'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎76v] (143/211)

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No. 46.
Vice-Consul Devcy to Acting Consul Hampson.—{Received at the Foreign Office, June 12.)
g^. Van, May 16, 1891.
A SAVAGE assault was committed upon an Armenian of Karakenduz village,
18 miles distant, by a Kurd of the village Babmin a few weeks ago. The Armenian
was summoned by the Kurd to mend an ox-cart, and on the road was teriibly battered
with his own tools; the Kurd then half interred the body, leaving it for dead, but
fortunately shepherds discovered it, and the Armenian will, it is hoped, recover.
The culprit has just been traced and seized in the Gaza of Kavash, but as the
“Instruction” has not yet been held, I cannot state what was the motive of the
outrage.
I have, &c.
(Signed) GEOBGE POLLAKD DEVEY.
No. 47.
Consul Longworth to Sir W. White.—{Received at the Foreign Office, June 12.)
gj r Trcbizond, May 23, 1891.
IN connection with my despatch of the 28th March, I have further to report as
follows:—
On the 19th instant the Austrian Lloyd’s steamer “ Helios ’ brought back the
Kurds from Constantinople in the company once more of Colonel Vehbi Bey and
Lieutenant-Colonel Ismail Bey. Receiving here the usual military honours and the
hospitality of the more prominent Mussulmans they left on the following day for
Erzinghian, the head-quarters of the 4th Army Corps, where they are to undergo now,
as w r ell as twice a-year, a tw r o months’ course of military training.
These Kurds, it appears, have engaged themselves to furnish a contingent of from
25,000 to 30,000 horsemen, to be organized and commanded by officers of the regular
army in concert with Kurdish volunteer officers of equivalent ranks, from a Corporal
to a General.
Promotions in civil grades were given to the Chiefs Hadji Youssuf Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Sofi
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Ahmed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Eetoullah Bey, and Mirza Bey, while decorations or gifts, or
both, -were bestowed on the rest.
Their gaudy costumes have been abandoned for more sombre attires, and, as arms,
swords and revolvers are carried without lances. Those of Bitlis, Mush, &c., wear
grey tunics and trousers, topboots, and kalpaks bearing the Imperial arms. The
Zazars, or Arab Kurds, have a similar dress, but of dark cloth, and instead of the
kalpak a kafieh is w'orn fastened round the head by a broad band of camel’s hair, to
which is attached the Imperial arms. Those known by the name of Terdkemeh of the
Alashgird district are distinguished by their dark Circassian costume and badge on
the kalpak, a dress which has been given them as immigrants from the Caucasus.
, • The second lot of Kurdish Chiefs, en route for Constantinople, reached Trebizond
on the 21st instant. They received here the same treatment as the first batch, and
left to-day by the same boat, accompanied by the same officers. They number
fifty-tw*o persons of three tribes, namely, that of Haidar Khan, Bedrkhan, and Shah
Hussein, who, I am told, have already signed an agreement at Erzinghian to supply
the State with thirty-two regiments of cavalry of from 500 to 600 strong.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. Z. LONGWORTH.
No. 48.
Acting Consul Hampson to Sir W. White.—{Received at the Foreign Office, June 12.)
Sir, . Erzeroum, May 23, 1891.
I TRUST your Excellency will not consider it presumptuous of me, after my
short residence in Erzeroum, to submit in a few words the views which I have formed
as to the position of the Christian subjects of the Sultan in these districts.