The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-12-14


the New Years reception given by our
president. No foreigners are allowed to
actively participate in this ceremony, al
though the more fortunate are permitted
to view it from gallery in the niagni1-
cent reception hall of the Dolma Bagtche
palace The Sultan's wives and the
ladies Of the royal household are not al
lowed to participate in this or any other
public ceremony. However, they are not
confined to the palace, as is generally
believed. They may be frequently seen
driving on the avenues of Constantine
pie, attended by eunuchs.' -
''Are no foreigners allowed private audi
ences with the Sultan?'
3.None but ministers or ambassadors.
'Tell me something about the sultan's
chief assistants in matter of state"
Next in rank to his majesty comes the
grand vizier and after him the sheik-l1l-
Islam The grand yiZier cannot be COM
pared with Ii Hung Chang, for instance,
in power, although he is the officer to
whom Abdul Hamid looks for the carry
ing out Of his imperial orders. ! am ac-
ouianted with the noted Klamil Pasha,
who for six years, UP to 1891, was grand
vizier to the present sultan. You may re-
! member that it was the who was reap
pointed grand vizier several weeks ago,
retaining his position only few days. He
is. an old man of about ", with a keen
eye, very thin and pale, and wearing a
gray beard. He has great kowledge of the
outside world and is a great commander OF
| Languages, speaking English with purity
which many natives might we'll admire.
During his imcumbency Of six years the
! affairs of the empire were in very flour
fishing condition. The cause of his fall is
not known, but one Of the stories current
at the time gives a key to the sultan's
character. The sultan has for many years
| lived--probably not without reason-ln
dread of assassination. Before the change
of cabinet and during celebration he'd
outside the palace a bundle of fireworks
exploded inside the palace yard. About
| the same time, owing to some accident at
the city gas works, all of the lights went
out in royal palace The sultan was so
badly frightened that he dismissed his
grand vizier, sheik-ul-Islam, and cabinet.
The probable cause of Kiarnil Pasha s last
| fall. few weeks ago, was his complaining
| to the sultan Of the presence Of Clique at
| the palace which was striving to upset
| in his majesty's mind the ideas and theo-
ries Of his responsible ministers. Such a
| dual form of administration. in kiami S
estimatioal. would ultimately upset the
government.
! "Next in rank to the grand vizier is the
shiek-ul- Islam. His authority is variable,
and from some points Of view he appears
/! to be superior in power to the sultan. II
was the shiek- -ul-Jslam of the former sui
tan-Murad, Abduss brother-who pre-
pared the rescript declaring his insanity
and placing Abdul Hamid ON the throne.
In 1891, when the former cabinet fell, the
sultan appointed new sheik-ul-Islam.'
owe hear so much about the Sublime
Porte where does it derive its name?'
''The Sublime Porte means simply the
government of Turkey as represented by
| the sultans ministers. The government
buildings of ConstanIinople, correspondent Is
| TO our executive departments, are situated
! in one large park. entered through mag
nifcent gateway. The name Sublime
Porte, or Sublime Entrance, is derived
! from the fact that the ministers enter this
gate way when going to their offices.
sDo you believe that there is really
| much discord in the workings Of the pres
ent governments -
There are antagonisms constantly go
! ing on between the ministers and the pal
ace clique. The latter is constantly trying
! to outdo the Porte. This is the probable
cause of the present unsettled conditions
i'll Turkey
"What did you find to be the true rela-
tions between the Arnaenians and Turks?'
"The difficulties which the Armenians
are now experiencing are not so much
religious as national. In Turkey there
are numerous Christians, representing al
| most every shade, including, besides Az
menians Greeks and Syrians. The Greeks
appear to be in no trouble whatever. The
Armenians are the richest class in Con-
stantinople, and many of them, as we'll
as other Christians, hold important posi-
tions at the Porte. Many Christians like
wise represent Turkey in foreign coun-
tries. For instance, the Turkish minister
to this country is a Greek, and the secre-
tary of the legation is an AremIlian.
t'In Germany Hungary and the Danub-
ian country you may see Women dong
field work. I have often seen them lashed
to carts like ordinary draft animals. But
have never seen women doing field work
or bearing burdens OF any kind in Tnr-
KEY. The education Of Turkish women is
rapidly improving. The Sultan is very
progressive as to education and has estab-
lished many higher schools for girls. In
Consta antinople there is now an art school
conducted by Prussians, There are also
in the empire two archaeological muse
ums and several colleges, besides high
schools and schools preparatory to the
civil service. The Turkish civil service
is a, very good one of it's kind
GLOW about the military strength OF
Turley?'
s''Irl1e navy of Turkey has been built up
in the main, under British influence. The
admiral, Woods Pasha, iss an Eng
lshman. The warships in the service,
however, are not very modern. The army
such as surrounds the royal palaces
gorgeously clad and the cavalry is Well
mounted. But out in the provinces the
soldiers have shabby appearance. How
ever. they are kept in as excellent train
ing as the governm allows The army
is composed wholly Of Mohamm edan5
whose whole military service is spent in
camp. The crack regiments are care
fully drilled by Prussian officers, II the
war department should equip this army
deserying]y, / doubt if any soldiers in
Europe could give better accounts OF
themselves.
Succeeds RyrneS.
Acting Chief Conlin, Of New York, has
succeeded Inspector Byrnes as chief.
C.-1;,, ~, "A xraarc Of 700 and horn