MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 9

MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA.

Writing from Constantinople on September 20, an Englishman who has resided ii>. Turkey for many years, and formerly held a high position in the Turkish service, states:— • . • "If anything -is to be done in the direction of repairs to the Mosque of ' St. Sophia, it mast be by the elforbs of the Christian world. A widespread appeal to all the Christian denominations might result in obtaining sufficient money. The work, however, would have to ba undertaken by the Turks, under the technical direction and advice of til© best expert. Not much assistance is to be expected from the Turkish Government. It would cost a great deal of money to execute the work necessary to make 'Secure the supporting walls of tho dome.. The published reports regarding the 1 structure .that have appeared are correct enough in what has'been said as regards the movement of the walls supporting the dome. A very slight increase in the deviation has been observed since the recent earthquake, but that is all. There are no outward signs of damage, such as.crevasses in the wall. The danger of eventual collapse of tho dome, if no measures be taken to prevent it, assuredly exists. Only scientists, how, ever, can fix with any sort of correctness, whon such a catastrophe is to bo expectid/*