The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-26


Turkish capital.
On all of these occasions he was ac-
| corded exceptional advantages for
studying Turkey in all its details, and
because of his scientific and literary
standing in this country he mingled in
Constantinople with persons of infiu-
euce. He has, therefore. learned from
/ personal observation and from &C
quain lance with many Of those in Turk
| ism official circles many facts concern
ing the sultan, the porte, and the poll
tics of Turkey which should be OF great
| interest just at this time.
'.Sul6an Abdul Hanrid Khan. who has
been seated upon the Ottoman throne
for nearly twenty years. said DR.. Adj
| Ter yesterday, as he opened our inter
view, sis today a man SO years old. His
portraits which we frequently see pub
! liShed in the papers and magazines
would indicate him to be young man
( Of about so. This youthful appearance
/ of his pictures is due to the fact that
\ for some reason his majesty has refused
/ to have his portrait taken since the
time of his coronation. The most recent
of these portraits is, therefore, twenty
years old.
1T is rumored that Adults mother
was a Christian. and, strange TO say.
an Armenian, although, on becoming
| one of the wives of the sultan'S father.
| she became a Moslem. His majesty Is a
man Of medium height. wearing a full
| beard, although represented in his por-
| traits with simply a muStache. Though
/ slight in frame, his broad shoulders sug-
| geSt that he still retains considerable
personal vigor. His personality does
not indicate him to be man given over
to luxury, but on the other hand, when
fc.r
the modest field uniform of infantry
general Yet he is man of great
wealth. The royal lands are said to be
very large, and his personal income
must be enormous, If we can judge from
the number of palaces to be kept UP.
1.-The manner in which foreigners or
dinarily see the sultan is by attending
on Friday-the Mohammedan Sabbath
the ceremony of Selamlik.' or pray
ers. On this occasion his majesty
comes out with his officers 10 worship
in the Hamidieh mosque, which he built
for himself near the Yildiz palace. his
favorite abode in Constantinople. On
one occasion when 1 was allowed TO
view his majesty I accompanied our
American minister to a little building
adjoining the royal palace, where pre-
scented my card before being admitted
TO the ambassadors room. which is one
of the magnificent apartments of the
imperial household.
AN aid-de-camp took our cards, after
which we were given seats at one of
the palace windows. before which the
royal procession was expected to move
| on its way to the mosque. After wait
ing a half hour. which time was whiled
away with cigarettes and coffee or tea,
| there appeared a number of carriages
containing the women of the Sultan'S
household, that were afterward drawn
up in the courtyard of the mosque,
which I'VE could view from where we
sat. After the horses had been remov-
ed there followed a procession, includ-
ing a series of magnificent horses and
carriages, in one of which sat very
tired looking man, with a very kindly
face, that bore such careworn express
sion as would appeal to ones sympathy.
This was Abdul Hamid Khan. the sui
tan of the Turks. Ae he passed the
window he bowed to us, and later the
aid-de-camp informed us that his maj
esty sent his salutations. Thus ended
this odd reception.
THE sultan does not delegate any
great amount Of authority TO his minis
tiers. He insists upon getting all sorts
of details in regard to everything that
is going on in Europe. As an example
Of the small details which he must con-
slider personally, every judicia! sentence
imposed for a term of Imprisonment
lasting more than five years Is brought
to his attention. He is the absolute
head OF the state. the absolute head of
the MOhammedan church. not only in
Turkey, but of the world, and he is
commander-in-chiefo of the army. He r
sultan Of the OttomanS and Calf, which
means the successor OF Mohammed. II
is this claim that makes him so foTTnid-
able in the Mohammedan countries out
side of his empire.
The sultan's favorite palace, the
Yildiz (Star), is one of the smallest OF
the several royal abodes. He rarely
ventures beyond its precincts. ! saw
him outside but once during my visits
to Constantinople- This was on the oc-
casion Of the great feast of the Karoan-
Bairam. when his ajesty gave a hand
shake to each Of the officers of the gov
eminent The ceremony corresponds 20
the New Years reception given by our
president
No foreigners are allowed 10 active
~ participate in the ceremony. although
the more fortunate are permitted TO
view IL from the gallery in the magnif-
cent reception hall Of the Dolma Bag1-
che palace. The sultan's wives and the
lowed 10 participate in this or any o,h-
er public ceremony. However. they are
not confined 10 the palace, as IS gsner-
ally believed. They may be frequently
seen driving on the avenues OF C0nstan-
rnople. attended by eunuchs.
Are no foreigners allowed private
audiences with the sultan
None but ministers or smhassa-
doris"
Tell me something about the sui
tan's chief assistants n matters 81
sta
Next in rank 70 his majesty comes
the grand vizie-. and AFTER him The
Shiek-ul-Isla-n The grand vizle- can
not be compared with l. Hung Chang.
for instance. IN power. although tse =
the officer 60 whom Abdul Hs1.d looks
for ire carrying out % h.s imperial Or
Gers
Mex IN rank 10 the grand vizfer *
the heEk-ui-Islzm. HIS authority s.
variable. and from soma points = view
he appears u Re superior n power 20
ei,e sultan L was the Shsik-ul-Isla-n
OF the 9e-rer sultan-Mursd. Adults
trofhe--who prepared The -escT1Pt de-
ciaring his insanity and placing Ah11l
Harnla on TIE throne. II ISL. waen
TIE former cabinet fell. the sultan ap-
pointed 4 new Shsik-ul-Isls-n.
We hear 50 much ABOUT TIE Sub
line Porte, where does j. derive IL
rzme7"
The Sublime Porte means Simply
ne government q Turkey as Represent
ed BY the sulrsn's ministers Tia CIV
eminent buildings 0: c0asts1tilaE'se.
corresponding TO our executive c@Eaar1-
nlen:s. are situated IN one large PARK |
eate1d through . nss7ssceaf gaze