REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
The revenue of the government is about thirty-six millions of dollars,
and is thus divided:
Göshüre, tithe $11,000,000
Saliane, land tax 10,000,000
Haradj, Poll tax on Christian subjects (lately abolished) 2,000,000
Geömrük, customs 4,300,000
Mirry and Ihtissab, indirect tax 7,500,000
Vergys, or tributes of Egypt $1,000,000
Vergys, or tributes of Wallachia 100,000
Vergys, or tributes of Moldavia 50,000
Vergys, or tributes of Servia 100,000
1,250,000
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$36,050,000
Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, though it contains,
including all its suburbs, a population of nearly a million of
inhabitants, is, owing to the system of centralization, exempt from
the direct tax, which is levied only in the provinces. Of late there
has, however, been a sort of an income tax established, requiring
every house-owner to register all contracts of rent at the Police,
and pay a fee thereon of two per cent. Besides this, they have also
introduced another tax on commercial and financial transactions,
such as stamped bills, &c.
Some of these taxes and revenues are collected by the agents of the
government on its own account; and others are farmed out at public
auction, with the view of avoiding the abuses and corruptions of the
officials; the benefit of which arrangement was illustrated, when
the custom-house was farmed out to the Armenian banker, Djezâyirly,
who bid double the amount which the treasury used to realize.
The expenditure of the government has usually been nearly within its
income; but of late years has exceeded it.
It includes the sultan's personal expenses, and the civil and
military list.
The sultan receiving a salary of $300,000 per month; the Grand Vezir
$4,000, and the others $3,000 each.
Civil list of the Sultan and his harem $4,100,000
Civil list of the Army 15,000,000
of the Navy 2,000,000
Ordnance and Fortifications 1,500,000
Pay of Functionaries 10,000,000
Foreign Diplomatic Salaries 500,000
Public Works 500,000
Séhims or life annuities &c. 2,200,000
Interest on Cayimés at 6 per cent. 450,000
Bank subvention 1,000,000
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$37,250,000
The deficiency in the treasury is occasioned partly by arrears of
taxes, and partly by incidental expenses, such as bank subvention,
appropriations for internal improvements, etc.
With the view of enabling the treasury to carry on its operations,
the government has, for the past few years, been obliged to effect
a local loan of $8,000,000, in the shape of Kayemés, or Treasury
notes, bearing interest of 6 per cent per annum. Apart from this,
it has also contracted a foreign debt of £5,000,000--these two are
the only national debts.
The monetary market in every country is governed by its exports
and imports. The demand in Turkey for articles of foreign produce,
having gradually exceeded its former imports, the balance of trade has
been against the country, and a drain of specie has been the natural
consequence. Apart from this, the payment of the Russian indemnities,
having forced the government to demonetize its currency, the rate
of exchange became very fluctuating, and a fit subject to financial
operators; so that affairs assumed a frightful aspect.
To remedy this evil, the government was advised to establish a Bank,
in order to keep the foreign exchange at a more uniform par value;
this subvention has cost the government on an average $1,000,000 per
annum; jet without any good success, for it only served to enrich
a few individuals, who were intrusted with its management, without
benefiting the country in general, and involved the national treasury
in greater difficulty.