The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-07-27
A ROYAL spENDrHR1rr.
Fabulous Extravagance I'm the sultam's
Palaces-Twelve Hundred Wives I'm
Sixteen Harems-The Service OF Ten
ThOusand Persons Daily at His Com.


Palaces-Twelve Hundred Wives I'm
Sixteen Harems-The Service OF Ten
Thousand Persons Daily at His Com-
mand. e
From the New York Mercury
Few Americans have any conception
of the fabulous extravaganza of the
daily life of the Sultan of Turkey. There
is nothing to equal the Golden Horn
anywhere in the world. The Sultan
has defaulted on his debts, and he is
generally considered to. be in serious
political trouble. Yet, in spite of all
his difficulties, his enormous establish
ment is kept up undiminished, and his
faithful Mussulmans contribute cheer
fully to support the successor of the
Prophet il style of life so gorgeous as
to surpass the most boundless imagina-
ton. The Grand Turk keeps in his pay
not less than three hundred and fifty
cooks to prepare the meals for himself
and his court !; he has four hundred and
twenty coachmen, jockeys and stable
boys, and his many gardens and parks
are looked after by two hundred and
twenty-five watchmen, guards and gar
deners, not counting the detail of two
or three regiments of soldiers every day
for duty at the palaces and the parks.
There are one hundred and ten door
keepers, and three hundred and forty
walters for the various buildings. For
his private amusement the Sultan has
an orchestra Of four hundred musicians,
ballet corps of four hundred dancers,
and three hundred operate and
dramatic actors. Three thousand
people are required for the
personal service Of the Sultan. It is
well known that the Mohammedan re-
ligion not only authorizes; but directs,
the. Grand Turk to~be~ Q -polygamist on
the most extended scale. Hence Abdul
Aziz maintains in all sixteen different
harems, in which he supports more than
twelve hundred women, who are divided
into three classes regular wives, recog-
nized favorites, and candidates for pro-
motion to the higher ranks. Each Of
the wives has retinue of twelve ladies
of honor, the favorites are similarly at
tended by six ladies, and the candidates
have two each, but every one of these
ladies of honor has from two to ten
female slaves to wait upon her. Be-
sides these there are other harems, one
known as that of the Kadin- Effendis,
being the mothers Of the Sultan's in
FAINT sons and daughters, and the harem
OF the Sultanas, being the grown<up
princesses, daughters of the Grand
Turk, who each have retinue of twen-
ty servants. For the private entertain
ment OF all these women the Sultan
supports another corps of ballet
dancers, an orchestra Of female mu-
sicians, while for the more menial Of
fees of the household two hundred fe-
male slaves and four hundred cham
berrnaids are engaged. In, the Selam-
leik, the palace where all the official
receptions are held, his Majesty en-
ploys two thousand five hundred Of
ficials. Attending on his person are
twenty-five adjutants, seven chamber
lains, SIX secretaries, and one hundred
and fifty, secretaries of lesser grades,
who are sub-divided into groups, each
of whom has special functions, one
taking care of his wardrobe, another of
his coffee, another of his tobacco,
another cleans the smoking pipes,
and still another must always
be ready to light his
pipe. A very high official is the Ber-
ber-Bashaw, whose sole duty is to at
tend to the Sultan's beard. This Of
fetal is generally more influential at
court than the Grand Vizier or Prime
Minister himself. Rushzi- Bashaw is
the superintendent of the kitchen, and
at each meal of the Sultan this official
stands by his side and tastes from every
dish as it is brought in, and what he
does not approve the Sultan will not
eat. Kulhamii- -Bashaw is the head Of
the st0ve-brigade, about eighty men,
who make all the fires in the palace,
and Damadii- Bashaw commands q COM
pany Of 12O men, who have nothing else
to do than to dust the furniture and
beat the carpets. For himself and his
harems the Sultan keeps fifty phyl
sicians, surgeons and apothecaries, and
thirty-five more of the lower rank for
tho servants Of the palace. The chief
occupation Of these consists in prepar-
ing cosmetics and perfumery for the
women. In: addition there are fifty
Kawassis and one hundred Batadjis,
consisting Of q sort Of private messenger
service to carry .communicati0ns be-
tween the Sultan and the harems. Be-
sides, as special guard, there Is a
corps of black eunuchs, about two hun.
dred strong, who act as watches over
every entrance TO the harems, and their
chief has the peculiar title Of "Head
Guard Of the Gates Of Happiness. !" In
all, the Grand Turk feeds daily over
10, 600 persons in his palaces, which is
2 larger retinue than all the, other
crowned heads Of Europe maintain to-
gether. } @ .,E
Rev. Burdett Kemper died recently
at his home in Garrard County, KY, in