A Crisis in Ottoman-American Relations: The Boycott of the Hacı David Shipping Company

Abstract

The first official relations between the Ottoman State and America go back to the early 19th century. The first relations were mainly of a commercial nature, while later ones were more of a military nature. Relations with America developed continuously until the collapse of the Ottoman State. When the territorial losses of the Ottoman Empire accelerated at the beginning of the 20th century, especially in the Balkans, the population reacted to this by organising boycotts at grassroots level. Within this context the Austrian and Greek boycotts are of particular importance. During these boycotts America supported the states, among those boycotted, to which it felt itself close for political, military or social reasons. The ships of the boycotted nations, which operated in Ottoman ports and territorial waters and the commercial interests of which had been jeopardised, began to fly American flags and to behave arrogantly towards Ottoman functionaries and the population. The subject of this article will be the boycott of American ships as the evolution of the existing Greek boycott, as a result of the arrogant behaviour towards Ottoman military men and functionaries, of the Greek personnel of the Hacı David Company, which began to fly American flags.