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Countries of the World: Empire

AGRICULTURE. - The Turks are not an agricultural people, yet they make a pretence of cultivating the soil. Corn is raised in the S.; rice, cotton, rye, and barley in the central provinces; and wheat, barley, and millet in the N. This kind of work is conducted in the rudest manner. All consular and other reports agree in stating that the native population of every part of the Turkish Empire is fast declining, in many provinces at such a rate that the formerly cultivated lands are falling into the condition of barren wastes. Want of security for life and property, an anarchical yet extortionate administration, and a general absence of all moral and material progress are given as the principal reasons for the rapid decrease of the population. It has been very forcibly stated that there are few countries for which nature has done so much as for Turkey; few in which the resources are so little developed; and considering that the territories of the Ottoman Empire embrace those of Ancient Assyria, Babylonia, Palestine, Phoenicia, Lydia, Ionia, etc., hardly any in which successive wars and misrule have destroyed so much of the results of former activity, wealth, and magnificence.

THE SULTAN'S HOUSEHOLD.-There are over 6000 persons fed three times a day at Dolma Bagtch Palace while the Sultan is there. To keep all this machinery of supply in perfect order, no matter how many mouths there are to fill, so that any sudden caprice which may seize the Sultan or any of his numerous suite may be instantly satisfied, is a tax upon the best capacity, backed by unlimited money or credit. If the caprice is not gratified as rapidly as it is formulated, the officer whose duty it is to provide for it is almost certain to lose his position, if not his liberty and belongings, for there is a fashion of long usage in Turkey which confiscates any disgraced official's possessions. The Chamberlain is mostly occupied in ministering to the wants and caprices of the Sultan, and is in almost constant attendance upon him, so the Treasurer of the Household has the burden of the housekeeping on his shoulders. He has an organized force of buyers, who are each charged with the purchase of certain supplies for their individual departments, each having his helpers, servants, and slaves. One man is charged with the duty of supplying all the fish, and to furnish fish for 6000 persons is no light undertaking in a place where there are no great markets as in other cities. He has to have about 20 men to scour the various small markets, and buy of the fishermen, and each of these men has 2 others to carry the fish he buys. It requires about 10 tons of fish a week. There are nearly 18,000 lbs. of bread eaten daily, for the Turks are large bread-eaters, and this is all baked in ovens situated at some distance from the palace. It requires a large force of bakers to make the bread, another to bring it to the palace, and another staff of buyers to purchase the flour and fuel. The bringing of most of the wood and charcoal is done on the backs of camels. The rest comes in huge casks.