to acquit himself in the face of charges of embezzlement
brought against him by the Young Turks in 1908.//
Avlonyalı Mehmet Ferid Paşa was the Ottoman
Prime Minister in 1905 when the 'Sisam İsyanı'
(Samos Island Revolt) erupted. Hasan Rami
Paşa, then Navy Minister, sent ships to Samos
at Ferid Paşa's direction to quell the revolt.
At that time, on one hand, I was dealing with many, many urgent
intiatives for the state and the nation coming to me from Bab-ı âli
(Prime Minister's palace - Mehmet Ferid Paşa was then PM) and,
on the other hand, I was working feverishly on my own proposals
regarding weapon systems and renewing the fleet. Then the 'Sisam
Incident' erupted (a Greek insurrection on the island of Samos in
1905.) I sent the Hamidiye Cruiser, the Marmaris Gunboat and the
Pik Şevket torpido boat to Samos from Istanbul. In short, in those
days I started work at 3 in the morning and worked until midnight
at my home, all for love of my country and my profession. I did my
duty to the best of my ability and a simple investigation would
clearly show this.
I can provide any number of evidences and proofs that I was not a
member of the despotic group and that I was, in fact, a lover of
freedom and Meşrutiyet (constitutional government). I never
succumbed to the culture of secrecy that was responsible for so
many tragedies in the old regime. On the contrary, I was its greatest
foe. I tried mightily to protect my naval officers and sailors from the
intrigues of Ahmed Paşa, Fotoğrafçı (Photographer) Sami, Ahmed
Kapudan, Bağdatlı Tevfik and Bilal and to nuture my smart and savvy
navy personnel. Unfortunately, in doing so I put myself and my future
in jeopardy because some of my protégés who became commanders
and officers have subsequently turned on me.
Sisam Adası (Samos Island)
Not one of the nation's ships, not even a rowboat, has sunk during my
member of the despotic group and that I was, in fact, a lover of
freedom and Meşrutiyet (constitutional government). I never
succumbed to the culture of secrecy that was responsible for so
many tragedies in the old regime. On the contrary, I was its greatest
foe. I tried mightily to protect my naval officers and sailors from the
intrigues of Ahmed Paşa, Fotoğrafçı (Photographer) Sami, Ahmed
Kapudan, Bağdatlı Tevfik and Bilal and to nuture my smart and savvy
navy personnel. Unfortunately, in doing so I put myself and my future
in jeopardy because some of my protégés who became commanders
and officers have subsequently turned on me.
Sisam Adası (Samos Island)
Not one of the nation's ships, not even a rowboat, has sunk during my
tenure of administration nor has there been any loss of life among
Ottoman soldiers at sea due to any ignorance or malfeasance of mine.
Neither have I caused any losses to the nation's treasury. I have
acquired no mining privileges, no apartments or properties or any other
thing of value from foundations. I have been frugal with the nation's
resources and have no white slaves, no eunichs, no slaves or servants
of any sort. My cook, my maid, my driver and my child's nanny are
all paid by me. I have no other extravagances whatsoever and run
my household with 60 liras per month. Those who assert that I will
flee the country I love are crazy. I am bound heart and soul to my
nation and my profession.
I have been a soldier for 50 years, during which time I performed my
many duties in accordance with orders and principles. I have and always
will be loyal to this sacred homeland, come what may. My personal
holding are the consequence of half a century of salaries and investments,
which I have manged to grow well. While I was posted to Kale-i
Sultaniye (Çanakkale) for 9 years, I invested in agriculture and trade
there to increase my personal holdings.
I have seen in the newspapers that Miralay Aziz Bey has alleged that I
embezzled more than 60,000 liras while I was the Commander of the
Mediterranean fleet at Kale-i Sultaniye for 9 years and that a commission
will be formed, made up of a chairman from the government, officers
from the Divan-ı Muhasebat (state accounting office), the Navy
accounting office and the army, along with a representative whom I will
appoint, to look into the matter. It is unfortunate that such a baseless
charge should be published in the newspaper but, in any case, I welcome
such an investigation. As for Miralay Aziz, I had him transferred a few
years ago when he was the head of the fleet's administrative commission
at Kale-i Sultaniye for malfeasance.
