Mr. Angell to Mr.
Sherman.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, December 20,
1897.
No. 66.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you of an event
of some importance, which occurred in the harbor of Smyrna.
On Thursday evening, 9th instant, I received a communication from
Rear-Admiral Selfridge (which I inclose) informing me of the following
facts: During the night of December 4–5, at about 12.15 a.m., the Bancroft, coming from the Piræus, entered the
harbor of Smyrna. The lights at the entrance of the harbor were burning,
and nothing indicated that the vessel was not at liberty to enter the
port, nor did the commander of the vessel know that the port was closed
at night. But as the Bancroft approached the fort
of Yeni Kale, a blank shot was fired across her bows and some distance
ahead of her. Her engines were immediately reversed, but before her
headway could be checked, one or two volleys from muskets loaded with
balls were fired at her. A boat in charge of an officer was then ordered
to land in order to communicate with the officer in command of the fort.
Muskets loaded with balls were fired at the boat, which was therefore
ordered back. One bullet was picked up on the deck of the Bancroft. The vessel lay at anchor till morning
and then entered the port.
Admiral Selfridge, on learning these facts, waited on the
governor-general, and very properly complained of these lawless and
dangerous acts of the officer in command of the fort.
The govern or-general investigated the case, expressed his regrets, and
reported the very lame defense of the officer, which was in effect that
he had orders to allow no vessel to enter the harbor in the night; that
he
[Page 1114]
had not fired bullets at
the Bancroft, but he fired over the boat to warn
her against torpedoes, and that the bullet which fell on the deck of the
Bancroft was a stray ball fired into the air.
The governor-general said he had no authority over the military
commandant, but would report his action to the proper authorities. He
stated, however, that last April the consul had been notified that the
entrance of vessels after nightfall was prohibited.
The admiral did not think that the answer of the governor-general could
be accepted as affording us sufficient satisfaction, and informed him
that the military officer ought to be removed and punished, and that the
Government ought to express its regret for the occurrence.
As the correspondence of the admiral and the governor-general and the
full statements of the officers of the Bancroft
will doubtless be sent to the Navy Department, I deem it unnecessary to
inclose them.
As the 10th instant was Friday, I was unable to see the secretary for
foreign affairs. Early on Saturday morning I called at his house, but he
had been summoned to the palace to a council of ministers. I went to his
office in the afternoon, but as the council remained in session all day,
I was still unable to see him. But I left a dispatch for him (which I
inclose) in which I set forth the lawlessness and recklessness of the
commandant of the fort, and demanded his dismissal and punishment and a
proper expression of regret from the Government, and asked for an
immediate answer. I left word that I should call on Monday morning on
the secretary. Accordingly, on Monday morning I called at the minister’s
house. He informed me that the council of ministers had decided that the
commandant of the fort at Smyrna was wholly in the wrong, and that they
had ordered his removal and trial, and that he would send me a formal
communication on the subject. I have now received it, and inclose a
copy. It is noteworthy that the account of the affair given by the
military authorities at Smyrna through the secretary differs materially
from that given in their behalf by the governer-general. The latter
affirmed that the muskets were fired to warn our boat of danger from
torpedoes. The former says nothing of the boat, but avers that the
muskets were fired to stop a sailing boat or sailing vessel, which
sought to enter the port simultaneously with the Bancroft. But the Government expresses regret and announces
that the sublieutenant and the sergeant who were responsible are put
under arrest for eight days and replaced by other officers.
On receiving this communication I at once telegraphed the substance of it
to Admiral Selfridge at Smyrna, asking his opinion upon it. It proved
that he had left for Naples four days before. I telegraphed to Naples
asking the Admiral if the settlement was satisfactory. Yesterday I
received a reply from him, “Yes; perfectly.”
As my opinion coincides with his, I have now written to the secretary for
foreign affairs saying that I shall regard the incident as closed unless
instructed otherwise by my Government. But I called his attention to the
discrepancy in the two explanations furnished by the military
authorities at Smyrna.
Trusting that my action may meet with the approval of the Department,
I have, etc.,
[Page 1115]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 66.]
Admiral Selfridge
to Mr. Angell.
Legation of the United States,,
Constantinople, December 20, 1897.
Hon. James B. Angell, Envoy, etc.
Sir: At about 12.15 a.m. December 4 the U.
S. S. Bancroft, ignorant of the interdiction
of men-of-war after dark entering the Bay of Smyrna, said
interdiction, if communicated to the United States consul, J. H.
Madden, having never been made known to me for the guidance of ships
of my squadron, was fired upon with blank cartridge from cannon, and
with ball cartridge from muskets.
One bullet was found upon the deck of the Bancroft, which bullet is inclosed and which I would
request should be carefully preserved.
The particulars of this affair you will find in the accompanying
statements of the commanding and other officers, marked A, B, C,
D.
I wrote immediately an official notification and complaint to His
Highness Kiamil Pasha, the governor-general, requiring that he
should express his regret at the occurrence, and that the officer
should be punished, calling upon him in person.
My letter to the governor and his reply are marked E, F. My second
letter to the governor is marked G.
You will notice that the governor regrets frankly this unfortunate
incident, and it is true, as he states, that the character of the
vessel being unknown, there could have been no intent to insult the
flag of the United States, and had the warning been confined to the
firing of a blank cartridge, I should consider with regrets of the
governor that a sufficient apology had been made.
But notwithstanding the statement, the fact remains that the Bancroft was fired upon with ball cartridge
whilst in the act of stopping her headway in accordance with the
signal of interdiction, the “blank discharge.”
