Ramsay, William Mitchell: Impressions of Turkey during twelve years' wanderings (London, 1897)

l6o PAST AND PRESENT

every case for the revenge of the brutal mob and
more brutal officials, while the harebrained revolu-
tionists, maddened by suspense and overhanging
fear of massacre, who seized the Ottoman Bank
in Constantinople, are the class which generally
escapes, and becomes more reckless and inflamed.

But we have spoken only of the six European
Powers. What about America ? As is stated on
pp. 222, 227, the factor that has been most potent
in producing the movement towards freedom has
been the American educational organisation.
What attitude does the American Government
assume towards this organisation, and towards the
Power which threatens and longs for and works for
its destruction ? Many Americans, unconnected
with the missionaries, whom I have met, have said
that the American Government was likely to have
great influence with the Porte, because it could be
trusted to have no designs in Turkey. Those who
spoke thus had always, as I found, been in com-
munication with the American Ministry at Con-
stantinople ; and their exact agreement in view
seemed to me to reflect the impression which they,
as strangers, derived from the official view held at
the Ministry. This view ignores entirely the whole
work of the missionaries ; and 1 am under the im-
pression that officials in America (who, of course,
reflect the ideas entertained at the Ministry in