the twenty-eighth Sultan since the conquest of Constantinople, By the law of succession obeyed in the reigning family, the crown is inherited according to seniority by the male descendants of Othman, sprung from the Imperial Harem. The Harem is considered a permanent State institution. All children born in the Harem, whether offspring of free women or of slaves, are legitimate and of equal lineage. The Sultan is succeeded by his eldest son, but only in case there are no uncles or cousins of greater age. It has not been the custom of the Sultans of Turkey for some centuries to contract regular marriages. The inmates of the Harem come, by purchase or free will, mostly from districts beyond the limits of the empire, the majority from Circassia. From among these inmates the Sultan designates a certain number, generally seven, to be 'Kadein,' or Ladies of the Palace, the rest, called 'Odalik,' remaining under them as servants. The superintendent of the Harem, always an aged Lady of the Palace, and bearing the title of 'Haznadar-Kadein,' has to keep up intercourse with the outer world through the Guard of Eunuchs, whose chief, called 'Kizlar-Aghasi,' has the same rank as the Grand Vizier, but has the precedence if present on state occasions. The following is a list of the names, with date of accession, of the thirtyfour sovereigns who ruled Turkey since the foundation of the empire and of the reigning house : 1 Murad V. was deposed on the ground of insanity, and died August 29, 1904. The civil list of the Sultan is variously reported at from one to two millions sterling. To the Imperial family belong a great number of crown domains, the income from which contributes to the revenue. The amount charged to the Budget of 1897-98 was £T882,550. Constitution and Government. The fundamental laws of the empire are based on the precepts of the Koran. The will of the Sultan is absolute, in so far as it is not in opposition to the accepted truths of the Mahometan religion as laid down in the sacred book of the Prophet. Next to the Koran, the laws of the 'Multeka,' a code formed of the supposed sayings and opinions of Mahomet, and the sentences and decisions of his immediate successors, are binding upon the Sovereign as well as his subjects. Another code of laws, the 'Cahon nameh,' formed by Sultan Solyman the Magnificent, from a collection of hatti-sheriffs,' or decrees, issued by him and his predecessors, is held in general obedience, but merely as an emanation of human authority. The legislative and executive authority is exercised, under the supreme direction of the Sultan, by two high dignitaries, the Sdar-azam,' or Grand Vizier, the head of the temporal Government, and the 'Sheïk-ul-Islam,' the head of the Church. Both are appointed by the Sovereign, the latter with the nominal concurrence of the 'Ulema,' a body comprising the clergy and chief functionaries of the law, over which the 'Sheïk-ul-Islam' presides, although he himself does not exercise priestly functions. Connected with the Ulema' are the 'Mufti,' the interpreters of the Koran. The Ulema comprise all the great judges, theologians, and jurists, and the great teachers of literature and science who may be summoned by the Mufti. The principal civic functionaries bear the titles of Effendi, Bey, or Pasha. Forms of constitution, after the model of the West European States, were drawn up at various periods by successive Ottoman Governments, the first of them embodied in the 'Hatti-Humáyoun' of Sultan Abdul-Medjid, proclaimed February 18, 1856, and the most recent in a decree of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II., of November, 1876. But the carrying out of these projects of reform appears entirely impossible in the present condition of the Ottoman Empire. The Grand Vizier, as head of the Government and representative of the Sovereign, is assisted by the Mejlis-i-Hass, or Privy Council, which consists of the following members : 1. Grand Vizier. -Ferid Pasha; appointed January 15, 1903. 2. Sheik-ul-Islam.-Jemalledin Effendi. 3 Minister of Justice.-Abdurrahman Pasha. 4. Minister of War.-Riza Pasha. 5. Minister of Marine.-Jellal Pasha. 6. President of the Council of State.-Saïd Pasha. 7. Minister of Foreign Affairs.-Tewfik Pasha. 10. Minister of Pious Foundations.-Turham Pasha. 12. Minister of Commerce and Public Works.-Zihni Pasha. The whole of the empire is divided into Vilayets, or governments, these subdivided into Sanjaks, or provinces, these into Kazas, or districts, with occasional subdivision into Nahiés, or subdistricts. A Vali, or governorgeneral, is held to represent the Sultan, and assisted by a provincial council, is placed at the head of each Vilayet. The provinces, districts, &c., are subjected to inferior authorities (Mutesarifs, Kaïmakams, Mudirs and Muktars) under the superintendance of the principal governor. The division of the country into Vilayets has been frequently modified of late for political reasons. For similar reasons six of the Sanjaks of the empire are governed by Mutesarifs appointed directly by the Sultan, and are known as Mutesarifats, reporting direct to the Ministry of the Interior. All subjects, however humble their origin, are eligible to, and may fill, the highest offices in the State. In December, 1902, decrees were published setting forth a scheme for the improvement of the Administration of the European provinces. Provision was made for the employment of both Christians and Mohammedans in the gendarmerie, in the direction of the police, and in the tribunals. The scheme included measures with regard to public works, industry, public instruction, and the appointment of a Kaimakam in the chief town of each Vilayet, to ensure the regular transaction of administrative business and the formation of civil tribunals and schools where required. The Valis received new powers, including that of inflicting punishment for judicial illegality, and an Inspector-general would correspond with a Reform Commission in Constantinople, which, in turn, should report to the Grand Vizier. To ensure the success of this scheme the AustroHungarian and Russian Governments in February, 1903, recommended supplementary measures, including the reorganization of local finance, an amnesty to political offenders, the employment of foreign police experts, and the detection and punishment of Arnaut malefactors. These recommendations the Porte accepted, but, in fact, no reform was effected. In October, 1903, Austria-Hungary and Russia presented a new reform scheme, known as the Muerzteg Programme, in accordance with which two civil officials, representing these two Governments, were appointed to assist the Turkish Inspector-General; an Italian general officer was put at the head of the Macedonian gendarmerie, and several other foreign officers were appointed, the country being divided between them so that the Austrians have Uskub, the Italians Monastir, the Russians Salonica, the French Serres, and the British Drama districts. Their number, however, was found to be insufficient and, in September, 1904, the Porte was requested to provide for a large increase, which was carried out under protest. The convention of April 8, 1904, between Turkey and Bulgaria, provided for the prevention of the fomenting of disturbance from Bulgarian territory and for the reinstatement of Bulgarian refugees by Turkey. Under the capitulations foreigners residing in Turkey are under the laws of their respective countries, and are amenable for trial (in cases in which Turkish subjects are not concerned) to a tribunal presided over by their consul. Foreigners who own real property are amenable to the Ottoman civil courts in questions relative to their landed property. Cases between foreign and Turkish subjects are tried in the Ottoman courts, a dragoman of the foreign consulate being present to see that the trial be according to the law; the carrying out of the sentence, if against the foreigner, to be through his consulate. Cases between two foreign subjects of different nationalities are tried in the court of the defendant. Under an agreement of August, 1904, schools directed by American missionaries and their scholars, are placed directly under American protection. This arrangement will chiefly affect Armenia. Area and Population. The total area of the Ottoman Empire (including States nominally subject) may be estimated at 1,662,000 square miles, and its total population at about 40,000,000, viz. :— The area and population by Vilayets, according to recent estimates, are as follows: |