DISMANTLING CONSTANTINOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 353, 2 April 1910, Page 9

DISMANTLING CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Young Turks, being in power, are seeking to modernise ai'd to extend Constantinople. Hence t'heissuing ol an irade by the new Stfi&n sanctioning the demolition of a »arfc ».<• least of the world-famous Byzantine walls of the city. The proposed vandalism has raised a storm of protest, whioh may result in the saving of some of the historic structure. It would appear to be certain, however, that the greatest part of the walls will be pulled down It is significant that the municipality has contracted a loan of £I,OOO 000 for modernising and enlargement of ConstantiThe land walls were built during the reign of Theodosius U.. who succeeded Theodosius the Great i < 408 and died in 450. For many years they withstood siege, the fury of Goths and Arabs, Persians and Bulgarians, and others, and it was by earthquake only that they were shaken until Mahoi.irned the Conqueror broke through them in 1453. What these walls mean to a foreigner of archaelogico-artistic tastes is well set forth in a. letter written by Raymond Reeouly, the well-knowr Fiench traveller and the author of "La F?vs Magyar," "Dix Mois de Guerre on .Mandchousie" and "Le Tsar et la Douma": - "We picked our way along the old walls among holes and brambles. Everywhere there is nothing but tombs, containing both the obscure and the illustrious. There is that of Ali-et-Tnbelei (he Pasha of .Tanina, the celebrated rcbei who in his Albanian mountains hold at bay the hosts of the Sultan, and here also are buried the heads o c his three sons and his nephew, but thf.ir bodies lie. God knows whpe. For yards and vards this vast funeral field unfolds itself. Here are stones standing erect marking recent burials with inscriptions still fresh; there we see othen; prostrate or inclining towards the ground like an old man who lingers over dying. We passed Silivri-Kapou an 1 Mevlevi-Hani-Kapou; we reached Top Kapou, the gate of the Cannon, and the central ■point of the enclosure. Remembrances are awakened by legios. Here took place the great final assault by which the Turks captured Constantinople. Constantine, the last Byzantine Emperor, here perished bravely under a mountain of corpses. The gate still remains, and there passed through it when we arrived a long file of donkeys laden with bricks. Next came a peddler of fruit with whom two old men were gravely debating the price of a basket of grapes. We dismounted and also purchased some bunches of those marvellous grapes and some tchaoueh with its fine skin and no seeds, and vio washed them ■at a neighboring fountain. At the next gate, that of Edirme-Kapou, we made a alight fletour in order to visit the Kahrich, the famous Byzantw church, the mosaics and frescoes of which are among the beauties of Constantinople. As we returned towards the wills we met a Greek burial train. Fot many centuries by the side of the Turkish cemetery, the Greeks have kept th .!r burial ground where they buried those who fell at the defence of Constantinopa-. Preceded by two popes, the body with uncovered face, was borne to the tcuuo. They intoned a hymn, then a priist called the dead man by name three times, then it was all over and the grnve-diggers finished their work. The light of the setting sun has now most disconcerting golden splendors—a light that is reposeful and religious. Ony would almost say that it passed through church windows. At last we arrived at the Golden Horn, and a short lane le.l us to Evoub. the sacred valley. Tfccig'htfully and fearfully we entered tht courtyard of the mosque, holy abov? all others, where the new Sultan ha* just girded, himself with Mahommed ? «word. There we found a spectacle whicii. while familiar, was most charming. While the faithful were washing thtlr foet in tnp fountains a group of men surrounded the cart of a seller of chsplets and perfumes. The merchant nine'" them smell his essences and oils a"1 then poured them info tiny flasks wlifh he offered to the purchasers. T have this to sav to the Young Turks- T m ch ever so lighflv the ancient stone.' of the long walls, and von will lose ir"..ch of the esteem which vour western friends now have for you."