Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-22
GREAT TREASURE HUNT
HOARD OF CENTURIES IN CON.
STANTINOPLE.
Search for Rare Manuscripts in the
Libraries and Mosques of Otto
man Empire.

FROM the London Mail.
An aspect of the Turkish revolution abou,
which nothing has so far been said is the
artistic and archaeological aspect. Will
the advent OF a progressive and Euro
peanized government in STEAMBOAT lead to
the encouragement of excavations among
ancient manuscripts i'm the libra ries,
mosques and konaks throughout the OF
toman empire?
The answer to that question must, of
course, be in the affirmative. True, the
Turks are interested only in their own
history and their own monuments. They
are at present restoring with extraordi-
nary skill and success their magnificent
mosques at Broussa, and they are search
ing everywhere for original material
bearing on the history of the early sui
tans OF ByZantium. But may not these
researches bring to light from amid
masses of worthless Byzantine MSS ac-
cumulated in the old SeragliO, in st. So
phia and I'm the mosques some lost lit
erary gem Of ancient Greece or Rome?
Greek Manuscripts.
For Constantinople must have been full
Of precious Greek MSS. when it was TAX
en- on that fatal Goth of May 4J6 years
ago. The Turks do not as a rule de-
stroy MSS. and though many literary
treasures were subsequently carried of
to Europe, it is just possible that some
thing may have been left behind in the
mosques. seraglios. Mrelns and other
places which Christians could not enter.
And it must be remembered in this
connection that Constantinople is the
81 IN, I,v,
that has never since the middle ages lair
'at the proud feet of the conqueror .
Now that this lions den is at length in
the hands of civilized beings, the whole
world waits in anxiety to see what curios
and treasures may perchance be turned
up in the debris which litters the beasts
lair.
1t is true that European scholars have
had access to most of the collections of
books in Constantinople, but I doubt
very much If they have had access to all.
Besides, I like to fancy that, just before
Mahomet's final assault near the Gate of
Saint Romanus, some bookworm there
We're many such among the ByZantines),
some old librarian, or some learned monk
secreted his literary treasures in one of
the secret passages which undoubtedly
existed at that time in Byzantium.
Secret Passages.
That there are still such underground
passages in Constantinopie is exceeding
ly probable. STEAMBOAT is full of tradi-
tions respecting them. and these tradi-
and by the descriptions Of travellers. (See,
for instance. the "Nouvelle Description.
de la Vile de Constantinople,' Paris
1871. So persistent are these traditions
among ALL classes of Ottomans that when.
during the week which followed the great
STEAMBOAT meeting Of April Ii last, the
members of parliament were afraid of
going to st. Sophia Square owing to the
danger to which they were exposed, the
Yeni Gazette, in its patriotic anxiety tu
get together a quorum, suggested that
one Of the old underground passages be
repaired, SO that the deputies could enter
the house unseen by the mutineers and
the mob which surrounded it.
That treasures may have been hidden
in these passages is probable. too. for
the Greeks of the fifteenth century were
fond Of hiding their things i'm the ground
We are told, for instance, that soon
after the conquest the Turks unearthed a
deposit of 10000 gold pieces. which had
been intrusted. before the conquest, to
two most untrustwerthy monks, Manuel
Giagari and Neophytus of Rhodes, for
the purpose Of repairing the Qualifications
of the Golden Gate. Then many statues.
mains were found accidentally in STAN
boul during the very superficial excava-
lions which were made in connection
with the Roumanian railway, the Ameri-
can Bible house, etc. The mere scraping
of the surface of the Hippodrome, in
which the Turks allowed their British
allies to indulge at the time of the Crimean
war. led to important discoveries. so that
valuable results might be secured were
extensive excavations conducted, under
expert supervision. i'm the Hippodrome. in
the mysterious chamber Of the so-called
dark prison of Anemas and in the palace
Of the Porphyrogeniti.
To return, in conclusion. to the more
interesting subject of the possible dis
covery of lost classics. l can only repeat
that If any such discovery is made it
will be accidental, for the Turks. who,
in accordance with the terms of the re-
Gently issued imperial trade regarding the
collection of original documents with a
view to the compilation of a great history
of Turkey, are now examining all the
ancient records and libraries of the EN-
pire. are only anxious, as a rule, about
Arabic and Persian documents. Happily
however, one of the members of the i'm
perial commission is very learned
Greek. Cosmidi Effendi, who reads his
Homer with the same ease as the Lon
doner reads his Daily Mail. and if any
thing really valuable comes under this
gentlemans observation we may be sure
that he Will soon let the world know of
it, The only danger is that his work as
deputy and his other preoccupations may
prevent him from personally examining
all the Greek MSS, or at least may drag