The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-19 00:00:00

The Turkish Industrial Exhibition.

A letter from Constantinople, dated March 7, eaye .
" Those of yeur reedera who here visited Constantinople
will remember to have seen--and others who have not had
suchen opportunity will have read et heard of—the famous
Hippodrome at Atmeidan. This ednes, connected with se
many historical mace:lanolin both ancient arid of our ours
time, although divested of its primeval splendour, es still
one of the most interesting sights of Stamboul. In addition
to the monuments of antiquity with which it abounds—such
as the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, and
the remains of the walled Pyramid, which all stand in a
line, describing the axis of the ancient circus—it has other
advantages which peculiarly fit it for the purpose for which
it has now been selected. Inits immediate vicinity, and
within view, FR.. Sophia and the magnificent mosque
of Sultan Achmet, which now occupies a portion of the ori-
ginal circus, stand out in bold and majestic relief. A num-
ber of hovels and dilapidated buildings, it is true, rather
fear the general ellect, but not to the extent of diteinieb
or effacing its beauty. 'This 'purr, which se often
teit-
nessed rovolta nameng the Janisseries and else the eoru•
oioncement of their exteicainatien, Lies new been appro-
priated as the arena fer the more peeeoful Purposes
of an industrial and commercial competition. The
unpretentious but not ungraceful structures which
have been erected in the centre the square consist of a
principal builiing and an annexe, the two being. intersected
by the granite obelisk. As it was impossible to provide neces-
sary amount of space without encroaching on some of the
monuments, the Serpentine column was included bodily in
the annexe, in the centre of which it stands, enclosed by an
iron railing, a grim reminiscence of antiquity frowning on
steam monsters in the form of locomo ives, steam engines,
end other ouch practical encroachments of present times
over the past. The whole building comprising the annexe
covers an area of 12,00 Turkish pies—something over two
teres, It is a mixture of Turkish and Moorish architecture,
eith an Alhambric porch, and forms altogether a Neely pleas-
ing and light structure. The main building consists of near
sidles, in the centre of which there is an Oriental Court,
with marble fountain, and a profusion of plants and exotic:).
The whole is glazed on the top to admit suffis:dent light.
Before proceeding, however, with any description of the
interior of the building and its contents it is well to state
briefly the origin of the undertaking itself. By many people
the first idea is attributed to the Sultan. Others affirm filet
it originated with Nazim Bey, a son of Fuad Pasha and
Chief Ottoman Commissioner to the London Exhibition of
1852. Be that as it may, the Sultan has given the greatest
encouragement to the scheme from the first, and has, even
in his over-ergernese to see it in operation, exercised such
pressure on those connected with its details that, although
the building hag been opened to the public for a week the
arrangements are still involved in the greatest confusion,
aid it will be for a long time before it assumes anything
'ike completeness.
Although receiving every assistance from the Govern•
went, including, it is said, a pecuniary subvention, the nn-
lertaking is the result of private speculation ; and I fear
shat the commission, in its eagerness to secure& commercial
Success, will loose sight of the other and more important
interests which such an enterprise should have in view. A
certain sum of money was subscribed by the different mem-
bers of the commission, which is to cover the expense of the
ouiidiug and the purchase of most of the objects to be ex-
hibited. It must not be imagined, nor would it be reaecn-
Lble to expect, that in such a vast empire, a great proportion
if which is in a state of barbarism, the same appreciation of
the benefits and advantages resulting from an Industrial
Exhibition is felt by the peeple of this country which ani-
slates the trading and industrial classes in Europe. If reli-
ince had been placed upon anysuch spontaneous contribution,
-he chances are that the walls of the Exhibition would have
remained bare. It was necessary, therefore, for the most
Art, to purchase the articles worthy of show; and it is to
ee feared that, in th interest of economy and of their pockets
the commissioners have not made such a selection, in all
eases, as would probably represent the capabilities of the
country. The power with which the commissioners were
invested by the Government in the furtherance ul the
scheme, has, moreover, it would seem, been used by than,
-ir more probably by their agents in the provinces, in an
arbitrary and unwarrantable manner, in extorting from the
.radeopeople their productions at prices below their value.
fhe natural consequence is that it created a disinclinatien
oa their part to dispose of their best articles, and the show
'lean the provinces, which might have been so beautiful and
interesting, has fallen far below the generalexpectation. To
Lurchase cheap and sell dear iu such an instance is not the
hest means to encourage the trading classes or to dimmest-
trate to them the advantages of a public Exhibition.
In their natural ignorance and inexperience in such a
natter, it would have been the du'y of the Commissioners
to oall in the assistance of a certain number of practical earl
intelligent Europeans to lay dowu the general ptinciples and
mishit in carrying out the general details of such an enter-
?rise, the complicated nature or which re:qui:ea, the mosiper-
ect organisation. It should have also teen the duty of the
Jovernment to insist upan the adoption of a system which
vithout interfering with the legitimate interests of private
,peculation, should have secure] a public value and a sta-
'istical result. I fear these important considerations have
heen, in agreat measure, overlooked. In their self-sufficiency
tad impatience of European control, the Turks determined
-o carry out the ws,rk unassisted. At time outset, and on the
suggestion of a French scicn tific gentleman it was determined
that a similar system to that pursued in England and France
should be adopted, separating the contributions of the diffe-
rent provinces, seas to show the comparative capabilities of
and then into classes and sections. The Exhibition
was to have been divided into 14 different classes. Under
'lie guidance and supervision the classification was proceed-
mg satisfactorily, when suddenly the system was abandoned
as too cumbrous, and the consequent confusion and disorder
set in which I apprehend in now too late to remedy. The
catalogue, which should contain upwards of 15,000 different
numbers, is proceeding at the rate of from s') to 100 a day,.
so that there is a probability that it will not be completed
by the time the Exhibition closes. It seems, moreover, that
the Sultan issued orders for the opening of the Exhibition
ea a certain day,
.giving three days time to complete all the
trranecments. As it is difficult to reason with Sultans and
langerous to trifle with their commando, however unreason-
able and arbitrary they may be, no representation was made
to him as to the incompleteness of the work ; and on Friday
!est, the day fixed by him, the Turkish Industrial Exhibi-
tion was opened by the Sultan in person. A week before
he public, and even the Commissioners themselves, did not
believe it .possible that it could be opened before one month.
Contrary to general expectation no great solemnity was ob-
served on Friday last. The Diplomatio Corps even were not
levited to be present. It seems that the great ceremony is
deferred to the time of the distribution of awards and
prizes. There was no ono present but the Commissioners
and the Turkish Ministers. The Sultan walked round the
building and expressed his approval of the arrangements.
lie bestowed a valuable jewelled watch on Fuad Pasha, as
a commit of the occasion. Ho does not seem to have paid
ouch attention to anything in particular, with the excep-
tion of a crayon copy of a drawing representing a mounted
Nfameluke in all the excitement of battle. The original by
Efarace Vernet is well known, and lithographic copies of
it abound on the Boulevards in Paris. This sketch seems
very much to have struck his fancy, for on retiring to the
elegant kiesk, which is set apart for him in the building-,
old from a latticed balcony of which he can command the
whole Exhibition, ho asked that it should be brought to
im. Ho left the building after some time, and has since
repeated his visit on two eccaeions.
_ _

