Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-17
THE SULTAN'S HOUSEHOLD.
All Responsibility Rests on the Shoulders
L of Two Officials.

All Responsibility Rests on the Shoulders
o of Two Officials.
1t is estimated that over six thousand
persons are fed daily at his Dolma
Bagtche Palace when the Sultan is
there. One who is we'll informed gives
aographic picture of the Sultan's house
keeping. He admits that it is clear that
there is good executive ability in the
management of this enormous house
hold for there is scarcely evera jar or
a. hitch, even, under the impulse of the
most ountimely demands. Every differ
ent department is under the control of a
person who is directly responsible for
that, and he has corps of servants and
slaves Under his orders, who obey him
only, and he is subject to the Treasurer
of the Household. Women have no voice
whateyero in 3the management of any
thing in any department.. Their
sole occupation is to wait upon
their respective mistresses, or to serve
the Sultan in some specified capacity;
oand the LABOR about0the palace is so6Sub-
divided that no one works very hardqex-
eept the Lord High Chamberlain and
Treasurer Of the Household, The
Cham berlain is mostly occupied in ad-
nadnistering to- the wants and oeaprices
oftke Sultan, and is in almost constant
attendance upon him. so the Treasurer
OF the Household has the Burden of the
housekeeping oon his burly shoulders.
He ohasoan organized force of'buyersy ywho
are each charged with the purchase of
certain supplies for their individual de-
partments, leach ohaving his helpers,
servants pand @ slaves: One man is
charged with the duty Of supplying all
the fish, and as to furnishing fish
fog at least six q thousand per
sons is no light undertaking in
a place where o'thers are no
great markets such as there. are in ali
ether large settles, lie. has to have about.
twenty men to scour the various SHALL
markets and buy of the fishermen, and
each of these men 6Shas0 two Others to
carry the fish they buy. About ten
tons of fish week are, required. There
are nearly eighteen thousand pounds of
bread eaten daily, for8 the Turks are
large dread eaters and this is all baked
in the00o enormous ovens situated at
some distance from the Palace. The
food for the Sultan is cooked by one
man and his aids, and no. ethers touch
it. 1t IS cooked ino silver vessels; and
when done each kettle is sealed .by a
slip Of paper and a stamp, and this is
broken in the presence of the Sultan by
the High Chamberlain, who takes enc
spoonful of each separate kettle be-
fore the Sultan tastes. it. 30 This
is to guard against poison. The food
is almost always served ouP. to the Sui
tan in the same vessels in which it was
cooked, and these are often ofogold, but
when of baser metal 9the kettle is set
into rich golden bel1-shaped holder,
the handle of which is held by a slave
while the Sultan eats. Each kettle
represents course, and is served with
bread and kind of opaneake, which IS
held on \ golden tray bysetioth7tSs
The Sultan never uses plate. He takes
all his food direct from the little ket-
ties, and never uses a table ands rarely
a knife or fork-a spoon, his bread. a
pancake, or fingers are found far handi-
or. 1t requires just twice as many
slaves as there are courses to serve a
dinner to him II, T,oiS1lro Hour