Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-31
Hassan Pasha Absorbed 100000 :
600, Which Sultan Supposed was
Being Spent on Warships.
TURK TRlCXED HIS MAJESTY.
Faithful Minister Who Sailed Hand.
fol Of Ships Round and Round
Under Palace Windows.

Constantinople, oct 12,--"Who has
,he biggest stomach in the sultan's
domlnlons?" was riddle conmonly
asked in Turkey for many years. and
the answer known to every school hoy
IN the country, was: "Hassan Pasha,
the minister OF the navy, for he has
swallowed whole feet including
masts aud machinery
This was an expressive way Of stat
ing the fact that TIassan Pasha whose
death occurred recently appropriated
for his own use the funds intended for
the Turkish navy and left the Turkish
fleet. once formidable naval factor
TO 60 to rot and ruin. Hassan Pasha
held the Office of Turkish minister of
the navy for upwards OF ~ years, ana
the havoc which he worked on the
ronntry's national defences In TINS
period was truly colossal. When he
assumed Office Turkey had more than
100 warships In an efficient CONDITION
carrying an armament which at that
time was perfectly up to date and
manned BY $4,000 trained seamen,
whereas al Hassan pasha's death Tur-
key possessed not one single sea going
warship, not single gun capable of
being mounted on modern warship
and not 200 trained seamen
on paper Turkey still enjoys, the
possession OF i02 ships Of war, includ-
ing score OF batteships carrying 1000
trained naval combatants but the
great majority of the ships Included IN
this list are hulks lying helpless IN
various ports on Turkeys coasts, While
Che trained seamen and the guns are
simply non-exlstent
FOOLED THE SULTAN
brief visit to Constantinople suf-
fees to collect n wealth OF information
regarding the utter lncapacity of the
Turkish feet. This incapacity has
given rise to innumerable ludicrous IN
cldents.
At the beginning OF the Turko-Greek
war, six years ago, the sultan expressed
desire to hold review OF his fleet.
Panic prevailed az the ministry of the
navy, for out OF all the ships supposed
TO be ready for warlike operations only
about 3d. or less than one-third of the
total number, were capable OF Sailing
down the quiet waters OF the Bos-
Kiosh, the Sultan's palace.
Hassan pasha had reported to his
monarch at every audience that the
navy was in highly efficient coalition
and able TO annlhilate the Greek fleet
and he greatly feared the anger Of
Abdul Hamid when he discovered that
only 80 out OF 100 ships We're able 70
crawl down the Bosphorus. ilassan
however, was a man OF great resource
and lively Imagination, and he in
formed the sultan that the entire Turk
ish fleet would sail past the windows
Of Yildiz Klosh in three separate di-
visions
When the morning Of the review ar
rived the sultan appeared at his WIZ
dow and watched 80 warships steam
along In proud array. lie was told that
these formed the first division Of the
fleet and that the second division would
follow later. Scarcely was the sultan's
back turned when the 80 warships puJ
about their helms, returned to the
point from which they had started, and
sailed down the Bosphofus second
time, The sultan was called to the
window and Tiassan pointed out the
second division of the fleet with great
pride, adding that the third division
would come still later. The sultan
withdrew again, and the same 80 ships
went back To their starting point once
more, and repeated the maneuver en-
aiding Hassan Pasha to show Abdul
Hamid the third division of the fleet.