The San Francisco call., 1909-05-11
SWORD OF POWER
G|RT ON M[HMFD Y
Ancient Ceremony Carried Out
in Ottoman Capital With
Great Rejoicing
New Sultan Takes Up Rulership
of Turkey Amid Cheers OF
Populace

CONSTANTINoPLE May 1O-The
ceremony of girding the sword of Os-
man upon Mehmed the new sultan of
occurred today in the Mosque Ayoub.
1t was a day both of fulfilling and
breaking ancient customs. Christians
for the first time were admitted to
the small mosque and allowed to see
the ceremony of girding the sword of
Osman on the sultan.
Among the so persons present were
Bucknam Pasha, an American, and
Woods Pasha, an Englishman, both of
whom are in the Turkish service. They
were impressed with the beauty and
the solemnity of the ceremony, which
with the chants of the priests lasted
only 20 minutes.
AS the sultan crossed the courtyard
of the mosque to enter his carriage a
white turbaned hadji, or teaching
priest, caused a moments excitement
by running forward with petition.
DAY PASSES PEACEFULLY
The day, Notwithstanding rumors OF
reactlonary plots, passed peacefully.
Lights were blazing in the minarets
and mosques of Constantinople tonight; ;
the ships in the harbor were outlined
In electric bulbs and the city generally
was celebrating enthusiastically the
girding of the new sultan.
Mehmed V ended his coronation"
day by plowing a furrow in the lawn
at Dolma Bagtsche palace, symbolically
at least, by holding the plow handles
for fraction of minute while two
horses dragged it a few yards. In
carrying out the ANCIENT test, Mehmed
V showed himself to be sound OF body
and fit to bear the physical burdens of
the empire.
At the Ayoub mosque, Mehmed V
drew the scimitar of his ancestor, Os-
man i, the founder of the Ottoman
empire, from its sheath and, standing
in the, square in front of the group of
buildings called the sublime porte. He
then raised the weapon on high and
by this immemorial act took possession
Of the Turkish empire
The action of the sultan was followed
by an outburst of shouting from the
people massed beyond the lines of the
surrounding troops. together with
fanfare of trumpets and a rattle of
musketry as the soldiers fired a salute:
but above all this noise rose sharp and
clear the voices of a chorus of school
boys chanting Midhat Pasha's Hymn
of Liberty"
PAST AND PRESENT MEET
The scene was a strange admixture
of historical eastern observance and
modern western civilization Mehmed V,
the first sultan in four centuries who
has had blue eyes and fair hair. was
dressed in western uniform of olive
green khaki
All the members of the American
embassy. including Ambassador Leish-
man, were present at the diplomatic
tent. Among the other Americans to
witness the procession were Rear Ad-
miral Colby M. Chester, u. S. A., re-
tired, and Mrs. Chester; Mr.. and Mrs
Arthur Chester of New York: Mrs
Jesse M. Roper of Washington Cap
tain Ledbetter of the Turkish navy;
Consul General Edward H. Osemun; E.
Alexander Powell of New York, and
Mrs. Hugh E. Poynter, daughter of
Charles M. Dickinson, former American
consul general here, and now consul
general at large.
After having passed the ambassa-
dorial stand the sultan stopped at the
mosque of Mohammed the conqueror.
near the entrance to the Adrianople
gate. He prayed alone by the tomb
of Mohammed for quarter of an hour
and then resumed his six mile journey
through Stamboul to the sublime porte
whence he drove to the Top Kapou
palace and gave a reception to a num-
her of distin Q1lfShod Derc0nS