This firing might have led to loss of life and grave complications,
and is not only unjustifiable by the law of nations, but in view of
the fact that the vessel in question must have been known to belong
to a friendly nation, as no Greek vessels would enter said port at
night, becomes an outrage which can not be tolerated.
If you agree with me, I would request that you will demand the
removal and punishment of the officer commanding the fort who
authorized such firing, and a regret from the Porte for this
unfortunate occurrence.
Very respectfully,
[Inclosure 2 in No 66.]
Mr. Angell to the
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, December 11, 1897.
No. 13.]
His Excellency Tewfik
Pasha,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
etc.
Sir: I regret to say that I have received
from Rear-Admiral Selfridge, commanding the United States naval
force on the European Station, and now at Smyrna, the report of a
most unwarranted act on the part of the officer commanding the fort
of Yeni Kale in the harbor of Smyrna.
[Page 1116]
At a little after midnight December 4–5, the U. S. S. Bancroft was entering the harbor. Her
commandant was unaware that vessels were not permitted to enter the
harbor in the night. The light-house at the mouth of the harbor was
lighted as usual. As the Bancroft approached
the fort a blank shot from a cannon was fired in front of her. The
officer in charge immediately ordered her engines reversed. But
before her headway could be fully checked, fire with small arms
loaded with bullets was opened on her. I have one of the flattened
bullets, which was picked up on the deck of the Bancroft.
A small boat with lights and the national colors was then ordered to
land and communicate with the officer commanding the fort. But after
proceeding a short distance, suddenly, without any warning, fire
with small arms loaded with bullets was opened on her. She therefore
returned to the vessel, which anchored for the night.
Admiral Selfridge has waited on the governor-general, who expresses
his regret for the occurrence, but says the officer commanding the
fort is not under his control. Therefore I am under the necessity of
reporting the officer’s unjustifiable procedure to your excellency.
Certain facts are obvious:
- 1.
- Although owing to the darkness the officer might not have
known that the vessel belonged to the United States, he
could have no reason to suppose that it was the vessel of
any but a friendly power, and the lights showed that it was
a vessel of war.
- 2.
- The officer, even if one admit that he was justified in
firing the blank shot across the bows of the Bancroft, was absolutely
unjustifiable and thoroughly reckless in firing musket balls
at the Bancroft when she was doing
her best to stop.
- 3.
- He was equally unjustifiable and reckless in firing musket
balls at the small boat.
By these acts, which are absolutely unwarranted by military usage,
and are in flagrant violation of international courtesy, he
endangered the lives of our officers and seamen, and took the risk
of provoking a collision which might have led to serious
consequences. I do not doubt that your excellency will see the
necessity of removing from his position an officer who has no better
understanding of the duties of such a post, and of inflicting some
suitable penalty on him. And I am certain that you will authorize me
to express to my Government the regret of your Government at this
unfortunate occurrence.
I am confident that my Government could not be satisfied with any
less marked disapproval of the unwarranted attack on one of our
ships of war.
I need hardly add that in the interest of serving the cordial
relations of the two Governments I must urge on you an immediate
answer to this communication.
Receive, your excellency, etc.,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 66.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Mr. Angell.
Sublime Porte, December 16, 1897.
Sir: On receiving your excellency’s note
No. 14, of the 11th instant, I hastened to ask information from the
parties concerned in regard to the incident which arose in
consequence of the arrival at Smyrna during the night of the war
vessel Bancroft.
[Page 1117]
It appears from the explanation furnished me on this subject that on
the entrance of this vessel into the harbor toward 8 o’clock,
Turkish time, in the night [12.30 a.m.], the Hamidie Fort having in
fact fired a few blank shots from a cannon as a warning signal, in
accordance with the rules, the Bancroft
stopped and cast her anchor, but immediately afterwards a sailboat
having also tried to enter the habor, passing quite close to the
aforementioned vessel, five shots were fired from a gun in
accordance with the usage adopted in warning small vessels and
sailboats.
The ball which was picked up on the Bancroft
came from one of these shots, which were in no way aimed at the
vessel on whose deck it happened accidentally to fall.
The foregoing details show that the attitude observed in this affair
by the men on duty at the Hamidie Fort was according to the
regulations. But as the fact that one of the balls fired at the
sailboat fell on the Bancroft denoted a lack
of attention, the commandant of the forts has been ordered to
inflict eight days’ arrest on Sublieutenant Ali Agha and Sergeant
Hussein, who were on duty that night, and provide for their being
replaced.
In expressing to your excellency our sincere regrets for this
unfortunate incident, I indulge the hope that you will be pleased to
regard the incident as closed.
Receive, etc.,
[Inclosure 4 in No. 66.]
Mr. Angell to
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of
your excellency’s note of December 16, announcing that orders have
been issued that Sublieutenant Ali Agha and Sergeant Hussein be put
under arrest for eight days and replaced by other officers for their
conduct in respect to the U. S. S. Bancroft
at Smyrna on the night of December 4–5, and also expressing the
sincere regret of the Government for the unfortunate incident.
But your excellency will permit me to call your attention to the fact
that the account which the military authorities at Smyrna have given
you differs materially from that which they furnished to the
governor-general. According to the report made to you the rifles
were fired to stop a sailing vessel arriving at the same time as the
Bancroft. According to the
governor-general’s information, furnished to the admiral, the shots
were fired over the small boat from the Bancroft to warn her against torpedoes. You will judge
whether both accounts are true. I desire to express my appreciation
of the justice and promptness of the action of the Government. I
shall report your action at once to my Government, and, unless
otherwise instructed by the President, shall treat the incident as
closed.
Receive, your excellency, the assurances of my high
consideration.
