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Britain and the Armenian Question, 1894–7

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Roy Douglas
Roy Douglas
Affiliation:
University of Surrey
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Extract

The Armenian crisis of the middle 1890s is sometimes regarded as a matter which is far removed from the main current of history. No doubt many Armenians were killed; no doubt it was the occasion (though hardly the cause) of Lord Rosebery's resignation from the Liberal leadership; but was it really a matter of great importance to anyone except the Armenians and possibly the British Liberals? It will be argued here that the manner in which that crisis was handled throws some useful light on the diplomatic and political processes of the period. It provides a baleful precedent for the much greater sufferings of the Armenians in later years; for the Jews in Hitler's Europe; and for many 'minorities' down to our own time. A powerful argument could be advanced for the view that the failure of the Powers to intervene on behalf of the Armenians was an essential link in the chain of events which led to the First World War.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , March 1976 , pp. 113 - 133
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

1 Report on the populations of Asia Minor…by Col. William Everett, C.M.G. June 1895 (P.R.O. CAB 37/38/26, ‘Everett Report’).

2 Private memorandum by a member of H.M. Embassy at Constantinople…(25 December 1896); printed for Cabinet 30 January 1897 (PRO. CAB 37/43/59, ‘Embassy Memorandum’).

3 Vice-Consul Hallward's Report, 19 March 1895, circulated to Cabinet May 1895 (P.R.O. CAB 37/38/17).

4 This, like many other Armenian, Turkish and Russian place-and personal names used in this article, is sometimes spelt in other ways. The author will use his preferred spelling in the main text, but will follow the orthography of the writers in quotations.

5 Everett Report.

6 Lord Rosebery to Queen Victoria, 14 May 1894, copy (Rosebery papers, N.L.S. MS 10066, fos. 14–17.

7 Rosebery to Queen Victoria, 19 December 1893, copy (Rosebery, 10065, fos. 144–5).

8 Sir Philip Currie to Lord Salisbury, 27 June 1895 (Salisbury papers, Christ Church, Oxford, A/135, fos. 1–7).

9 Rosebery to Queen Victoria, 19 December 1893, above; Kimberley to W. E. Gladstone,; 12 January 1895 (Gladstone Papers, British Library Add. MS 44,229, fos. 230–231); T. H. Sanderson to Rosebery, 26 January 1895 (Rosebery, box 91).

10 Turkey, no. I (1895), part 1: Events at Sassoon…, 1895, cix, pp. 203–8

11 Cecil, Lady GwendolenLife of Robert Marquis of Salisbury (draft), v, 87 (Christ Church, Oxford).Google Scholar

12 Salisbury to Queen Victoria, 19 February 1896 (copy) (Salisbury A/84, fos. 15–16).

13 Kimberley to Currie, 24 November 1894 (telegram); P.R.O. CAB 37/37/41.

14 Cabinet letters, 27, 28 November 1894, copies (Rosebery, 10066, fos. 235,236); Rosebery to Gladstone, 28 November 1894 (Gladstone 44,290, fos. 249–50).

15 Currie to Rosebery (telegram), 29 November 1894; Rosebery to Currie 30 November 1894 (Rosebery Box 91).

16 Harcourt to Kimberley, 2 December 1894 (copy); Rosebery Box 95.

17 Kimberley to Harcourt, 3 December 1894 (copy), ibid.

18 Harcourt to Kimberley, 4 December 1894 (copy), ibid.

19 Harcourt to Kimberley, 5 December 1894 (copy), ibid.

20 Kimberley to Harcourt, 5 December 1894, ibid.

21 Kimberley to Gladstone, 30-December 1894 (Gladstone 44,229, fos. 228–9).

22 Kimberley to Rosebery, 3 January 1895 (Rosebery, 10069, fos. 135–6; Kimberley papers Acc. 5970, no. I).

23 Kimberley to Roseberv, 4 January 1895, copy (Kimberley 5970, no. I): Kimberley to Gladstone, 12 January 1894 (Gladstone 44,229, fos. 230–1).

24 Kimberley to Gladstone, 12 January 1895, above.

25 Salisbury to Currie, 5 August 1895 (Salisbury, A/138, fos. 10–12).

26 Currie to Kimberley, 11 May 1895 (Turkey, no. I (1896))… 1896, xcv, (Cmd. 7923, p. 34, no. 45).

27 Sir Edmund Malet (Berlin) to Kimberley, 18 May 1895 (Turkey, no. 1 (1896), p. 66, no. 49).

28 Currie to Kimberley, 3 June 1895, telegram (Turkey, no. 1 (1896), p. 72, no. 69).

29 Harcourt to Kimberley, 5 December 1894, copy (Rosebery, box 91).

30 Kimberley to Gladstone, 27 March 1895 (Gladstone, 44,229, fos. 232–3).

31 Salisbury to Currie, 17 December 1895 (Salisbury, A/138, fos. 40–5); see also Currie to Salisbury, 26 December 1895 (ibid. 279–83).

