The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-05-10
AtsceItamp.
FROM the Boston Weekly Messenger.
TIE TURKISH EMPIRE

10 understand clearly the nature q
the controversy between the GrseL.
ana their late masters, it is necessary &c
nave some acquaintance with the com.
posilion and character of the Ottoman
empire. We shall, therefore, endeavor
10 give short sketch of the. presen,
sale OF that power, as far as we can as.
CERTAIN 1t from the numerous travellers
and other authors who have undertake
en- 10 enlighten us on this subject.
The Turkish OF Ottoman empire ex-
/ tends over country measuring nearly
9oo,oOO square miles in extent. embrac-
ing some of the finest portions of the
world, IN regard TO climate, soil, and ge-
ograPhicai position. OF this extent.
i94'oOo miles are in Europe, $4,000
In Asia, and $4,000 in Africa. Within
tne iiml's OF this vast country, now go
degraded, were the seats of several of
the principal empires of the ancient
world, and there are still to be found. in
every part OF it, remains of works of
arr, which, ifall other historical records
were lost, would sufficiently attest, that
those regions had been anciently peo.
pied by men very different from its
present inhabitants. 1t embraces some
desert. uninhah;tahle traess, nasnoh- &c /.
very Imperfectly cultivated, and the
greater part of il is tbinly peopled, and
SUBJECT TO occasional ravages by the
plague; but in all its varieties of soil
and climate il needs bat the hand of
industry, and the lights of civilization,
10 render it not only productive, but
populous and healthy country.
AS the Turks make no enumeration
OF their people, and keep no record of
births or deaths, il is impossible to as.
certain, with any certainty, the amour;
ofthe population. An estimate. entitled
perhaps TO as much confidence as any,
makes the whole population twenty.
three millions, viz 100000 in Eu-
rope, / 100000 in Asia, and 9 500, 900
10 Africa. This estimate makes popuIa-
ton OF twenty-six persons to a SQUARE
mile. ,Ihls Is great deal less than the
population of the same countries in an
cient times. The causes OF this thin
population are the despotic character of
The government, the frequent acts Of
violence, and the civil and foreign wars
to which the people are subjected, the
incidence and consequent poverty of
the people, the visitation Of The plague.
and other diseases arising partly from
the imperfect state of cultivation. and
the practice of polygamy.
This population consists Of great
number of distinct races of men. This
fact, under the most favorable circum-
stances, would present a most serious
obstacle to Improvement These rae
es, although they inhabit together the
same city, village, and neighborhood,
very rarely intermarry, or have any I'm
reserved social intercourse with one a.
notheF, and preserve their distinct ma
uonal character, and their particular
language from generation TO generation.
In the cities, generally, the inhabitants
ofthe same race are collected together
IN the same quarter Of the city.
The principal nations who people the
Ottoman empire, are the following =
10 Turkey in Europe LIST, the Turks
to whom all the others are subject. Cd
Greeks of various tribes. Sd, the Ar
nauts, Albanians, or Epirotes. 4th, thc
Slavonians or Bulgarians, Crootians
Servians and Bosnians. 9th, Jews. 6tt
Armenians, and 7th, Franks, or Chris.
tians, from any of the countries of Ea
rope. In Asiatic Turkey, besides Turks
Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Franks
there are Turcomans, Arabs. Kour9s
Druses, Maronites, Syrians or Jacobites
Tartars and Gipsies; and in Egypt
Turks, Arabs, Copts, Fellahs, and Nam
eiukes, Franks, and some other races
the greater part Copts and Fellahs.-
The precise number and proportion o
the several classes of population, j
, would be still more difficult TO ascertain
than the general aggregate.
I.-THE TURKS. These are not III,
native inhabitants, but the invaders o
the empire which they possess. Ate
having occupied the country for thre
or four hundred years, they have Meth
! er incorporated themselves with the ma
tive inhabitants. nor applied themselye
to cultivating and improving the lands 0
which they take the principal fruits
,, 1t has been aptiy remarked, that the
} are less like nation, than like an arm
encamped in the midst Of vanquishe
nations. The Turks constitute, Del
haps, third of the population of Euro
/, pean Turkey, two iiflhs Of that of Asia
ic Turkey, and a seventh part Of tb,
of Egypt; making in all seven or eigl
, millions.
The Turks are described as a larp
and well-formed race of men, of hals
Physiognomy, and tawny compIexio
a with dark brown hair. They have