TURKEY AND THE ARMENIAN ATROCITIES
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CONTENTS
The cover, frontispiece, title page, copyright notice, etc.)
Table of contents (as in the book)
CHAPTER I. THE TURKISH EMPIRE.
Geographical Extent — Topography — Physical Characteristics —
Products — Traveling and Transportation — Building
CHAPTER II. POPULATION AND LANGUAGES.
Accurate Statements as to Population Impossible — No Census —
Best Available Estimates — Distribution — Most of the Races Described
in Other Chapters — Jews and Foreigners — General Characteristics
— The Languages — How Distributed — Peculiarities of the
Turkish — Number Spoken in the Seaboard Cities
CHAPTER III. RELIGIONS.
Islam and Christianity — A Few Pagan Communities — Origin of Mohammedanism
— The Koran — The Traditions — Extent of Islam — Present
Condition — Effect upon the Turks — Contact with Civilization
— Sects — Oriental Christianity — Characteristics
CHAPTER IV. THE TURKS.
Their Origin — Early History — General Characteristics —
Good Qualities — Kindness — Hospitality — Temperance —
Honesty — Intellectual Ability — Obedience to Rulers — Bravery
— Bad Characteristics — Indifference to Suffering — Brutality
— Degradation of Women — Sensuality — Official Unreliability
— Fatalism — Insolence — Indolence — General Summary
CHAPTER V. THE KURDS.
Legend of the Serpents — Connected with the Medes — Tribal Organization
— Nomad Life — Saladin and the Crusaders — After the Russo-Turkish
War — The Hamidieh Cavalry — Brutal Treatment of Christians —
Arabs — Circassians and Other Moslem Subjects — The Nusairiyeh
— Yezidis and Druzes
CHAPTER VI. THE ARMENIANS.
Their Origin — Early History — First Nation to Accept Christianity
— Dispersion Under Oppression — Change from Agricultural to Commercial
People — General Characteristics;' Loyalty to Nation and Religion —
Industry — Morality — Intellectual Ability — Shrewdness
— Jealousy of One Another — Influence of Missions and European
Ideas — Growth of National Ambition — Armenians in Russia —
Autonomy — Armenians in Other Countries — Patriarch Mattheos —
Outlook for the Future
CHAPTER VII. THE GREEKS.
Fidelity of the Oriental Churches — The Apostle Andrew — Concessions
by Mohammed II — Gennadios II — Suffering and Misery — Greek
Revolution — Growth of National Spirit — Hellenes or Romaioi —
Bulgarians in their Relation to the Greek Church.
CHAPTER VIII. OTHER ORIENTAL CHURCHES.
The Syrian Church Divided into Syrians, Chaldeans, Nestorians, Jacobites,
and some Roman Catholic Bodies — The Jacobites — Patriarch of
Antioch — Condition of Villagers — Jebel Tur Region — Nestorians
— Patriarch of Babylon — Badir Khan Bey — Chaldeans —
The Copts of Egypt — Maronites and Druzes
CHAPTER IX. RISE AND DECLINE OF OTTOMAN POWER.
Capture of Constantinople — Victories of Mohammed II — The Sultans
Assume the Caliphate — Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent — Attack
upon Venice — Constant Strife over the Danubian Principalities —
Internal Disorganization — Weak Sultans and Powerful Viziers —
Alliances with Foreign Powers — Repeated Disasters — Weak Rule
in Asia — Revolt in Egypt and Syria — Condition at Commencement
of Present Century
CHAPTER X. TURKEY AND EUROPE.
