The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-17
THE EASTERN QUESTION.
Some Curious Royal Sports in tbs 0rioat-Ths
Chit-Chat Of STEAMBOAT

CoNsrASrINopLE, March 27, 1874.
inere Is notning salient to record this week on
either the political financial state or AFFAIRS In
Turkey. The Eastern question, which seems to
nave cropped up once more, at least in the tmagI-
nations OF European journ alists occupies buf
small attention here and the local press abstains
from touching on the delicate question altoQether
1t has not become known whether our powers
that be, aroused by the European press are
troubled with nightmares or speedy Russian
invasion, to be followed by the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF the Ottoman Empire; but certain 1t is that to
them the Muscovire In the far future is lar less
of bugbear than the present state OF impecuni-
oslty in which the Porte finds itself and the I'M
possibility OF persuading European capitalists to
come to Its help.
Nor does His Imperial Majesty, as it behooves
sovereign at peace with the whole world, allow
IDLE newspaper talk to come betwe n him and his
rest. He is ever keen to improve his opportuni-
ties, and, favored by the Eastern divinity buK-
shish, his collection OF gold coins OF the realm and
OF Japanese curosttes (uis latest hobby is
growing apace. When satiated with possession
and growing weary of his two treasures, he Is said
to have resort to more exciting recreatlons. An
Eastern despot is supposed to have savage in
stincts lurking in some far corner Of
his bosom, which he must satisfy in
some way or other. The days are passed
when at word he could make his
Minister'S heads roll in the dust; SO, instead, no
is compelled to reserve his savage feelings Tor his
poultry, and accordingly ne causes more plates to
be heated, on which are placed number OF
turkey cocks The antics OF the tortured birds are
OF course very ludicrous, but said to move the
enlightened but morose sovereign to fits Of
laughter.
| When it is remembered that Abdul Azlz Is the
son Of sultan Mahmoud 1t would be hard to blame
him for having inherited, after all, SO small pOr.
\ ton OF his lather's cruelty. Pachas heads were
! counted as nothing in the reign of that
1 Sultan, generally considered as one OF the
most efficient and enlightened rulers Turkey ever
had When the Imperial Guard became too strong
for his iron rule he determined on their destruc-
ton, and in one night $1,000 Janizaries were mcr-
cilessly put to the sword. l know OF only sur
vivor OF that once formidable corps, and he es-
capped because he had been instrumental in the de.
| struction OF his fellows. Led on by bind
obedience to his sovereign's orders, he was among
the foremost at the slaughter; but that night Of
| horrors upset him altogether and the next MORN
ing he sought the Sultans presence, and, throwing
himself at his 1eet, he rendered him his yataghan,
reeking with human blood. "Great Padishah,n
says he, 'your orders have been obeyed am tho
only January alive, and now my turn
Is come, for l cannot survive my COM
panions. At your hands ! shall joyfully
| meet my death.n So saying, he stretched his neck
for the fatal blow; but the Sultan did not choose
to give 1T, and the man was still alive, some years
ago, leading an obscure and forgotten existence
! in one Of the provinces.
The young imperial princes havetnherited some
OF this fierce family spirit, and the two elder are
said to have frequent fights. A favorite subject
OF quarrel is based on the merits Of their respec-
tive births The youngest had the advantage OF
q n n wOr afta foth
to the throne, and his birth was therefore pro.
claimed with all due honors; whereas the eldest
saw the light OF day at . time when his father. "a
heir apparent, was jealousy guarded In a secluded
wing Of the Sultan's palace and was supposed to
! have no right to beget sons of his
own. In the event OF an accident oc-
curing OF SO undesirable o nature the
speedy asphyxiation OF the newborn offender
was the remedy applied. Iussuf Izzedn formed an
exception to tine general rule, having been
struggled out OF the palace ana his existence was
kept profound secret until his father succeeded
abdul Meid. This chronological disadvantage In
his birth Is looked upon as casting O slur on his
legitimacy, and his younger brother it in hia
teeth In their quarrels In the plainest terms
The Grand Vzler has at last acceded to tho
British demand and has given orders for the re-
lease Of the captive Lakjian chief. Mr.. Locock,
the British Charge d'Anares, deserves much credit
LOT Lne urn anu ulBulHcu manner III which ne mas
brought the Grand vizier to book. Accustomed
hitherto to bamboozle British representatives
the Turks were quite taken by surprise 70
find one who would not stand their
nonsense. Sadyk Pacha is supposed to
! have concluded some financial arrangement in
Paris, but OF 30 complicated q nature that few
understand 1t; anyhow, 1t Is satisfactory 20 be as
sured that 1t Will carry the Ottoman Empire over
the next nine months. Folks here are, however.
notvery hopeful about 1t and the funds have not
| improved.
As the Porte is specially anxious to keep all
news regarding Sadyk Pachas mission to itself,
the government has laid an embargo on all
kilograms addressed to private individuals in
cipher; ana the other day great sensation was oc-
casioned through the ignorant mistake OF tele-
| graph clerk. 1t was said that number OF tee-
grams In cipher, containing, no one doubted, I'M
1 portant news OF an unfavOrabe nature to the In
| terests OF Turkey had been stopped by the gov
ernment The dangerous message-it turned out
to be only one-was carried OF to competent par
ties to be examined, and when properly read lr was
I found to be perfectly harmless Great, therefore,
was the disappointment OF the Constantnople pub.
lie, whose greed for sensational news had risen to
fever pitch to learn that the telegram read IN plain
/ English meant that certain steamer named
/ Alexander ii. had been cast on sand bank some-
4 where on the Black Sea coast and would be glad
OF the services OF tug to pull her on. Tue clerk In
| his zeal had mistaken the Roman number Ii. as
| cipher OF dangerous import
! We are threatened with a famine In the meat
market unless help comes to US from abroad. It r.
unusual In this country to make any provision Of
food for the use OF cattle during the winter months
The native farmer Is strong In the belief OF latin
without works, which doctrine suits best his con-
stitutional Incidence, and Providence Is expected
to assume the responsibility or seeing the live stock
safe through the winter. But the extreme severity
Of this season has surpassed all former experience,
and the unfortunate cattle have lain down ana
4 died from sheer starvation, BY thousands and tens
/ q nha all cQnntrY