Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-07
SERVING THE SULTAN.
OVER SIX THOUSAND PERSONS FED
THREE TIMES A DAY.

-s.4zs~.rye Ability in the Management Of
e Enormous Household-The Purchas-
ing Department-The Hsrem.
There are over 5000 persons fed three
times day at Dolma- Bagchee palace while
the sultan is there, which makes housekeeping
rather serious affair, particularly when we
know that these meals are served in nearly
half as many places, there being no regular
dining room nor place which could render
the labor a little lighter. Though there are ,
tables in some of the departments, the ma
iority prefer TO eat from their knees, and |
thus their meals are handed around, which |
makes an enormous amount of unnecessary
work. To keep all this great machinery OF
supply in perfect order, so that no matter
how many mouths there are to I'LL nor what
sudden caprice may seize the sultan or any
of his numerous women, it may be instantly
satisfied, is a tax upon the best capacity,
backed by unlimited money or credit. No
matter how unreasonable or almost impossl-
bic the demand may be, there is no allow
ance made for delay in the service.
That there is good executive ability in the
management of this enormous household is
clear, for there is scarcely ever a jar or
hitch, even under the impulse Of the most
untimely demands Every different depart
ment is under the control of person who is
directly responsible for that, and he has
corps of servants and slaves under his order
who obey him only, and he is subject to the
treasurer of the household. Women have no
voice whatever in the management Of any
thing in any department. Their sole occupa-
ton is to wait upon their respective mis-
tresses, or to serve the sultan in some speci-
fed capacity.
THE sULTAS'S cAPRICES.
The chamberlain is mostly occupied In
minstering to the wants and caprlces OF tine
sultan, and is in almost constant attendance
upon him. so the treasurer OF the household
has the burden of the housekeeping on his
burly shoulders. He has an organized force
of BUYERS, who are each charged with the
purchase of certain supplies for their indi-
yidual departments, each having his helpers,
servants and slaves One man is charged
with the duty of supplying all the fish, and az
to furnishing fish for certainly 5000 persons
is no light undertaking In a place where there
are no great markets, as there are in all Other
large cities. He has TO have about twenty
men to scour the various small markets and
buy of the fishermen, and each of these mer
requires about ten tons of fish week.
There are nearly 1900 pounds of breaf
eaten daily, for the Turks are large breat
eaters. and this is all baked in the enormou
ovens situated at some distance from tn
palace The kitchens are detached from al
the palaces and kiosks. 1t requires larg
force of bakers to make the bread and an
other to bring 1t TO the palace and anothe
force of BUYERS who purchase the -four an
fuel. The bringing of the most of the woo'
and charcoal is done by the unhappy canels
who carry it on their backs. There is COO
for each separate course and he has his a
\ sistants and scullons, so that there are in a
nearly 400 men working In the kitchens. l
addition to the aids each chief cook has
body servant
The lord high chamberlain chooses hi
corps of BUYERS and the chiefs of differer
departments to suit himself, usually maxim
h. Such enoice more from some occult reasonin
- than fitness for the position He then trus
the departments to those persons and tran
mits his imperative orders through the secon
chamberlain After him in Importance
the treasurer Of the household, who receiv
all the bills, looks them over and then TO
wards them TO the sublime porte, where the
are paid-in time.
THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
The providing for the material wants Of q
these persons, then, really falls upon ii
chamberlain He appoints q chibouk-kiss
who provides all the pipes used in and abo'
the palace, both for the men and the wome
including the narghiles. Then there is
tutunkaiassi, who sees that the whole pala
is literally supplied with tobacco. tt
espap-kiassi furnishes the clothes for the 81
tan's wear-that is, he buys them. Anoth
buys the sultan's shoes and slippers. Tho
who buy the personal effects of the suits
have by no means sinecure, as he new
wears the same garment or pair of sho
twice nor does he ever sleep in the san
sheets or bedding a second time. 1t is SUI
posed that all clothing and bedding whil
have touched the sacred person Of the sults
are destroyed Immediately after he has d
carded them.
The chamberlain has chief Of the buye
for the kitchen supplies and another for ca
Of the household departments, and the
have from ten TO twenty aids, and the
again have underlings who all must be
by the royal bounty and they all recei
their salaries, large or small The chief
each department receives and weighs or
praises the value of all the articles of TO
purchased, and then, attesting to the CORE
ness Of the weight or value, hands his
counts to the treasurer Of the household.
this way stealing is not so easy as foreign'
imagine it.
This buyers Of the furniture, OF the carpe
the glassware, silver and gold plate,
jewels, the soap, perfumery and cosmeti
the candies and dried fruits, the kitot
utensils, and, in short, for every depsrtm
are all subject to the same strict syste
The buying for the harem is done by
same persons, with the exception of dres
and other feminine toilet articles, which
women now buy for themselves genera
They ride out and shop very much like OF
women, only they have no idea as to
value OF money, and they order whate
strikes their fancy no matter what it is,
the bills are sent to the chief eunuch, ,
hands them, after supervision, 10 the tn
urer Of the household, who has TO get
high chamberlain's counter signature.
sewing is done by women who have moth
else to do-that is such of it as is d
there. Whenever it is possible the garm
are bought ready made.-New York Her
In Case of a Fire.
Capt Shaw, the well known chief OF
A.. Ar,r a. -. ,xiva er4