Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-30
Turkey in Slices
Scenes ana Incidents that Turn
a sidslight on Current Events
In the Land Of the Prophet.

That an autocratic ruler leans on a
reed when he expects salvation from a man
In whom the American spirit Families the
blood Is shown b. the failure Of Admiral
Buchanan Pasha. commander of the Tur-
kish navy, to come up to the expectations
Of Sultan Abdul Hamid. At home In
Philadelphia the admiral was plain Rams
ford ID. Buchanan. Seven years ago he
superintended the building OF the Turkish
warship Medjida in the Cramps yards and
the following year sailed the ship to the
Bosporus. There he met the sultan, who
was so impressed with Buckman's ability
that he was made vice admiral of the Turk
ish navy at a princely salary, occasionally
paid. Hamid and Buchanan became quite
chummy. a fact giving rise to the belief
that the navy would support the sultan
In his recent stand against the soldiers of
the constitution. But the admiral did not
figure In the reports Of the contest around
the Yildiz Kiosk. Doubtless he was con-
veniently distant from the fray, beyond
reach OF Hands woful &C. Q. D."
, Despite the honors that have been heaped
upon him. Buchanan Pasha remains at
heart an American. He laughs at the
thought of Danger to himself. His cool
ness under danger was displayed four years
ago. when an attempt was made TO Kill
the sultan with a bomb as he was about
to leave the Hamidich mosque, 1000 yards
from the palace. The bomb exploded pre-
maturely and killed eighty mounted men
and their horses and wounded many more.
Buchanan Pasha was uninJured and he
walked beside the sultan's carriage with
drawn sword as II threaded its way among
the dead. back to the palace. threatening
In a loud voice to decapitate any unau-
thorized person who approached.
Upon the breast of his gold-embroidered
uniform CLEANS the star Of the order of
Osmanieh, conferred upon him by the sui
tan. The same imperial hands have con-
ferred a distinguished service medal, which
Buchanan Pasha wears upon his left breast.
Massive gold epaulets adorn his shoulders,
A gold braided fez and a 1ewel-studded
SWORD complete the dress Of the man upon
whose naval wisdom and astuteness the
sultan now leans. At court the American
ranks with the mobiles, and he is more
often consulted.
The first OF two ceremonies In the in
auguration of the new sultan, the erthrone-
ment. mas taken place. The second is
known as the ceremony of the sword and
will follow in a few days. This is the
real Conservation of the sultan. 1t Is
held in the exquisitely beautiful mosque
of Eyoob. a perfect dream in white marble.
erected by Sultan Mohammed II in order
TO mark the grave of Eyoob, the comrade
and lieutenant of the prophet who fell
under the walls Of Constantinople on. the
occasion OF Its first siege by the Turks in
the seventh century.
1t is in this mosque. so sacred that no
unbeliever is ever allowed to cross its
threshold, that is preserved by sword or
scimitar OF Osman, the founder of the
present Ottoman dynasty, of which Abdul
Hamid Is the thirtv-fourth sultan. The in
vestiture of the padishah with this time
honored weapon, the symbol OF military,
civil and religious supremacy in Turkey.
takes the place of the coronation of kings
and emperors in Christian countries. 1t is
performed, not by the sheikh ul Islam, but
by an old mevledi dervish, who bears the
title of shereef of Konieh. and who comes
for the purpose from that city in Asia
Minor.
The ancient prerogativk' enjoyed by the
mevledi dervtshes IF ESonieh, of sirding
the sword of Qsman on the new sultan,
dates back TO the days when the capital
of the empire was at Konfeh, that is to
say, prior even to it's transfer to Broussa.
The shereefs of Konieh have a sort OF
shadowy claim themselves to the dignity
of padishah. but on the accession to the
throne of the new sultan the shereef
solemnly renounces all rights that he may
possess in favor of the monarch.
, After the investiture has been completed
: the sultan rides In procession through the
/, streets of the capital to the mosque OF
st, Sofia, those least in dignity coming
first, and the sultan, usually on a snow
white horse, last of all. Not until prayers
I at the mosque of st. Sofia have been of
: fered up Is the sultan considered as hav.
ing been duly installed and consecrated
3 as commander of the faithful.
YIdiz kLnsk thn sLlLan,r nnInnn IL L..