THE SULTAN'S HOUSEHOLD.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 14 April 1880, Page 2

THE SULTAN'S HOUSEHOLD.

A correspondent of the Journal de Gen^re, writing from Constantinople, gives an interesting account of the organisation of Abdul Flamid's household, which, be says, he ha^ obtained directly from a higrh officer of the palace. After remarking that the Sultan ha« con« > ye ted the Yildiz Kiosk, his farourite resiiencft, into a sort of Ple.^isls Tou<s, < surrounded by thick wall*, defended by i thirty bubs, and guarded by a garrison i of 3000 men, the correspondent goes on < to say that, notwithstanding the present j ponury of Abdnl Hamid's civil list, and I tbe general poverty of the country, bis < wives, concubines, retainers, and slaves i are little less numerous than those of his I predecessors, and the Turkish Court is 1 still tbe most costly in Europe, The i

irst functionary of the Imperial house* lold is the Grand Marshal of the Palace, Osman Pasfaa, who, besides this office, ills that of Minister of War and two rthers, his various emoluments amounting in the aggregate to £1,800 per men* lem, equal to £20,000 a year, noi reckon* ing backsheesh, for the acquisition of which the Seraskierate is understood to offer unusual opportunities. Osman's deputy as Grand Marshal is his brother in»law, Riza Bey, who acts also as one of ihe Sultan's fire secretaries. At the head of these secretaries is AH Fnad Bey. soo of the famous Grand Vizier, All Pasha—a fanatical Turk of the first water, hating all innovation and holding western ideas in special abhorrence. The Sultan has four chief chamberlains, ex* elusive of several who figure in processions oo gala days, carrying the* emblems of their office- a bunch of keys— on their backs. Among the latter are the two chief black eunuchs, Bahr Ramoun and Khereddin, who, besides their other < titles, enjoy that of ' Highness/ and are members of the roost illustrious orders o? the Ottoman empire. Bahr Bamonn is supposed to favour the pretensions of Russia, while Khereddin is understood to j be a warm friend of the English alliance, j Twenty- three aidessdecamp, at the head | of whom is Namyk Pasha, who signed j the preliminaries of the peace of Kezanlik, are always on duty at the Yildz i Kiosk. Five mursahibs, or talkers, are charged with the duty of relieving the tedium of His Majesty's unoccupied moments by lively conversation, by reading aloud, and by retailing in the royal ear the gossip of the capita), with which they are supplied by sixty spies •pecially told off for this purpose. The Sultan's health is watched over by five physicians. The Imperial establishment includes four chaplains, or imaumt, and four astrologers. To an officer called the Gnidisoh Mudiri is assigned the duty or accompanying His Majesty on his walks or excursions. The Mudir is a functionary through whom all orders are conveyed to the workmg personnel of the palace. Then there are directors of the private apartments, of the Imperial Privy Purse, and of the palace telegraph (the last-named of whom has the assis tance of ten employes), five librarians, and a secretary, who receives and reads the not very numerous petitions addressed to the Sultan by his faithful subjects. A buffoon, a company of Turkish singers, a j brass band (the leader of which is an Italian, enjoying the rank and emolu ments of a Pasha), and five pianists, who have the privilege of giving lessons to tb*> princes and princesses of the Imperial family, complete the hierarchy of the Mabein, or men's department of the Sultan's household. The menial duties of the palace are for the most part performed by women. The sultanas, of whom there are four, and the odalisque*, who are reckoned at 80, are guarded by 120 black eunuchs. Many of the latter are waited on by one or two women servants, and in former times the most highly placed of them lived « as luxur. ously as princes.* Among the inferior domestic servants of the Sultan there are ten ' table masters,' who eater for the palace kitchens, and see that the Imperial tables are duly supplied with food and properly served. N?xt come ten maitres d'hotel, who superintend the ordering of the menus and the cooking of the meats: The cooks and turnspits who receive their commands number 300, while the services of 200 waiters are required in the differ ent dining-rooma of the Yi'diz Kiosk. Besides the inmates of the palace, man; persons living in its immediate neighbourhood draw by prescriptive right their daily supplies of food from the Imperial kitchens. It is estimated that 800 families, including 4000 individuals, live in this way at the Sultan's expense. Abdul Haroid employs in his palaces 100 porters, of whom 25 are attached to the Yildiz Kiosk, and 25 watchmen are aioot during the night. Ten servants are charged wilh the sole duty of carrying and unfolding the Sultan's carpet when he gf>es to prayer. Ten others, called tutvndjit, have the care of His Majesty's pi|ies and tobacco. Ten Cafedjis give all their time to the roasting, grinding, and making of His Majesty's coffee. The due order of the Imperial wardrobe is assured by the constant attention of twenty properly qualified employes, tbirs teen others keep an eye on the Imperial valise, five armourers are responsible for the perfect condition of the Sultan's ar.n9, eight men look after the chandeliers, torches, and flambeaux, and eight take charge of the aviaries and aquariums. The master of the Imperial stables Ins under his orders 920 coachmen and grooms ; and 100 boatmen receive their instructions from the master-rower. The expenses of such an establishment as that of the Yildiz Kiosk are necessarily enormous j the Sultan's civil list figures in Iho Turkish Budget for a million sterling, but it is said the actual expenses of His Majesty's household, harem, and palaces, reach a total of at least £2,200, DOO annually. A short time ago the tradespeople who supply the palace refused to give any further credit, to the [lire dismay of the inmates of the JTildiz Kiosk ; but of late money has been forthcoming in abundance j there is plenty jf everything, and the high functionaries, .he 120 black eunuchs, the odalisguei, and he countless members of the Imperial household are described as being at preiient in the best of spirits.