First Intercourse — Alliance between Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent
— Intrigues between France and Austria — The First Treaty —
Nature of Capitulations — Peculian Favors Granted to the French —
Their Recognition as the Protectors of Christians — Entrance of Other
Powers — Louis XIV and His Ambassador — Influence of De Breves
— Peace of Carlowitz — Turkey No Longer Dreaded in Europe
CHAPTER XI. RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
Aggression of Peter the Great — Diminution and Renewal of French Influence
— The Contest over the Holy Places — Victory of Russian Influence
in Favor of the Greek Church — Russia's Religious Propaganda Among the
Greeks — Rise of Phil-Hellenism — Dismemberment Talked of —
Effect of the French Revolution — The Russian Fleet in the Dardanelles
— The English Fleet at Constantinople — Peace of Tilsit —
Plan for Partition — Accession of Mahmud II
CHAPTER XII. MAHMUD II.
A Disintegrating Empire — An Energetic Sultan — Napoleon and Alexander
— Lord Stratford de Redcliffe — Greek War for Independence —
Russia's Perfidy — Destruction of the Janissaries — Reforms Attempted
— Mehemet Ali of Egypt — Accession of Abd-ul-Medjid
CHAPTER XIII. REFORM AND PROGRESS.
Reign of Abd-ul-Medjid — Influence of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe —
English Policy in Turkey — Hatti Sherif of Gulhane — A Remarkable
Document — Equal Rights for All Subjects of the Sultan — Land
Tax and Judicial Reform — General Situation of the Country — Application
of the Reforms
CHAPTER XIV. TREATIES OF PARIS AND
BERLIN.
Influence of Lord Stratford — The Holy Places — Crimean War —
Treaty of Paris — Abd-ul-Aziz — Extravagance — Influx of
Europeans — Provincial Government — Accession of Abd-ul-Hamid
II — Russo-Turkish War — Treaty of San Stephano — Treaty
of Berlin — Cyprus Convention
CHAPTER XV. CONDITION OF THE CHRISTIANS.
The Christians under Early Moslem Rule — Mohammed II — General
Oppression — Protection by French Government — Russian Intrigue
— Power of the Greek Church — Reforms under Mahmud II and Abd-ul-Medjid
— The Hatti Humayoun — General Improvement Throughout the Empire
CHAPTER XVI. THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.
True Moslem State Theocratic — Dual Form of the Present Government —
The Sublime Porte — Army and Navy — Internal Administration —
Financial Management — General Corruption — Administration of
Justice — Treatment of Christians — The Ulema — The Palace
Party — The Sultan
CHAPTER XVII. PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN
TURKEY.
Early History — Opposition of Ecclesiastics in the Oriental Churches
— Attitude of the Turkish Government — Work Among Moslems —
Development of Education — Societies at Work — The American Board
— Presbyterian Boards — American and British Bible Societies —
English Societies — General Statistics — Relations to the Turkish
Government — Character of the Missionaries
CHAPTER XVIII. THE ARMENIAN QUESTION.
A Progressive Grand Vizier — Victory of the Reactionary Party —
Egypt and the Mahdi — Rise of the Armenian Question — Russian
Intrigue — Articles of the Berlin Treaty — Autonomy Desired —
The Huntchagist Committee — Placards in Asia Minor Burning of American
Building at Marsovan — Numerous Arrests — Armenians Exiled —
Coercive Measures of the Government — American Citizens Threats —
Huntchagists Disowned by the Nation — Young Turkey Party — Absolute
Failure of the Huntchagist Movement
CHAPTER XIX. GENERAL SITUATION IN 1894.
Terrible Oppression — Exaggerated Reports — Truth Stranger Than
Fiction — Religious Liberty Infringed Upon — Oppressive School
Laws — Rigorous Censorship — General Effort of the Government
to Suppress Christian Development
CHAPTER XX. THE SASSUN MASSACRE.
A Deliberate Plan of The Turkish Government — Kurdish Raids —
Armenians Defend Themselves — Kurds Reinforced by Regular Troops —
Terrible Scenes of Slaughter — Stories of Survivors
CHAPTER XXI. POLITICS AND MASSACRE AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
Investigation at Sassun — Mr. Gladstone on the Situation — Disturbances
in Constantinople — Joint Notes by the Embassies — Plan of Reforms
— New English Government — Massacre in Constantinople —
Decisive Action of the Embassies — Signing of the Reforms — Subsequent
Acts of Defiance — Breach Between England and Russia — Collapse
of English Influence
CHAPTER XXII. MASSACRES AT
TREBIZOND AND ERZRUM.
