FACING FAMINE

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 8, 10 July 1916, Page 3

FACING FAMINE

UNHAPPY CONSTANTINOPLE,

HARDSHDPS OF CHRISTIANS,

Constantinople faces famine. There is extreme misery, terrorism, and denunciation in the Turkish capital. ,„' Not only bread, but almost all other foodstuffs are now distributed on the ticket system. Owing to the continued arrival of refugees from Asia, Minor, in consequence of the Russian advance, the stock of provisions available for distribution is greatly diminished, says a Constanza correspondent. In the scramble to obtain tickets the Christians, as a rule, come off worst; deaths from starvation now occur daily,' and are not unknown even among the Turkish population. Business is practically at a standstill, and prices have increased enormously. Sugar, petroleum,. rice, coffee, potatoes, and beans fetch from 15 to 20 times their, normal coat. A crap of tea now. costs about Is 6d in the restaurants. The only bread procurable is black and unpalatable; this is sold at about 6d per ib to,those who can obtain tickets. In the provinces provisions ar* ©till fairly abundant, but silgar, coffee,. and petroleum are.no longer obtainable. In the city many smaller restaurants and cafes are closed, but the larger establishments patronised by the Germans remain open. The energy latterly shown by the Russian Fleet, which has sunk a considerable number of...the coasting vessels which brought provisions and ■ petroleum from this port, has caused a further rise in prices; while the coup de grace has" apparently .been delivered by the Rumanian Government, which has prohibited the departure of all vessels. The harbour of Constanza is how full of the small sailing 'craft which formerly kept Constantinople on this side of starvation. The monetary situation is practically hopeless. No more gold is to be found in the market; silver is also disappear-" ing; and even nickel coins have.become so scarce thatx it is difficult to "obtain, small change in 'the shops, which, instead of change, commonly issue 1.0.U.'s to their customers, on account for further purchases. ' . ! ' Many of the Christians, says the cor-, respondent', have been forced to surrender whatever money they possessed, raider ■ pain "of being reported-to the authorities as British or French spies. Appeals to the police or the Law Courts are useless, inasmuch as the testimony of a Mohammedan witness is always accepted against that of a Christian. ,-