TURKEY

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 106, 26 October 1863, Page 6 (Supplement)

TURKEY

DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD SERAGLIO. (From the Levant HcraliL ) A_ positive calamity has befallen Stamboul. The old palace of Selim, of Mustapha, and of Mahmoud — -next to the principal mosques, the most, unique and characteristic architectural feature on the south side of the -Golden Horn— has been levelled by the flames. The disaster, which has thus deprived the Turkih capital of one of its most striking arid historically interesting monuments, happened on Monday forenoon, when the sudden bursting out of a column of black smoke from the southern extremity of the building announced to nearly every quarter of the city that the quaintly beautiful old ! building, which had escaped the fiery' vicissitudes of a hundred years, had at length fallen a prey to the common local fate. In less than ten minutes from the first appearance of this fatal signal, the crimson flames shot up from out the black spreading mass, and, fanned by a strong north-west breeze, spread rapidly over the building, which, being of wood and dried already to a burning point by a ten weeks' broiling sun, speedily ignited wherever a spark fell ; till, iv little more than half an hour more, the whole pile was hopelessly and irretrievably, a-blaze. The fire-guns above Scutari vainly boomed out their summons of rescue to both sides of the Bosphortfs, which was repeated equally to no purpose by the signal-flags of the Galata and Seraskerian towers, from Tophaneh to Eyoub, j and thence round to the Seven Towers; before the first of the scores of wretched engines which hurried from every quarter of the capital to the scene -of the calamity could even reach the Point, the old palace was far beyond salvation by any local means. The Grand Vizier, who happened to be at Dolma-baktche at the time, was the first on the spof, having hurried across in one of the palace caiques. He was speedily followed by Uie whole of the other Ministers, neaily all the general officers in garrison in the capital, and about 3,000 troops. A couple of strong boats' crews from 11. M.5. Weser, lying ofF Tophaneh, also hastened to the scene, and lent excellent help in the efforts made to overcone the flames. It Was remarked that neither the large Russian steamers nor those belonging to the Messageries Imperiales — both lying close by — made any show of offering similar assistance. Thfir aid, however, would have availed but liitle. Favored by the wind and ihe tinder-like drynoss of every part, of the main and adjoing buildings, the fire defied all efferts to check it. The usual remedy of pulling down whole perches of buildings on either side of it was in vain resorted to; the flames literally jumped over each successive chasm thus made, and rolled on in increased volume enveloping and devouriag everything before them. Incredible as it may read to those who know the distance, not me.ely sparks, but whole flakes of. fire Were carried right over the brow if the hill which separates the Point from St. Sophia, and falling in and around the At-mcidam, ignited i more than one house in the neighborhood. The konak of lihemsi Effendi, one of the presidents of the Tidjaret, was thus set en fire, and was with difficulty saved from destruction. The fire which spread thus distantly, was not long in reaching the beautiful alleys of of cypresses behind the palace, and as these caught one after another, the blazing current was carried on in an almost unbroken wave to the successive courts and buildings in the rear. In an attempt to cut down these trees one of them fell upon an unfortunate sergeant of infantry and killed him on the spot. Happily this was, so far as we have been able to ascertain, the only fatal accident attending the disaster. Of the many narrow escapes, that of the Grand Vizier was one of the closest. Accompanied by a dozen or so of soldiers, his Highness had penetrated into the centre of 'the building, where, it was believed some of the fair inmates yet remained. Whilst searching for these, the flames literally surrounded the room in which Fuad Pasha and his companions were, and it was only by escaping through a window which opened on the Marmora that his Highness and the men with him effected their retreat — but a few miutes before the roof of the room they had left fell in. I3y three p.m. the work of destruction was complete. About an hour after the fire broke out, the Sultan himself proceeded to the scene ; but, on the urgenfc advice of the Ministeis, his Majesty remained only a short time in the dangerous neghborhood, returning to Dolma-baktche, whence the pro' grass of the con flagaration was nearly as visible as from the perilous spot itself. The site of the old building thus destroyed is one of the most historic in Stamboul. In the earliest Byzantine days it was covered by the Acropolis of the new eastern capital ; later by a palace of the Empress t Piacidia; later still by another and grauder Imperial residence, reared by Justinian, on the r ims of which other palaces were successfully built, till Mahomet 11. erected that of which the structure destroyed on Monday was but the last of many restorations. In this actual building took place the assassinations of Sultans Selim 111. and Mustapha IV., and from it issued the successive edicts which crushed the Wahhabees, annihilated the Janissaries, and inaugurated the other acts of reforming "vigor which illustrated the reign of Maiimoud. On the completion of the new palace of Doima-baktche the late Sultan removed to the latter residence, and the old building sank into a retreat for the surviving (and unmarried off) members of his father's harem. On the death of Abdul Medjid himself, the former inmates were cleared out, and the ladies

of his of his own late establishment installed in their stead. These con-' sisted of four Icadin-effendis ',(01^ wives) and abou£ 300 other females of lower haremic rank. Besides this goodly company the establishment included nearly a hundred black and white ennuchs and other servants, the wliole ofwhora were in 'it when the " calamity of Monday occurred. The fire is said to have originated in a small private-kitchen attached to the suite of apartments occupied by the fourth kadiji, who had barely time to .hasten to-the adjoining rooms of her late conjugal colleagues — disturbing them at their after breakfaat coffee and chibouque — and urge immediate flight, before the flames spread from her own chamber to those of the other ladies. The whole of these, as also the other women, ennuchs, and servants, managed to effect their retreat into the outer front court, and there they were found half-an-hour later by the hasnadur-usta' (lady-governess) of the palace, who hastened from Dolnaabaktche to take "charge of the burnt out establishment. The whole were speedily and safely removed' in caiques and carriages, first in part to some of the neighboring harems, an d finally in _tWe course of the afternoon, to Dolmabaktche. Efforts were made to save some portion of the- costly wardrobes, jewels, and furniture thus hastily abandoned, but with hardly any success. The whole may be said to have fallen a prey to the flames. Happily, the old jewelled arms and other precious antiquities, which visitors to this historic treasure-house will remember, were removed some mouths ago to Yenikiosk, a modern stone building on the crown of the hill behind, which has' escaped the general ruin ; and there they and the silver-gilt throne, which does duty at Bairam under the " Beautiful Gate " — near still to St. Sophia — still safely repose. But the old Serai itself is gone ; and, rich as nearly every 1 court and chamber of it was in historical association, the £300,000— 0r thereabouts — ' intrinsic value of the building and its contents, is perhaps the least element in the loss which its destruction entails on StamboiiJ.