New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-27
TOPICS IN STEAMBOAT.
A SNOW BOUND CITY-TURKlSH BEoUA"o
THE PAN-ISLAMIC REVIVAL.
,, .,,,, ,rorrr An CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
lfKoM HE hh" GoSsT N1TNOPIF February 16.

Copstontinople under fair skies Is natchiess'
deIuced with mud it is without an equai; pu'
clogced with snow IL is n spectacle OF heip.''
a,;sorv that bors description The Constantnopoli-
fan still preserving the Incidence oil the ahcion'
Rvzanti,e. makes no forecast of his needs iie
,,s that tbree winters out OF five are nearly Tree
from snow. and as each winter approaches no ue-
voptlv homes that 1t may prove to be one oil the
tbroe and-lets it come. When, as in this year.
the snow falls in exceptional quantity, it finds MN
winter-smitten and hopelessly dazed. Other cities
of Southern Europe are not free from moments OF
weakness under an unexpected snow-cloud. but
their people have at least houses which shelter
them; they can preserve sembance OF dignity
wbon secnrelv within the covert of their homes.
In Constantnople however, the people built their
oose-ionted wooden houses in blazing summer
heat that abolished the memory of winter. And
when the snowy gales arrive from the steppes Oh
Russia they chase the wretched Turk to the inner
chambers of his house. ana driving through 'he
ragged sash gaping floor pile up drifts OF snow
about his feet. At home a native of Constantinople
in such plight is an abiect heap OF shiverhg hesn'
wrapped in furs and covering over pan OF Goals,
or buried under heavy comforters and hDernatihg
until the weather moderates enough 10 leI INN
sally forth and buy some bread.
One day three weeks ago the streets OF Stamboui
were tbronged with people. The summer-like at
mosphere tempted men to lounge on low stools IN
front of the coffee-shops. The people Dasked In tne
sun. uttering many pious CALCULATIONS OF gratitude
for the blessing of mild winter. Beyies oil
Turkish ladies strollod along the streets not I'M
mindful of the critical glances OF the loungers'
Winter was never further from our CITY, But sui
denlv there came n long swIrlng blast from the
north. Clouds began to pile up; and before long
began a tremendous gale which scattered the
loungers in dire haste Day after day Black sea
blizzard roared and ragged among the quaklhg
houses and piled up the snow III heaps. Shops were
shut nm. In the Turkish quarters of the city the
shops are mere stalls and no business ardor codld
endure the pain of waiting in such places for i'm
possible customers. The dogs, finding all garbage
buried by the snow, abandoned their favorte pas
time of tripping up unwary passers and SUNK away
to cellars and sheds. where at least they could
SILVER with dry skin Beggars disappeared ike
magic from their accustomed stands. Inc 10"
venturesome carriages crawled at snalIs pace,
stopped every now and then by the founderng oil
fine smooth-shod horses on the unwOlted ice. Men
who ventured abroad slouchcd hastily along with
heads bound up to the very eyes. whoever ehcouh-
tered n friend in the street stopped to exchange
concentrations upon the daring displayed In ven
turing out with the thermometer below the trcezihe
pont The ferries and steamers OH the BosPhorus
weather: and the Adrianople Railway wound up Its
business in disgust. During three weeks the city
has been benumbed helpless and fairly suffering
under \ few inches of snow and temperature
which at no time has approached within twenty
degrees of zero.
This wintry demonstration from the north cuts
savagely at the poor. The well-to-do can lie IN bed
or pile up quilts upon frame stretched over pan
Of Goals and crawl underneath the heap and smoke
in peace But the poor must work or starVe; ana
they commonly take the worse alternative Wheh
there is snow about You see them on the street
corners; grown men, or ill-clad boys begging any
passer who chances to have the most minute o.
parcels to let them earn something by carrying IL
home You find them clustered about the charcoal
sbops. bluc-nosed women or bare-egged maids,
beseechng the hard hearted dealer to add one more
fragment of coal 10 the quantity he gives as OF the
value of five cents. They come to your house
wretchel coughing creatures, and hold out their
hands III silent appeal for anything that the sight
may move Won to give. The other day man
steuped OIL a pie of snow in one OF our puDhc
streets and elected from 1t a yell which revealed
the fact that the pile of snow was man. lie hal
lain down where the very dogs disdan to stay; and
he sheltered under his cloak two little gl1ls. lie
was a war refugee. lie had been living since the
war in an old house assigned by Government to the
shelter of some hundreds of wretched creatures
Lately the Government decided to clear out the
inmates of that house, and an intelligent poce au
ministratior selected the height of the snowstorm
as a lifting time The police turned the people out
and tore I'D the stairways to prevent their return
This man with his two little girls had walked the
streets until the little things screaming with
cold Then he crouched upon the ground ana TOOK
them under his cloak because in all the city he had
n, place to which to go for refuge The lack OF
tine charity among the Moslem population IS always
n fresh surprise. They give charity, but the really
needy do not have relief. The greatest part OF the
landed properties III the city belong to the EVkal
lthe department of cOnsccrated properties. IAeSe
propertles have been given by wealthy men III tunes
gone by for benevolent purposes. lhey are ADMIN
stared Inv Directors General who is also Cabinet
Minister But they rarely afford effective reie 10
the wretcbedIv DOOR, although they support iii some
| comfort many men and wOmen who wouiu otheI-
wise have to starve-Or work for living. lheie Is
| large care exercised by Government over the
estates of orphans. But even the rich orphans
sometimes suffer. The other day q clerk III the
bureau of orphan estates, who has the happiness
not TO be an orphan, but 10 have salary OF T%o a
month for taking of the interests OF orphans
| was found poanng at a financial catastrophe
| which had deprived him Of $4,000 Of his honest
| savings Men make it point to give pennies 10
| beggals. But for the miserable people VINO, lack
INC. are ashamed 10 make public parade OF their
mseries. Mosem bcnevolence provides little or no
aid. Even when men were dying of starvation IN
| Asia Minor. the wealthy Moslems seemed entirely
10 lack the sense of compassion, and help from she
10 the peasantry was OF the rarest occurrence.
This trait OF character is most singular IN race
which holds for AN article of faith the power OF
oood deeds to cancel bad ones, and which even
foods NANCY street docs as means Of securing the
forciveness of sin. The callousness of the Moslen
population is largely due to the exclusiveneSs IN
| cucated by Islamism. Moslems are first taught to
| -. liz a,rnnnt hies for fellnM- Moslems shut