A STRANGE SCENE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 630, 26 June 1876, Page 3

A STRANGE SCENE.

A strange scene was to be witnessed in Constantinople on the morning of Monday, the 10th of April. The native men and boys employed at the arsenal to the number of about 1000 proceeded in three separa'e bodies to the Palace, the Seraskeriate, and the residence of the Grand Vizier, for the purpose of presenting petitions for the payment of the arrears of wages due to them. That, native workmen in Turkey in official employ should demand payment of their wages is a piece of presumption hardly credible ; but it is only fair on the men to admit that there was some provocation for their otherwise inexcusable importunity. It seems that, though the Admiralty had, by means of a loan most kindly advanced by the Turkish Lighthouse Company, paid the clerks of the department two months of their arrears, and had, moreover, settled the claims of certain contractors, the workmen, who had been led to expect an instalment of their pay, got nothing. The demonstration, it is stated, was orderly, the only disturbance that took place being at the Karakeni bridge, where the workmen, annoyed at toll being demanded, forced their way past the toll-bar, insisting that the -oil should be paid out of their arrears. On arriving at the Palace gates they were told, by order of the Sultan, to return to the arsenal, and that part of their arrears should be paid forthwith. The same answer was given by the Grand Vizier, t>nd at the War Office ; and, by an act of graceful condescension, the men have, it is understood, actually received some portion of the wages so which they were entitled. In the meantime the Sultan is so pleased with the monster gun lately sent to him by Herr Krupp, that he has,according to the ßassiret, most liberally ordered three more cannons of the same size. As each gun costs £25,0)0, the total cost of this new order, including freight, &c, will bo a trifle over £75,C00.