The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-24
THE SULTAN'S, KEEPING.
THE TURKISH RULER ALWAYS EATS
ENTIRELY ALONE.

y
The food Tor the sultan Is cooked by
ole man and his aids, and none others
touch it. y is cooked in silver vessels,
and when o.ne each kettle is sealed by q
slip of paper and stamp, and this IS
broken in tie presence OF the sultan by
the high chamberlain who takes one
spoonful of each separate kettle before
the sultan tastes it. This is to prevent
the sutan's being poisoned Tho looI is
almost always served up TO tue sultan in
the same vessels IN which it was cooked,
and these are often Of gold; but when 4
baser metal, tho kettle is set into rich
golden bell shaped holder, the handle of
which is held by slave while the sultan
eats. Each kettle is course. and is
served with bread and kind of pancake,
which is held on golden tray by another
slave.
II requires just twice rs many slaves
as there are courses to serve Il dinner TO
him. lie usually sits on divan near a
window. which looks out over tho BOs-
phorus, and takes his ease and comfort in
loose pembazar and gegelik, with his
sleeves turned up. After he has eaten
all lie wants the sultan takes his coffee
and his chilbouk and lies back in an
ecstasy of enjoyment and quiet reverie,
which he calls taking his kef Woe be
to the orc who comes to disturb it.
The food being cooked outside Of the
palace makes il necessary 30 lave bell
shaped felt covers to clap down tightly
over each kettle which has been placed
on tray. For the sultan and royal
family there are magnificent velvet covers
which go over the outside of these, en-
broidcred with gold and silver threads
and pearl coral or turquois beads. Those
for Others are not so handsome.
The sultan is served first, and nc always
eats entirely alone, never under any cir
cuUstancey deigning % eft with any one,
and as soon rs he has begun TO cat tho
harem is served The sultan never uses
q plate. He takes al his food direct from
the little kettles. and never uses table
and rarely Lnife or fork. A spoon, his
bread or pancake or fingers are far
handler. Tue whole household is at lib
erty to take meals where it suits him or
her best. and thus every one is served
with small tray, with spoon, n great
chunk Of bread, and the higher ones only
get the pancakes.
After the harom the officers Of the inn
perial body guard, the eunuchs, the cham
berIains and other high functionares sre
fed. they usually being seated around
table, and the kettles are offered each one,
who helps himself to one or two spoon.
fuls OF the contents Vi each. II rs not
etiquette TO take more, no matter how
nice the dish nor how hungry, but rs the
number Of dishes is always so great no
one need SO hungry.
After all the officers aud others of hlgh
degree are fed the soldiers and servants
get their food, and &; the same time all
the men employed in tho imperial stables
have theirs. and during the progress Of
the meals any stranger whoever 10 may
be, Is ut liberty TO como in and scat him
self and cat. As q general rule three
hundred persons arc fed every day who
have no earthly right except what tie
laws OF hospitality give 1t is a sort Of
perpetual tree lunch, and bcggar5 as well
as rich men avail Themselves OF this royal
bounty.
The sultan has number of very large
farms, some of them covering miles III eX-
tent, both in European Turkey and Asiatic
Turkey, and these ere intended 10 supply
all those things which farms can produce
TO the palace One Of these farms is near
Tclntchaldja. where tho government l.
nowabout building fortress, and another
ut Ali -Boy Ken. both of these within easy
ride from ConstantinoPle. There are two
others at Observation-Disclosures and 30
youlichoul<medie. These are all near
Constantinople The Others are in Asia
Minor On these much of the grain and
food Of the horses are raisN. They are
or we're titled by the compulsory labor Of
tho Bulgarian5, large numbers of them
being obliged by CONSUMPTION 20 serve so
many months q year on these farms. They
were tied t0ge her like cattle and brought
by force and treated like brutes. This
was a sort of tax duty which they were
obliged TO pay in labor. II may not be so
now, but probably is.
Tho soil Of Turkey is very fertile and
productive, and from these farms annu-
ally are brought on donkeys and in boats
tons upon tons of vegetables Of oil kinds,
milk. butter and cheese, mutton, eggs,
poultry and fruit. The amount IN the
aggrcgatc is slspendous. and yet it Is not
q quarter enough for tho needs Of that
household Nearly oil the tobacco, how
over, comes from these farms, and " q
the finest quality.
qualify. They TO not grow rice, aud. IN
consequence. buy nearly one ton of ice
per day for the ine' table pilafl 600
pounds OF sugar. rs much coffee, 70 say
nothing OF the other groceries. fruit.
vegetables and meat. Rice. Eutton AM
bread form the greater part Of food fortha
mai0rityof Turks; yet, aside trCs.. Tics
they get away with one ton u beef anil
half a ton of veal per day to sly moth
ing Of the other yiand5 anu tish, sweet
meats, confectionery. nuts and dried ana
fresh fruits The waste and eXtrava
ganco in the kitchen are enormous, and
enough is thrown away every day to
maintain hundred families. Much OF
this is gathered up by beggars, aud the
dogs eat the rest.
The estimate is that it costs per year to
supply tho food for the sultan's house
hold, horses and animals, aside from
the value Of the product Of tho vast
farms. very nearly if not quite
5000, 600; cost of furniture. bedding
and carpets, $4,000 600; drugs, women's
clothes, Jewels and cosmetics, $4,000, COO,
caprices Of all kinds, $i5, 000, 900; sultan's
clothes and bedding, s., Zoo 600; sundries,
presents and servants wages. $4,000 600;