ANOTHER SENSATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 19

ANOTHER SENSATION.

REPORTED OUTBREAK IN CONSTANTINOPLE. RUMOUHS O<F THE SULTAN'S ABDIi CATION. A FOUND ATIONLESS REPORT. VIENNA, June 20. Rumours are current here and at Belgrade that an Albanian outbreak at Constantinople has compelled the Sultan to abdicate. No confirmation of the rumours is obtainable. I June 22. The Turkish Embassy in London has pronounced the report of the Sultan's abdication to be foundation.le.ss. Although the above cable reached tho colony at 5 5 p.m. yesterday the later cablegrams neither confirmed nior denied the rumours. It if quito possible that tuch an [ cent has occurred, for the Sultan's bodyguard was composed mostly of Albanians. The Turkish Oovernm<>nt has always elionn I fear of the. Albanians, and there was thus r a disposition to refnm, if ponible, from ' carrying oub tho ieform.<- in Albania insisted on by Russia ; aid Austria, as tho Albanians had influential compatriots in Constantinople. The massing of tn.op* in AlLania and on the f ion tier may p^s=ib'y have led to the formation of a coiirqjjraoj to g«t rid of ' Abdul, and tho event may havo liccn hastened by tho recent tragedy ii) Scrvin. Abdul Humid II vat bom in 1842, beinpt the younger son ami fourth child of Abdul Medjid. He aucccded his brother, who wcg d&po?od after a reign of threo months on proof of his insanity being forthcoming. i One year after his euece^ion he decided to

fight Russia rather than submit to conditions which would bring about the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. Since the Treaty of Berlin, signed at the close of the war, Abdul has shown no great anxiety to carry out the reforms rtipulatcd: therein 1 , ami has successfully played off the Power? against eaoh other. He was often praised by the late Lord Beaconsfield for his courage and abdity, but of late- years has given* way to fearc of assassination, and has shown distrust im nearly every Minister. He is believed to have secretly stimulated the rebok lion of Arabi in Egypt, and has always protested against the position of Great Britain in that country. His treatment of his Christian subjeots in Armenia and Crete stirred up almost univereaJ contempt and execration. In 1896 an outbreak in Ccmetantinople resulted in th© murder of thousands of Armenian Christians. The Sultan vraa directly accused by the, Ambassadors of tho. Powers of having instigated 1 theee massacres. No further steps were taken, however, and! the Sultan succeeded in expelling 30,000 Armenians from the city. The successful issue of the -war against Greece im the early part of 1897 placed him on a more foeurci footing on his throne. The Sultan has always been in dread of the Young Turks party. Last year Marshal Fuad Pasha, " the hero of Elena," was arrested on a cliarge of: having intercourse with bkat party, and banished to Damascus. He was afterwards^ condemned on a vague charge of conspiring agaunst the Sultan, and condemned -to imprisonment for life. General Shakic Pasha 1 and many others were also arrested" during the year for reasons unknown.

The heir-apparent to the throne is Abdul Hamid'a brother, - Mohcmmed-Re&had Effendi, born in November, 1844, the eiioces.eion. according to the Turkish custom, vesting in tihe senior male descendant of the House of Ottoman, sprung from the Imperial harem. The eldest son of the Sultan only succeeds when there a.re no uncles or cousins older than himself. The Sultan hss several children, the oldest being Mehemmic! Selim Effendi, bern in Jssvuury, 1870.

A we-11-a.ttouded concert was held at Mbsgiel on Friday nisjht in aid of the. nowlyformed Pipe Band in that town.

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