Show lr 1 Y H Ii F A A M A I DINNER DIN N 10 fr f fk e K LAR fAR G t 1 c I CO COI 0 l J of o the Sultans Sultan s Royal os n of rl he Precipitated by an Ante American A rl c an i tf I or 0 r the Fourth ors rf h Cheer That hat Was Misunderstood t I I I t I I t By 1 y Rear Admiral Charles D U S N NI I lC 1010 by the New der r York Torte n Re id id Co c All AU d tI 0 T the time of ot which I write the late Into Sultan of ot otI the Ottoman Empire Abdul II IL had 1 0 I reigned ten years yearn Apparently he was then I well liked by those Americans who crime came under e I his bis personal Influence Jn To Ta some B some me of ot them he had shown conspicuous courtesy y l Twenty three years afterward In April 1009 1000 he lie lieI I I was forcibly r dethroned by his own subjects and mid with t public accusations of ot shocking misrule Perhaps the interest that attaches at ches to his hie fateful history may lend I something to my story of his royal hospitality to the th 1 personnel of ot the older ohler at Constantinople In the case In point the Sultan went beyond prece precedent pr ce cei prece I i dent with a n single exception only I Back Baal In the eighties It was the tho policy of ot the ther r I 7 United States to keep n a force of three war vessels colo In Inthe InI I I I I the Mediterranean Commonly one of them was was sta stationed i f toned In inI the he Levant I ds the waters of the extreme I I eastern Mediterranean are arc sometimes called It was wusI wasI I I there that the American missionary and aUlI educational I I t I I f interests were greatest i I At the time of or my ray story one me vessel essel had been sent sentI I home and had not yet been replaced The two yes es f sets that remained on the station for service were the 1 Pensacola commanded by Captain George Dewey Dewcy I I and the commanded by myself then a aI I I I commander In rank The Pensacola was the flagship fla n f I i I r of ot Rear hear Admiral Samuel Samue It 11 Franklin commander In InI I 1 1 chief of or the Mediterranean station Both noth vessels had hadI I oJ J I I 1 II I II II seen service BenIce In the ilie civil cill war wherein the I had gained European prestige by sinking tho the Con Confederate ConI I II i i i federate cruiser Alabama oft off ot Chel Cherbourg l I Early In June 1 1880 Sll the two ships ship were at nt Smyrna I I f It I The earsa had been kept In the Levant Leant but the l Pensacola had lead Joined recently from the western western r r I I i i ii Mediterranean and the two vessels had cruised In J 1 n company along the coast of Syria Sila Sy la In the forenoon for noon o of of t f tt t f June Tune 4 1 I was surprised by b a n signal sl Ilal from troth the flagship I 1 directing me to stow our forecastle gun gnu 1 In Iii the hold holda f i 1 a n queer use for guns Thus tho the Kearsarge was re reo reduced 1 from n a seven screw gun ship to a six sU gun ship Tho The Thoi i next day the commander In chief chic transferred his flag to the tho Kearsarge for a visit sit to Constantinople The Thep I p rule for the passage of or the Dardanelles by war yes ves vessels gels sels was very cry L A finnan or 01 permit from the 11 Sultan was necessary and none was conceded con cell to any t fl vessel essel mounting more than six sus guns Therefore the therile rule rile explained the tle disablement of ot one gun of the I Kearsarge and nod the temporary abandonment of or themore the I II I moro more powerful Pensacola as a flagship The Rear Kear I l I dirge carge left eft Smyrna on the flip In the forenoon of ot the following day d ay we na w anchored in The Dardanelles under the forts torts of ot Chanak there thereto I to await awalt the of the Sultan To make clear my myN y I i further story It ft may be well to bring to mind that N I I from west to east the tho Mediterranean Me Sea the Sea o oi of ot i I I I Marmora and null the Black Sea are in n I chain The first firs firstI I I j two are connected by the Dardanelles or as IS the strait was called In ancient times The second secondI I i and an third seas are arc connected by tho ai a i i similar strait Constantinople Is on the European side lido I of the close to the Sea of or Marmora I Chanak and Its fortifications forU are aro near ancient i 1 the place pace where the fabled tabled Leander swam the Relics Helles pont pant to meet meat Hero and aud where Lord Byron repeated repented I the feat of ot Leander I I In that locality also Xerxes bridged the strait with 1 boats bonts for the passage of or his army I f Beaten by a Girl II t Alas for the fame of ot Leander and ln Byron B ron At Constantinople Con Cou Constantinople Coui i I met a fi Swedish lady now a n princess I 1 who swam the tho Bo at nt Therapia Thera In a suburb of oC I I Constantinople lying near the Black Sea entrance j I Her IIer accomplishment equalled that lint of or Leander and I I Byron at The danger clanger at fit both crossings ero slugs lies Iles in iii the swift and eddying currents c for tor the Ule mere dis distance t t tance from shore wore to shore shor e Is much within the swim swimming jl II n ming record of or many a modern mo ern girl In her teens Tho The Dardanelles at the place where Leander and I Byron swam their names Into romantic history la Is IsIto UIlO Ito and miles wide wille While hiie the Bus Boa BoI