The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1877-01-24

and anxiety lest he be unable 20 hold the posi-
ton he has conquered lest he become prey to
the teeth Of the huge Russian bear. And this
is no idle fear, for given any strong and intslli
gent European Government seated here and
she rules the world.
Viewed commercially, the site Of CONSTANT
nople is scarcely less perfect Even before the
Christian era her commerce was very consider
able. During the days Of the great Roman EN-
perors her commercial prosperity was unriSaled.
Under the Sullaus Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia,
and even India, as well US Southern Europe,
have fed her commerce. And to-day, while her
waters always white with sails and her bar
Dor lined on every side with The smaller vessels
Of commerce. the capacous harbor itself is filed
with steamers bearing every European flag,
which come and 90 almost every hour OF every
day, bringing the products OF European industry.
and carrying grain, wool. mohar, fruits, and
various products of Turkish manufacture to
European ports.
1t may be SAID that the commerce Of several
European cities and of more than one American
city is greater than that OF Constantinople. But
it must be remembered--and here is long list
Of counts most important Of all to come into
our reckoning-that Turkey is without roads I;
that the Turks themselves have not the least
commercial enterprise; that the commerce and
trade OF Turkey are nearly all iE the hands OF
foreigners and of her own Christian population !;
and we can see reason why ConstantlnOple is
actually behind many Western cities naturally
far less favored than herself. Turkey has almost
unrivaled resources, which still remain but very
partially developed to commerce. Give her a
strong. wise. liberal Government, a Government
which shall exist and be administered in the in
terest of the people, honestly and economically (;
give her roads which shall facilitate the bringing
of her produce OF every sort to the sea encourage
her agriculture, work her mines, develop her
manufactures, and there would not be a city in
the world where commerce would embrace so
many articles and keep alive trade so vast and
various.
Look at any map of the Eastern continent,
and it will be seen that the natural commercial
center not only of almost all Turkey but of
Persia and OF vast region bordering on the
Caspian Sea, also is Consta:tinope.
But with matchless commercial iucilities and
large undeveloped resources Turkey has been,
till this day, so wofully misgoyerned her re-
sources, instead Of being developed, have been so
remorsely drained her rulers, instead Of living
aud governing for the people, have so uniformly
grown fat on their hard earned gains the cost
and expenses OF imperial palaces, harems, IRON
clads, ETC., have been SO enormous. even while
the people in some OF the finest and not distant
provinces have been actually dying Of starvation
that in place of assuming the commercial posi-
ton which rightly belong to her, Constnntinople
is, as regards her Moslem population, like Rome
in the later years Of her deeaying empire-the
center of empire IN which are conspicuous
effeminacy and luxury on the one hand, and mis-
cry, degradation and despair on the other. The
heart beats fast with fevered heat, the extreme
ties are cold or paralyzed, and the Government
itself seems on the very eve Of bankruptcy. OF
Constantinople as q commercial center, one sadly
thinks " what might have BEEN
But her commercial possibilities still remain,
and she may have future as brilliant 10 the
twentieth century as her matchless situation and
natural fitness deserve. Should Gods ProvI-
dence grant to Turkey worthy Government, the
commercial prosperity OF ConstantInople will de-
velop naturally as her golden waters flow or
to the seattle Galaxy for December.