The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-08 00:00:00

TREASURE IN THE SERM:LIO.

PARIS, APRIL I.—A Neapolitan paper contains
the following account, which at this moment will
prove highly interesting :
" At the present time, when Turkey occupies all
our attention, the following particulars respecting
the accumulation of the immense wealth existing' in
the Seraglio, will be worthy of notice.
" Several laws of the Koran enjoin the Mus.,ul-
- to lay by sums of money. In order to observe
this precept, each Sovereign, residing in Constanti-
nople, since Mahomet 11., who made the conquest
of this city in 1453, encloses in a chamber of the
Seraglio the gold, silver, and other riches which lie
intends to economize. The sum that each Sultan
puts aside in this manner amounts to about4Blt,oool.,
a kind of tariff fixed upon by common custom. In-
dependently of the duty of the Sovereign in placing
to this amount the sums received from the ti xes,
and not expended, he conceives it to be agreeaote to
Heaven, and to the nation, in adding to this fund the
presents that are made him, either of precious stones
or other article of great value. It is well known
how punctilious the Turkish Sovereign is in this
respect; his subjects, as well as foreigners, cannot
obtain what they solicit, even according to all princi-
ples of justice, unless they add to their petitions,
presents, the value of which is proportioned to the
degree
attained to such a
temore Superstition,
this
s
object which they desire. No one can be ignorant
of the extent of confiscations pronounced in un ar-
bitrary manner by the Despot of Constantinople
against private individuals, and against the Pashas;
and when he has deposited these sums in his sink-
ing fund, in his opinion the iniquity of such roes.
sures is immediately obliterated.
und
increases, in
the Ottoman territory, has
tnhearteathsees, peoplethe moreare persuaded, the
be fortunate arid
,v h
prosperous. This fund is, therefore, called the
Sacred Treasure. History does not confirm this
opinion ;
tory, or the lessons it affords. And what becomes
of this treasure accumulated in so considerable a
manlier by each Sultan ? This is a curious question.
Every year the Kislar-Aga, the Chief of the black
eunuchs, makes an inventory of the riches amassed
during the twelvemonth; and the operation being
terminated, the Grand Seignor, accompanied
by the principal officers of the Crown, re-
pairs in grand ceremony to the, chamber of
the Treasury, and places his signet upon the chest.
After the death of the Sovereign, there are found as
•naany chests in this chamber as he has lived years.
The chamber is then closed, and the signets of
every one of the principal officers placed upon the
door; and an inscription is added, indicating that in
this place is the treasure of such a Sultan. his
successor forms his treasury in another room of the
Seraglio, and after his death it is also closed, and the
same circumstance occurs during each new reign.---
Now, as from the time of Mahornet 11. Constauiti-
nople numbers forty-one Sultans, there exist in the
Seraglio forty-one chambers, containing each the
treasure of each of these Sovereigns.
" In order to touch any of these treasures—to
dare to enter a single one of these numerous cham-
bers—it would be necessary that the Ottoman Em-
pire were reduced to the lowest extremity. It ap.
pears that the necessity of violating the Sacred
Treasury has not hitherto been deemed necessary.—
The Sultans, rather than have recourse to such a.
measure, prefer making the most cruel exactions
from their subjects. Such. is the financial system of
economy of this nation—lt is far from the acknovv
ledged principles of civilized States."