Importance and General Prosperity of Both Cities — Threats by the Turks
— Terror Among the Armenians — Suddenness of the Attacks —
Murder and Pillage by Regular Soldiers, Under the Eye of Foreign Consuls —
Ferocity of the Turks — Testimony of Eye-Witnesses — Terrible
Scenes at the Burial of the Victims
CHAPTER XXIII. MASSACRES IN HARPUT DISTRICT.
American Residences — First Indications — Specious Promises —
Riot, Murder and Pillage — A Dangerous Journey — Attempts at Defense
— List of Villages and Details of Massacres — Statement of a Turkish
Official — Armenians not Responsible — Turkish Dread of Reform
— Tabular Statement
CHAPTER XXIV. AINTAB, MARASH AND URFA.
The Situation in Northern Syria — No Revolutionary Movement —
Massacre at Aintab — Kurdish Women — A Turkish Captain Helps the
Pillage — A Colonel Checks it — Caring for the Wounded —
Two Attacks at Marash — Destruction of American Houses — Brave
Men in Zeitun — Story of Massacres at Urfa
CHAPTER XXV. CHARACTER OF THE MASSACRES.
Massacres at Sivas, Cesarea, Birejik, Bitlis, and the Region of Mardin —
Protection by the Turkish Government for the Jacobites — General Survey
— Place and Time of the Massacres — Victims Exclusively Armenians
— Effort to Destroy the Strength of the Nation — Motive —
Responsibility of the Turkish Government and of the Sultan
CHAPTER XXVI. RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION.
Motive of the Massacres — Primarily Political, then Religious —
The Religious Element Overpowering the Political — Dread of Christian
Domination — False Statements by the Turkish Government — Instances
of Persecution and Enforced Conversion to Islam — A Tremendous Moral
Disaster — Efforts of the Government to Suppress Reports
CHAPTER XXVII. RELIEF WORK.
The General Situation — Absolute Destitution — Appeals to America
and England — Work in the Sassun Region — Van and Dr. Kimball
— Appeals Following the Greater Massacres — Clara Barton and the
Red Cross — Opposition of the Turks — Letter from Van —
After the Massacre in Harput — Suffering in the Villages — Appeal
for Help
CHAPTER XXVIII. PARTITION OF TURKEY.
Factors in the Problem — Turkey and Europe — Topography of the
Country — Distribution of Population — Countries Interested —
Russia, England, France, Austria, Italy Germany, Greece, Bulgaria —
Desire for Territorial Aggrandizement — Mutual Jealousies — Possible
Solution — Turkish Factor Often Overlooked — Great Difficulties
to be Met
CHAPTER XXIX. AMERICA AND TURKEY.
Early Treaties — Some Prominent Ambassadors — American Missionaries
— Obedience to the Laws — Treaty Rights — Questions of Importance
— Indemnity at Harput and Marash — More Consuls Needed —
Naturalized Americans — Right of Domicile Threatened — Positive
Action Needed — Duty of America
CHAPTER XXX. GENERAL SURVEY.
Statistics of Massacre and Pillage — Where Does the Responsibility Rest?
— The Turks; Fear, Ferocity, Outrage — The Armenians; Ambition,
Lack of Preparation, Unwisdom of Huntchagists — The European Powers;
Jealousy, Ambition, Cowardice — The Sultan; Alliance with Reactionary
Party, Difficult Position, Individual Care of Minutiae — Latest Development
of Most Terrible Persecution.
| Acknowledgements: |
| Source:
Bliss, Rev. Edwin Munsell . Turkey and the Armenian Atrocities.
Edgewood Publishing Company , 1896 |
| See also: |
| J. Rendel Harris
& B. Helen Harris, Letters
from the Scenes of the Recent Massacres in Armenia |