The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-26
VERY CURIOUS P0TENTATE.
PRIVATE LIFE OF ABDUL HAMID,
SULTAN OF TURKEY.
Unlimited Spiritual and Temporal
Power Not a Source. of Happiness.
His Tastes, TerrOrs, and Harem.

POWER Not a source or happiness.
His Tastes. TerrOrs, and Hnrem.
BY "A Turkish Exile" in the London
Pail Mall Gazette.
Abdul Hamid, Sultan of Turkey, must
always be a figure pregnant with inter
est for the world at large. new work
shortly to appear in an English transla-
ton is from the pen of M. Georges Dor
rvs, and is clear and apparently autheh-
tic account of the life and reign OF the
only monarch in Europe powerful enough
to successfully Withstand the march OF
civilization in his own dominions, whose
temporal authority is without limit, and
whose spiritual sway exceeds, perhaps,
that of any priest on earth. Turkey and
its ruler have so long presented vexed
problem, the issues of which are of such
moment to Europe, that a nearer ac-
quaintance with the vie intime of the
sovereign cannot fail to be welcome ana
Instructive To Western eyes the Orient
has ever appeared shrouded in a ven of
mystery, and romance, which, though
impeding a clearer vision, greatly en-
hances the fascinationss The tortuous
ways of the East are not our ways nor
is it possible for us To- entirely fathom
the workings of the Oriental mind; there
fore, such. an insight as M Dorrys gives
us becomes all the more interesting, for
it helps us. TO lift the veil little and
to pierce the gloom with our own eyes.
The ordinary daily life of the Sultan
seems to be. comparatively regular. Rising
at 4:30, or at latest 5, every morning, his
entire day is spent in a ceaseless round
of occupations That these bear little on
state affairs is proved by the fact that
current matters often drag along for
months, and even years in spite of the
tireless activity of the master mind In
fact, most of Abdul Hands time is spent
in his study, absorbed in the perusal of
reports sent by his spies from every
quarter of the globe for, as it has been
truly remarked, the Sultan's subjects
may be divided into two broad classes
namely, the spies and the spied upon.
Very opposite traits in this strange char
acter are Abdul Hands extreme credul-
ity, and his overwhelming suspicion and
distrust In proof of the former, it is told
that all his drinking water must be
brought from Kiathane. because years ago
the Bohemian Aaf1tal prophesied he
should reign on condition that he drank
no other. On a second occasion he met Il
wandering gypsy in his park at Kiathane,
Oddly enough she predicted his accession
to the throne, as we'll as a long reign,
wars, etc, concluding with the ominous
words: Your death will be caused by an
Illness coming from outside"
Like all despots, the Padishah has a
horror of death, and, consequently, breads
illness, especially anything of a conta-
gious nature. Cholera and the plague have
found him a determined enemy, and if
Constantinople of to-day boasts a per-
feet system of sanitation and advanced
colleges for the study of bacteriology, it
owes them to the gypsys warning. His
Majesty himself is no mean chemist, hav-
ing devoted a good deal of time to the
study of medicine, for, like the wise and
far-seeing monarch he is, he fully real
ICES the benefit of being able personally
to analyze such drinks as may appear
suspicious. Moreover. he doctors his own
ailments, and has done so since the ply
stefan who formerly enjoyed his conf
dence became old and fell into disgrace
Fears and Precautions.
The Sultan's accomplishments are
many and varied in character. He is an
excellent shot, performing feats with the
pistol that show him 20 be a marksman
OF no ordinary skill When younger he
was fond of riding, and of boating on the
amusements dangerous. he prudentiy
abandoned them. Then, too. he is an as
trologist; he can mold, and even paint.
A clever carpenter. in his youth he carved
with his own hands the woodwork OF an
apartment in his kiosque at Kiathane. the
surveyal of which now causes him aegi-
innate feeling of pride. AS to his must
cal attainments. he can strum a few
tunes on the piano, his tastes inclining
toward light airs, such as abound In III
Trovatorc' and La Stella Ardente %
Classical music he termed ugly" after
listening 10 the rendering of a MASTER
piece. Frugallty and extreme simplicity
mark his preference IN food. although
the imperial meals are served with a
pomp and ceremonial fitting an important
state function. Abdul Hamid Is temper
ate. aud suspicious His private kitchen
H. q verAable fortress, consisting Of a
small chamber situated 10 the right ~
tne great entrance, und IL guarded by
barred Windows ana an arnor- plated door.
The cook ofneihtes under the ever. watch
fui eye 81 che kelardjhi one OF the most
Neighty uncuonhrirF in Hidiz for me
health. tho very ne even. ~ tle Padis-
bah 10 a. hlE mercy when cooked. tarh
dish ~ fastened HltA red WaK. barring
ths 0Hiaal seal ~ tbe kflafdjhi and vs..
malnt hrumeficauF rIorsd Hntl the seals
ore broken ln fhr fuifHut 0Hn pretenet .
1850 Maiesftr lfr b. pHatr4 ip tons
rtrf ul tluhYfHfr pf.0HW' iDnt
Ono of H.a mnH ru.fl. tpHrDef ~ trr-
rof .s fhf dsrkUsfa Ea.H nifhI Zoos hfm
ufr io thf hnnnr afNoHF1 ffeft
faam and corridor W. nif k.afk oven fg
tht fanhfrf s.fg ~ ntt immfnff YEA,