x>
Unconfirmed rumours to the effect that Bussia was massing laige numoeis o
troops on the frontier led to the belief that an occupation of the pio\ince was contem
plated; this prospect, however, was received by the populace with no feeling of aversion
or disgust, the official classes, on the contrary were greatly agitated, and declared that
the only hope for Turkey lay in a quarrel amongst the European l owers.
Opening of New Police School— On the 27th November a new police school was
opened at Erzeroum, based on the same lines as the system established some tame ago
at Constantinople. The actual number of pupils enrolled so far was thirty. 1 he new
school is intended to supply the wants of the vilayets of Erzeroum, Diarbe ir, an,
Bitlis, Sivas, and Marmuret-ul-Aziz.
Bitlis.
Unparalleled disorder and anarchy are reported in the vilayet of Bitlis,_ arising out
of the incompetence of the authorities and the lawlessness of the Kurdish chiefs, notably
Mussa Bey and the Sheikh of Khirzam. , ,
Effect of Turko-Italian War.—The Turco-ltahan war seemed to have had a
rather quieting effect upon the Kurds, though the feeling of general insecurity prevailed
as before, and the authority of the Government remained as weak as ever.
Russian Propagandist Campaign. It appears t at umsian progag an is s &ve
latelv been making ^reat headway among numbers _ of discontented Hamidieh
officers at Melazgerd and Bulanik in the direction of paving the way for a Kussian
• ^ ^ i n/r i i in i-Viia a Q't'iT’iki ti o’ oroot ol Itussia s serious
anxiety amongst Moslems, who see in this a suikii ^ p
intentions.
Van.
Aararian Question— In all districts where Armenians were to be found the
agrarian yuesuon. 0 f muc h complaint and bad relations
unsettled land question still remains the source oi
between Armenians and Kurds. The question is now more acute than last year, and
the Armenians have been steadily acquiring arms an ammum lon - Armenian
The population as a whole remains unmoved by the war, wh.lst the Armenian
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