The Wihte Slave Trade.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 426, 7 December 1889, Page 6

The Wihte Slave Trade.

Mdmk. Vaschkoh--, who has recently visited the old city of Sinope, on the northern coast of Asia Minor, found there ("ays the Xciv Yoik Sun) a few wealthy Turks, the inmates of whose households, she says, are beautiful women of Uirca a sia. These favourites of the harem are attended not only by black slaves of both sexes from the Soudan, but. also by older and less comely women from. their own country. All aro slaves, bought for trade or cash, the inoro fortunate -among them to live in

Luxunv asp Idlkxess and others to perform the menial services of the household. In spite of Russia's prohibition of the white slave trade of Circasss, it still seems to flourish. Some years ago it was reported that there was such a glut in the Circassian slave-girl market in Constantinople that pi ices had fallen about three fourths. Mdme. Paschkofl' has given some attention to the means by which the supply of white slaves is maintained. The trade would probably cea6e entirely were it not that it is Tjjk HiciiEbT Amwtion of Many a Fair Circassian

to become an inmate of some luxurious harem far away from her own land. There is among the Circas-ians 'an umvtitten law that no girl shall be- gold without her consent, and the fact is that many ot them are eager, to be sold ; and ho their fathers do not hesitate long to accept any tempting offer which the agents from the slave markets may make. As Russian subjects Circassian girls have no trouble in journeying under the escort of their purchasets to"Baboum, the Sea port of the C mcaius. Only on&boa three are taken there ab a time by an agent, and, if need be, they can assume to be members of his family. In the haiem of some important Mahonnnedans at Batoum Tin: Di:stixatiox of Tin; (Jikls is decided, and in very small parties they are taken to otic or another market in the dominions of Turkey. It has been a part of the policy of Russia to profess respect for ther usages of her Alahommedan subjects. No surveillance worth mentioning is maintained by- Russia over tho thousands of harems among tho Mahonimedans of that vast empire. It is therefore easy ab Batoum to negotiate tor x the purchase and sale of these girls ; and, oo long as the trade is quietly conducted, Russian oflicials seem to wink ab violations of law of which they cannot be ignorant, and thus the harems of Turkey are s supplied with their chief ornaments.