The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-10

There is much in a name in Turkey. The
Koran says: Names come from Heaven,
and are the prophets Of destiny" Moham-
med means ..,The Gloriticd -; Abou-Bekr.
his fathcr-in-aw and successor, was "father-
of-the virgin: Othman, or Osman, from
whom the national designation, Ottomans
or OSmanli is derived, was "a breaker OF
bones.'' "Isam" is the "religion OF re-
signation to the will OF God,' and the no
ran is the Greek Legos-Thc Word, or the
Sacred Writing. Medina is "Thc City OF
the Inspired Prophet" Giurgero, one OF
the Bulgarian Notifications on the Danube,
is an ancient Ottoman fortress, Root OF
the Earth.' intended as a characterization
of its strength. The geography OF the eoun-
try is full Of its poetry and religion.
The official titles which we read every day
in the war news. with frequency puZzlingl
to those not familiar with Turkish ranks
such as "ElTendi,' 'Pasha," "Bey ARE
very old, and have fixed significance, no
precise equivalents for which are found in
any other country. The highest office in
the Ottoman empire-Grand Vizier-was
created by Orkhan, the Turk, for his bro
ther Aladdin. and is older, in Turkish his
tory, than that Of Sultan. Aladdin, being
studious and speculative, declined to divide
the kingdom which their father left, prefer
ring that Orkhan, who was intrepid and
military, should be the sole governor and
owner OF the herds. ..Since thou refuseSt,'
said Orkhan, ''to take what belongs to
thee. thou shalt be shepherd of my peo-
plc. my Vizicr." The Grand Fizier is, next
to the Sultan, head Of temporal affairs; and
coordinate with him is the Sheih-ul-lslam,
chief of the Church. The subordinateS Of
the Grand Eizier are called 'viZiers." The
,, l.ln fn itnf md "a
officers of the highest rank, and there are
three grades, whose respective dignities are
indicated by rod tipped with horses tails,
fastened to golden ball or to Il crescent
The pasha OF the highest grade is entitled
TO three tails on his rod: Of the next, to
two: and the lowest is allowed only one.
When pasha is engaged in war or in travels
this rod is placed outside his tent when he
rests, and is carried before him when he
appears in public; but the custom has
largely fallen into diSuse except in the re-
mote East. The origin Of the term is Per
sian, and signifies "foot of the shah"-that
is, the power to enforce his authority, as the
civil administrators were his "cyes," the
taX-gathererS his "hands," the judges his
'.tongue." the police and spies his "ears."
The hey" is the next rank to the "pasha,"
and is allowed to pasha's sons, and to cap
tains in the army on reaching the colonelcg.
The .'aga " is composed Of civil and mill
tary officers around the court in close rela-
ton to the Sultan's person, and the word is
usually placed after the name Of his Ma
jcstv'S attendants. "Ettenai" is Of the
same Greek root as our word "authority,"
and was originally applied to men learned
in the law. 1t corresponds both to the Eng
!iSh word "sir" and the French "monsier,"
but carries princey significance not always
clearly defined, and, like our term honor
abIe,' is attached to certain positions. The
Sultan's physician, for instance, IS Hakim
Effendi; the minister Of foreign affairs, Refs
Encndi: and the first priest of the harem,
Imam Etfendi.
In the Church the immediate SuboTdinateS
of the Sheik- -ul-ISlam are the high priests,
" Mufti." who interpret the Koran, and are
the final and absolute authority Of the En-
pire upon all questions, civil and religious.
The Mufti, with the highest etfendis, con-
stitute what corresponds to our Senate-the
Ulema-who confirm appointments by the
Sultan. The Sultan cannot declare war,
conclude peace, make treaties, or transact
any business OF moment without consulting
the UIema, who hold over him the power
of legalizing his assassination. A decree
bv the Ulema is called "fetna." A procIa-
nation by the Sultan is " tirman."
The desvish. about which SO much is writ
ten in Eastern story, is Il yagabond monk
who supports himself by giving the people
religious instruction in exchange for aims.
They are the chief agents in maintaining
and handing down the traditions, fables,
and superstitlons OF the race. Their name
signifies "threshold Of the door," because
originally they lived in confinement, con-
templating only the future life. The fakir
Zone who makes VOW OF voluntary
poverty carries on the same trade as the
deryish. Mohammed was opposed to
these classes and TO monastlcism IN every
form, but after his death fakrs and der
wishes became as common among Mus
suman tribes as beggars in Syria. There
are twirling deryishes, who having brought
on vertigo by rapid circular movement, are
then "inspred"; bowling dervishes, who
cay themselves into frenzy; hasheesh-eat-
ing dervishes, who seek inspiration In
drunkenness moka dervishes, poet der
wishes, literary, philosophical, and pedagog-
ical deryshes-protably every Turk who
cannot obtain a living any other way be-
comes dervish. An Ottoman Rabelias has
made them the object OF satire and rldlcule,
and rendered them detestable in the eyes OF
the intelligent and honest He declares the
frock, ahe chaplet, and the staff were lures
to obtain money on false pretences.
The chief aged lady ei the harem is
uaznaaar- Kadyn,' tue seven beauties OF
the hares are Kadyn, and lhe rest are the
" "Odalik." These have NO intercourse with
the outer world except through the Hama
dar- Kadyn. who is subordinate to the cap
tain Of the guard Of eunneshs-" Kyzlar-
Agassi," whose importance is so h gh that
he ranks on public occasions next TO the
Grand Vizier<-C Chicago Times.
From information that has reached us III
very satisfactory way we are greatly en-