Welsh Journals

WALES AND ARMENIA. CYMRU UNLLAIS. Armenian Relief Fund (Wales).-BALANCE SHEET to August 31st, 1896. ■Receipts. At National Provincial Bank .., North and South Wales Bank Metropolitan Bank Old Bank ... .. £ s. d. 354 9 7 265 *6 11 271 3 11 155 4 6 Bjpenolture. To Duke of Westminster's Fund Amount paid over In hand To Women's Relief Fund : Amount paid over ... ... In hand Expenses : Printing—Jarvis and Foster North Wales Chronicle Carnarvon & Denbigh Herald Cheque books ... Clerical help and Postage ... To initial expenses of South Wales Committee In hand for expenses ... ••• ---------£ s. d. £ s. d. 692 58 o o o o 240 o o 500 19 16 10 5 14 10 056 750 00 245 o o 25 n. 2 o 2 12 4 10 10 3 1 .£1046 14 11 Audited with-vouchers, and found correct, D. C. I) a vies, September 28th, iSg6. '" : w- Ashley Jones, 25 17 9 £1046 14 11 J. EVAN ROBERTS (Mayor of Bangor), Treasurer. a WOMEN'S RELIEF FUND. Report of Relief work at Van, Turkey, for the month of August, 1896. Since the last report was issued, the Administrative Department of this work has sustained a serious loss in the departure for America of Dr. Kimball, to whose enthusiasm,, and executive ability tw^ci!.. aiu.j >■,„.„, iiiB„it,1,,,uUUjl.ftiuiirthe beginning. All connected with the work, whether as donors, recipients, or administrators, heartily regret that her circum¬ stances seemed to render it necessary for her to leave Van, before the work" could" be closed. It should be said that it was supposing that the heed had practically ceased, aiadthat the-work could be substantially closed when she left, that she niade^ier arrangements for going. It looked as if conditions were improving, and business would get measurably started by that time. But the-terrible experiences of June 15th to 22nd. changed the whole aspect of affairs. For the time being every exertion had to be put forth to supply bread for the thousands, who flocked into our premises, and into the immediate neighbourhood. For nearly a month after the city people had returned to their own homes, or those of their friends, throngs of villagers had to be kept alive, and all this work had to be done in the face of great difficulties. In addition to the ovens that were already running, extensive soup kitchens were opened, requiring a supply of several .oxen daily, and even so the need was butmeageily supplied. ma lSt -of August> when. Dr. Kimball left the city and passed the work over to my hands, the mass of the villagers had withdrawn, and we were able to look over the situation and lay plans for the future. It had now become clear that the hope je had "entertained, and which found expression in Major Williams' reDort for May> was no lo tenable. Not only was any gain that: had been made in the recent months lost, but the people were thrown back to a position much worse than that which prevailed a year ago. Allow me to present a brief summary of the result of the massacre. The statistics for the city are pretty complete and as presented by the Head of the Armenian Community, show that 547 persons were killed in the city during the massacre, of whom 519 were men, while 520 more of the latter class are missing, i.e., left the city with the revolutionists and were killed between here and the Persian border. The whole number of deaths at the time of the massacre and as a result of it is put at 1215. Estimating the Armenian population of the city at 25000, and counting one quarter of this number as able bodied males, or bread-winners, and it ,. evident thdt'otic si^riroTT;rITs class were sacrfficetjl in the city. Taking the whole vilayet, as far as reported, the number of killed and missing (as explained above) is 5522, of whom 4454 were from the class of bread-winners, or nearly one fifth in the vilayet. Statistics from some of the remoter districts are not yet in, and will considerably increase the proportion. The mere statement of this loss shows an immense increase in the need of help for the province. But to appreciate the situation, we must add to the account the immense loss.of property which has taken place, and which is somewhat more difficult accurately to estimate. In the city 354 houses were burned, leaving their owners houseless. A' low estiinate of the pecuniary loss as 42925 leras, equals $190587, The number of houses robbed W£™ |5'*4> and the Arachnort estimates the average loss at 100 leras. A considerable number of these houses were of the best class, and many of them, with their gardens and vineyards, are still in. the hands of those who killed the owners, so that the surviving members of the families are, in many instances, forced to apply for help for securing their daily bread. Hundreds of families who last year received assistance because they had nothing on which they could realize money to meet their needs, have now lost the beds, copper vessels, and the rest of their very meagre supply of household utensils, as well as the roofs that covered them, and are now lying on the bare floor, in the houses of friends, and with almost nothing to cover them, a condition of affairs which the autumn nights will soon render intolerable*- Hence it is evident that the need of help for the city of Van will be very greatly increased over that of last winter, m To be continued. For the Editor, communications should be addressed to Prof. E. V. Arnold, Bangor; for the Publishers, to Messrs. Jarvis & Foster, Bangor. Jarvis & Foster, Printers & Publishers, Lome House, Bangor.