Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-01-21

The coromCny q naming" The now
grand vizier So ono 81 the most imp1ass-
i've sights Imaginable, and as It has
seldom ~ ever been described a at
tempt 70 convey some idea Of It may not
be without interest II was toward 4
O'Clock on Saturday afternoon that the
servants commenced to aarry out from
Dievad ansha's rooms at the sublime
porte bis books papers. pens and other
private paraphernaliA This was the
first intimation given to the world that
the grand vizier had fallen. Shortly aft
erwardtroops fled mp the bin and lined
both sides Of the road from the landing
stage at Sirkidjy to the doors Of the
porte. The news spread like Gre under q
wind, and by 3 O'Clock all preparations
were completed for the reception Of the
now occupant Of the principal office in
the empire, In the great council cham
Der the scene was unique in its quiet dig
nifty. The room was crowded with all
the high officials present and past, and
though an hour or two previously o
there had even guessed what was about
TO happen each one took his place ST.
lently and regularly, without confusion
or mistake, awaiting the advent Of the
still unknown chief.
At the head Of the 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 the carpet with
one short salute. As soon as he reached
the end all present returned the teme-
na'a with a sweep Of the hand to the
ground, breast and forehead. This
rhythmical greeting, Accumulated by the
movement Of scarlet fezes in unison
with open hands, given ia silence, and
In the dim, curtained light Of the coun-
ell chamber, defes adequate description
by the pen.
And then the newcomer returned the
salutes separately, beginning at the left
hand side, round the square Of his col
leagues, subordinates and superiors, and
one more candidate for the vizierate
was effaced. for nobody knew upon
whom the choice Of the sultan had fall
en-. Many names were whispered round,
but as their owners entered the circle Of
greeting their chances were seen to .
extinguishod. One after another they
followed on, till by a process Of redu
ton it became a question Of only two G.
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 a small process
sion winding up the ascent. In front
were two horsemen, be on the left a lit
tic man well known to all the watchers
in tho chamber, and ON the right the
Sheikh nj Islam, shining in the sunlight
with his robes Of pure white and gold
In the passing of a breath the name
Of Ketchuk Said huttered ronnd the
room, and q few moments later the new
grand vizier. who had already thrice
gone through the same ceremony, was
standing in the center of the ministerial
group. There he drew from his breast a
green silk bag, and extracting from II
the imperial hiatt he pressed the parch-
ment to his lips and forehead The dark
bearded shoikh repeated this homage to
tho words Of his imperial master, and
the hiatt was handed to the evrak mu-
diri, on keeper Of the archives, whoread
aloud that his imperial majesty the sui
tan, knowing the devotion, we'll proved,
Of Said PashR, intrusted to him the
duties Of grand vizier, and that, having
full confidence in the piety Of the Sheikh
I'll Islam, he prolonged his term Of Of
fee, being anxious in all things. for the
best welfare If his people, and might AL
mighty God bless their efforts toward
that end. Then again a wave Of sweep
ing hands and bending heads went
round. and tho shefkh, in full, deep
tones, offered mp n prayer for the sultan
and the empire. In q moment the coun-
oil chamber was transformed into q holy
place, and the politicians, pashas and
scribes, with upturned palms, seemed
10 have forgotten for a space the world
and its vanities. It would 30 hard to
imagine anything more striking than
this prayer, amid such surroundings and
on such an occasion.
With it terminated the investiture.
The new grand vizier adjourned to his
room with his ministry for cofeo and
p%orfunctory cabinet council, and latel
on the old and new viziers and min.
istors repaired 10 Yildiz to pay theil
first or last respects to their lord. Mean.
while another hiatt bad arrived, chang
ing the occupant Of the western wing d
the porte, for Said Pasha, who has beer
minister for foreign affairs for nin'
; years, was hidden to vacate his famil
lar chair in favor Of Turkhan Pasha-
Constantinople Letter.
J, Not many know how that talentel