I at Is only slightly more than half halt r S as wide the close constriction of its channel as liS well to H as tho natural features of ot the bottom produce product the UI swifter currents and the more treacherous eddies 8 I But Put all nIl this his time we have lIae been walling waiting for the lh Sul Sultans r I tans nits unman finnan The ticking oil off of Turkish red tape Is J JI I 1 proverbially slow so 50 we wo had expected to watt wait long at lt a t Cl Greatly to our our ur relief relict however tho firman canto came off to Lo the Admiral In fn t time limo to enable us to re tI I e oaf ou passage the same day This unexpected I promptness was auspicious for Indeed the whole of our thereafter flowed smoothly W We e arrived Il a t Constantinople on the Oth and anchored I lu In the Ibe close In to the shore shorn of or the city Then rhen with a 0 hawser made fast to n a local mooring buoy huoy astern wo we were all smug und and ready for tor events cents lied had Indeed favored the Wo o were at Constantinople the city of mirage where tho i I broad sweep of ot Christianity thuds finds its edge and scat scatters into the Orient where olden customs and cos costumes 1 survive In the races that lag la but are arc now como come comoto cometo to meet the restless ft it la III mode mod of r the he Western world orld the city cUr of magical environment and of Immediate ULc and r I t continuing Interest st to the iW Western visitor But nut I am um I writing rather of an 10 Incident ent of or our ur delightful deli g visit visita I u a visit that was full of ot Incidents both public and private 1 l Our pur was wag Lunde durw the tho devoted dc t d an JP ii f by the Ule to lo their thirty days dus se Sl severe vere ere fost of Ramadan and to the three days Ilus festival of Balram that lint follows Some Sonic of oC us saw or the tho weekly we kly military ceremonial of oC the Sultans public appearance at a mosque for Cor or prayer The Admiral was received by b the Sultan In person perso and antI with his Ills staff Including myself attended that most exclusive and an gorgeous of official Indoor functions unc ions the Sultans annual reception r of or the dignitaries dl of his Empire at ot tho palace of ot on the lie We Ye joined with the lurks Turks In dressing ship and anti tiring firing salutes In honor of oC that event Also we were taken by to the famous treasury on Point where we saw the tile jewels j ls r f mighty of oC the past as us well as brunt groat quantities of un uncut cut cul precious pr lous stones huddled In bull bulk Many other oilier places of oC Interest were visited including ing In palaces mosques anti and Robert Hobert Collage an Ameri American mIi can zan Institution aud the American School for Girls at i on ou the thc Asiatic side sille of the nO Nato Natu Naturally N tu tally rally we wore proud of oC those admirable evidences of or American spirit that attracted students from afar and from many mica nations and peoples We e attended tho 1110 annual exercises of or the girls school and were amused at nt the little arts and aud graces that those foreign girls had acquired and which pro nrc peculiar to American girls One Oue girl an m Armenian 1 1 think read an essay essny In ill English entitled Elbows B which was full of or quiet humor After discussing dl the tho physical types and the use and misuse of or elbows she site showed how bow they corresponded with the the clue mental trails trail 1 and activities of oC different 1 The he essay was wat cleverly written toad and would pass as current literature at Vassar or 01 Wellesley The Dinner But nut we were lending up though unknown to our ourselves ourselves selves selve to the crowning clowning honor of or the tite Kea Kear I ar arges visit About July Jul u u the Sultan declared his hll intention through Mr 11 Cox the American Minister to to give e n a dinner to the Admiral and amid tho the and ond men of the Ills His Majesty called for tho the number that could he be expected A goodly number num c was named but not large enough enough It t appeared for tho thu degree of or hospitality that us Intended 0 1 The lh Sultan desired dl that lint the lie number A l regulation flon of or the navy In I somewhat hn t It limited absence from tho the ship at nt one one time to of or the and amI cross crew and und proscribed that there should always alwa s be maintained on board bon Id tm nu organized force that would be bc effective for tor any emergency e 1 I myself r feared that there thoro was a limit to the number of or our enlisted men who could trust themselves es to their theft drinking to the extremely nice Tilde demands of ot a royal dinner Good God Intentions sometimes drown drown quickly fn strong Demon Uan t Hotter n Ler to L I have havo remained away from row C r n J J II r J than to weaken wen ken the favorable Impression that had led to the Sultans hospitality The rite Admiral so se selected a n delegation of or officers and fI nd after a II careful study of oC the tho conduct records I 1 named annle e of the tho crew clew as ns the limit of o men inert who could be spared The Sultan was diplomatically Informed In the matter th ti t Is la to tosny say with such explanation as HS the American Minister deemed It well to submit On Ou July 7 i the day of ot the dinner