Sat July 10. [10 July 1909] Wrote letters and then went down and read Nuradunghian's report. The Khedive came to lunch, Mr Marling, the Mais[?] (I think, he is a diplomat) a charming little Austrian countess and her husband and others. Strong N wind. At 4.30 Lady L. [Lowther] Mr Fitzm. and I went down to C'ple [Istanbul (Constantinople)] in the mouche[?] to see the Ahmed Riza family. There is a most charming old mother, a Bavarian (one of her aunts married I think a Baron Schˆnbr¸ck). She went with her father to Vienna [Wien], then met Ingliz Ali Bey who was a diplomat and married him. Since then she has lived in C'ple - I think she is a Moslem. The youngest daughter, Selma, was 9 years in Paris with Ahmed Riza. He was exiled for 19 years. Ingliz Ali Bey was a deputy in the 1st Parl. was exiled to Konia [Konya (Iconium)] and there prisoned. The family went out to stay with him but came back here for the education of the children and he died a year afterwards, alone. The two sons in law were exiled (one in Kharput [Harput]) One of them is now Muteserrif of Deir ez Zor [Dayr az Zawr]. Their children, 2 boys, were expelled from the LycÈe here and not allowed to pursue their education. "Toute la famille a ÈtÈ ruinÈe" said the eldest sister "moralement et matÈriellement." Selma's story of her escape to Paris most interesting. She asked for a passport to Egypt for change of air and was told she cd take change of air at Prinkipo [B¸y¸kada]. Finally she got a passport to Smyrna [Izmir] to join her sister. She kept it for some months so that it might be forgotten, then set out and when she got to Smyrna did not leave her cabin - she was on a messagerie. The spies who accompanied her rowed perpetually round the ship to watch for her. She took the Captain into her confidence. At Marseille she had to go out and buy a hat - a hideous one, she said, for she knew nothing of hats. The Captain took her to the station - when she saw her own shadow, wearing a hat and walking with a man, it gave her a start. She thought everyone in the street must be looking at her. She declared that the utmost moderation was necessary here; "especially for us for we are suspected of being too liberal." She veils closely and only sees a few intimate men friends at her house. She was accused of having started a women's club near the Porte - it was wrecked in April. She said it was nothing but an association of ladies to give work to poor girls. Ahmed Riza and she wanted to start a girls' school, but they have put it off - it must wait. The other sister told me that on Ap 13 they did not know where Ahmed Riza had hidden but they were told he was safe. The mob assembled outside their house and said they were coming in to murder them and to seize the £T60000 which A.R. had received from Abd ul Hamid (sic). (One sister asked for sanctuary at the Brit. Embassy but was apparently better persuaded.) The mother was ill; they carried her out by a back door into an empty house. In the afternoon Selma and the dame de compagnie escaped by the back door, both veiled, Selma crouching so as to conceal her height. The elder sister remained alone in the house, lighted all the lamps so as to give it an appearance of being inhabited. It was raining. Finally she crept out of the {back} garden door, holding her umbrella low over her head. Ahmed Riza came in presently. I told him I had reached Mosul [Mawsil, Al] the day the Sultan was proclaimed. He said "Et tout le monde Ètait bien content, n'est ce pas?" "No" said I "ils avaient plutot peur." "But when they found all was going well, then they were pleased. The people are with the Constitution." No said I most of them are indifferent. "Ah" said he because they do not yet understand what it means. They will learn" "And many are against it" said I "not pour le bon motif." Of course said he "those who profited by the old regime" - I having explained this. I said no more except that they wd have the people with them if they could establish security and the army if they paid it. We dined with Mr Hohler. I sat between Mr Marling and Mr [space left blank]. Mr Marling is quite reconciled to the Russian agreement - thinks it has averted war. The Russian minister and 3 of the consuls did not behave squarely but the Govt at Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad)] was always quite loyal to the agreement. The advance of the Russian troops was the only solution; it will inspire a wholesome fear. He does not believe there is any considerable party in Persia really for the Constitution. They have no back bone. Even the Bakhtians cd be dispersed in a moment they don't care a penny about the Constitution. If only the Shah had taken hold of the thing from the first, and organised and increased the Cossack regiments he had the greatest of opportunities. There has been no man in the whole business but Ala ed Dowleh. Sir Gerard says that all the leading Committee men and others he had talked to here say there is no evidence against Abd ul Hamid for the events of April. Ahmed Riza knows the country less than he does - which is probably true. He thinks there is a warm feeling for Abd ul Hamid in the provinces (I don't.) He also credits the provinces with too much exact knowledge of the nature of the govt here - that it is composed of Jews and Xians and has anti Islamic tendencies. (But of course the punishment of Moslems at Adana [(Seyhan, Ataniya)] will make an impression) He says the army and committee are too closely interwoven at present to quarrel. There was a danger 6 weeks ago when Mahmud Shevket was practically lord of C'ple and the Committee kicked against military rule. But a break may come later. The Committee has learnt some wisdom from April - they are going more cautiously. Mr F. [Fitzmaurice] says this is not the moment to raise questions of education etc but they will do it. He thinks if the Committee had not hurried things at first but let the country be gradually accustomed to the new order, all might have been well. They never ought to have dismissed Kiamil in the violent manner they did (Sir Gerard [Lowther] says many of them regret it now.) As things are events have taken the wrong turn. The anti modern feeling is aroused, the greater part of C'ple is against the new rÈgime, and the Committee is pledged to a course of too rapid advance. After dinner, Sir Gerard, Mr Eyres, Mr Hohler and I played Bridge till 1.30. Sir Gerard says the Committee have wanted power without responsibility. They wd not take office themselves but they wd control and criticise those who did. I take it that Jarid's appointment is a step in the right direction, and if Tallart succeeds Ferid that will be another.