32 Cabinet letter, 8 April 1895 (Rosebery, 10067, fo. 62).

33 Kimberley to Rosebery, 10 April 1895, copy (Kimberley 5970, no. I).

34 Kimberley to Rosebery, 30 April 1895, copy (ibid); Rosebery memorandum, I May 1895 (Kimberley 5970, no. 2).

35 Rosebery to Kimberley, 21 May 1895 (Kimberley 5970, no. 2).

36 Lascelles to Kimberley, 4 June 1895, telegram (Turkey, no. 1 (1896), p. 73, no. 71).

37 Kimberley to Rosebery, 4 June 1895, draft telegram (Kimberley 5970, no. I); Cabinet letter, 19 June 1895 (Rosebery 10067, fos. 169–70).

38 J. W. Whittall to Currie, 27 June 1895 (Salisbury A/135, fo. 8).

39 Currie to Salisbury, 27 June 1895 (ibid., fos. 20–6)

40 Salisbury to Currie, 1 July 1895, copy (Salibury, A/t38, fos. 2–4).

41 Salisbury to Currie, idem: Currie to Salisbury, 11 July 1895 (Salisbury, A/135, fos. 56–60).

42 Currie to Salisbury, 11 July 1895 (Salisbury, A/I 35, fos. 56–60).

43 Salisbury to Currie, 14 December 1894: quoted in Cecil, Lady GwendolenLife of Robert Marquis of Salisbury (draft), v, 57.Google Scholar

44 Salisbury to Currie, 5 August 1895 (Salisbury, A/I38, fos. 10–12).

45 Salisbury to Currie, 12 August 1895 (ibid., fos. 15–20).

46 Memorandum by Col. Swaine of conversation with the Kaiser, covered bs letter from Martin Gosselin, 30 August 1895 (CAB 37/40/44).

47 Idem.

48 Salisbury to Currie, 1 July 1895, copy (Salisbury, A/138, fos. 2–4).

49 Currie to Salisbury, 3 October 1895 (Salisbury A/135, fos. 142–7).

50 Currie to Salisbury, 31 October 1895 (ibid, fos. 172–6).

51 Currie to Salisbury, 21 November 1895 (ibid., fos. 207–12).

52 Currie to Salisbury, 7 November 1895 (ibid., fos. 178–84).

53 Queen Victoria to Salisbury, 4 October 1895 (Salisbury, ser. F).

54 Currie to Salisbury, 20 February 1896 (Salisbury, A/136, fos. 31–9).

55 Currie to Salisbury, 11 December 1895 (Salisbury, A/ 135, fos. 249–56).

56 Salisbury to Currie, 17 December 1895 (Salisbury, A/I38, fos. 40–5).

57 Currie to Salisbury, 19, 26 December i 395 (Salisbury, A/135, fos. 270–2, 279–83).

58 Salisbury to Currie, telegram (copy), 23 December 1895 (Salisbury, A/138, fo. 46). This seems to refer to the dowager empress.

59 Queen Victoria to Salisbury, 19 December 1895; 28 December 1895 (telegram), etc. (Salisbury, ser. F).

60 See, for example, The Times 14, 25, 29 January 1896.

61 Chamberlain to Salisbury, 24 December 1895 (Salisbury, ser. F).

62 Salisbury to Chamberlain, 30 December 1895 (Joseph Chamberlain papers, University of Birmingham, JC/5/6/36).

63 Currie to Salisbury, 11 June 1896 (Salisbury, A/136, fos. 97–102).

64 Currie to Salisbury, 25 June 1896 (ibid, fos. 106–1 II).

65 Currie to Salisbury, 3 September 1896 (ibid., fos. 153–6).

66 M. H. Herbert to Queen Victoria (telegram, copy), 2 September 1896 (Salisbury, ser. F). See also Annual Register, 1896, p. 183.Google Scholar

67 Currie to Salisbury, 3 September 1896 (Salisbury, A/136, fos. 153–6).

68 Queen Victoria to Salisbury, 24 September i896 (Salisbury, A/83, fo. 52).

69 Report of meetings with tsar, September 1896 (CAB 37/42/35).

70 Idem.

71 Memorandum by Queen Victoria of conversation with emperor of Russia, 2 October 1896, copy (Salisbury, ser. F).

72 Letter Rosebery to William Denton (Liverpool), Daily Chronicle 1 January 1896.

73 Quoted in Annual Register, 1896, pp. 183–4.Google Scholar

74 At Colchester, 20 October 1896, Liberal Magazine (1896), p. 483.Google Scholar

75 Rosebery to Gladstone, 7 October 1896 (Gladstone, 44,290, fos. 267–8).

76 6 August 1895.

77 Gladstone to Rosebery, 8 October 1896 (Rosebery, 10027; Gladstone, 44,290, fos. 269–70).

78 Campbell-Bannerman to Rosebery, 15 October 1896 (Rosebery, 10002).

79 Spencer to Gladstone, 11 October 1896 (Gladstone 44,314).

80 Currie to Salisbury (telegram), 3 November 1896 (Salisbury, A/136, fos. 192–3).

81 Currie to Salisbury, lo December 1896 (ibid., fos. 207–11).

82 Queen Victoria to Salisbury (telegram), 24 November 1896 (Salisbury, ser. F). The Kaiser put the same interpretation on Russia's new policy (Lascelles to Salisbury, 22 November 1896; P.R.O. CAB 37/43/47).

83 Salisbury to Currie, 26 January 1897, copy (Salisbury, A/138, fo. 74).

84 Currie to Salisbury, 28 October 1897 (Salisbury, A/I37, fos. 145–9).

85 Currie to Salisbury, 29 April 1897 (Salisbury, A/137, fos. 46–50).