The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-01 00:00:00

SOME ANTECEDENTS OF MIIRAD V.

A correspondent at Constantinople writes to the
Pall Mall Gazette as follows :—" Thirteen years ago
the preseut Sultan began to develop a strong taste for
the tuef.' A fine racecourse had just been made in
the valley which lies to the right of the Sultan's palace
at Kiat-Hana. But amateur racing did not satisfy
the Prince, and he purchased the horse Black Eagle,
which duly arrived from England. This transaction
cost Murad dew ly, and was the commencement of
the severity he afterwards experienced in an ever-
increasing degree from his uncle. It was not enough
that his place of residence was changed, and that
he was made to live in the kiosks he least liked.
His tastes were suppose d to be too European, and
as far as possible the opportunities of his becoming
Europeanized were checked. The plan was success-
ful. But he was not entirely left to himself. He had
a sister, between whom and himself there existed a deep
affectionate sympathy. The Princess was married,
and therefore lived in the seclusion of her own house-
hold, on the banks of the European shore of the
Bosphorus. But even Eastern etiquette can sometimes
be eluded, and the brother and sister contrived to meet
at the Chiflik, or farm, of the Princess, whither she
escaped as often as possible on the pretence that change
of air was absolutely necessary to her health, and
ostensibly for the purpose of enjoying with greater
liberty concerts of Turkish and European music' of
which she was extremely fond. Murad shared her
taste, and, devoting himself to a cultivation of music
for its own sake, he became absorbed in this one pur-
suit, and prosecuted it with so much vigour and success
that he is to-day not only perfectly familiar with all
our chief operas, but has also himself composed some
European airs.
"There seems little doubt that his visit to Europe in
the suite of his uncle, the late Sultan, was an epoch
in his life. The courtesy with which he was treated,
more especially by the Emperor Napoleon, was noted
by the jealous eyes of the uncle, who soon showed by
a demeanour of marked displeasure towards his
nephew the course he intended to pursue, and on their
return to Constantinople by keeping him in strict re-
tirement, chiefly in the Kiosk of the Palace of Beller-
bey, which lies on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus.
At this time even his Turkish books were
removed from him, and a strict order pro-
mulgated that the Effendi was not to prosecute
his study of French. For a time he was closely
watched, and his apparent apathy convinced those
about him that he had lost his taste for learning,
and his perseverance. This desirable result achieved,
a wary, wise, and kind friend now contrived to bring
him books, which were carefully hidden in a receptacle
under his divan, and he continued his lessons in con-
versation and in reading. The Sultana was at the same
time eagerly prosecuting her studies, with, however,
fewer difficulties to contend with.
- -

While Murad was thus earnestly bent on self-
improvement with a single object in view, he was
made to feel how entirely that object appeared to be
set aside in the intention of the Sultan and apparently
in that of the European Powers. This was the timq
of the return visits paid to the Sultan by many Royal and
princely personages of Europe, and it was remarked
that Murad Effendi was kept as much in the back-
ground as possible on these occasions. For instance, I
myself remember to have been witness to the military
display at the Saraskierat, in honour of the Crown Prince
of Prussia, when the young Prince Youssouff Izzeddin,
a boy of not yet sixteen, was called on to do the
honours of the reception. Sultan Murad is of some-
what narrow build, Blight, of middle height, of dark
complexion, and with brown eyes. He is now a man
of nearly forty years of age, and is beginning to be lees
slight than he was a few years ago."