Sultan Abdülhamid II and his 'hafiyelik' (secret police).
Major Ahmed Kapudan, Aziz Bey's cohort, who has been assigned to
investigate my accounts by the Navy, was the stores officer for the
fleet at Kale-i Sultaniye 4.5 years ago when he was caught embezzling
500 lira. At that time, I sent a memo to the Navy Ministry in Istanbul
but my sworn enemy, Navy Minister Bozcaadalı Hasan Paşa, protected
him. When Hasan Paşa died (1903) he moved to the Sultan's offices
along with Fotoğrafçı Ali Sami and began working as a secret agent.
Upon sensing the change brought about by the recent happy revolution,
this scoundrel insinuated himself into the pro-freedom movement and
teamed up with Aziz Bey for this malicious action against me.
With these few pages I hope I have made the case for the respected
Members of Parliament, who love justice and freedom, to launch an
investigation into whether or not I can be considered as having been
a member of the despotic group. I have no stain upon me but in the
light of such nonsense as this, no one can be considered clean. I want
an investigation.
//END of PART IV//
Ottoman soldiers at sea due to any ignorance or malfeasance of mine.
Neither have I caused any losses to the nation's treasury. I have
acquired no mining privileges, no apartments or properties or any other
thing of value from foundations. I have been frugal with the nation's
resources and have no white slaves, no eunichs, no slaves or servants
of any sort. My cook, my maid, my driver and my child's nanny are
all paid by me. I have no other extravagances whatsoever and run
my household with 60 liras per month. Those who assert that I will
flee the country I love are crazy. I am bound heart and soul to my
nation and my profession.
I have been a soldier for 50 years, during which time I performed my
many duties in accordance with orders and principles. I have and always
will be loyal to this sacred homeland, come what may. My personal
holding are the consequence of half a century of salaries and investments,
which I have manged to grow well. While I was posted to Kale-i
Sultaniye (Çanakkale) for 9 years, I invested in agriculture and trade
there to increase my personal holdings.
I have seen in the newspapers that Miralay Aziz Bey has alleged that I
embezzled more than 60,000 liras while I was the Commander of the
Mediterranean fleet at Kale-i Sultaniye for 9 years and that a commission
will be formed, made up of a chairman from the government, officers
from the Divan-ı Muhasebat (state accounting office), the Navy
accounting office and the army, along with a representative whom I will
appoint, to look into the matter. It is unfortunate that such a baseless
charge should be published in the newspaper but, in any case, I welcome
such an investigation. As for Miralay Aziz, I had him transferred a few
years ago when he was the head of the fleet's administrative commission
at Kale-i Sultaniye for malfeasance.
Sultan Abdülhamid II and his 'hafiyelik' (secret police).
Major Ahmed Kapudan, Aziz Bey's cohort, who has been assigned to
investigate my accounts by the Navy, was the stores officer for the
fleet at Kale-i Sultaniye 4.5 years ago when he was caught embezzling
500 lira. At that time, I sent a memo to the Navy Ministry in Istanbul
but my sworn enemy, Navy Minister Bozcaadalı Hasan Paşa, protected
him. When Hasan Paşa died (1903) he moved to the Sultan's offices
along with Fotoğrafçı Ali Sami and began working as a secret agent.
Upon sensing the change brought about by the recent happy revolution,
this scoundrel insinuated himself into the pro-freedom movement and
teamed up with Aziz Bey for this malicious action against me.
With these few pages I hope I have made the case for the respected
Members of Parliament, who love justice and freedom, to launch an
investigation into whether or not I can be considered as having been
a member of the despotic group. I have no stain upon me but in the
light of such nonsense as this, no one can be considered clean. I want
an investigation.
//END of PART IV//
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