New-York tribune., 1877-09-17
CHRISTIANS AMONG TURKS.

lFEoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUSE.]
CoNsTANTINOPLE, Aug 22.-The formation of the
civic guard has begun in this city. The Moslem in
habitants in each of the electoral districts men of
all ages and conditions and cOlors, came together
Friday, and were organized into battalons with
some ceremony There was the sacrifice of q sheep
on each of tho twenty driIl-grounds; there was
prayer by some white-bearded Sheilh Hoa;
and there were fiery speeches from others Of the
assembly, followed by the shout, Long live the
Padisha!' The ostensible result will be to give
the Government new force of O,O00 men, availa-
bic for use behind the Dcrlos Notifications. The
actual result will be that the Christians
of the city will suffer from fear more than ever, be-
cause the Mosem part of the population is COM
pletely armed and organized. Both Greeks and Ar
menans objected to the levy en- masse, although
limited to the purpose of home defence. They
afraid to trust the Government fearing the bat
talions might be ordered out Of the city. They lose
their last chance of being armed and organized for
the defence of their quarters of the city, N
of internal disturbance.
The levy en- masse should produce many more
men, among the Mosems of ConstantinOple.
But the fact is, there is large class who will never
register for drill, being opposed to exposing their
precious selves on the battlefield The Government
got only two battaons out OF six ordered to be
raised in this city two months ago, and it has
horted and pleaded until red in the face without
inducing these Moslems TO come forward. The rails
ing OF recruits in the country districts is becoming
daily more difficult matter, but l assured that
there still men enough for large force in the
country districts. How itat Kutalbyal" Iasleda
Christian who had just come from that region.
" You would not know" was the answer, " that any
men have gone. There are still ten MOsems TO one
Christian in that region"
The Turks are becoming more arrogant again. as
result of their successes in European Turkey.
They know that they Aave no money, no ammuni-
ton except what is painfully imported from long
distances no men 10 compare in point of efficiency
with those of the Russian Army and they acllnowl
edge that they have no great generals. Victorious
defence OF their country in the face Of al these diff
cuties, is due solely to the favor Of the Almighty,
and Is direct testimony to tine superior value Of
the faith OF Islam. Reasoning in this way, they are
inclined again to knock luckess Christians
about for the glory of God. Their whims
/ change like the wind however, and they may
he the anXOns seat tomorrow again,
The atroclty market is becoming glutted, and even
warm partisaus Of Que side or the other, who but
recently received, with tumultuous applause each
atrocty committed by the other side, because it sup
ported their own views, are appalled,. /" \
say. when each party to the war is determined to
reialiate fullv every bloody achievement is little
more horrible than its predecessor. The Turks are
furious over the massacre OF Moslems at Kczanlik.
They will try to devise some giant retaliation
for that, and are not for q moment led
TO remember that Esd Saghra preceded
Kezanllk. Far Away Moses, the Jewish guide,
tells me that in KezanliiS the Bulgarians killed
with the Turks about four hundred Jews. The
reason why the jews suffer is not entirely religions
one. The Jews are politically united with the
Turks The Turks abuse them but they do not call
them "Giaour" Their religion is not mfidel like
Christianity. And in every ease where the Turks
have destroyed Bulgarian towns, they have first
given the Jews time TO remove. In return for this
the Jews are often Turkish spies. They are IN
business with the Bulgarlans, and see everything
which is going on, and take their evil report to the
Turks.
Government has made proclamation that to-mor-
row night the moon is 10 be eclipSed and that the
people must not be frightened, for wise men every
where know that the eclipse of the moon Is natural
phenomenon attended by disastrous effects either
upon earth or upon the moon itself This being the
case the jangling of tin pans and firing of guns by
the people of the earth at the time of ian eclipse are an
entirely unnecessary and useless disturbance OF the
peace which the Government will not tolerate, draw
ing the line at guns. The clangor of tin pans and
conner kettles may resOund unchecked until the moon
is safely delivered from its difficulties, but guns
never ANY man who fires gun shall be
arrested and pay fine of 100 pastres, which will
be paid over to the Refugee Aid Fund In this con-
nectiOn am reminded of an odd difference between
the Turks and the rest of the world IN the computa-
ton of time The eclipse of the moon is TO be on
Thursday night but all the Turkish papers say Fri
day night. Both are right The Turkish system
begins each day with the night of it, Friday night
is the night before Friday The Odd of August be-
gins at sunset of the 22d. This difference in reck-
oning Is constant pitfall to European editors in
this city, who quote from the Turks verbatim pro-
ducing much disturbance in chronology.
The court-martial to try the ex-Allnlster or war
and the ex-Serdac Ekrem, has at last began Its
labors The Minister of War in Turkey is the real
Commander-ln-C Chef of the army, having much
greater responsibility in this matter than Mr..
McCrarv would care to shoulder Hence he is held
resnonsible for the loss of SstOva and the Shipka
Kezanlk. the city of roses is no more. The beauti-
ful pain with its vineyards and its clumpS OF wal
nut trees and its great gardens of roses has been
passed over four times by alternate waves OF battle
The march of armies IN column OF Dattanoh ana ia
line of battle and bivOuacs OF IOo,OOO men OF the
hostile armies has ruined the gardens, AMI the town
itself was burned last Sunday, the Turkish part
inst, and then the bulgarian part Attdi Vi iooo'
will be scarce tins year, ~ , ~, .,
The Russians hold the Shipka Pass. Their posi-
tion is Drobably the level on the top of the noun
tain This level is abont 300 yards long, with
width of from 30 to 200 yards. From nhlpka,
where the Turkish Outposts are, 10 tue crown Oh te
mass aud the Russian redoubt is one hour and
half of steep difficult climbing The immediate
front Of the Russian line - almost imPregnaDle, as
thn ATTACHING marty must pass seven distinct ter
races or steps If smooth greensward before the
level of the divide can be attacked