haircuts and I t CS and shines were In l order or er on n the tile forward ol wall decks of tho the good old Kearsarge At Al five fire the selected select cd guests left the ship slip In the ships boats each member of or the party arrayed In the tho full flower Hower of o his lIis wardrobe We entered the Golden Horn passed the fatuous famous Bridge Bli Je of Bouts Boats outs and aud landed lauded at nt the Marine Arsenal on ou the eastern shore Uniformed and men mell met mot us at ut the sea wall had and conducted us to the tho Marine Palace within wit hili the domain of the Arsenal At the Palace P lae our were received by distin members of the Sultans funnily nud by officers of the tile Turkish army arm and nud navy We were given most cordial greeting The men of or our crew cress were weri taken talon to other rooms and aud were wele nut not seen again by b their until all lad had dined The Sultan was rep represented re represented resented by his bis Minister of or Marine It had hod not been expected by b us that Ills Majesty would be bo present ll In person Jerson for 01 his life was one of studied seclusion The rhe American Munster Minister and members s of his diplomatic staff staIr joined our OUI party at the Arsenal Soon Scott wo we 0 were taken in ill charge individually amul led to the dining saloon In III procession The conversation at nt the tb table was lu In both English and ami Preach French As to that feature and all other features the banquet was exceptionally pleasing The elderly eldell Pacha on my lily left had lad been becu to the United States Stales on sonic some special naval mission and spoke English well The cuisine was vas vir virtually 11 French but with touches of distinctively Turk lurl sh preference for example the coffee corree Simple but Jilt very rich ornaments and service were characteristic tic of oC the setting If Ir memory serves me 1110 right ll ht the collet cups were or of oC delicate china ware Fare Inlaid with precious precious stones Otherwise the service throughout was WI of rich silver and gold old In eSry every way It was in manifest that thac the dinner was given under 1 the royal rou I dictation lion Doubtless s that beautiful service came from the royal ro nl household i iThe 1 The murmur of or conversation coming comin from rom an adjoining ad all JoinIng room showed d that our men nten were enjoying lIjo ln and lind so we were wele told menu was va pro Pie cutely I that of ot the table at fit which their were ere dining alining With them were soldiers and Bailors from the Turkish aimy army and navy The flue Ih Koran forbids to the faithful the use of spirituous and fermented 11 liquors liquor but hospitality made DO no denial to the Christian guests Unit hut night ht Did the Ilie t he Turkish gentlemen indulge lu in them Candidly I forget for et Memory Hennas shuts out nut local color on OIl that lint point Hut But many educated and HI III trav travelled oiled permit themselves hIS rather n a free choice as a to drinking TLe lower social classes are tIU strict observers of the injunction Coffee is hona P J 1111 tipple It Is drunk ninny nullity times a 11 lay day da by u byI I those who wh can anti afford It Oratory a Burden Like most naval II II U I of that day clay the Admiral A II was alarmed ut any prospect of ot tanking making an un address lie Ile H hind hall formally requested lu ll that he lie be not ant called on onor for or that hut purpose I know now ln hair v the Admiral Ad felt Celt My own UNit first public lull tall was made In III obedience toan to toan tonn an nn unprecedented telegram from the lie Secretary of or tho the Nan Naw which Directed me to lake the next trail 1 i iiI iI t from New York to Chicago o to attend a banquet In honor of 01 the President of ot the tho United States and to tobe tobe be prepared l to respond to a toast to the he navy n l Five Fire minutes before clore l I 1 was called to my feet before that immense audience the correspondents of or the press asked me what I intended 1 to say I replied replica I dont know Imo T i ask the he prayers s show of oC my friends Yes I know kno how the Admiral felt fell But BUto to return to the thc Sultans table v I V r ey ty has forgotten nobody tonight to neither shall i t three cheers for the whole Ottoman Empire The Tigers Growl The limit of voice of every mint man went want w nt out then thell Into bubo the cheers that followed but like a n bolt from front the thu bilte bli c came en me also as the mens mon voluntary contribution tion that amiable deep throated aggregate growl a allier l lIi Ii ger Immediately there was Inquiring astonishment If U i v I t to f 1 I 0 1 i il iI ir 1 l I 1 l l I r I 1 Y 1 1 P t tr r I h I ll ld I III vY I V t e 1 Ys a at aIt t It air I iV t fi 1 v t ti ni N 1 1111 l r I I I II 1 p I l r r j I M t t i h t f I f 67 Ir Irl 31 I Y tom jam l II III i I I 1 1 I Ii r i Like Lwe Ld e a n Bolt from the th Blue Came C Also as tile the Men Voluntary V lur r Contribution C That t Throated At I negate to Growl a 3 Tiger 1 I Mr Ii Cox Cux alwa s a 11 graceful and fluent orator orator made madean nn an appropriate address In lit our behalf and for Cor once In lu his hl life Ilfe ss withheld wll tho file humor that lint bubbled within him Mr Ir Cox lauded International l good goo will and |