TURKISH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10706, 31 August 1896, Page 3

TURKISH AFFAIRS.

THE ATTACK ON THE OTTOMAN BANK. HIDEOUS SCENES IN THE 1 STREETS. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] , Constantinople, August 29. — The Armenian Committee have notified the Porte and embassies that it was intended to seise the Bank in order to ooeroe the Powers to settle.the Armenian difficulty, They threatened ,to dynamite and thereby destroy securities, if molested. Porters, who were thoupht to be carrying coin, introduced the bombs. The rioters entered singly and unnoticed. Revolvers were fired and bombs thrown, and a panic resulted, which enabled the rioters to capture the tia.uk, , The staff fled upstairs. Vincent and several of tho directors escaped on to the roof. Two directors .md 150 clerks were retained as hostages. Twenty pounds of dynamite were placed in the cellar, and a man placed in charge who had everything prepared to explode it. The rioters helped the cashiers to lock up £10,000 worth of gold. Nothing was stolen. After fighting' all day and' losing half their number, the rioters offered to surrender if allowed to proceed to England, otherwise they would destroy the Bank by dynamite, and kill the hostages. Government accepted these terms, and the rioters were escorted on board the yacht by British sailors. A band of Moslems, who were f uriom at the reprisals armed with iron, clubs, and other weapons, paraded the streets, ani massacred every Armenian ieen. It is estimated that from 2000 to 4000 thus suffered. Hideous scenes took place in the public [ thoro Jghfares, which resembled something akin to a battlefield. The police were apathetic and looting generally. Constantinople, August 30.— There was a sanguinary conflict in Pera on Saturday. Soldiers helped the mob to shoot unarmed Armenians. British residents are sheltering the refugees. The roifctjrs who seized the Ottoman Bank, accompanied by a number of foreigners, have sailed for Marseilles.