In lieu of an abstract: On December 12, 1922, General Charpy, commander of the French occupying forces in Istanbul, replied to Halil Bey (1861–1937), head of the Ottoman Imperial Museum, who had recently inquired about French excavations in the city: [F]ar from having destroyed and sacked [the city] during its stay here, the French Occupational Corps made an effort to contribute to the beautification of your admirable city and not only responded to the charitable needs of your refugees, but also used the means which it had at its disposal for excavations, for the supplementation of the patrimony of art, which constitutes the fame of your capital.1