The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-20
Highest Of all in LeayeA
low He is s=lsA4 81
/. TAN ANo lNsTALfG}HE SUI

With tho Turkish Court-No Ono Knows
Who Is to BE Named Until the Last nIo-
ment-An Impressive Prayer.
Tho ceremony Of naming" the new
grand vizier is one of the most impress
i've sights imaginable, and as it has
seldom if ever been described an at
tempt to convey some idea of it may not
DO without interest. 1t was toward :
o'clock on Saturday afternoon that the
servants commenced to carry out from
Djevad Pasha's rooms ut the sublime
porto his books, papers, pens and other
private paraphernalia. This was the
first intimation given to the world that
tho grand vizier had fallen. Shortly aft
erward troops filed up tho hill and lined
both sides of the road from the landing
stage at Sirkidjy to the doors of the
porte. The news spread like fire under
wind, and by 8 o'clock all preparations
were completed for the reception of the
new occupant of the principal Office in
the empire. In the great council cham
Der the scene was unique III it's quiet dig
nifty. The room was crowded with all
tho high officials prescIa and past, and
though an hour or two previously none
there had even guessed what was about
to happen each one took his place ST.
lently and regularly, without confusion
or mistake, awaiting tho advent Of the
still unknown chief
at the head of tho hall small vacant
space was left, around which grouped
the present ministers and those who had
previously held portfolios. AS each came
in he paced slowly up tho carpet with
one short salute. AS soon as he reached
the end all present returned the teme-
na'a with Il sweep of tho hand to the
ground, breast and forehead. This
rhythmical greeting, accumulated by the
movement of scarlet fezes in unison
with open hands, given in silence, and
In the dim, curtained light Of tho coun-
Gil chamber. defes adequate description
by the pen.
And then the newcomer returned the
salutes separately, beginning Mt the left
hand side, round tho square Of his col
leagues, subordinates and superiors, and
one more candidate for tho vizierate
whom tho choice of the sultan had fall
en-. Many names were whispered round,
but as their owners entered tho circle of
greeting their chances were seen to be
ext1nguished. One after another they
followed on, till by process of reduc-
ton 1T became question of only two or
three, all the rest Of Turkey statesmen
and all her greatest pashas having al
ready trodden the carpet and taken their
seats of expectation. Then from the
windows could be seen small process
sion winding up the ascent In front
were two horsemen, he OH the left lit
tlo man we'll known to all tho watchers
Ill the chamber, and Oh the right the
Sheilhh nj Islam, shining in the sunlight
with his robes of pure whito and gold.
In the passing of breath the name
of Ketchuh Said futtered round the
room, and few moments later the new
grand vizier, who had already thrice
gone through the same ceremony, was
standing i'll the center Of the ministerial
group. There he drew from his breast O
green silk bag, and extracting from it
the imperial hiatt he pressed the parch-
mcnt to his lips and forehead The dark
bearded sheikh repeated this homage to
the words of his imperial master, and
the HAITI was handed to the eyrak mu-
diri, or keeper of tho archives, who read
aloud that his imperial majesty the sui
tan, knowing tho devotion, we'll proved,
of Said Pasha, intrusted to him the
duties of grand vizier, and that, having
full confidence i'll the piety of the Sheikh
III Islam, no prolonged his term Of of
flee, being anxious in all things for tho
best welfare of his people, and might AL
mighty God bless their efforts toward
that end. Then again wave Of sweep
ing hands and bending heads went
round, and the sheikh, in full, deep
tones, offered mp q prayer for tho sultan
and the empire. In "a moment tho coun-
Gil chamber was transformed into holy
place, and tho politicians, pashas and
scribes, with upturned palms, seemed
to have forgotten for q space the world
and its yanities. 1t would be hard to
Imagine anything moro striking than
this prayer, amid such surroundings and
Oh such an occasion.
With it terminated tho investiture.
Tho new grand vizier adjourned to his
room with his ministry for coffee and
n perfunctory cabinet council, and later
ON the old and new viziers and min
listers repaired to Yildiz to pay their
first or last respects to their lord Mean
While another hiatt had arrived chang
ing the occupant of the western wing Of
tho porto, for Said Pasha, who has been
minister for foreign affairs for nine
years, was hidden to vacate his famil-
lar chair in favor of Turllhan Pasha.-
Constantinople Letter.