The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-17 00:00:00

DEATH OF MIDHAT PASHA.

fr.,. AM airek, -
atal

I News of the death of Midhat Pasha has been
I received at Constantinople. The Times in an obituary
notice says: Some three years ago Midhat was exiled
for complicity in the raurder of the Sultan Abdul Aziz,
and since then the world has heard little or nothing of
him, and his rather sudden death will cause regret in
England, where he was not unfavourably known.
Midhat, who was the son of a civil judge, was born at
Constantinople in 1822. Early in his career he was
connected with at least the theory of reform in the
Turkish provinces, for in 1845 he was appointed
secretary to a commission sanctioned by the then
Sultan for the amelioration of the districts about
Konieh. He gave much satisfaction, and suddenly
found himself promoted to the office of Chief Director
of Confidential Reports. He was then despatched to
the Asiatic provinces to inquire into the collection of
taxes and their appropriation. An outbreak of brigand-
age in Roumelia occurring he was despatched to put it
down, and this work he accomplished with almost
Cromwellian vigour. Hundret of gibbets gave
ghastly warning to the lawbreakers, and those who
were left alive by Midhat's soldiery lost no time in
making their escape. Returning to receive the con-
gratulations of the Sultan and an appointment to the
Supreme Council, he soon once more went into the
provinces, this time as Governor of Bulga Here
he found even then, some time after the close of the
Crimean War, symptoms of rebellion, which he
crushed out. Midhat was now ambitious, and he
visited several European capitals, apparently with
some idea of studying Constitutional reforms. His
excursion was not fruitless, for on his return home
various improvements were made in particular dis-
tricts, and ultimately Midhat Pasha—for he had in
1860 attained that dignity—induced the Sultan to
extend the reforms to the Empire at large. This
was the beginning of Midhat's public career, for he
now became known to Europe as a Turkish states-
man above the common order. He had a marked
influence in the framing of the Law of the Tilayets.
He was appointed to the Governorship of the
Yilayet of the Danube, and in 1864 be began the
almost hopeless task of reconciling the Bulgarians to
Ottoman supremacy. He constructed)nany great
public works. which
_remain. nridpr altered circum-
stances, to testify to the vigour and spirit of Midhat's
enterprise. In 1866, however, he was recalled and
appointed to preside over the Council of State. Here
he also showed reforming zeal, but a fresh outbreak
in Bulgaria arising he had to return there to suppro,33
the revolt, which he did, as usual, with much resolu-
tion. Bagdad next rebelling, Midhat was forthwith
despatched to quell the disturbance, and in the end,
though not without much effort, he again succeeded.
Coining once more to the. capital, he took the liberty
to warn Abdul Aziz of the danger of an attempt, then
being made, to change the stweession to the throne.
He denounced the Grand Vizier and his colleagues as
traitora-, and after a spirited court scandal Midhat
himself was appointed to succeed Mahmoud Nedim,
whom lie had denounced. hie triumph, however,
was short-lived. Palace intrigue soon mastered the
daring reformer, and in a short time his enemies
had the pleasure of seeing him vanish to Salonica.
From 1875' his career was a series of strange,
almost romantic, adventures. The story of the de-
posing of the Sultan Abdul Azi 'us forcible removal
across the Golden Horn to the i Seraglio, where lie
met his death shortly afterwards, the succession of
Murad and his NI; are all fresh in general recollec-
tion. When the present Sultan came tothe throne,
Midhat was still high in favour: He was-once more
Grand Vizier, and the Ottoman,Parliament was duly
inaugurated with a peat flourish. Midhat at once
fell under suspicion, and he was not only diamissed,
but banished. He then paid a visit to England, soon
after the Berlin Treaty was-concluded, and was a fre-
quent visitor to the House of Commons, where he
carefully studied the procedure of that assembly.
His agile form was frequently to be seen in the lobby
and 'elsewhere, and he cherished the ambition that he
was learning something which he might usefully
apply to his native land. A dark cloud, however,
was even then hanging over bun; but he gave those
with whom he came in contact in English society the
decided impression that he was a man ineapable of
bearing any part in the odious crime for which he
was condemed. . _

FUNERAL OF THE LATE EMPRESS
OF AUSTRIA.
At Vienna on Saturday the Empress Maria 'Anna
was buried in the vaults of the Capuchin Church with
all the pomp customary with the House of Hapsburg.
Many thousands crowded the streets of the central
city, but only a few could be admitted where the
procession passed. The distance being short from the
Palace to the church, two files of soldiers formed the
line, the police keeping back the public at the cross-
ings. The church was draped in black. All the
priests wore violet robes. To the right the Emperor
and the archdukes knelt on black cushions. Opposite
stood the Archbishops of Vienna, Prague, and Pesth.
The Ministers, the members of Parliament, the public
functionaries, and officers filled the church, the -bright
military uniforms contrasting strangely with the
dresses of the Court ladies. The Archdukes wore

ck
coat, cocked hat, with bright green feathers. There
were eighteen Grand Pukes and six Archduchesses,
besides the Crown Princess. At five o'clock the pro-
cession moved slowly out of the Burg Place, and it
consisted of the inmates of the almshouses, about five
hundred orphan boys, two squadrons of dragoons of
the late Empness, and the Court officials in five car-
riages, three of them drawn by six horses. The hearse
was drawn by eight black steeds, and was preceded by
gigantic soldiers in black and old. On either side of
the hearse walked noblemen s sons as Court pages
and Palace Guards, the Austrian to the
right, the Hungarian to the left. Mounted.
Palace Guards followed, the Austrian in scarlet;
resembling the English Horse Guards, the Hungarian.
certainly with the most picturesque dress existing—
yellow boots, green laced coats, leopardskins across.
left shoulder, and kelpacs with herons' plumes.
They were all mounted on splendid snow white horses.
The dragoons brought up the rear. When, the hearse.
reached the church the drums were first heard..
Then the priests, of whom 250 were in the procession,,
chanted. The Master of the Ceremonies, Count
Hunyady, waved his staff, and the coffin was taken off'
the hearse and carried to the catafalque. After the.
funeral service, during which the Emperor knelt, the,
coffin was carried to the vaults, where the Capuchin.
Monks, with torches, formed line. When it was out.
of sight the Emperor left the church.