The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-01-06
From the Ne,c York Advertiser.
EUROPEAN TURKEY.

- ASiiNNh 1SUdILeI1y hSNicW IOE mo
vember, 1929, contains an interesting arti
Gle under the general title of European
Turkey" founded upon several recent ac-
counts of the country, by one French, and
number of English travellers. In reading
1t, We have been very much struck with the
miserably degraded state of Turkey; and
have been renewedly and forcbly impressed
with the belief, that it cannot long remain
distinct, independent nation. The only
ground OF surprise is, that it has continued
to the present time ; fact that cannot be
satisfactorily accounted for, except upon the
ground that il has hitherto been the policy
OF other nations to hold it up, in spite of its
own1nherent tendency to ruin. 1t is now
about 400 years since the Mahometans took
possession ofConstantinople and yet, with
all its natural advantages for hourishing,
commercial capital, and those probably are
not surpassed in any other spot on the
globe, 1t Is most extraordinary fact, that
they have not advanced a step either in ag-
rlculture, arts, commerce, or civilization.
The revlewer says" There certainly is
not an anciert capital in all Europe that, at
this day, possesses fewer objects to claim
the attentionpf the traveller or the anti
quarry. Thefhurch, or mosque, of st. So
phia, those o Solyman and Selm, the At
meidan, (the ancient Hippodrome) a frac-
tured EngliA obelisk, brazen pillar, the
seraglio, wit its numerous fantastic build
ings, and itsgarden studded with the SOM
bre and formal cypress, the aqueduct of the
Emperor Vaens, and the five hundred gild-
ed and pained fountains it supplies, are the
principal objects that attract the eye above
ground. Tie remains of the ancient els
terms beneah, to which this and some other
aqueducts nee conveyed water for supply
ing the city are still curious in their ruins /;
but most o these are no longer used as els
terms. Ore of them is vast subterranean
edifice, hging an arched roof, supported
by 672 marble columns. 1t is now filled
with earth md rubbish, except where some
silk twistes ply their trade in almost utter
darkness; bit Andreossi calculated it would
once have held water enough to supply the
whole city for sixty days. Another pre-
sents the appearance of subterranean lake,
which extci IDS under several streets. Its
roof is supported by 336 magnificent marble
pillars; ana it is the only one of a vast
number constructed by the Greek emperors,
which still exists as a cistern; but even of
this the Turks take no care, and indeed
scarcely know any thing about it; although
in the event of a siege, if the water, which
is brough from a distance by aqueducts,
should be cut off, their capital could not
hold out for week. The Ottomans have
done nothing to embellish or to keep in re-
pair this imperial metropolis during the 400
IS MstHg h 81 fbheePrd ii No ,PSn
the fact, that the breach IN the aoaH achere the
Turks entered, and IN the ruin of achich, the
last O. the Paleologi i0as buried, remains a
breact to this dGyt"
All the foregoing facts are sufficiently
indicative of the peculiar character of the
Turkish government and people; but the
last isthe most extraordinary of the whole
Who could have supposed 1t possible, that a
nation avowedly hostile to all others, and
for some centuries almost perpetualIy al
war, could have been so negligent of their
own safety, as to leave the very breach in
the wall of their principal city, through
which they themselves entered it when they
first took possession of it, unrepaired for
400 years.
About twenty years ago, Constantinople
was estimated to contain from to 100000
J
coed 100000; having lost by wars, plague
massacre, and the Greek Instruction, about
100000.
DR.. Walsh, describing the wretched state
ofthe country over which he travelled from
COnstantinople, northward, says Sc The
circumstance most striking to traveller
passing through Turkey, is its depopulaton
Ruin where villages had been built, anC
fallows where land had been cultivated, are
frequently seen with no living thing near
them" And the reviewer says:-" 1t is
pretty much the same in all the provinces
and pashalcks. Some of the most fertile
regions of the globe, for such are Bulgaria
Walachia, and Moldavia, are desolated by
plague, pestilence, and foreign invasion, 6ut
| mostly by the eXactions and oppression o.
| tile worst government in existence"
! A large part of the Turkish revenue, be.
! fore the Greek Instruction, was drawn from
the industry and ingenuity OF Christian sub
jects and in Constantinople, the Turkish
population derived almost wholly their sub
slstence. This source of income and sup
ply, must now, in a great measure, fail and
tn, Turks will be under the necessity Of
adopting some new scheme of policy in re-
! lduoIi W llSsS lIupOTLuut pdIIS vi tOGlT SyS'
ten, or they must be cut very short in both
If they are forced to become merchants
mechanics, and agriculturists, the charac.
ter Of the people, and of course the govern.
men, must of necessity, go through revo-
luton. Such revolution is not easy to be
effected and it would not he strange, if
under the heavy pressure of difficulties by
which the empire is surrounded, and from
which they have not very ready means Of
extfcation, they should SO far give way, as
to find it expedient, in the end, to abandon
their European domlnions.
A gentleman being somewhat indisposed
wished his Irish servant to make a fire in hil
chamber, as he intended to remain there the
restof the day. He took the tongs and wen
down after fire. As he was gone unusually
long and being tired waiting for him, he open
ed the door to call to HIM, when he was nearl,
sufocated with cloud Of smoke Looking
over the banisters, he saw the Paddy at the
u