THE TURKISH CRISIS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14981, 29 April 1909, Page 7

THE TURKISH CRISIS

THE SULTAN DETHRONED. SUCCEEDED BY HIS BROTHER ABDUL DESERTED BY HIS COURT. c DISPOSAL OF HIS FORTUNE. United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 27. Reutor reports that the Sultan's dethronement has been decided upon, and Mehemmed Reshad Effendi, his brother, will succeed him. Other reports state that the movement for dethronement was hastened by the discovery that many of the prisoners were in possession of from £5 to £2O, and the Sultan is accused of having distributed £300,000 among the garrison. When the Sultan's entourage realised that the situation was serious and that the palace guards were dispersed, the court fled, leaving the Sultan alone in the apartments of the harem. Many of the royal servants escaped to Asia Minor, and the servants remaining pillaged the palace.

The Sultan's fortune of £50,000,000. sterling is invested abroad, and it is, expected that this will be utilised in placing the Turkish finances on a sound, basis. The Sultana stated that tho authors of the revolt against the Constitution were Liberals, who were adherents of the decentralisation policy, helped by the Mahomedan League. It is suspected that tho chief promoter of the plot was the Sultan's favourite son, Mohemmed Burhau Ed-din, and the chief eunuch, Nadir Aga.

THE SULTAN'S GUARD

TURKISH METHODS—SAFE B/IND, SAFE FIND. INSURRECTION AT ERZEROUM. DEPOSITION OF THE SULTAN. CONSTANTINOPLE, April 27. Kiamil Pasha's reactionary son is said to be t a fugitive. The Sultan's personal guard, whose surrender was reported yesterday, wero conducted, roped togother, to the headquarters of tho Committee of Inquiry. Soldiers at Erzeroum arrested fifty of their officers. A report dated Constantinople 2.30 this afternoon states that the firing of artillery announced the change of Sultan.

THE SULTAN'S CONDEMNATION. VOICE OF THE ASSEMBLY. CONSTANTINOPLE, April 28. At a secret sitting of the Assembly a fetwa countersigned by the Sheik-ul-Islam was read. Replying to a ques; tion whether a person guilty of tampering with the sacred writings, responsible for the' shedding of innocent blood and squandering tho wealth of the country should retain the Caliphate, the fetwa answered " No. He must be dethroned or abdicato." The Assembly immediately shouted " Dethrone him." Two senators and two deputies proceeded to Yildiz. Abdul Hamid answered, "I expected this. My only wish is that the* lives of myself and my family should be safeguarded, and that I should reside' at Techiraghan Palace, as I wish to die where I was born." Shevket Pasha announces that the great barracks at Per a have been razed to the ground. He was offered tho Grand Viziership, but refused it to prevent \the belief that ho was seeking his own advancement. MAHOMED V. THE NEW SULTAN INVESTED. (Received April 28, 11.7 p.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, April 28. A second deputation visited Mehemmed Reshad at Dolmahagscheg Palace, whereupon, accompanied by Ghazi Mukhtar, a veteran of the Russian war, and a guard of picturesquely ragged Albanians, Reshad proceeded to the War Office, where Shevket Pasha, Ahmed Riza Pasha and the Sheik ul Islam receivod him. After the oath to remain, faithful to the Constitution and taking the title of Mahomed the Fifth, Deputies and Senators kissed hands, and the new Sultan drove to Dolmahagscheg. The populace and soldiery heartily welcomed him. Mahomed will be invested with the Sword of Osman forty days hence at the mosque of Ejul. ■ , The Deputies later decided that Abdul Hamid should not be allowed to travel outside Constantinople and that he should be taken to Tchiraghan Palace, on the shore of the Bosphorus. It is presumed that the accusations of tampering with holy writings refer to an incident ten years ago, when Abdul Hamid destroyed documents containing quotations from the Koran referring to the possible deposition of the Sultan. LONDON, April 28. . The "Times" says that, despite his virtual imprisonment for thirty-three years, Mahomed is quiet and scholarly. He has no great strength of character or intellect. Rumours that he is a debauched semi-idiotio voluptuary are universally discredited. He is reputed to cherish a warm sympathy for Britain. (The new Sultan, Mehemmed Reshad, is a brother of the deposed Abdul, Hamid, and was bom in 1876. Abdul Hamid has a family of six sons and 6ix daughters, but according to the 1 Turkish law of succession, to the throne.

the Sultan's c<kic.st son can only succeed when there aro no uncles and cousins of grfiqter age.)

.'A FAMOUS PALACE. (Received. April 28, 11.25 p.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, April 28. The Tchiraghan of marble and richly ijppojntod, was the scene of Abdul Azic's assassination end Murad the Fifth's imprisonment. A bridge connects f/he gardens of the- palace with Yildiz Kiosk. Abdul Hamid was deserted, save for a few women, before his dethronement. There was a fresh outbreak of looting and incendiarism at Adana on Monday night and tho situation is critical.