The Sun.
London, England, 1826-08-30 00:00:00

CONSTANTINOPLE.

(From the Constitutionnel.)
CONSTANTINOPLE, JUNE 26.-(Private Letter).—The
plague, which desolates this capital, brings into the haw
(treasury) of his Highness large sums of money; to which,
notwithstanding what has been said about the termination
of confiscations, there have .been added, within these fif-
teen days, the treasures and spoils of two Jew bankers,
three Armenians, and an Ulema, WhO has been executed
as an accomplice in the plots of the Janissaries, to whom
he had lent money. His Highness, who appears deter-
mined to procure money by any means, and wishing to
adopt the most economical measures, has just begun to
sell a part of the women who encumbered his harems, for
the purpose• of proceeding in order: The eski serail (an-
cient seraglio) has been emptied of the women who be-
longed to the Sultans Selim and Mustapha, and who
should have been shut up, according to custom, till the
death of the Sultan. There are among these slaves se-
veral old women, but, as they were all sold in one lot, the
Armenians, who try to make money in every way, will
find that they have made a good bargain, if it is true that
they have paid only 200,000 piastres for 700 women and
72 eunuchs. They intend to send these women, young
and old, to Africa and to Curdistan, to be sold in lots to
the proprietors of those countries. After this clearing out
the glorious Sultan Mahomet has collected all the tailors
of Constantinople, and sent them to the eski serail
to make uniforms for the new troops. Economy of the
same kind is extended into other quarters of the
Royal harem, and the Sultan thus appears deter-
mined to appeal to the people rather than yield to the dif-
ficulties which are thrown in his way. In the midst of
all these sales of women and eunuchs, the Sultan affects
the most religious sanctity. Ile has just renewed the
ceremony of the Holy Water, which consists in dipping a
skirt of the prophet's garment into a vessel of water, with
which they till thousand's of phials, and distribute them
into all parts of Turke)% A great quantity of these have
been sent to different parts of the empire, and sold at a high
price, so that his Highness, .with this and the sale of his
women, ,will realise several millions. The Grand Seig-
nieur has contributed, besides these other sources of profit,
and it is calculated that in Constantinople alone he will
realise ten millions by similar expedients. A number of
new regulations have been adopted, such as allowing the
use of wine, as forming a part of the European discipline
—shutting up the coffee-shops, abolishing smoking, &c. ;
but whether these changes will be finally adhered to, is
another question. • One thing is certain, Mahomet H, will
either fall in the struggle, or change the face of the empire.‘
In the mean time, they continue to go on hanging daily
great numbers of engineers, who do not seem at all dis-
posed to act in concert with the artillerymen. This man-
ner of exercising troops has so frightened the Arnautes,
that great numbers have:departed without leave, after
selling. to the Jews their new uniforms, which they did
not wish to carry with them. However tranquil and
peaceable all may appear at present, I would not answer
for the destinies of the Turkish Emperor for fifteen days.