Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-12-19
The AUTOMOBILE IN
THE TURKISH EMPIRE
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terest to owners of autos and manu-
facturers as we'll:
''The following article from the
July number OF the Near East, an
publication, will be OF inter
est not only to automobile manufac-
turers In the United States, but to
pleasure seekers as we'll who are plan
ming tours abroad with their own ma
Chimes" writes the Consul. This
Office is often in receipt of Questions
in this respect, and the article is full
of information"
This is the first year that motoring
in any form has been allowed In the
Turkish empire. The imperial trade
was issued In the latter part Of 1907,
and the spring season this year saw
several motors on the roads adjoining
the city Of Constantinople. The Turk
halls them with pleasure, and the
rich pashas and other notabilities
will soon be using them instead of
the highly trapped horses and Pari-
sian and Viennese carriages now so
much in evidence. Unfortunately
there are no English cars here. One
naturally asks the reason for this.
From the representatives Of English
firms learn that English motor man.
ufacturers will not conform to the
practice pursued by makers in Ger
many, France, Italy and Belgium.
That is to say, they refuse to send
cars, accompanied by chauifeurs, for
the Turkish population to see. They
do not realize that the motors first
installed in the Ottoman Empire will
capture the cream of the trade. The
idea prevails in Turkey that the goods
to buy are the goods which are we'll
displayed, and am very much afraid
that English motor manufacturers
will be left out in the cold, so far as
this new field for their industry Is
concerned, unless they adopt COM
mon sense methods.
AS regards the future of the motor
in Turkey let us consider first the
pleasure car or the passenger vehicle
propelled by petrol. The roads are
in places rough and hilly, but the
writer has seen motors in Russia and
in the backwoods of America driven
over much rougher thoroughfares
without the least trouble. Motors for
use in Turkey must have strong elias
tic springs and shock absorbers.
They must also be of the four-cylin-
der type and run noiselessly, which
the foreign cars I have seen do not
do. The English manufacturer should
remember that in the Turkish empire
there are 30,000,000 of people who
as yet have no motor car of any sort.
The ten to fifteen horse power car of
good English make will climb any
hill in Turkey If placed in we'll
trained hands. Here, again, is a
point which must not be lost sight Of
No one is quicker to pick up engineer
ing than the Turk or the Greek, and
there are any number of young men
here who could be turned into com
petent chauffeurs in a few days.
The roads in Constantinople are
badly paved. The streets of Galata
and STEAMBOAT can be traversed only
at slow and careful pace, and this
will be the case until the public
grows accustomed to the horseless
vehicle. The swarms of carriages
plying for hire would astonish even
the promoters of the numerous taxi
cab companies in London, and il
Soma ~ fhaoo anfarnrioino uonf1ana an
would spend fraction of their pro.
motion profits in this city they would
reap rich harvest The roads out.
side the city on the European side af
ford an excellent run to the Sweet
Waters of Europe, with stiff hin tc
climb coming back-a hill, however
which an English car would delight
in leaving it's mark upon. To thi!
spot the whole of the pleasure-lovinl
section of the population goes on Fri
days and Sundays. One meets thou
sands of carriages containing richl.
attired ladies who, could they blu
have the chance, would possess them
selves of an English car.
The return route to Constantinopl'
is through Chicili, residential quar-
ter. Subsequently one passes through
Nichantache, where many wealth!
Turks have their dwellings, and il
this neighborhood the roads are quit,
good, as also they are along tn,
shores of the Bosphorus. On the Bos
phorus there is sprinkling of motto
boats, but, save one or two small one
none are of British make, ] regret t,
say. The road continues to be favor
able as far as Bebek, the residenc
OF the Khedive of Egypt, where it de
teriorates, but from Stenla there /
lovely running through the grea
summer embassy quarter of Yenikeu
and Therapia, and miles farther t,
the mouth Of the Black Sea at KAYAK
Thence one can drive along the to-
road to the city again. None of tn
roads mentioned are too rough TO
! motoring, and 1t is only in FEY
| places that low speed is necessary
From the city, in the direction O
Europe, the roads are a little roug
to Macrlkeuy, but from Macrkeuy t
st. Stephano, where the peace treat
of Russia and Turkey was signed, an
on to the lovely gardens that aboun
at Tchekcheme and the Interior c
European Turkey they give rise to n
complaints.
AS to the Asiatic side OF the Bo'
phorus, there are long stretches c
| good road from Haidar Pacha to Nc
da, and on to Fanaraki and Ere1
keuy, and, indeed right along tn
side of the Gulf of Ismit for abou
sixty miles. Another satisfactor
route near the city is the one t
Tchamlidja and the forest of Allen
dagh, where one is able to enjoy Low,
i, ly scenery and macadam roads.
The main roads / recommend al
from Samsun to Sivas, distance {
over 217 miles; Sivas to Diarbeki
in Mesopotamia, 295 miles; Trebizon
to Erzerum, 202 miles; Angora
! Vnapat 1AQ milar. Cinona IN Dow,