The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-07 00:00:00

THE SULTAN'S VISIT TO SMYRNA.

On Thursday morning, April 23, the Sultan
ended and held a "rikeab" at the provincial palace.
O❑ the right of the throne the Mussulman mollahs
and functionaries were marshalled by his Excellency
Kiamel Bey; on the left the Greek, Armenian,
Protestant, ar.d Jewish ecclesiastical and civil
heads of the communities, and in front the commis-
sioners and corporations in which the Europeans
take part. The place of honour on the right was
given to the Imperial Cotton Commission headed by
Mr. H. Clarke, vice-president; Mr. Paterson, Mr.
J. Whittall, Mr. J. Youl, &e. Then the Imperial
Railway Commission, headed by Colonel Rechad
Bey, the Provincial Council, the members of the
Mixed Criminal Court, those of the Cadastre or
Municipal Commission, and those of the Court of
Tij are or Tribunal of Commerce.
The grand dignitaries of the empire, his Highness
Fuad Pacha, his Highness Mabmoud Pacha, his
Excellency the Captain Pacha, &c., stood oil the
right of the throne, with Kiamil Bey below, On his
Imperial Majesty ascending the throne he took
forth a paper from which he read a speech in
Turkish to his Highness Fuad Pacha, etiquette for-
bidding that be should speak aloud, but after the
first few moments his voice was without difficulty
heard even by the furthest attendants. His Impe-
rial Majesty having handed the speech to Fuad
Pacha, his highness read it aloud. The speech pub-
lished in French is not quite the same as that de-
livered by the Sultan. He spoke something to the
following effect :—He referred to his constant efforts
for the advancement of his country and all classes
of his people, without distinction, and with that
object alone had he visited his subjects. He had at
once gone to Azasolook (Ephesus) to take the first
step towards carrying on the new railway works;
and with the blessing of Providence Aidin would be
reached, and no effort of his would be wanting to
effect that object. The illustrious city (neshshoon
memleket) of Smyrna was a great centre of the
commerce of the empire. He had before visited it
with his brother the Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid, and
he was gratified with seeing its astonishing pro-
gress, but he was no less delighted at the enthusi-
astic welcome given to him, as well by all classes
of his subjects as by the merchants and other
foreigners. The communications already opened,
and those in progress, would greatly contribute to
the promotion of agriculture and trade, and he
would give every assistance, not only for the exten-
sion of the railway to Aidin, but for the advance-
ment of other undertakings. He spoke of the
satisfactory appearance of the scholars of the public
schools of all sects. The productions of the province
were valuable and abundant, and the cotton cultiva-
tion was a great source of wealth for commerce. He
expressed his satisfaction with the labours of the
Cotton Commission and the co-operation of the in-
habitants. He urged on all his officers, and on all
the leading inhabitants of the province, to co-operate
for their common benefit and that of the empire.
Feelings of gratitude could not.be expressed, but
no one was unmoved, as when the Sultan looked
around to each group with_ his eye all saluted. The
presentation of the authorities was prevented by the
Raman Catholic archbishop obtaining by foreign
influence an audience of the Sultan on the palace
stairs

After the levee the Sultan proceeded in a carriage,
'ollowed by the Imperial Princes and suite, through
,he city to the railway, passing through the railway
riumphal arch at the level crossing, where com-
mands were given to the railway officials for races
on the morrow. Passing along the turnpike road
constructed for the Bournabat Road Company by
Mr. Crampton, his Imperial Majesty noticed that
several of the trees planted by that gentleman had
been dedicated to him, and he expressed his wish
that the road should be completely planted as a
public promenade for Smyrna, towards which his
Imperial Majesty contributed £lOO. Proceeding
at a rapid pace along that line of road, the Sultan
reached the town of Bournabat, one of the country
residences of the merchants. Here, by the arrange-
ment of Fuad Pacha, two villas had been prepared
for him—that of Mr. Whittall, director of the rail-
way, remarkable for its beautiful gardens, and that
of Mr. Paterson, of the Cotton Commission, being
the finest villa in the country.
The Sultan gave the precedence to Mr. Whit-
tall, as of right, he being what is called here
the " doyen" of the English colony, and hav-
ing supported its honour by munificent hospi-
tality to every crowned bead and prince who has
visited Smyrna of late years, with the excep-
tion of the Prince of Wales, who by some miii•
management was taken another route. The mem-
bers of the family had quitted the house to placel the
it
at the disposal of the Sultan, leaving n
kitchen servants. His Imperial Majesty shortly
after entering requested that Mr. Whittall should
remain in his own house, and conversed with him.
The Sultan spent several hours in the house, kiosk
and gardens, and consequently did not visit Mr.
Paterson. On leaving, his Imperial Majesty per-
sonally addressed Mr.Whittall, thanking him ; Mr,
Whittall answered that he felt the visit to him was
a compliment to the English community, whose
countrymen were his constant allies. The Sultan
left £lOO for the servants, which Mr. Whittall
devoted to tho children of the Greek and other
schools of the town.

On returning, the contractor's works were bril-
liantly illuminated, as was the whole city, and as
the Sultan passed through the Armenians spread
carpets before him in the main streets, and the
bands of the French and Italian fleets played. In