New-York tribune., 1901-06-16
THE SULTAN'S WORKSHOPS.
WHERE HIS COSTLY PRESENTS FOR FOR
EIGN PRINCES ARE MADE


From The London Globe.
During my last visit to Constantinople had
the opportunity of making "a close study OF the
Sultan's workshops. They are situated on the
right hand of the entrance to the Nlldiz KIOSK,
and consist of a mechanical workshop with
foundry ioiner'S shop. wood carving and car
Pentry shops, and designing and modelling room,
which give employment 70 from h1Iy To sixty
wurkmen. The work turned out in these work.
shops is exclusively for the Imperial Palace. and
them ARE made the costly presents which the
Sultan is fond of sending To foreign princes.
70 il said that the Ruler OF the Faithful often
lends a hand iu some special piece If work. but
hat is not quite true. tine most that the Sultan
does to improve a design which has been made
according To his suggestions, and laid before him
10y the director OF thr workshops. The latter IS
less person than the general of division.
and h. presents a very imposing fsuie with his
face fun of energy and his long white beard.
W itn "a kindly smile from his blue eyes MS eX-
--lrncy received me- with great courtesy and
personally c'ndu' Ted me III my walk thr0ush
the workshops. His thoroughly friendly rccep-
tpn. mis- blue eyes. and especially his absolutely
perfect French accent made me doubt his na-
tioualty in spite If his Turkish name; however.
? Veutur-d pay him a discreet compliment
uron his perfect French and the Pacha con-
f-s-.d to me with a smile that he was NOT a Turk
bur "a Belgian. IL told me that he had been a
captain IN the Belgian army. and that shortly
before the outbreak of the Eusso-Turkish war
he had left the Belgian service and entered that
1l turkey he made raphi advance IN ms new
home distinguished himself in several battles
and finally appointed a general Of division
and director of the Sultan's workshops. Highly
esteemed by the sultan on account of his SER
vices To- Turkey. the PaCha is looked askance
by his former cOuntrym@n, for they cannot for
give him for having embraced the MahOmetan
faith with ali the feTVOr Of pervert.
l coult scarcely restrain my surprise when
my guide drew attention To the various work
men engaged in the imperial workshops. for
they turned out To he in many cases. higher Off
ccTs of the Turkish army active service.
Here was colonel of infantry energetcally
planning window frame for of the rooms in
the harenl. At a litte distance was a ridins:
master busily occupied with "A piece of raw iron
on a turning bench. while i'm the smthy
mander Of a detachment working away and
turning out iron stakes for in the park.
The other wOrkmen are for the most part. sol
d~rs. The Turkish workman is uncOmmOnIy
clever. and is especially conspicuous by the
astonishing readiness which he displays in lmi-
tating strange work. Thus. 1 was shown an
imitation of a German 0rChestrion. and the Origi-
nal could scarcely he distinguished from th.
copy. In the gOldsmiths art the Turks are EN-
tremely adrOit, and most of the Turkish orders
ar" mad in the Sultans workshops. The oh
Jects destined To- br sent To foreign pOtentates
are generally cabinet work Such pieces of fur
ntture. which often the work of many years.
are inlssid most artistically with ivory. mother
of-pearl. ebony and precious metals. and they
are thus of great value. In addition these
workshops the Sultan possesses a porcelain
manufactory, which is managed by French ex-
pert. and turns out very sterling examples of
the pOtterS art.