Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-05-26

[Constantinople Correspondence of the London
Globel

Globe.l
Constantinople is renowned for its beggars
and its blackguards. / shall never forget the
sight saw a few days ago, when passing one
of the principal commercial khans in Galata.
I could scarcely make way through a crowd
of at least five six hundred people assem-
bled before the gateway of this khan. I
thought some accident had occurred, SO
questioned one of the Europeans near me as
TO the reason for this curious crowd. He
smiled and said, 1T is Saturday. and these
beggars waiting for George Zariti." Pi-
4ued by curiosity, l elbowed my way through
the crowd and got close to the Office door of
,ars-males, females and children-blind,
lame and sickly-Turks, Jews, Armenians,
Italians Greeks, etc. / curious to see
this George Zarif, " and what would be the
end of this extraordinary gathering. I did
not wait long before I perceived quiet, con-
tented looking, unassuming, middle sized man
of about 60 years of age, and looking very
much like any other man, elbow his way gen
tly through the crowd and enter the Office
loor opposite to me. A few of the habitues
had taken off their head covering, few had
otherwise saluted, muttering some unintelli-
gible words. In few minutes afterward a
clerk came out of the Office door with brown
bag. and then there was a general stir among
he beggars, who began to file off before the
clerk and each received "beshlik' (about
shilling) and went OH his her way happy
and contented looking. REMARKED to man
standing next to me, Il dare say that more
than one blackguard has got an undeserved
'beshlik.' His reply was, "Mr Zarii says
it is better to give, unwittingly, to dozen
blackguards than to deprive one deserving
beggar of his piece of bread" 1t appears
that almost the same kind of thing occurs
when Mr. Zarifi leaves his Office when many
of those disappointed beggars who could not
arrive in time wait for him on his exit; and
he has literally to pay his way, about so yards,
between his office door and his carriage His
saturdays visit to his Office must cost Linn
| about :e15 goo in this way.
/ was anxious to learn more about this
-'Constantinople Peabody" SO I inquired
right and left. The present Zarif-the hero
of this paragraphs the son of highly re-
spectacle, and generally esteemed, Greek
merchant of Galata. His sons continued
their fathers business and are now reported
the most wealthy and most respectable mer-
chants in the Levant. Mr.. George Zarifi hap
pened to have been the banker, friend and
adviser of the reigning Sultan from his youth,
and when he had not the slightest idea that
he would ever WELD the scepter of the Os-
manlis. Mr.. Zarif befriended him at the
time when he had little or poor security to
offer; and from the time when Sultan Abdul
Hamid II mounted the throne. Mr.. Zarifi
has been continually and more intimately his
guest and counselor. The Sultan often calls
him 'tPapal' 1t is only natural that the Sui
tan and his government should have favored
Mr.. Zarif, and thus it is that he manipulates
some of the most important operations In the
empire; but he has never been known to ex-
act excessive conditions, nor to take any
mean advantage of the Sultan's favor. His
employees can be counted by the hundred;
but find no one who speaks disparagingly
either of the commercial enterprises or of
the moral character of the Tariffs. It is said
that they have never had a lawsuit, pro or
con, and that is saying great deal when
one considers the nature of the country and
the enormous wealth and transactions of Zarifi
wealth reputed at e4, 100000 On striking
their last balance sheet, the division of two
years profits was thus per cent. of net
profits to chief clerk, which gave him e32 O0O
per cent. or equal amount, to chief cashier;
5 per cent. or equal amount, to general man.
the staff of clerks; 2 per cent. or e12, 800,
for different charities; and 80 per cent. or
e512, 900. between the two brothers, and
thus the gross profit of Zarii & Co. for two
years was e64O,OOO.
George Zarifi is no miser, therewithal. He
entertains Hospitality, but unostentatiously,
and he spends annually in Constantinople at
least 94O, 600, large amount of which goes
to the numerous charities, without distinc-
ton.
1T is said that the Sultan, who reveres his
white headed friend, has needed much the
counsels of MIR. Zarif. not only in matters of
finance and reform, but likewise on the Greek
question, and the peace of Europe may be
doubtless much indebted to George Zarifi.