'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎58v] (107/211)

20
During the election, in January of this year, of the Mayor for Tiflis, no efforts
had been spared to gain the majority of votes in favour of M. Matmoff, an Armenian
bv birth and feelings; the Armenian Benevolent Societies are being supported by a
larger number of Armenians, rich and poor, and in a more liberal manner than it was
usual before; of the vernacular press in the Caucasus, the largest share does actually
belono- to the Armenians, who besides having issued for this year quite an exceptionally
great ^number of different editions of Armenian almanacks, some of which being
illustrated with the portraits of famous or popular Armenian writers, views of
Etchmiadzin and other Armenian monasteries of historical interest; Armenian
literature and history have perhaps never yet been the subject of so gcneiall^ popular
a study among the educated Armenians as it is at the present time, and it is becoming
quite the rule, which was not the case even a year ago, that Armenians, not excepting
those knowing the Russian language as well as, if not better, than their own, will use
in conversation, whether at home or in society, exclusively the Armenian language.
Such and similar manifestations reflecting, as it is maintained, the aspirations of
those Armenian patriots who believe that the time must come when autonomy will
have to be granted to their nation, have certainly become more frequent and general
since the Armenian disturbances in Turkey.
I have, &c.
(Signed) D. R. PEACOCK.
No. 18.
»Sir W. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received March 20.)
Mv Lord, Constantinople, March 18, 1891.
WITH reference to my despatch of the 19th Eebruary, reporting the dismissal
of Ahmed Bey from the post of Kaimakam of Alashgerd, I have the honour
to report to your Lordship that Hamid Bey* has been appointed successor to Ahmed
Bey, but has not yet left for his post.
I transmit to your Lordship a copy of a despatch from Acting Consul Hampson,
detailing crimes of which Ahmed Bey is said to have been guilty.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. A. WHITE.
Inclosure in No. 18.
Acting Consul Hampson to Sir W. White.
Sir, Erzeroum, February 21, 1891.
IN my despatch of the 6 th instant I had the honour to mention to your Excel
lency the nomination by the Yali of Erzeroum, at the beginning of November last, of
a certain Ahmed Bey, a well-known bad character, and son of a noted brigand, as
provisional Kaimakam of Alashgerd. This appointment has not yet been confirmed
from Constantinople, and in case your Excellency may see fit to take measures to
prevent the confirmation of such a man in an official position, I beg to lay before you
the following facts in his career.
Ahmed Bey and his three brothers were the sons of a powerful Kurdish Chief
and brigand, Surmeli Mehmed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who, before the war, virtually ruled the whole
of the district of Alashgerd around Toprak-Kaleh.f
Shortly before the war, Ahmed and his brothers murdered, in his own house at
Toprak-Kaleh, a Circassian, Omar Bey, at that time Kaimakam of Alashgerd, with his
brother, daughter, and a servant. Ahmed’s three brothers were killed in this affair,
but he himself escaped. Eor this crime he was exiled to Diarbekir, but, during the
confusion of the war, returned to Toprak-Kaleh. At the time of his exile, an order
was given by the Sublime Porte that neither he nor any of his family were thenceforth
to receive any official appointment.
About three years ago, when returning from a hunt, the dogs of a certain
Sulieman Effendi, of Toprak-Kaleh, attacked Ahmed’s dogs. He ordered his
_ . # See No. 31. Query, Halim Effendi.
t He was eventually exiled to Tripoli, where he died.