New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-17
DOGBERRY IN STAMBOUL
THE CASE OF MANSOUR AGHA-THE Bull
GARIAN BISHOPS

The turkish OFFICIAL OF tne DAY Is q regular
Dogberry in many ways, but always and particle
larly in his ardent desire to be writ down an
The mass of the spies in the service Of tho
Government know that their daily bread depends
on their ability to assure their masters that men
call them names. Hence the spies will make up
what they cannot overhear in the way of hair
raising phrases and plots among the people A
Characteristic illustration Of this trait and its re-
suit IS the history Of Syrian merchant from
Mosul who came to the city couple Of weeks
ago to buy goods. Among the wonders Of the
Centre of the Universe" he discovered shops
full of revolvers in great variety. Now revovers
are a rare article in Mosul, and Mansour Agha
wondered at the lack of enterprise Of his many
rivals in the Mosul Bazaar. They had often come
TO COnstantinople for goods, but had never
brought back these useful articles for the increase
of their trade. Trembling with the excitement
Of one whose fortune is made if he can but put q
brilliant idea into execution, Mansour bought
fifty rcvOlvers and had them sent 10 his room at
the Khan to be packed in his boxes They would
certainly sell for three times what they cost him,
and none could compute the rate OF growth Oh
his profit account If he once got the control OF
the trade. From dreams Of this pleasing nature
Mansour was aroused the next morning by per-
sistent knocking, knocking, knocking at his door.
Two Unlocking Turks pushed him into the room
when he opened the door, and sprang upon the
revOlvers lying on the floor They assured him
that he might be very smart man, but he must
be a forty-year-old wolf if he was smart enough
to fool them. Mansour saw nothing 70 make
such fuss about, and explained that he was q
merchant taking these rcvO!vers to adorn his shop
and to astonish the natives with the great re-
sources Of the Sultans capital To this the men
IiaJ Int bo ba
know that the sale Of revovers in the interior OF
the Empire was forbidden, and that since he had
admitted his guilt he must GO with them TO the
polce station for they were spies sent out to de-
tect such evil plans of men who patronlze the
sbops Of the Constantnople arrnOrers. When
Mansour dropped his confident air and began 70
beg. saving that he had not taken the reyoivers
into the interior and would take them back 10
the armorcr If il was against tie law for him 10
have them. the men told him that they wouid
Let him off for $500 cash down. lie produced
his cash box and showed them that II contained
but 500, which he had saved for his expenses
back 10 Mosul. The men were inclined 10 re-
lent at sight of the gold and told hlIn 10 give
them that and they would see what they could
do for him. Tie money w3s quickly pald over
and the spips departed. telling him to walt q
Bit for one of them would return and help him
carry the arms back to the dealer.
In due time Mansour opened the door 10 an
other knock. and found himself face TO face WIN
a file of police. Before he had time 70 say
Mashallah which in Turkey takes the place OF
the phrase Jack Robinson as measure OF ome'
the police had scooped up the reviewers ana mo
merchant with them and were on the way TO the
central prison. The spies had denounced MN 10
tho nolice in order TO get the reward OF vigilance
81
much clear gain thrown in their way By kisinet,
But the quantity Turkish part of the story lol-
lows. Mansour was Syrian from Mosui. bao
tho snics had reported him an Armenian from
Van. which is a great Armenian centre. In order
IN make their story hold together they were
Obliged 10 alter their Victims name from Nam
sour 70 Maksoud, which is an Armenian name!
The implication which followed was that he was
nrovidinq arms 10 he used in an Armenian reNOu
and was caught in the very act. In vain Man.
sour protested, produced his passport, called any
number of respectable witnesses, te!egrapned u
Mosnl and got official testimony that he was
Syrian Of that city who hated the Armenians az
cordial ly as do the Turks themselves. lie mig"
as well talk to men deaf from birth. Inc spies
had told q story which was OF sullcehlly
thrilling quality, and they had Been proved 10 10
truthful men by the fact that the revolvers were
found on the floor Of Mansours room, as the men
nredicted that they would be- Hence their EVIL
dence is unimpeachable, and poor Mansour, iar
from making his fortune through his enterpriSlns
venture in rcvolyers is likely To remain Tor many
a long month where he now is, on the wrons
side OF the doors OF the prison.
1t is the terror OF the unknown which leads
the smaller officials Of Turkey into such admin
istrative foes Every departure of events from
the narrow circle Of established usage Is sur
prise 10 the Turk which paralyzes tie mind VIVA
an agony of expectation. Why every new occur
renee is expected to produce terrible fruits is seen
in every new development Of the Eastern ques-
ton. Its complications are never ioreseen'
Among the modest requests presented to tie forUs
by Stamboulofr, the Bulgarian Premier, was Tue
humble petition that the Porte would gave eIecS
10 the right Of the Bulgarian EXafch, as head OF
the Church TO appoint Bishops over the Bui-
garian churches in Macedonia. Apparently 'hls
little matter was tie least difficult to handle Oh
all the problems proposed by the note OF St3th-
bouloN The right IN itself was unquesUonaDe,
and political reasons alone have lea the Porte,
after recognizing the ENarch as head OF 'ie
churches of the Bulgarian rite, TO decline 70
recognize his bishops The granting OF the &c,
quest would serve sop 70 The Bulgdtlhhs, atu
might aid in procrastnating settlement oi I rio
question Of recognizing PRICE ferlnanu' iIto
Gar of Russia had at one time urged with per-
sistcnce the justice of permitting the DulesIlstS
TO complete the organization OF their ohuiSh.
All seemed plain sailing in this direction. DaO
no sooner was the decree issued for the appoint
ment of the Bishops than perfect cyclone strucn
Tho Porte Russia was calmly indignant. Greece
boiled over with fury, and the Greek Patriarch
Of Cons,antinople soemnly protested that SINCE nee
! the Turks We're minded % deprive MN OF ms
jbts under the charters Of religious liberty they
migLt also take away his Office. II seemed thai
The ore thing which Turkey ought 10 have re-
! Trained from doing had been done, ana that ca
| lamity To any extent might follow Inc cause "
| This unexpected complication is that the Greek
| churches IN Macedonia contain great numbers oi
| Nulcarisns These Bulgarians have been forced
I'LL. nnder thc rule of the Greek Patriarch 10
| endure the reading of the liturgy in the Grect
| language. TO send their children TO the creek
schools and to he reckoned themselves as GREEKS
| In the census reports large part of the clain
- the Greek nation TO a revcrsonary interest III
! the territory OF Macedonia rests uron this stare
| .i.i,n., L tho IN Lon rim ENnrrh is 10 nl-