The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-03-11
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THE SULTAN AT THE MASKED BALL.

On the 31st of January the rumor spread al
at once that the Sultan would attend the ba
de costume at tie English embassy in Constan-
tinople. Early in the afternoon the narrow
main street of Pera bore an unusually excited
aspect. At eight o'clock a fire lighted on The
heights above the imperial palace of T'cheragon
followed by a salvo of artillery from Galata
Sera, was the signal that the Sultan had left
his place. A little before nine he arrived at
the gate of the embassy, escorted by detach-
ment of the 18th LancerS, and guard of honor
composed of British officers of all arms. AT
his approach the troops who lined tie outer
courtyard presented arms. and the band struck
up the "Sultan's March," and "God save the
Queen"
At the great staircase, which was crowded
with officers of the allied armies and Turkish
ldignitaries, the Sultan was received by the
ambassador and his whole personal. Accom-
panied by them he passed amid the crowd of
Igdests into the ball room There an arm chair
on raised dais, covered with carpets, was
prepared for him, to which he was conducted.
Having sat down, with the representatives of
the foreign powers on one side, and the Turk
ish dignitaries in attendance ON the other he
had several of the ladies presented to him.
Then the dancing began, which seemed to ex-
cite his interest considerably, and he stood up
in order to have better view of the proceed
iings. After looking on for about an hour he
Expressed his desire to be shown into the re-
freshment room, where he partook of some
slight slight refreshment Taking the ambas-
sador by the hand he descended the staircase,
accompanied in the same manner as on his ar
rival, and soon the guns of Galata Serai an
aounced that he was on his way back.
1t is the first time that the Sultan OF the
Ottoman empire has honored the house of
representative Of a foreign power with his
presence. 1t required a certain amount Of
moral courage in the Sultan to make his first
step to break down these false but cherished
ideas by his own free will. The way in which
this was done shows, however, that he entered
fully in the spirit of his new posi- ion. His
taking refreshments, however trivial it may
seem to Europeans, is full of meaning in the
respect. Every act of the Sultan's private
life is so jealously concealed from every eye
that nobody except his chief eunuch is allowed
to attend at his meals. Every contact with his
person is likewise strictly forbidden BY usage
to all strangers; and at the ball on Thursday
he took the Abassador by the hand and walked
down with him the whole length Of the stair
case to his carriaga. in the presence Of crowd
Of attendants and foreigners.
But this act gains the greatest Importance
from the time at which it happens. 1t is a
kind of sanction to the concessions which are
to be made to the non Mahornedan subjects of
the Porte. With the abolition Of the privi-
lege of the Mahomedan ruling race, their
head, the Sultan, desccnds, by his own free
will, from the exceptional position which he
has hitherto observed with regard to the repre-
sentatives or Christian powers. Old Turkey
is dead and gone; the ball on Thursday last
was the burial ceremony, and the lively strain
of POLKA and Raltzes its funeral march.