New-York tribune., 1877-08-20
COysTANTNOPLE IN WAR TINE.

GENERAL EXCITEMENT, But NO DlSoRDEh-hEFO U
GEFs POURING INTO THE CArIrAL~sANAGE
THREATS AGAINST THE BULGARIANs-A TURK
ISL FICTION REGARDING REDIFPAsHA-VoL-
UNTTERING SLACK.
CoSsTANTiNoPLE, July 25.-For a city on the
verge of ruin, Constantinople behaves very cooly.
Every body is excited over the appearance OF the
Russians Oh this side of the Balkans, and for few
hours the excitement took the form of wild panic,
but il did not last. The pOpulace exalted to the
skies at one moment and plunged in gulf of dark
despair within an hour. But whichever sentiment
Is the final one, its impression fades quickly
away before the fataIstic "God knows best
and what He sends is well. The
pious talk of the most abandoned rascals
among the Turkish officials is enough to take
oue's breath away as an exhibition of cool IN
pudence if for no other reason. was talking yes
terday with an official from the War Department
about the situation on the European side. lie said
that there were still fourteen battalions OF regular
troops to go into the field besides the new leVles'
and that altogether loo, 900 men may still be found
to put into the army. Aud then he said But the
fact is that we must increase our prayers to God.
There is nothing to do hut to do our best and leave
the result with Him." The phraseology is decidedly
American but the man supposes that it Is original
with himself and means what he says, although
the fact will not keep him an hour from secretng
an invoice of hard-tack for the soldiers or from
selling the new American rifles TO highway robbers,
AS he has "A chance. Among the common people
there is much cursing of the Minister OF War, but
a degree OF quietness is visible among them which
surprises even those who have long known them
The fact is that the doctrine of " fate has bene-
fetal effect upon the Turkish mind. When man
las done his best aud fails he is bound to conclude
chat fate is against him, and yields TO lac inevitable.
Thus there have been even prospects that the CRISIS
wonld pass without any outbreak among the COM
mon people as against the Christians. The Russian
believed that after gaming possession of Bulgaria
they would not have to wait long before an outbreak
at Constantinople would force Europe to intervene
on behalf of humanity, but until quite lately il has
seemed that the Russians would be disappointed in
this
Within week however, the common people have
been becoming rapidly excited. Thousands liter
ally thousands of refugees hall-naked, hat-saTyed
and wretched, are in streets. They meet you AT
every turn dumb and wistful as brute beasts. for
they know not where to lay their heads in tins great
city, Some of the people are Greeks, some Jews,
and very few are Bugarans but the great mass
of them are Moslems. who have each story TO tell
of the suferngs they have endured at the hands Of
the Russians and Bulgarians. They fleeing be
cause they hear that the Russians are going TO di-
vide their lands among the Bulgarians, aud they
bring their worldly goods with them, all the more
readily since the old nOmad instinct is not yet dead
among them. Many of them have been maltreated
by the Bulgarians, who already, in anticipation,
are selecting the lands they will take when
the general partition is made. These refugees are
going about the city telling their story, pointing out
that they are being driven into ASIA, bag and bag
gage and now you begin again TO hear the savage
threats of year ago. "If the land is to be given
up TO the Bulgarans let us just kill the Bugarians
and then give up the lands" IF the BugaTans
| are going TO massacre our people as our
troops withdraw, let the troops have orders not to
| withdraw until they have first cut the throat of
| every Bulgarian" These and many other things the
Turks of this city and their refugee guests talk
ing in these days add TO this feeling the fierce
of injury at The hands of the Ministers of the in
competent generals Of the efeminate Sultan and of
the world at large, and join to the combination the
belief which still has its roots deep down in the hearts
of many that what is needed is return to the early
ways of Islam and whetting up of its ancient
| sword-take all these feelings which are now
| seethinC in the mind of the Turkish people
here and one will have a medley which,
like some chemical compounds, may explode
terribly the moment the ingredients attain
the right proportion. The Christians Of the
citv are very anxious | am inclined TO think that
an unskilful and fruitess attack may be made upon
the Ministers OF even upon the Sultan, and such
event would be accompanied by acts of private
geance upon individual Christians, but do not be-
lieve that there is danger of any general attack
upon the Christians of this city.
The Ministerial ring has been apparently broken
by the removal of Redf Pasha from the War De-
partment but suspect that it in fact continues to
exist. as Damad Mahmoud Pasha, who now comes
into the War Office, is warm personal friend Of
Redif and will take his orders from him, unless the
popular indignation causes the Punishment of Redif
The people believe that this is in the pay of the
Russians and that all Ministers who have had a
share in keeping him in office are accessories by the
support they give him. Ii is currently reported that
Redf told the Sultan some weeks ago that If he was
removed from Office the Sultan would suffer for It,
II is now believed that the Sultan has been poisoned
by Redifs creatures, but the only ground for this
story 30 far Is the sickness of the Sultan.
1t was reported last week that Redf Pasha had
been killed. and the people believe that he has
been wounded by one of his own soldiers. The sto
ry as told to Is Characteristic that venture
to reproduce il. "There were 10000 Zeibeks en-
camped at place, and all being killed by the
Russians" "Where was it ~ 81 don't know. 1t was
at some place near where the Russians are. We
have q custom that when troops need help they
blow the bugle In peculiar way. These $4,000