The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-22 00:00:00

THE HEALTH OF THE SULTAN.

The Austrian correspondent of The Times telegraphs from
Vienna, July 17 :
Ditquieting news has come from Constantinople
about the health of the Sultan. With the strict
etiquette and jealous seclusion which prevails with
regard to everything concerning the person of the
Saltan, it is indeed next to impossible to ascertain
the accuracy of any report which may be current in
this respect. But in this instance the information
comes from those who are in a position to
know what is passing. According to these the
Sultan is under the Effect of a great moral degree.
sin. Whether it be a consequence of his illness, a
painful carbuncle, or whether it be caused by the
sudden transition from utter seclusion, coupled with
forced idleness, to all the cares and anxieties of his
present exalted position, and the soul stirring
emotions which accompanied this transition, certain
it is that he,is under the sway of a mental depression
which, above all, at this moment when his decision
is wanted in many vital questions affecting the very
existence of the Empire, cannot but be very
awkward and embarrassing. Just when the greatest
activity and energy had been hoped for on his
part, he has become all but invisible to his Ministers.
This causes so much the more anxiety, as the
very last time when he received two of them he
behaved so strangely, seemed exceedingly deprtsed at
one time, and then bursting out into fits of laughter at
oilier. times so that the Ministers went away under
the impression that there were grounds to apprehend
Impending salons illness. This precarious state of
• health of the Sultan is a sufficient cause for the delay
In the Investiture; it is a ceremony which entails
great bodily fatigue. What with the procesAion all
through Stamboul, from the old Serail to the Mosque
of Eyoub, the Aetna' ceremony there, the procession
back to the old Serail, and the homage there of all
"that host of dtnitaries and officials, it takes from
early morning till afternoon and would tax the
strength of the healthiest man. The men at present
in power in Turkey do not shrink from responsibility;
„indeed, they have proved this; but still, such a state
of things for any length of time would become quite
untenable.

one
•Ith(

Mr. C. E. Austin writes to The Times :—" As many
-allusions have been made to the unaccountable post-
ponement of the ceremony of girding on the sword in
the Mosque of Eyonb, at Constantinople, it is probably'
not generally known that the ceremony should, by a
custom of long standing, only be performed by the
Mulhar Hunkiar, who lives at Koniah, a town distant
more ,than 12 days' journey from Constantinople.
Abdul Az'z was I believe, enthroned by deputy ;- but
it is very probable that, under the peculiar circum-
stances attending Murao's access,on, the Government
may desire the presence of the Mollah Hunkiar him-
self. Now, if this personage is the same individual I
saw at Koniah in 1868, he . is, like the Lamahs of
Thibet, monstrously stout, and accustomed to have his
own way. It may be d fficutt, therefore, to persuade
him to move; and, if he come, he will muke the
journey by easy stages and probably at foot-pace, in
which case the journey may last a month. There may
be goad reason why the Sultan should not go to
,sque in state before this ceremony has been per-
formed. I my remind your readers that Alollah
Hunkiar is the lineal descendant cf the Sultan Allah.
ed•deen, who resigned the throne to Osman."

MEETING OF THE EMPEROREIio)
(AUTHENTIC REPORT.)
Emperor of Russia: How do you do?
Ditto of Austria: Jolly ! How's the Miens?
Etaperor of Russii Tol-101, thanks. Been gay
this season?

Ditto of Austria: Middling. You'll stay lunch?
Emperor of Russia: No, thanks; I want to get
back at once. Ta-ta 1
Ditto of Austria: Ta-ta, old boy. Remember me
at home!
(FROM THE Greased Thunderbolt)
"The meeting, of the Emperors has taken place..
and there Is eery reason to believe that it has resulted
in an agreement -which will influence the future of
Europe. QueStions were probably 'discussed which
have troubled the Imperial Chancellors for monthst
and satisfactorily settled. The tone of the Continental
bourses shows, by ittrimprovement this morning, that
the meeting of yesterday resulted in the solidification
of two peaceful policies."—Pun.