Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-12-18
OMPARED with other capitals,
Constantinople has for cen.

n
III COnstantinOple has for CEN
U % turtles occupied a unique posi-
ton. and because of the pecu
liar set Of circumstances vital to her
very existence as the capital Of the
Ottoman empire. the war affected her
in manner peculiar to herself. When
war broke out practically all the es-
Sential services of the country were in
the hands of foreigners, German,
French or British, and not only were
there large colonies of these nationals
in the country but in the capital itself
the ruling race were in the minority,
Jews, Greeks and Armenians forming
the bulk Of the population. | shall not
attempt to discuss Turkish participa-
ton in the war, nor the vast problems
which are now presented by the COL
lapse of the Ottoman empire, says a
writer in the Sphere. Suffice it to say
that when the Goeben arrogantly
steamed up the Dardanelles, and after
displaying her magnificence as far
north as Herafin dropped anchor off
Seraglio Point, the die was cast, Ger
man policy in Turkey had reached it's
consummation, and one after the 9TH
er, Turkey, Bulgaria, Roumania and
Greece were dragged into the vortex
Of war.
What has been said will serve to pre-
pare the reader for what changes to
expect in the Constantinople he used
to know. In many ways, since outside
support is as necessary as ever to the
town, changes are at first not so ap-
parent, and the crumbling of the en-
pire is as yet but family echoed in its
cosmopolitan capital. Streets are as
crowded as ever, shops in the Grande
Rue as artistiCally dressed. Prices
have scared, but the exchange is so
heavily against the piastre that for
eigners are but little affected. Turk
ish women, who before the war were
coming out of their seclusion and dis
carding the veil, are now to be seen
everywhere in public, unveiled and
gayly dressed. Homespun Broussa
ollh 10 llC NillCl IuulSIlul cllIDlO4Su,
cotton goods having been all but unob-
tGinable during the war.
The majority of the women are un-
usually well shod, and no Parisienne
wears higher heels. Their shoes seem
always new. 1t seems they are Ger
man-made Of paper, and seldom wear
for more than a fortnight!
Teaching Courtesy to Women.
Male manners take long to accustom
themselves to such changes in the
ways of their womenfolk, and it never
enters their heads to give up a tram
seat to a lady, whereby hangs a tale
One evening O British soldier entered
a tram and saw six men sitting and
six ladies standing. He was indignant;
he had dined. With the solemnity of a
London policeman he approached each
man in turn, and summOning his one
word of Turkish, Eide (outside),
Johnny" and turning to a lady, MA
dam, sit down" This till all six were
seated.
The anchorage is as crowded as ever
with shipping, only the German flag
once predominant, Is absent, and the
American flag, previously unknown,
now quite common. Warships Of all
the allies ride majestically at anchor,
and once when two British ships were
engaged in battle practice in the Sea
of Marmora, the inhabitants of SIAM
boul ran hither and thither wringing
their hands and declaring that the
British were Smelling STEAMBOAT for
some inspired crime. Peace day with
its flags and salutes produced a curl
Gus effect. All Turkish men-of-war are
penned up behind Galata bridge, and a
British yeoman of signals sends up the
hoists on Galata tower.
Everywhere are allied soldiers, Brit
ish, French, Italian, Greek, few
Americans, Russians and Serbs. Prob
ably these strike the greatest change
Of all. The military school at Harbie
houses British G. II. O., and the smart
Highland sentries at the gate put the
stumbling Turkish sentries at Taxime
barracks (half of which has been re-
named Caserne Macmahon, and is oc-
cupied by French troops) to shame.
The attitude of the Turks toward
the English during the war Is difficult