The Washington times., 1918-12-22

= RIDDEN sway in the Green Vaults of
the Old Seraglio Palace in Constan-
= = tinopie the Sultan of Turkey has
gold, jewels and other treasure worth at
a conservative estimate more than $1,000
100000. The contents Of this huge treas
ure house are the result Of centuries of
boarding on the part Of Turkeys rulers.
Here they piled up for the personal use
Of themselves and their successors all the
richest of the loot brought back by their
conquering armies from Persia, Greece
and other lands to which they carried fire
and the sword
Now that peace is in sight. what is to
become Of all this wealth? Shall 1t be
seized by the Allies as part reparation for
the damage done them by Turkey and her
German, Austrian and Bulgarian partners
in crime, or shall the Turkish Government
be compelled to use it to transform the
Ottoman Empire from the miserable. pow
ertystricken land it now is into q rich,
prosperous and happy nation?
These are questions which are quite GER
tain to receive serious consideration
around the peace table at Versailles. It
seems unlikely that the Allies win be will
ing to allow the Sultan to retain posses
sion of what would prove such q powerful
weapon in some future war on civilization.
This personal wealth Of the Sultan is
probably the greatest single collection of
treasure in the world. A description of
some of its items reads like pages from
the arabian Nights" and to enumerate
all of them even briefly would iii vol
ume as large as that famous work II the
Sultan were to take the contents of the
Green Vaults with him into exile he would
need whole railroad train or all the cargo
space Of q goodsized ocean liner to carry
the thousands Of precious objects that I'LL
his Golfers.
The Green Vaults that hold the rich
spoiIs Of Turkeys long series Of bloody
wars are most jeaIously guarded. No less
than twelve sets of heavily barred bronze
doors have to be passed before the final
entrance is reached to this Aladdin's cave.
For every lock there are two keys en-
trusted to as many custodians, each of
whom is watched over night and day by
twenty-four armed guards. These guards
are supposed to spy on each other as well
as protect the guardians of the keys.
The key to the next to the last of the
doors is kept in an embroidered velvet
case. which is entrusted to the special
care of a high Official The last of the
doors is curiously sealed with the imperial
cipher, and the seal is never broken with
out elaborate ceremony. Before anyone
not connected with the imperial Treasury
Is allowed to set foot in the vaults a small
army Of guards is scattered about to pre-
vent any of the priceless contents being
carried away or injured by handling.
The treasure caves are officially known
as the Green Vaults Of Constatio. They
are located in a low-domed ediice at one
end of the Court Of Felicity. The entrance
to the building is lavishly decorated with
rare marbles and tiles of great antiquity.
its beauties giving a faint hint of the won
ders that will dazzle the eyes of anyone
the threshold.
Only two or three Of the Sultan's most
trusted officials have ever viewed this col
lection Of treasure in its entirety, and, Of
course, they are sworn to secrecy con-
corning 1t. Several times within recent
years, however. foreigners to whom the
Sultan wished to show especial favor have
been allowed to visit parts of the Green
Vaults, and by piecing together their E
stories We get an idea of the splendor Of
this marvellous array Of riches. What
these visitors have to say confirms the be-
lief long held in well-informed diplomatic
circles-thAt the person who succeeded In
inducing the Sultan to part with the con.
tents Of the Green Vaults for $4,000, 900, 900
would be getting a great bargain.