Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-07-29
A HIGH LIVER.
The Sultan OF Turkey Is Fond OF
Table Luxuries.
he Dimes in Solitary State and His
Meals Cost a Mint of Money
Every Year-A Procession
OF Walters.

Sultan Abdul Hasmid's table ex-
penses are $4,000 day. For the 365
days last year he spent $1,962,0O0.
No other human being of modern
times is accredited with spending one
fifth this enormous amount. 1t does
not included grand state dinners or
Dther elaborate functions. It is simply
for his majesty's regular everyday
meals.
Queen Victoria, Emperor William of
Germany, the czar of Russia, Ii Hung
Chang one of them spends any
thing like this amount. They are all
most extravagant diners. and the most
expensive of the worlds delicacies are
piled upon their tables. but even by i'm
porting the costliest viands from all
parts of the world. their table expenses
are nowhere near the sultan's.
strange feature of the sultan's din
ing is that no one enjoys the food with
him. He eats alone. Never, upon any
pretext whatever, does he have com
panion at his meals He does not even
have dining-room. or dining-hall,
but takes his dinner wherever he may
happen to be. The menials, at the din
ing hour search out his majesty, and
then in long procession, bring the
banquet to him, tables. trays, dishes
and all
He may be in the palace, or in the gar
den, or any part of his great private
park, it makes no difference, he takes
his meal right on the spot. All the
morning the large corps of imperial
cooks prepare the dinner. AS the noon
hour arrives, slaves are sent in various
directions to discover the whereabouts
of his majesty. Having done this, they
report his exact location to the sultan's
chief chamberlain, who then calculates
the time required to transport the num-
erous dishes to him without their get
ting cooled.
The chamberlain then stands beside
the chief server and supervises the
transferring of the different kinds of
food from the kettles into the silver
tureens. These vessels are very elab-
crate. They consist of many shapes,
sizes and designs. and are beautifully
chased and engraved. They are SO con-
structed that they can be entirely sealed
up, leaving no chance for anyone to
drop anything into the food.
AS fast as each vessel is filed, the
chamberlain seals it and puts on it his
official stamp. This is a guarantee of
Its inspection, and that it contains no
poisonous substances. Over each
tureen a bell-shaped felt cover is
rlapped down tightly to retain the
warmth.
The dinner procession, consisting of
over hundred persons, is then formed.
First come ten slaves, bearing the great
table. 1t is of silver, and perhaps the
most exquisite table that has ever been
made. The legs and sides are richly
chased, and the top is so highly pol-
fshed that it looks like mirror. Then
comes long line of jublakiars, or first
assistants of the chief cook" each bear
ing on his head tray, upon which rests
one of the silver vessels. These jubla-
kiars are so perfectly trained in the art
Df head balancing that no accident
not even the jarring of a dish-has ever
been known. Following come more
slaves. bearing on their heads another
course, and after them come still
other detachments with other courses.
In the rear follow the slaves who are to
wait on his majesty.
The procession moves up to where the
sultan is standing. Two slaves run for
ward with silken rug, which is spread
upon the floor or ground as the case
may be. On this divan is placed, and
the sultan reclines. The table is spread
in front of him, and the tureens are
brought up. AS each one is set down
the chamberlain steps forward and
breaks the seal. On each side Of him
stands an imperial faster. The cham
berlain hands ladleful from each ves-
sci first to one faster and then to the
other. After it has been swallowed the
chamberlain then takes spoonful
himself, the sultan meanwhile watch
ing the operation. Everthing being sat
isfactory. one after the other, are ar
ranged before his majesty, who runs
his eye over the many viands. Then he
picks and chooses. eating piece here
and a piece there, mouthful of meat,
spoonful of water ice, sweet cake
and tiny fish ball. The sultan never
uses a plate. He takes all his food di-
rectly from the little silver kettles that
are arranged in circle around him,
rarely ever using knife OF fork. A
spoon. his bread and his fingers, which
hre constantly wiped by an attendant,
who stands at his side, are handler and
more to his liking.
He is usually attired in a loose penn
bazar and gegelik. with his sleeves
turned up. and he generally manages
to be in spot at dinner time where he
has clear view out over the Bosphorus
or his magnificent grounds.
After he has eaten all he wants, the
sultan sips his coffee and smokes his
rhibouk. lying back in quiet reverie.
which he calls taking his "keif."
The sultan's whole household is at
liberty to take their meals wherever it
suits them best, and thus everyone is
served wherever they happen to be.
After the sultan has dined the imperial
pOQy Budru, tHe cudmDeilaihS d1lu OIL
er high functionaries are fed. After all
the officers and others of high degree
have eaten, the soldiers and servants
get their food. and at the same time
all the men employed in the imperial
stables have theirs, and during the
progress of the meals any stranger,
whoever 1t may be, is at liberty to come |
in ard seat himself and eat. 1t is a sort |
of perpetual free lunch, and one that
is enjoyed every day in the year at the
sultan's expense.
Get Trusted for Their Fares.