New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-27
AFFAIRS AT TIE TURKISH CAPITAL.

"a
ships.
AFFAIRS AT TIE TURKISH CAPITAL.
DAMAD MAHMoUDs DOwNFALL-THE NEWLY Or
G,NIzED MINISTRY - GOvrRNMENT BUSINESS
DIsoRGANIZED - DIsORDERLY ELEMENTS IN
sTAMBOUL.
rYRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
CONsTANTINoPLE, Feb. Cat last we are rid Of
the mighty Damad Mahmoud Pasba, and his place
in the Ordnance Bureau is so we'll filed as to leave
him no chance. 1t is reported by scoffers that the
Sultan could not bring himself to the point of dis
charging brother-in-law. and this was main
cause for the recent change of system which gives
the Prime Minister the official right to select his
Ministerial associates. Be this as it may, Ahmed
Vefk Pasha has been invited to form a new Minis
try, and the first feature every one remarks Is the
absence of MahmOud Pasha's name. Thus the joy
full result 10 accomplished, and still the Sultan may
meet any little family unpleasantness by declaring
the matter to be beyond his control. The theory OF
the change of system is the individual responsibility
of the Ministers for their several departments
This is very great change. Hitherto
all business from the hanging Of bell
on an Armenian convent in Ararat to the
appointment Of foreign ambassador, and from the
rationng of refugees III COnstantinOple to the max
ing of peace, has been dependent upon the approval
of the Grand Vizier. While his mind was occupied
with one department all Others must wait. Such
matters as public works and commerce have thus
been so hopelcssy sheved by the that these de-
partments have been confiled to an Armenian, who
answers for the Christian member of the Ministry,
and who draws his pay regularly and endeavors to
be an ornament to society. To change all this so
that one department may be smoothly working
even though another is cogged with great
affairs, is n mighty undertaking for Turkey.
Moreover. it has not been done with mere
stroke of a pen. Ahmed Vehk Pasha; sayant, hter,
ateur an admirer Of what is good in Europe, and an
honest man, is. nevertheless, a tremendous tyrant,
and will wish TO rule the whole Ministry as he dld
the Chamber Of Deputies last Spring. Hence croakc
ers are already proPhesying the speedy collapse OF
the ministerial combination.
THE NEW PREMIER POPULAR
The common people are generally delighted with
the appointment of Ahmed Vefk Pasha to the high
Office because at least he knows how to be honest.
Moreover, he is very much a peoples man. He
walks in the street and his portentous bulk at
tracts universal attention because he goes along
without the style usual ito Pashas. After his
audience with tho Sultan, two days ago,
Ahmed Vefk Pasha drove to the Porte in
common cab, winning the hearts Of the
entire populace by discardmg the clatterng
herd Of servants and bo3y-cuards who commonly
follow Minister. The impression of the people as
to any Government measure is very often true. The
pcople are Ike children for unerling instinct in
penetrating shamS. Hence was interested in the
views of an intelligent Turk on the change of svs
tenn implied in the substitution of n Premier for the
ancient Grand vizicr He said: at is really nothing
new. II is the foreign translation of the Turkish
title of Grand Vizer Our Government thinks the
foreign one may be the most lucky just nOw!" and
then be chuckled the peculiar inward chucke which
ACCOMPANIES a capital stroke OF business by TURK.
The vital part Of any new measure, IN q IuTk
eyes is its conformity to old rules, and the con-
forlnty which exists IN appearance az first VIII he
found tocXIst IN fact at later period. lhere are those
who declare that this great change OF SYSTEM IN Iur-
KEY Is simply stage effect intended ~ WORK on inc
feelings Of the approaching Peace Conference. rs
the guns which saluted the Constitution last year
were expected TO move tine engs Of the Confer
cuco of Constantlnople. / happen 10 KNOW that
IIand Pasha, the late Grand Nzicr, telegraphe1 10
a friend two days before ms own overthrow, We
have changed our policy" This may be taken TO
mean ANYTHING. bur if II referred, as seems likely,
to the substitution of a Prime Minister for Grand
Vizer have the pleas ing spectacle OF the last OF
the Grand VMers calmly plotting hls own over
throw and scmieXIle as Governor OF Adm, IN Ofder
that Europe might be da22lcd by the spectacle OF
" free " Constitutional Government" erected ON
tho ruins of his own absouisln.
The new Ministry are not, by any means. new
men. The same old names turn up once more. The
longing Of the average Turk to see men in Office
whose record is n virgin page has not been granted,
although il has reached a passionate intensity.
StI these Ministers douhtlcs mean 10 do well now.
They are however quite as likely ~ heretofore 20
RELY on the embassies for conscience ana with
characteristic i'll luck 10 grasp always the superb
ca instead ot the real, when tnc cnolce Is leu 10
them.
Meanwhile the complexion OF affairs here daily
becomes worse. The Government departments are
completely dsoreanized far as the transaction of
business is concerned. You go to them with bust
ness and they stare at you. You press the matter.
and get for an answer "You arc doubtless right,
bnt come after this present trouble is past, and we
will examine it, The condition of all the DEPART
ments here and of administration in the interior is
the same. A complaint from Adabazar. less than
100 miles away was sent to the Porte the other day
to the effect that the Circassans are eating every
body ont Of house and home and were stealing all
the live stock in the country. From the Porte in
qury made in duo form, and the reply came
back from the local administration, Yes, It s all
So and worse. but this is the best we can do" This
answer was handed over by the Porte to { he petit
TONERS AS full and sufficient answer In the Assem-
bly,, the other day, Deputy stated that Aidos and
Bourgas and the will lagos round about had been
burned By Turks and Circassians, who bad Killed
many Christians besides carrying OIL number OF
girls to DO sold, and that the Governors OF those
places now here were the first to begin the work
Yet the only answer or notice the complaint received
was an assurance from divers delegates that after
the war he should have all the investigation he de-
sired.
CONsTANTINoPLg AS IT Is.
Circassian rObbeucs in the streets are becoming
common. The Government has concentrated all its
energies upon the preservation of order in Pera and
Galata but the rest of this city is largely stripped
Of police OF military force and the sole defence Of
the people of these quarters depends on the watch
men, who. armed with an immense club, make night
hidcous by banging it on the pavement. but who,
were they to meet a Circassian marauder, would
Just stand and jump up and down with terror. like
schoolgirl before COW. The streets are crowded
with all kinds of people, and there is noticeable
increase of tendency to quarresomcness in the
crowd 1t begins to seem as If an explosion OF the
peLt forces in the city can hardly be avoided unless