The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-08-19

Seas, at once commands, and is the entire.
pot for, the commerce between them. The
harbor is excellent, having sufficient depth
OF water to float the largest ships, and can
accommodate more than one thousand sail.
The distance across from Seraglio Point
(where there is lighthouses to the oppo-
site suburb of Scutari, on the Asiatic coast,
is rather more than an English mile. Near
the latter place there is also well-situated
lighthouse. Foreigners reside in Galata,
Pera, and the suburbs on the east side OF
the harbor, and it is there, consequently,
that the chief commerce of the place is
carried on. The quays are good, and ships
lie close alongside. The city of CONSTANT
nople proper is shaped somewhat in the
form of harp, with length east to west
of about three and ahalf miles. Its circuit
is believed to be about thirteen miles,
Like Rome, Constantinople stands upon
seven hills, rising progressively from the
water one above the other, and each crown
ed by some noble and conspicuous edifice.
This amphitheatre of peopled hills, with
its innumerable cupolas and minarets,
interspersed with tall, dark expresses, and
its almost unrivalled port, presents coup
d'GA of Incompatible magnificence as seen
from the exterior. The city once entered
however, the illusion vanishes. The streets
are narrow, mean, and dirty, and only
redeemed from absolute ugliness by the
numerous palaces, mosques, bazars, khans,
fountains, &c, that constitute its sole in
ternal attractions. Constantinople con-
tains, at present, IA royal and 332 other
mosques, 4G Moslem colleges, 1873 hospitals,
SO Christian churches, several synagogues,
1870 public baths, nearly 200 "khans" or
inns, beside innumerable caravanseras,
bazars, coffee houses, and public fountains.
Besides these, Constantinople is tolerably
rich in fine Greek monumental remains,
and other antiquities. Constantin0ple was
originally surrounded by walls flanked by
towers which now only partially exist in a
perfect state; and possessed, besides, 43
gates, of which but seven now remain
The houses, for the most part, are built of
wood, and the streets being inconceivably
narrow, disastrous fires have been, conse-
quently, of frequent occurrence. The
Seraglio Tor chief residence of the Sultan, }
consists of vast agglomeration of apart
ments, mosques, kiosks, gardens, groves,
&C., walled in for circuit of three miles.
The principal entrance to this imperial
quarter is by the gate called Ba6-a-hoomajan
or Sublime Porte" guarded by so men,
and having niche on either side in front,
in which the heads Of state offenders are
publicly exposed. The Seraglio contains
some very magnificent buildings and is
estimated to contain about 10, 900 inmates.
The mosques Of Constantinople are, gen.
orally speaking, very magnificent struc-
lures, more especially those of st. Sophia,
Solyman the Magnificent, and Sultan Ach-
met 1. The suburb of Galata is, as it were,
Christendom in Turkey; taverns are toler-
ated, and the Turks themselves resort
thither to take social glass. Topkanah
contains an arsenal, artillery barracks,
magazines, and a cannon foundry. Pera
is beautifully situated, but irregularly built
and i'll paved. 1t is about two miles in
length; its population is almost wholly
Frank, and it contains the residences of
most of the European ambassadors, that
of the United States minister, besides one
Groaly ond fonr Cotbo1;o ol,uroboc , r,,o,oc
terry, of dervishes, and Mohammedan COL
lege. In 1851, it suffered severely from a
fire, which destroyed 10000 houses, among
which were the palaces Of nearly all the
and property estimated at
S., 10000 The other adjoining suburb,
Cassim- Pasha, contains the great naval
arsenal, doch yards, barracks, tho palace of
the Capud:.n- Pasha, &c. The manufac-
lures of Constantinople are few; the prin-
cipal are those of silk and cotton fabrics,
arms, morocco leather, saddlery, shoes,
pipes, &c. The foreign trade,
however, is very considerable, more parti-
cularly in imports of corn, iron, timber,
tallow, furs, textile fabrics, iron-ware and
cutlery, furniture, drugs, &C., and coffee.
The exports are less important, comprising,
chiefly, silk, carpets, hides, wool, goats
hair, potash, wax, gals. bullion, and
diamonds. The trade is almost entirely in
the hands of English, French, American,
Armenian, Greek, and Jew merchants
Constantinople is the residence of Greek,
an Armenian, and Catholic Armenian
patriarch. Elementary schools are COM
mon, and in every quarter there are Turk
ish free schools for the poor, the cost of
which is betrayed out of the revenue of the
mosques. There are sixteen public libra
ries, the greater number of which are
attached to the royal mosques, and Con-
stantinople is distinguished from every
other European capital by having no names
to its streets, no lamps, and no post office.
Constantinople was originally founded by
Byzas, $50 b. c., from whom it derived its
olden name of Byzantium; and having been
destroyed by Severus, was rebuilt, A. D.
1923, by the emperor Constantine, who made
it the capital of the Roman empire. On
the subjugation of the Eastern empire by
the Osmanlis, or Turks, Constantinople
continued to be the capital of the Eastern
or Ottoman Empire. Its wealth and mag
nificence were celebrated during the Middle
Ages. It has sustained numerous sieges,
but has only been twice taken: first, in
1904, by the Crusaders, who retained pos
session till 1861; and, lastly, by the Turks,
under Mohammed II, in 1853, when the
last remnant of the Roman empire was
finally suppressed. The population is
estimated at 800, OOO.-ZeTs Encyclopedia.
Those who purchase the Bone Dust man.
ufactured by Thomas Waring, at Colora,
in this county, have the opportunity Of
satisfying themselves that they get what