New-York tribune., 1918-07-28


~ summer morn, the city i'm
pre- ses itself on ones fancy as
the creation of an Eastern magician" 1t is
Constantinople, the only city in the world
that lies partly in two continents, that is
thus spoken of. The description in "The
National Marine" is by Leon Dominian,
ITO the right the subdued heights OF the
Asiatic shore lie fringed with islands whose
verdant slopes assume varying appearance
as the stately pine trees that crown their
heights or the lawns beneath come into
full view.
"Ahead of the steamships bows the
Golden Horn, teeming with craft of every
size, stretches far inland to where green
hills reach the horizon. To the right Pera,
the Christian quarter, covers the high
ground in shelfike rows of houses. The
massive Genoese tower of Galata flanks It's
eastern slope. On the left, the Yenidjami
and Valideh Sultan mosques appear, with
their lofty domes and massive arcades. The
Turkish city of Stambou is deployed along
the entire length of the shore. The rounded
forms of the mosques of St. Sophia and
Sultan Ahmed stand out like gigantic
ctadels. The town presents the appearance
of vast pyramid formed by successive
steps of dwellings. Flat roofs merge every
where with the level of thresholds. Tower
ing high above mosque and home alike She
graceful watch tower of the War Depart
ment, commanding view of European and
Asiatjc shore lines, rises as if to symbolic
the erstwhile mastery of Turkish arms over
two continents.
"The random wanderer will find Turkish
life at it's best in Stamboul. There, in the
maze of crooked lanes and narrow streets,
remote from spacious modern avenues, the
customs of another age flourish undisturbed
by the din and hustle of progress. At noon,
as the melodous call of muezzn is sound
ed from the balcony of frail minarets
erected within shouting distance of each
other, a slow procession of faithful Moslems
will piously turn their steps toward the
entrance of the nearest mosque in sight
With solemn Difference they will perform
the prescribed ablutions at the fountains
that surround every Mohammedan sanctu-
airy. Deep-rooted faith marks their every
gesture. The removal of shoes, the bath
ing of feet, the mostening of ears with
thumbs drawn out according to the prophets
directions, all form part of what they con-
slider the most important action of life.
"In the streets thousand tokens bespeak
the capitals impershable past. It's moss
clad ramparts, rising in the very heart OF
the Mohammedan city now grown beyond
their line, give mute testimony of sturdy
struggles. The strolling visitor casually
proceeding along narrow street may sud-
denly behold lone pillar standing in the
middle of the pavement where once a row
of columns had marked, perhaps, some
grandee's favorite afternoon resort. But
beyond all it is the sight of stately churches
and palaces that conveys true inklng of
the grandeur of former days. The Moslem
conquerors of Constantinople themselves
were inspired by the monuments they found,
and here the noblest conceptions of Turkish
architects materalized into their most ex-
quisite creations.
"To protect the city triple wall of forti
tications was reared in early Byzantine days.
The hand of time has been more lenient
this ancient pile than that of men. In spite
of the havoc wrought in spots by conquerors
the ruins still spread over u considerable
portion of their line. The seaward wall ex
tending from Seraglio Point, along the
shores of the Marmora to the Castle of the
Seven Towers, is in relatively fair state of
preservation. The same can be said of the
landward line thence to the Golden Horn.
AS they stand at present, shorn Of their
erstwhle might, they convey striking
vision of majesty lingering in an aftermath
of decadence. The mute tale of chapter