The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-28

| when regulates your Hoe0l aIlu Illus
other engagements. In fact, specia
watches have been devised to meet th(
eXigencies OF the case, showing on olsI
face the two dals to indicate the COM
parative times. Moreover, as sunsa
varies according to the season, II be-
comes necessary for the Turk to set his
watch at least once every i've days
This little matter, however, is not one
half so perplexins as the problems pre-
scented by the Turkish money.
Every one who has travelled in coun-
tries that have the silver standard is
familiar with the vagaries of exchange
But the mere fact that the Turkish
pound Of 100 piastres actually brings los
silYes piastres scarcely begins to give
an inltling of the difficulty here. The
Meiidie, or dollar, is ncminally worth
/ twenty pastries, but get one changed
and you will only receive nineteen
piastres 1t is the same way with the
/ smaller coins, you lose fraction with
every exchange Hand piece of
piastres (2A cents) to a tram-car con-
/ ductor and you will receive back your
prope change less than half cent.
| There is q scarcity of small change,
! you are told, and While silver is below
par small silver and copper are at a
premium 1t is all very perpleXing and
entirely past understanding to the cas-
ual visitor. The difficulty is not made
less by the esta blished trade customs of
giving the Mejidieh a conventional
value for certain purposes and in Ger
tain localities. In Smyrna for example,
it is worth more Dlastres than in Con-
stantinOple, While its value in buying
/ opium, coffee and coal differs in each
case. Bookkeeping under these cir
cumstances must be indeed an art, or
conduct straight to suicide or the lun-
attic asylum. The facts referred to ex-
plain the existence of the innumerable
Serrafs or money changers whose
stands dot the streets in every drec-
ton. The numbers and influence, it is
said are primarily responsible for the
neglect of the government to coin more
small change and thus abolish the
abuse.
The ordinary visitor to Constantinople
who poses in the security of his far
away home as a linquist on the
strength of his assiduous application to
Smiths "French in Twenty Lessons"
or Browns Complete German Phrase
Book" will be astuonded by the mar
ve'lous atainments of merchants doing
business among the mixed races of the
LeNant, One must perforce speak at
least three languages fluently, while
many and many of the friends you
make speak from five to ten tongues.
There is small match peddler who
frequents the cafes of the Crande Rue
de Pera in the evenings, a Russian He
brew Of fourteen years, WHO manages
fairly well with nine languages.
Auber is an English resident of Con-
stantinople. English in spite of his
French name, and married, by the
way, to a Russian from odessa who
sings love songs ,bewitchingly in eight
languages. Drinking iuterminable cof-
fee In Auber's Office one day we were
interrupted by the return of his Kavas
from the telegraph office to say that the
censor refused to accept a certain mes
sage for transmission because it's mean
ing was not clear Ordinary kilograms
from the Sultan's domains must, as ev-
erybody knows, be written in plain lam
guage, that IL. not coded, and the pres
ent message was clear enough, though
abbreviated, but Auber had to go In
person to the astute official and finally
produce his books and correspondence
TO convince that worthy that the unfa-
Iniliar commercial terms involved moth
ing intended to overthrow or discredit
the state. Instances might, indeed, be
cited where diplomatic representatives
of foreign powers have managed to ac-
compltsh their ends through no more
drastic measures than the sending of
kilograms to their governments in plain
language rather than in official ciphers,
well knowing that the contents of their
message would reach the attention of
the proper authorities within the half
hour.
His Majesty the Sultan was yester-
day graciousy pleased to bestow the
Order of Mejidieh, fourth class, upon
John Jones OF New York was the tenor
of a court notice one day last autumn
in .he Levant Herald.
who's John Jones Of New York;"
asked the writer, "and what's he done
to get the Mejidieh?"
why, Jones is really a very clever
fellow" was the reply. Every body
here likes him. He is the carpet buyer
for one of your big ships; comes over
here every year"
"Rut why should the Order Of the
Mejdieh be bestowed upon him?"
ooh. through some of his friends
here, / suppose"
How much does it cost to influence
decorations here?"
"a hundred, 200 francs; perhaps
more. Depends on circumstances.
did you have to pay for yours?"
II? Not a plastic" with some indig-
nation.
For what particular service to the
state, then, We're you rewarded"
"Oh," manfesting a little confusion, |
II was able to place a coal contract for
the government at prices that saved it |
a lot of money But the order is con-
ferred for all sorts of reasons. There's |
Goeggel for example, this with I,
smile; had to leave town u year or |
two ago. You've heard the story. |
We'll, Goeggel got the Mejidieh because |
The Sultan professed himself Sc well |
pleased with some American brough- |
ANS that he had sold him.
An evenings row along the Bosporus |
must suggest visions full Of poetry and |
romance to any one who has ever turn !
I'd pages of Turkish travel. To the pro- |
sale mind Of the man of affairs not the |