The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-12-27

CoNsTANTINoPLE, Dec. 1S, 1874
The Lerant Herald publishes distressing &C
counts of the famine iu Asia Minor. The pros
Pee' IS represented as appalling.
THE SCENE OF THE SUFFERING.
The visitation of famine which cane uuor
the people of Angora, in Asiatic Turkey. som,
Jew months since, and which then pressed 20
neaViiy on the impoverished population of that
once famous market place, was temporarily re-
lieved by Government AID and the charity nj
foreigners. Its effects remained, notwithstapd.
ing The poverty of the people has been gra.
duaity extending, until now we have the fact
mat grim want, followed by disease and death
mas laVaded the wretched homes of those who
nhablt the poverty-stricken territory which is
known as Anatoila-the western extremity of
ASIA, and, in it's most extended application,
1denticai with Asia Minor. This country in.
ciudee SIX Turkish pashalics Anatolia is in
clnded between the thirty-sixth and forty
second parallels of north latitude and between
the twenty -sixth and forty-frst meridians of
east longitude. The Ottoman Turks constitute
ABOUT nine-tenths of the population. There
are many Greeks, lsraelites, Armenans, Koords
and some few Ziugari. Agriculture, as prac.
Mcal art, is wholly unknown: The principal
industry OF the people consists in grow o.
crops for wine aud oil, and in weaving CARPETS
and shawls The country was known to the
Romans, and SO well that they traversed it in
every direction. OF late years it's material
resources nave almost entirely disappeared
under the combined influence of q heavy impe.
rlallst taxation and the peculatious of q host
of gready officials.
VERY LATE REPORT FROM THE SCENE
The present famine has already been renor;.
ed to the outside world. An EppIish y.,,,in
man, who had just returued to CotlstautinnnIa
iron Asia Minor, writing on the 18th of Novrn
beri SPEAKS of the calamity in the foiIowiny
words: " The need for help Continues In he
great. AT Angora 5000 persons are dependent
for their daily bread on charity. The Governor
OF the place Is doing his umost, and deals our
some three.quarters of pound of flour daily
TO each OF these poor people out of the supplies
witch reach hin. The Vineyards of the dis
trict were laden with fruit, bnt as there was
no o1e to gather it, it was rotring away Cold
has already set il, and as the winter advances
he want OF means wberewith TO procure fuel |
will make itself felt Portions of GalJatia are
llgh uplands, and the cold in those districts ia
evere 10 winter. Tho poverty of the people is |
sreater after 80 long a period of famine. |
touching incidents have been related to me |
Thich reveal the misery which prevails in |
hese regions better than any labored account |
# 1T. An English friend, who had occasion to
ravel through the country during the summer
net two children, boy of nine, with his sis.
or, about four, trying in their simplicity to
make their way down to Smyrna, where thew
ad relatives, IN order to flee from the land Of
cath. The same friend, when relieving a
dugry crowd, heard a Moslem woman exc1aim
That is the kind of infidel should wish for
~ father Another English friend, who had
lstinguished himself in his efforts for the
mime distress, has had bis feet kissed again
I'd again by the objects of his Kindness"