Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-03-02
Letter from Constantinople.

-uF. i,uttOF:
In this far off land The Telegraph is one OF
my most welcome guests, for il speaks Of a
community in whom l still feel the greatest
int itst A few hurried notes on this part of
the world where my lot is cast ut present, may
not be unweIcome TO yon and your readers.
The latitude Of Constantinople is very near.
ly the same as that of New York City, bu,
now we are in the midst of the mildest winter
we have ever enjoyed. New Years day doubt
less came 10 Ashtabula snow -manlled and
freezing. but here we were out of doors with
out an oyercoat. and without chill. Could
far better have imagined ourselves in the
month of October than January. Indeed,
since winter fairly set in, tn ire has been only
IL slight furry of snow Il genuine snow-d DRIFT,
such us you have sometimes along the Lake
Shore railroad, would b. the greatest curosi-
ty on the Bosphorus. What we have to dread
the most of all are the searching winds which
sweep down from the Black Sea. These are
exceedingly damp and chilling. But enough
for the climate.
The pr, sent Sui an of Turkey holrs under
his sway twentysevcn millions Of subjects; !;
fifteen millions are in European Turkey
Opinions concerning his character are so con-
Trajectory, it is difficult 10 form a true esti-
mate of the regard in which he is held by the
people. On the one hand, he is reported as
humane, intelligent, beloved; on the other.
cruel, almost idiotic and universally hated
He is II man foriy-two years of age, but pre-
srnls the appearance of one of three score.
Al certain times he is known to manifest
most violent temper and vents his rage in pit
ilcss commands Like the majority OF Sultans,
he expends the public funds not for the ma
tons veal, but by erecting SNOWY palaces
along the Bosphorus. His salary is an uncer-
tain quantity; one credible authority puts it
AT three millions OF dollars (gold) per annunl,
and should the emergency arise he may go be-
y0nd that figure to any extent. The fact is,
the proyincis of the Interior especially arc
impoverished by unjust taxation. The entire
system closely resembles the operations of the
late New York Ring, only, if possible on
larger scale BY law, the residents of Con-
stantinople are exempt from'Poll tax. This
was decrerd in order 10 give greater attraction
10 the seat of the Empire and an additional
induccment to residence there The Sultan
has u variety of ways for amusing himself
One is, to order crazy man before him, when
he commands a number of his servants TO
teaze the poor fellow, and finally TO strip him.
Or he occasionally compels a dwarf 10 be
thrown into pond in the rear of his palace
His Royal Majesty is delighted in seeing hlm
Chamber out That the Sultan is strictly loyal
to the Koran, the following win show The
latter iorbids u ruler leaving Turkish soil; ac-
cordiugly. ON his departure for the Great Ex-
position in Paris in 1867 he obeyed the letter
of the law by placing coating of earth in his
shoes.
The Koran is supreme over the land, and its
Grand Intcrpreter-the Spiritual Head
stands in an important sense, first In the Gov
ernment. Like the Roman Catholics, the frat
education among the natives is sectarian
one. The children must learn 10 repeat five
times each day certain portion of the Koran.
The Scicnccs are q secondary consideration.
At every turn We are reminded of The Phari.
sale character of the Turks religions al the
corner in a conspicuous place yon can see him
standing with face turned toward Mecca, bow
ing, then kneeling, all the time praying aloud
or reciiing from the Koran.
Fountains are I'M institution iH this country.
They are of two kinds-the public drinking
fountains, and those in the courts OF Mosques
and used for washing and publication before
prayer. They are marble, covered and often
decorated with most delicate ornaments, some
times they are also highly gi!ded Where