Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1896 — THE SULTAN AND HIS FLEET. [ARTICLE]

THE SULTAN AND HIS FLEET.

Turkish Satv Ne*lected and Vessels Allowed to Hot. Why does the Suita n allow what was once a respectable fleet to rot to pieces anchored off Stambuli Simply because he considers an ironclad a dangerous instrument in the hands of any minister or resolute commander. It Is true that there are no ships to guard his coasts, but also there are none to steam up the Bosphorus and throw a shell into his palace, and that is the first object to be thought of. The incident which led to the order for the extinction of the Turkish navy was as follows: A transport was bringing a number of time-expired men home, when they respectfully mutinied, and begged their officers to go below, as they wished to do something which might not be approved of. Some noncommissioned officers then took command, and anchored off Dolma Bagtoheh, and, after firing a small salute, began shouting,“Long live the Sultan!” This demonstration caused immediate confusion at the palace, and various high .officials were dispatched to parley with the mutineers; but they insisted on seeing the minister, and when he at last appeared be said that they knew the Sultan had given the money to pay them, but that they had not received it, and they would not budge until they did. No arguments were of any avail, and the money lmd to be sent for and distributed, after which the men weighed anchor with a cheer, and gave up the ship again. The Sultan, however, reflected that what a transport bad done peaceably a heavily armed man-of-war might do with evil intent, and, calling Hasson Pasha to him, he declared that ho wanted no more navy. In this lighthearted manner a branch of national defense, which had been the pride of its officers, was-sacrlflced to tlie royal fears for personal safety, and Hasson Pasha, who has steadily carried out his master’s program, has ever since been in high favor, and is, to nil intents and purposes, minister for life.—Loudon Standard.