A TURKISH LEVEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6930, 2 February 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TURKISH LEVEE.

The Constantinople correspondent of the < Ixmdon Daily News gives the following : graphic description of a Turkish levee :- « Presenting ourselves at the small back door of Dolma B»ghtcbc, where everybody from ( the Grand Vizier downwards must enter save , on rare State occasions, we are passed on s from servant to servant aloag the narrow stone passage (in times when the Sultan dwelt in this palace I have mot half-a-dozen ' Cabinet Ministers in its semi-darkness), and emerge at the foot of the grand staircase. . Turning then to the right through a number \ of well-lighted corridors, we cross a couple of • vast courts gay with flowering plants, and < after climbißg up four or five flights of stairs 1 find ourselves in the gallery of the Great i Hall of State. About thirty foreigners are i already there, conspicuous amongst them • being the popular Madame de Noailles, wife < of the French Ambassador, who wears across < her breiist the broad white riband of the 1 recently instituted order of the Sbivakat. I Two or three superior officers of the house- 1 hold are walking from group to group, cour- i teously solicitous for the comfort of the Sul- i tan's guests, who discover to their extreme i satisfaction —several have rushed away break- ' fastless, feariog to be late—that tn excellent I buffet, glittering with gold plate and Vene- : tian glass, awaits them in the ante-chamber, i The hall itßelf is said to be one of the finest in Europe ; but though extremely handsome i and imposing, the effect is somewhat marred | by the knowledge that much of the marble is ' sham, an economy in its construction which '■ Abdal Aziz did not imitate when he raised ] costly Teheragan above the tomb of the i canonised dervish. That glorious pile is < now, however, practically closed for public '■ purposes, a3 it is the palace or prison—term ■ jt which you will—of the insane ex-Sultan • Murad, and, I believe, his mother. Still, i whilst wanting in the marvellous richuess and ' oeauty of Teheragan, the hall of Dolma £aghtch<§ is a splendid piece of architecture, ' and with its perfect proportions, magnificent ' chandeliers, and general air of grandeur is ' admirably adapted to the gorgeous ceremony J we are about to witness. Exactly facing our ■ gallery is the throne, a small gold and crim- ' son sofa with high back and sides but no ' canopy, and a low footstool in front. From '• each -arm hangs a longiah scarf adorned with ' heavy gold fringe, the use of which will after- ' wards appear. The throne rests on a gold • and crimson carpet, and three fine woven < Persian rags ara laid, two on its left and oue • a few paces to its rear. Round three sides ■ of the hall run double strips of carpet with an J incomplete cress in the centre and a diagonal piece stretching from the throne to the Sul- < tan's retiring room. These bits of carpet are I only placed where persons have to walk 1 during the ceremony, it being plainly con- < trary to etiquette to tread on the inlaid ' floor. On our entrance the hall is nearly * empty, one or two servants being the only occupants, but we have not long to wait. The first to come on the scene is I a Mollah of the highest rank, as his f bright green robe thickly embroidered ■> with gold indicates. He is conducted to a J chair prepared for him behind a pillar some ' distance to the left of the throne, and a whis- j per causes us to regard him with more than ' common interest. .Not long ago that Arab < priest carried immense weight in the Imperial < Councils, but his star is waning, and, unless j rumour speaks falsely, not too soon for the ' welfare of Turkey. Hardly is the Mollah in s the corner when we learn that the Sultan has j reached the palace, and is reposing after the ' fatigues of the mosque, where he has gone ' through the form'of sacrificing the gilt horned J ram. Soon the hall begins to fill. A com- . pany of cadets clatter in and form up low J down on the right, whilst opposite to them i are ranged the officers of the general staff, ] with a few of the body guard. Next ' troop in the Sultan's aides-de-camp. ' They - take up their position near ' the roval entrance in singe rank j like the rest. Close at their heels appear three boys who walk quietly across > the hall and place themselves just in front of ' the general staff. Two are dressed as cap- ' tains of the line ; the third, quite a little ' fellow, who has to be fixed on tne exact spot : allotted to him, wears a lieutenant's shoulder j strap. The two younger are his Majesty's sons —the eldest, Prince Selim Effendi, was ' born about four years previous to the death of his father, Abdul Aziz. All three are i being educated together by special command of the Sultan, who is unquestionably kind and generous to his brothers, cousins, and ' nephews. Great men are now flocking hurriedly in. Cbazi Osman Pasha heads the highest functionaries of the household, who ; station themselves on the carpet behind the [ throne. Natnyk Pasha stands first in the ' line. He looks aged and tired, and well he may, for more than five decades have rolled ' over his head since he put on his youthful harness to serve Mahmoud the Reformer, and • he has never put it off, though the temptation to do pt must have been strong when he bade farewell to his son, condemned with Midhat and the others to lifelong imprisonment in the fortress of Tait. Next to Namyk we note the burly figure of the Chief Eunuch (Kislar Aghassi) and three lower down Hobart Pasha. A signal, and sverybody springs to attention as the Ministers, led by Said Pasha, the Grand Visier, find their places to the riaht front of the throne. A minute's deep silence, and amid a flourish of music the Sultah appears, walking with a quick, decided step. fii3 Majesty, according to Turkish custom, salutes the assembly first, and whilst the elaborate salaam which he receives in re turn is still in progress seats himsolf. As he does so his three brothers and Prince ""■-••nf Izwdic. + he eldest son of Abdul Azis <tne setuuu, wnuin we used to call "The Little Admiral," is nnt present), range them- I selves on the carpco r.< )n"« left. Then the Mollah advances from ms coruer and intones a short prayer during which the Sultan—and the whole court as wjll— stands with his hands, gloved bye the bye in ■white kid, crossed over the pit of his stomach and thumbs turned No time is wasted. The Imperial band, which plays during the entire ceremony, strikes up a lively air, and the grand vizier moves forward with several low bows to the right of the throne, where Osman Pasha, as marshal of the palace, is now holding the scarf in his two hands. -The vizier kisses the scarf, which represents the hem of his Majesty's robe, and backs to his place. In quick the other members of the Cabinet anci highest dignitaries of the Empire pay their respects, the Sultan, who has risen on the approach of Said Pasha, resuming bis seat shortly after the last of the Ministers has made his obeisance. Osmar Pasha goes round to the left of the throne, «nd extends the other scarf to be kissed by the general officers, who now march up with smart soldierly salutes from the opposite side. Every man as he retires takes up the position he occupied before, and the hall is rapidly filled, save the centre, which is kept clear, to overflowing. I am wathing his Majesty narrowly, but cannot detect that he acknowledges the obeisance of any except his very highest functionaries. Once or twice he arranges his fez with a rather nervous action, but otherwise seems to keep perfectly still. I am told, however, that he is in the habit of expressing particular favour with a smile, and displeasure by a slight turning away of his head. A short pause, and the Sheik-ul-Islam, clad in a magnificent white and gold and embroidered robe enters. He is supported under each arm by servants, who almost carry him into the presence, and accompanied by two priests in gorgeous green garments. Stopping for a moment, these chiefs of Islam hold up their hands in blessing, and the sheik recites a prayer, which the Sultan acknowledges by rising and standing in the pious attitude described above. Then the sheik walks straight across the ' parquetry, carefully shirking the oarpet over which even the grand vizier has had to pass—it reminded me of the dons and college grass-plots—to the throne. The homage paid by tbo servant of ! the church to its hsad somewhat differs from that of the laity. Eacb of them makos a motion as if to fall at the sultan'e feet and kiss his coat, but hi? Majesty stoops down and prevents the complete prostration. To the three chiefs of the spiritual hierarchy the padiahah say* a few words, of course inaudible to the gallery, and he continues standing until the lowest deacon has paid his respect. Xt is during this period of the ceremony that Abdul Bamid notices aD old priest tottering up to the throne. Instantly he orders help to be sent him, and directly afterward? despatches an aide-de-camp with a kindly message of inquiry as to his health. The Ulemas and Mollahs approach over the strips of carpet spread along the centre of the hall in regular order of precedence ; first the green "roue's, then tho mouse-coloured, next the purple, with the dark and pale blue bringing up the rear. As the last man falls back to his place tho sultan moves towards the door, and with a second general salute retires, followed by the elder princes. His disappearanco is a signal lor universal unbending. lUrßualß of the Empire uquftt cross-legged oa

the carpets. Ministers vanish, pashas and aides-de-camp quit their ranks; but it is only for a brief respite, for the inferior grades of the civil hierarcy must now he received, and the weary court and still wearier sovereign are soon again in their places. For ourselves, we have seen enough. The second act is, we are assured, a poor repetition of the first, aud we have no wish to spoil our recollection of a grand and interesting spectacle. _^__—.