It is now time to look into the interior of the building,
and give a general idea of its contents and appearance.
after all the defects in management which I have pointed
out, one is agreeably surprised by the coop d'ttil obtained
inside. The general arrangements and disposition of the
various articles have been carried out with a degree
of taste and judgment which I have much pleasure in re-
cording. It is true that the very first impression produced
is that a great deal in the way of utility has been sacrificed
to show. Nor must one be too hard upon the Commissioners
for this. It is so much in the character. o' Orientals
that it could hardly be expected that they would 'have de •
parted from the rule on an occasion like the present. All
their gorgeous and glittering productions—the magnificent
carpets and rugs of Anatolia and Smyrna ; the silver and
gold brocades of Aleppo, Damascus, and Bagdad ; the
tichly embroidered prayer carpets and tapestries of Brussa;
the smart costumes of Janina and Albania; the gaudy-
coloured tissues of the Imperial factory; a costly collection
of pipet!, tastefully arranged in a trophy; the beautiful sil-
ver filagree ornaments of Tunis and Tripoli; last, kut net
least, a selection of Palace and Crown jewels, valued, I am
informed, at upwards of two millions sterling these atb
the things which first meet and enchant the eye ; while the
most profitable and more important productions of the
country are huddled together out of sight, so as not to dis-
turb the harmony and magnificence of the general effect.
The inexhaustible fertility of the soil is represented by the
cereal productions of the country, a great portion of which,
alas I for want of roads, rot on the place of its growth. The
silk cocoon, so important a source of revenue to the Go-
vernment, the wool, the cotton, the production of their
olive woods, the incalculable riches of their virgin forests,
and a thousand other valuable productions too nulaerons to
be recorded here—all these are but poorly represented, and
difficult to be found. Enough is seen of them, however,
by those who look with a ciitical and observing eye, to
show the great wealth of the country, and the enormous
productive and commercial importance with which a proper
administration might so easily endow it.
Considering the apathy of orientals in such things, a very
good attendance has been secured since the opening, which
goes on increasing. On the first two or three days the
people admitted averaged 3,000. Yesterday 5,000 visited
the building, which was not very crowded. Wednesdays
and Saturdays are reserved for ladies only. The price of
admission is 61., excepting on Wednesdays and Fridays
when it is is.

It is curious to see the variety of oriental costume among
the visitors, Turks of the old school in their sober pelisses
and white or green turbans, swai thy Arabs in gaudy-
coloured robes, Persians in their high conical caps, Circ,is-
shins in their beautiful costume,—all these, contrasting se
greatly with the uniform and uninteresting garb of a Eu-
ropean crowd, tend, together with the peculiar decorations
of the building, to invest this Exhibition with a Pictur"
esque effect, quite refreshing to Europeans.
In a future letter, I will describe such of the contents as
are worthy of notice.