, 1876-07-03
Turkey in America--Public Inter-
est in Moslem Affairs.
Crude Ceramics, and What
They Indicate.
CARPETS and Tobacco the Best
Exhibits in the Department.
Embroidered Silks---Mosaic Tapestries
Angoca-Goat's Wool.


Special Correspondence Of The T74oune.
l.
PHILADELPHIA, June 3o.-Thc Ottoman En-
tire is Just now attracting an unusual degree Of
attention from tie people Of all lands. The
small section Of Turkey which VIC have in Phil
alclphia is not exempt tits only O few days
since the Turkish Department Of the Exhibitio II
vas opened, and already it is thronged with Gu :
rious visitors daily. People read in the ncwspa-
pers something about the revolt In ucrzego
rina. the neutrality Of the Prince OF Montcne-
e1o, or the probability. of Servia's being backed
IN by Russia, anl, Immediately on arriving at
the Eyposit:on-GrouIds, seek out tue Turkish
Pavilion, with tue expectation Of finding
out Ill the phases Of the Eastern question, and
arc disappointed unless they arc shown at least
one Of the real butchers Of the Salonica Con-
su1s. What they do sec is only number of
showcases filled with fancifully coiorcd cloths,
anl guarded by half-a-dozen dark-featurcl men,
each wearing a red fcz on his head.
But, though uuassumfng, The Turkish Depart
mcnt contains great many interesting and i'll
structire articles. II retains throughout its dis
tiuctiyc characteristics; and that cannot
be said Of ul1 the foreign c1hib
its. The Turkish Commissioners have
laborcd under 70 ordinary disadvantages
in getting together the representative articles
Of manufacture, as they have done, and in pre-
psrin@ them for exhibition. In the first place,
they came here with the assurance that they
woulu he supplied with funds by the Home Gov
errmcnt; but, after arriving in this country,
they found that assurance abUut as well carried
out as the Government generally acts upon its
own promises. i month after the opc.lng Of
thc Exhibition, not q box was uup.ckcd in the
Turkish Department. Finally, dcspairlng OF
securing the promised aid, tho Commissioners
proceeded to carry Oh the work themselves,
from their own resources.
The ceramic art has never nourished among
the Mosiems,-at least in Turkey y-in- Europe.
The pottery Of Egypt exhibits many conlnlcnda-
bic features; bus Egypt has 4 department OF
her own, that is equal III extent to that Of the
Empire to which she pays tribute \ casc,of
earthtnware> however, occupying 4 prominent
position in the Turkish Pavilion, observes no
1;o.- In the articles exhibited there is no par
ticular uniformity OF style, as there is also no
excellence Of coloring. But they are peculiar.
Take, for instance, one OF TIE largest
pieces in the collcction,-a water-pitehcr,-ard
examine its rudely-shapcd exterior Tic natur-.
cl rcd Of the matcrial-clay is disguised hy q GOV
is little attempt at additional ornamcntation. 4
b1otch Of gliding, whose form or idea it would
puzzle the most imaginative Mussulnan to de-
termine, may be seen on two sides ol the uten-
ILL.
TOW. Considered in its relation to use, the
examples, even the latter very important
consideration is left out; while the
preposterous attempts. at an ornamentation
show how far from the true spirit Of Art the
Turks are at the present day. A very common
shape for watcr-juy is that Of an animal such
as horse, 4 COW, Or a camel. The form, in
every instance, is ont OF all proportion, and ap-
proachcs the srotesQucness Of the Chinese style.
af Ef1rrn hnNiiVar that tile
-natura1nc6s is not Intentional, but only the IT,
suit Of c:rclessness.
In a finer grade Of ware, there is decided im-
proyeme1lts. / noticed especially fru't-scrvicc
fer class ii Turkey. rms was of rcd clay, black.
cnamclcd, and studded thickly with points OF
silver somewhat larger than q pins head. In
these articles, the shape was clear and gracetul'
Smokers the world over, have heard 6f Turk
ish tobacco. 4 case Of the genuine goods is ex-
libitcd here. The superiority Of the Turkish
oycr other brands is scarcely questioned noWa-
days. There seems to be some extraordinary
ndaptabllity to the growth Of the weed OF
the soil IN various provinces Of European Turkey.
In the year 1GQ3, the first tobacco was brought
was remarkable from the beginning. No fine
processes we're required for its preparation;
and that, to begin with, pleased the land
owners, who are not overly fond Of toll. Most
Of tue tobacco is now grown IN the districts OF
Garlic, Jeni6huT, and S1lOuica-
The case on exhibition contains specimens Of
the weed in all stages, from the Leaf to the fine
shreds that are SO popular with cigarette
smokers. Tancredc Count Della sala,
to me the different objects exhibited in The
department, said that the Turks were not afraid |
Of any competition in the exhibit Of tobacco, as
they had always borne of the FIRST prize at the !
International Exhibitions heretofore
Near the tobacco-casc stands pyramidal |
structure for exhibiting wines, Of which there is
no great variety. The best quality Of wine is |
light-colored vintage from Muscat, in Arabia. J
This took the premium ut Vienna, in 1873, over |
the Frontignau OF France. There arc, besides, J
bottles from Samos aud Cyprus, together with |
a Kind Of Cognac made in Constantinoplc-
". |