Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11

Something About These OFT u ear,
1itles.

Iities.
The title OF pacha, which is merely per-
sonal one, denoting the official aristocrAcy,
civil and military of the Ottoman Empire, is
derived from the Persian words, signifying
"the foot of the king" In former times,
when the chief territorial divisions were
called sanjaks, ruled over by beys, the larger
put under pacha and called pachalids
The military governors of provinces, who
were only subordinate to the grand vzer,
were styled beyler beys, or hey of beys
European Turkey was divided into two hey
erbeyliks-Roumelia aud Bosnia. The lat
ter included Servia, Croia, and the Herze-
govina. Constantnoplc aud Wallachia and
Aloldevia were not included in any of these
Jurisdictions. The Archipelago was under
the Captain Pacha. The Pacha of Rutaya
was called the beylerbey of Anatolia, and in
that capacity commanded all The Asia Minor
troops in war. The Diaibekir Pacha was
also beylerbey. The Pachls consisted of
three classes, and were distinguished by the
number OF horse tails borne before them as
standards-a custom brought from Tartaiy,
which is said to have originated with some
chief who, having lost his standard, cut off
his horses tail and displayed it "a sub
stitute. The governors of the larger districts
were yiziers, by virtue of Office. Their
insignia were the allen, broad standard,
the pole of which was surrounded by
cresccnt the tabi, or military music,
consisting of nine drums, nine flies, seven
trumpets and four cymbals the tugh, Of
three horse tails, artiiciaily plated; one san
jak, or green standard, similar to that of the
prophet, aud two large ensigns called
5dirdk. Other Pachas had but two tails with
the other insignia A Bey had only one, to-
gcther with one standard. The Sultan's
standard counts seven hoisetails, and the
famous Ali Pacha of Jauina arrogdtcd to
himself no less than thirteen. AT the pres
ent day all this is much modified. The civil
Pacha, or governor of a district, is called a
vail, and his government n valiyet. The
grades among military Pachas are mushir,
marshall ferk, lieutenant general Iva,
major general. Field officers are called
beys.
The Boston Herald has explained the
meaning of the term "The Porte'-1t is an
expression adopted by Western nations to
denote the administrative government of the
Ottoman Empire; that is tosay, the Sultan,
| the Grand Nizier, and the Grand Council of
State, called the Dvan. In the famous in
stitutes established by Mahomcd H., The
| warrior Sultan who took Constantnople, the
Turkish body polite was described by a
metaphor natural and significant to nomadic
soldiers, as II steady tent whose dome rested
upon four pillars. The viziers formed the
first pillar, the judges the second, the treas
urers the third, and the secretaries the fourth.
In the figuralive representation the chief seat
of government was named ''The Lofty Gate
| of the Roypl Tent an EXPRESSIVE title TO
O.omans, whose rulers in their simpler days
sat at the tent door to administer Justice and
give audience to suitors. The Italians trans
lated the native name of the Turkish gov
eminent into LA Pcrta Sublima." This
phrase was modified by other nations to suit
the form of their respective languages. In
England it found acceptance as THE Sub
lime Porte" Modern terseness has dropped
the majestic adjective from general USE and
left the term in its present pithy form, "The
Porte"