The Press.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

tai robe and turban. In the interior of the (-omit Ey, also—
that is to say, in Asia—Turkish dress mid habits ',till flou-
rish in their primitive state. %Vali regard to the mode of
life and habits of Turkish gentleincia at Constantinottle
still greater absurdities circulate. There is a %cry general
non ... that every itsc'es has a hundred wives, or at least as
many Isalies in his lyre tit. Such is, however, very far fr,tut
being the ca The lady of a pacha, or of any wealthy
Turk. has numerous feria attendants ; and us cavil wife
separate a qulments.HlM has her separate house
Mold, hut very tea Turks treat themselves to the luxury of
more than
means iti the exaggerated Oslo frequently represented.
Slaves are bought, but always treated as part ot' the house-
hold. A slave who has become the mother of her master's
child is free.
The habitsof Turkish Government officials of the highest
'lass (pashas) are exceedingly extrtivagaint, and the sala-
ries they receive vary large. A parka's palace swamis with
servants; some have many hundreds in their employment.
The interiors of the serteglios are, however, in general
simple—a long ottoman, a hare and matted floor. Amber-
mouthed pipes. inlaid with diamonds, are general: and in
the establishments of some Turkish gentlemen very consi-
derable capital is invested in this sole article of Turkish
furniture. Petticoat rule (if so it may be culled where
wide silken trousers take their place) is a very common
feature in Turkish households, and henpecked husbands
are to Ise banal even on the Itessphortis. It is a well•
known fact that the ladies of the Sultan's harem possess
considerable political influence, and many thousand Bus.
sian roubles have found their way there already. The late
Sultan's mother was a lady of eminent qualities ; so is the
daughter-M.llm of Mehemet Ali. Turkish ladies play a
gnat part in Eastern polities, in spin of e di guards and
veiled faces. The life of the 'I tallish ft.:nide is not so
dreary as might be supposed ; for under the cover of the
rushrafirk ( veil) they wander at liberty through the gay
buzaani and busy streets of Stamboul, the Eurtsiwan guar-
Mrs nut excepted. They spend weeks in mutual visits at
friends houses: and, notwithstanding their otter want of
intellectual education, do not beeome the victims of tessitti.
There is one feature in the Turkish character which is ad-
mirable. Mash is said Slid has been written about the
coolness and no/afraid of Englishmen: but nothing comes
up to the philosophic composure. of the M tossulman. Even
at the present enthrall motuent men in power will talk
shout • .ut war, the advance of the Russians, and
similar exciting subjects, with a careless indifference and
caluitiess, truly stoic. "Alta Kerini eittil is merciful!
We will see!"
The Turks are undoubtedly a proud people, and sur-
rounded as they are at Constantinople by servile Greeks,
cringing Jews, subtle Anneal:tits, and to. heterogeneous
European pomilation of ambiguous hue, they look down
upon this it tttttt ty-giiping neighbourhood with feelings ap-
prnaching to disdain—not to speak of the religions differ-
l•lll.l4, %Odell illit01.111• general social intercourse.
The Greeks monopolist, mitinnerce in the capital.
Turkish shipping them is none, whilst the navy of the
Hellenic islanders tralisports the primitive of the eon' lands
ou the 1)1111111,1', stud flout Odessa. to every part of Europe.
Greek firms have the commenial interests of the East at
their lingers' ends: their vitiee is most. powerful in the
exelitinge, and in all the huge ettinnierciml transactions of
constant• ph.. The Armenians take the tituincial
department, mid the it ttttt VIISI. fortunes amasses( by
these subtle Soils of the East give proof of their ability.
Turkey possesses vast weskit in nine. 411,11,14.1.,
soil other Halals, hitherto either %cry badly worked. or
wholly undeveloped. The soil is fruitful. mid a genial
climate ripens plenteous fields of corn and whoa. The
country siting the coast of the Mick Sea to the interior of
Schutt& is entirely a corn-growing pnovince. The spirit
of enterprise is, however, sleek. If British (swiml were
brought into this country. roads oiwneti, and an impulse
given to industry, inany year would not. pass before the
resources of the empire would be' greatly augmented. A
gnat deal leas been dune of late years by the establishment
of regular steam-host communication along the llosplitorits.
A projeeted railway to Ittslgnide, which is stopped iota on
Recount of the politieal crisis, thtitigh it hats Hilt, het%
given tip by the projectors. would leave proved of ineal.
ettlable advantage to the State. Russia interposed against
its constnict• —which is not a bad test of its advantag„
to Turkey.
The most important reform that has been projected for
many yeas in the Ottonnut empire is at length almost to
be accomplished. A tinniin will shortly be isstaxl autho-
rising the admission of Christian evidence in courts of
law. Hitherto no Christian's word has been admissible
as evidence against a Mtissulniaut, tuid hence tut immunity
fosin punishment and to lies'lles' to crime tot any
Malt alio took 1111. t to have mate lint christ
to his °Mitre. Practically the niyalis wets• deprived of
anything in the shape of law or justiee. and lived iii per-
petual distrust of their M woodman felloa-subjeets. Th,•
working of the 111. V/ tirman will doubtless lie difficult, but.
supported by the European Consuls. it. will confer at hp
I.%thuithle bow on Turkey. and will do much to n.inove
thow causes of complaint which have led to the present
crisis, which latter, haying produced the Orman, furnishes
an instsitett of good resulting from evil which could scarce
have been hots d for.