March 18--India Office of British Government says that documents have
reached London showing that German Consular officers and business men
have been engaged in intrigues with the object of facilitating a Turkish
invasion of Persia.
March 20--Persian Government calls upon Russia to evacuate the Province
of Azerbijan, Northwest Persia.
March 25--Kurds and Turks are massacring Christians at Urumiah,
Northwestern Persia; situation of American Presbyterian Mission there is
described as desperate; Dr. Harry P. Packard, doctor of the American
missionary station, risks his life to unfurl American flag and save
Persian Christians at Geogtopa; 15,000 Christians are under protection
of American Mission and 2,000 under protection of French Mission at
Urumiah; it is learned that at Gulpashan, the last of 103 villages to be
taken after resistance, the Kurds shot the male citizens in groups of
five, while the younger women were taken as slaves; 20,000 Persian
Christians are dead or missing, while 12,000 are refugees in the
Caucasus; disease is raging among the refugees.
March 26--Turks force their way into the compound of the American
Mission at Urumiah, seize some Assyrian Christian refugees and kill
them; Turks beat and insult American missionaries; American and British
Consuls at Tabriz, near Urumiah, have joined in appeal to General
commanding Russian forces at Tabriz to go to relief of American Mission
at Urumiah, which is described as practically besieged by Turks and
Kurds; United States State Department is active and asks Ambassador
Morgenthau at Constantinople to urge the Turkish Government to send
protection; Persian War Relief Committee cables funds to American Consul
at Tabriz for relief at Urumiah.
March 27--Turkish Grand Vizier issues orders that Christians in
disturbed Persian regions be protected and uprisings be suppressed.
March 28--Turkish regulars are due to arrive at Urumiah to protect
Christians and suppress disorder; Turkish War Office says that "no acts
of violence had been committed at Urumiah"; Grand Vizier states that
reported atrocities are "grossly exaggerated."
March 30--Turkish Government gives renewed assurances to Ambassador
Morgenthau that protection will be given to Christians at Urumiah.