File No. 367.11/127.
The American Ambassador to
the Secretary of State.
No. 374.]
American Embassy,
Constantinople,
January 31, 1913.
Sir: With reference to my despatch No. 322 of
November 21, 1912, concerning the requisition by Ottoman authorities,
for military purposes, of horses and vehicles belonging to foreign
subjects, I have the honor to enclose herewith copies and translations
of notes further exchanged between the Sublime Porte and the Embassy on
the subject.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Identic note verbale.]
The American Embassy to
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
American Embassy,
Constantinople,
January 25, 1913.
In continuation of its identic note verbale of October 12, 1912,
concerning the requisition for war purposes of horses and vehicles
belonging to foreign
[Page 1341]
subjects, and in reply to the observations made by the Sublime Porte
on this subject, the Embassy of the United States of America has the
honor to point out as follows:
While reserving the question of principle as to the legitimacy from
the point of view of the Capitulations, and while admitting, out of
considerations of convenience, that the Imperial authorities are
justifiable to a certain extent in having recourse to such
requisition, the Embassy of the United States of America desires to
point out that such requisition, in order that it may be valid and
executed in conditions excluding all abuses and irregularities, can
take place only with the assistance of the Consulates.
For the same reasons the estimate of requisitioned objects, in view
of an indemnity to be paid to the interested party, could not take
place under the exclusive direction of the Imperial authorities.
The Embassy of the United States has therefore the honor to beg the
Imperial Ministry to kindly issue the necessary orders in order that
the requisition and estimate in question be made only in conformity
with the above-mentioned principles.
[Inclosure. 2—Note
verbale—Translation.]
The Ministry for Foreign
Affairs to the American
Embassy.
Sublime Porte,
Ministry for
Foreign Affairs,
Constantinople,
January 30, 1913.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the Note Verbale which the Embassy of the United States
of America has kindly addressed to it on January 25, 1913, for the
purpose of formulating certain objections regarding the requisition
for war purposes of horses and vehicles belonging ‘to foreign
subjects.
In reply, the Imperial Ministry deems it its duty to point out again
that foreigners residing in all countries being, equally, with the
natives, subject to the measure of requisition enacted in time of
war, the reservations made by the Embassy of the Republic as to the
legitimacy of this measure could in no way be justified.
As to the presence of the consular dragoman during the estimate of
the said horses and vehicles, the Imperial Ministry begs to point
out that the question of requisition being one of those which are
related to the national defense and consequently has an urgent
character, it could not admit of consular assistance, especially, as
the Imperial authorities pay very great attention to the estimate of
the value of the horses and vehicles in question, in order to avoid
any legitimate claim on the part of foreign nationals.
