West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-10-06
The Turkish Minister OF War.

The Turkish Minister OF War.
tfrom Tho Land of tho Arabian Nirhts;'" 10y ".
T. fogg, tn scrthncr for ScPtcmhcr)
The Pasha of Bagdad is the dcspotic
ruler of the largest and most important
province in Turkey lie has the COM
mand of large army which is stationed
at Bagdad and other towns within his
pashalic, which is bounded ON the east
and south 10y the Persian frontier and
the Gulf. More than once ambitious
men holding this position, SO remote
from the home government, have been
suspected of designs To render them
selves independent sovereigns--a design
which was successfully accomplished in
1880, by Mohammed Ali, Pasha of Egypt.
AT the time of my visit to Bagdad, the
governor was the present Turkish Minis
ter of War, Rcdif Pasha, successful
general and n man of unqucstioncd en-
crgy and ability. Once, while was i'm
Bagdad, he had an opportunity to show
his power rs dcspotic ruler, and he
acted with nerve and energy worthy
of all praise. The Tigris, which had
been ON the rampage for two months, mt
last broke through the dikcs some ent
miles above the city, and the torrent,
sweeping down with irresistible force,
did great damage .to the crops, and i'm Il
single day turned the broad plain back
OF the city into an immense lake. The
water was only kept from flowing into
the city by an embankmcnt outside the
walls, which in many places was out of
repairs. Great fear was felt of such an
nundation rs occurred in lS3l-thc year
of the plague-whcn seven thousand
houses fell i'm single day. Here was
an emergency calling for prompt action.
The pasha issued an order closing all
the bazaars and shops, and for four days
impressed the whole male population
Foreigners cXcep,cd) to work ON the
dikcs. Half the force was sent up the
river, and the balance set To work To
repair the cmbankmcnts around the city.
| rode out i'm that direction one morn
ing, and witnessed lively scene. Sew
eral thousand men were ut work, and the
pasha himself was on the spot, sur
rounded by II brilliantly uniformed stan,
experimenting the operations These
energetic measures saved the city. The
break in the dixie up the river was
stopped, and the water gradually sub
sided.
As there arc no American ministers or
consular agents III this part of the world,
before leaving Cairo had inClOscd let
ter of introduction To our minister at
Constantinoplc, with the request that
he would forward to me at Bagdad such
credentials To the pasha rs might be of
service in any excursion | desired To
make TO Babylon or other places of in
tcrcst in McsOpOtama. Upon reaching
Bagdad ! found awaiting me Grman
from the Turkish government addressed
to the pasha, and commencing the
American traveller in the strongest
terms To his hospitality and protection.
Upon my entrance to the audience room
of the pasha found him seated at the
further end of the apartment, near Il
large table covered with papers, and as
| entered he rose and advanced toward
me, shook hands, and courtcously mo-
toned me to n scat beside him. He is u
large man, tall and quite portly, per-
haps forty-five years old, with full
face, brown beard, and eyes sharpsand
piercing His dress was entirely
European, except the fcz, without even
a button To indicate his rank. His
cOuntenance indicates energy and firm
ness, and his manners are courteous and
pleasing. Several officers of rank stand
ing near were presented to me, but no
one was seated except the pasha and my
self. AS he spoke only Turkish and
Arabic, Mr.. Stanno, Lcvantinc in the
service Of the government, was sum
moned to act as interpreter. Our con
vcrsation was necessarily slow, but the
questions and replies were very readily
translated, and / felt quite at my ease.
found the pasha very intelligent as to
the geography and government of for
eign countries, and hc seemed fully TO
comprehend that England and America
were two distinct and separate countries.
He offered me every facility for seeing
Bagdad, and said that, rs ] was the only
American who had ever visited him, he
hoped / would receive favorable i'm
preston of the country.
THE Fort Worth (Texas) DctacOr1l