St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-30


under the screw, and was attempting to
get from him what she had not been
able to do with any other kind of pres
sure. We rejoice at the work that
England is doing, but do not feel that
her motive for reforming Turkey is any
other than selfish one; she must keep |
open this great highway to her wealth
beyond us, and if some nation of the
earth, must have great Turkey dinner,
why not England But whatever King
doth reign, we will work on for that |
Heavenly Kingdom which is one over
all.
When Col. Wilson, our Consul Gen
eral, left the city for couple of months,
his house was crowded for three hours
by throngs of people who wished to see
him off. Mr.. Richards, his dragoman,
who remains here to translate Turkish
law into English, said they had no COM
tort OF their lives at the time. This last
Monday, Mar. l, we were all panied to
hear that our new Pacha had been de-
posed, and the second report stated it
was because he had visited the school
Oh the missionaries, which was regarded
as very good joke, as we had never
considered our schools of such impsr,
tance before; but when the truth was
learned, it was found he had been pro
NOTED, ana now we are to have Pacha
who does not bear as good a name, and
the projected road to Samsun we fear
now will not be built fer long time.
Our Constantinople papers are full of
the disagreement between the Sultan
and Mr.. Layard, and if the Sultan
should be angry enough 10 quarrel with
England and attempt league with
Russia. England must set Germany,
France and Russia at work fighting one
another in order to keep the way open
to 1ndia's coral strand, of which she
ated with the English, for he is now
under tutors and governors, and cannot
do wrong without having his elbow
logged 10y an English Consul, for they
are scattered throughout the country,
like set of spies, ready to hear the
wrongs of the people and demand JUS
tice of the Sultan. These are, we trust,
the death -throes of Turkey, but she has
as many lives as a cat, and if the rumoI
proves true, that she is about to initiate
her currency, she may struggle on five
or six years longer. The Lold will in
his own good time, bring order out of
confusion, and we need not be surpris-
ed at wars or rumors of wars, for we
know that they must come to open the
way more perfectly for the truth.
l promised to tell you something of
the value of eur money. Within a few
days our copper money has fallen five
piastres to the lira we do not know
the cause of it yet, but we are careful
not to have any on our hands to lose
The Turkish lira comes to us for $40 of
American dollars. All expensive arti-
cles, real estate, Turkish rugs, in fact
anything worth half a Ira must be paid
for in gold, or an equivalent. We have
it changed into silver and the baser
coins for small change. In the gold Ira,
there are 100 piastres of gold, ITO of
silver and 125 of copper. The largest
silver coin is called a merjerdea, and if
you are paying in gold, you call it 1S
piastres, if silver, 20, if copper %. The
other silver coins in circulation are one
fourth of a meUerdea, 2, II silver pias-
tire pieces. In copper 5, % aad piastre
pieces and 20 paras and 10 para pieces
one para piece is equal to mill of our
money. For instance, in hiring horse
for ride, the owner asks four piastres.
If you pay him in silver, you pay 16
cents, but if in copper, two cents less,
for that is legal tender. These natives
are full of tricks, and they will give you
copper at full value, and thus cheat you
in small way; only native can deal
with native; if you wish for anything
at the bazaars you send native to pur-
chase for you. Our postage is only 40
paras or cents to America, while
America pays cents to send her letters
to us. This is via the International
Post, but our numerous letters to the
stations cost more than to send to
America. Col. Wilson's mail to Con-
stantinople every two weeks, costs L!
liras No wonder the Turks are
afraid of him, when he sends such full
accounts of what is done in this part of
the country.
Our hearts were rejoiced by the re-
ceipt of letters, two very kind and well
come ones from Vermont. You will
smile, doubtless, when l tell you that
paper is so scarce that we save care
fully all the wrappers on our papers.
Col. Wilson, when here, very kindly
sent us two English papers to read ev-
cry week. I.RC