The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-26
THE SULTAN AT HIS PRAYERS.
a Gorgeous Religious Display With |
Military Trappiugs.

Military Irappiugs.
Constantinople Lett = in the Kansas City Times
Very few pageants in the world can be
fnund which for stately magnifcence and a
sort of solemn splendor can compare with
the weekly ceremony of the selamlik here in
Coustantinople. Friday is the Mohamme-
dan Sabbath and every Friday the sultan
goes lii state with a pOmp and circum-
stance, which in most countries is reserved
for more stately occasions, from his palace
to some more neghboring mosque to pray.
All his generals, ministers of state, and ad-
vlseTs are expected to be present in uniform,
and the occasion has grown to be the
weekly sight in Constantinople, the
capital of the Ottoman empire. very
pretty sight it is, too, to see all the grandees
OF the empire drive up in carriages and
alight near the palace, and the sultan in
every possible way makes the selamlik one
of great Importance to his subjects. Thou
sands of soldiers, cavalry, infantry and ma
rlnes, are ordered out for the occasion, and
the sight is most imposing one as the diff
ferent regiments march up and take posi-
tlons, holding the streets adjacent to the
sultan's mosque. The troops then form
four deep about the edifice and on both sides
of the roadway through which the Sultan
and suite pass. The Turkish soldiers are
splendid looking fellows and their march
ing and drilling are almost perfection. The
white horse, or household cavalry, mounted
on beautiful white Arabian horses, to the
number of over 1000, ride by the saluting
point at wild pace and create the greatest
enthusiasm. The post Of honor about the
Handle mosque is held by two regiments
of Syrians, whose swarthy compilations and
splendid physiques show their nationality,
while their dress is Turkish to degree In
green turbans, short embroidered jackets,
baggy trousers and white CATERS they
march with steady, easy swing that
would put to shame almost any other Turk
ish regiment Their green turbans show
either that they are Iineal descendants of
the prophet or have made the pilgrimage to
Mecca.
The palace of the sultan is not more than
quarter of mile from the royal mosque,
directly opposite which is a pretty little
kiosk, where the invited guests of the differ
ent ministers each Friday assmbIe to wit
ness the pageant, the great mass, however,
being held at some distance by the troops.
From the kiosk the scene is a magnificent
one. As far as the eye can reach are seen
the troops of the sultan, while in the distance
the water of the Golden Horn and Sea of
Marmora glisten in the morning sun. After
a wait Of at least two hours the notes of
trumpet are heard and it is made certain
that the sultan will to-day visit the Handle
Mosque and not the second ROYAL chapel.
some distance away. Sometimes, after the
troops have been for hours waiting in the
sun, his majesty changes his mind-but to-
day he is noJ capricious. The Crown Prince
of Saxony, who has been spending some
days in the city, is present to view the
scene, and in his honor a special review is
held after the selamlik is over. A few min
utes before the sultan appears and while
fresh sand is being sprinkled over the road
way where his carriage is to run, dozen or
more closed carriages issue from the main
gateway and come slowly down the hill
and turn into the inclosed yard of the
mosque. They contain the Sultana and
favoEtes of the royal harem, yelled to the
eyes and attired in light, feecy garments of
white, pink, purple and yellow. Beside
each coachman sits huge black eunuca in
dark coat and trousers, with a red fez on
his head, and as the carriages take position
at the left of the main entrance to the
mosque, in order that the inmates can see
the sultan, the shouts Of the troops and the
blate of trumpets announce that his majesty
is coming.
In front of the royal carriage which is
most gorgeous affair, drawn by four white
horses and attended by Turkish grooms,
walk about LOG of the leading generals,
statesmen, marshals and advisers of the
sultan. They all wear brilliant uniforms,
covered with gold braid and medals. In
front walks Osman Pasha, the hero of
Plevna, while about him are the generals
who, in more than one war, have carried
the cross and crescent to the fore. In the
carriage with the sultan rides the grand
viZier, and, as they slowly approach the
kiosk, where are the invited guests Of the
day, the sultan acknowledges their presence
in the Turkish custom by touching his
heart, his head aud his lips with his
right hand. He is not a large man and has
a strong jewish cast of countenance and
looks very much like jay Gould. He does
not look like happy man nor a healthy
one. either. He looks as if he was afraid of
his very life, and those who know say this
is fact, and that he is in constant fear of
assassination. The fact that Abdul Hamid.
the present sultan, deposed his elder brother,
Murad v, in 1876. and now holds him
prisoner in one of the palaces on the Bos-
phorus, and that Abdul Aziz, the last sui
tan, came to such mysterious death in t Q
white palace, gives color to the fears of the
present sultan. Whether there is any truth
in them OF not, the fact is well known that
Abdul Hamid lives in daily fear.
AS the royal procession nearS the mosque
the generals and ministers of state open to
the right and left, through which the royal
carriage passes, every one bowling almost to
the ground as the sultan leaves the carriage
AID enters the mosque, followed by the
grand viZier. What takes place within
only those Of the Mohammedan faith know
No christian otherwise known as dogs of
infidels to the Turks has ever set foot within
its sacred precincts, and none probably will
SO long as the present sultan lives. After
his death tourists will no doubt be admitted
at the usual price of 25 cents per head.
1t takes the sultan about forty minutes to
say his prayers in royal form, after which
he takes position in one of the windows of
the mosque and reviews the 10, 900 or more
troops that have bsen ordered out for the
day. At the conclusion of the review the
sultan enters different carriage than that
in which he arrived and himself takes the
reins and drives up the hill and through the
main gateway of the palace grounds. There
is a wild scramble Of attendant grooms
coachmen, aides-de-camp and aged minis
tiers and generals to keep up with the re-
firing procession, and were it not that it
not that 1t was royal affair it would APP
pear ridiculous. The horses driven by the
sultan could not possibly run away, but 50
precious is his life and SO great the fear
that some harm may come to him that he
is from orling to night surrounded by
soldiers and attendants, who watch his
slightest movement. No wonder the man
is afraid of his life.
With the disappearance of the sultan
within the gates ends the selaInlik. Every
Friday throughout the year the same cere-
mony takes place, and save once or twice
during Rarnazqn tyhar, tho a.,Ifau d~ivaS