“Since you cannot reconcile your minds to the new system of exercise,

and say that it is useless, allow me in reply to put this question to

you: Was there a wall run up between you and the infidels during the

Russian war which broke out in the reign of Sultan Mustapha Khan? When

you had consumed as much meat and white bread as would have been

sufficient for two hundred thousand men, why did you, while the infidels

were in your sight, turn and fly, instead of engaging them after you had

raised a commotion on the pay, rations, and exceptions from service? You

well know that I was present with you at that time. In the following

year you committed, on your march to the army, sundry crimes and

excesses; burning and ruining the houses in which you were lodged, both

of Mussulmans and tributary subjects, and lengthening your hands against

their children and daughters. When you arrived at the camp, you plainly

showed what ability you possessed for war, never having ventured in any

situation to engage or oppose the enemy, even so much as with the sound

of your voices; and after having spent your time as you did the former

year, in disputing about pay, &c. you departed, spoiling your brothers

in religion, and showing no fear or reverence, either for God or man.

Prove to us, if you can, that at any time, or in any place, you have

rendered the least service to the Emperor. Such being the state you were

in for the space of six or seven years, you at length became the cause

of the Muscovites concluding a treaty with us on their own terms,

inasmuch as through your misconduct they were enabled to penetrate into

our territories. And to conclude all, it is owing to you that such a

province as the Crimea, the seat of a Khan, hath remained in the hands

of the infidels.—In the late war with the Russians, which followed the

one we have been speaking of, several thousand soldiers of the corps of

the Janissaries were detached with speed on the side of Otchakow, with

the hope that you would effect something before the military forces of

the Russians could arrive from a distance of seven or eight hundred

hours’ march.[87] On that occasion you paid no attention to your

officers or to the governor of Otchakow, but of your own counsel went to

attack a little entrenched port called Kibburun, where, being engaged by

a small body of Russian troops appointed to defend that quarter, you

could not resist them, but returned to Otchakow, after losing a great

number of men. The Muscovites then besieged the fortress of Otchakow,

remaining before it during the season of winter, snow, and extreme cold,

whilst you crept into holes within the place, and did not dare to

venture out. Thus you were the occasion of the enemy’s taking by

assault, and by force of arms, so strong and firm a bulwark of Islamism,

together with all its inhabitants, who were made prisoners. And to you

it is owing that so many thousand persons, with their wives, daughters,

and young children, fell into the hands of the Russians. In other places

you were equally unable to resist. As the superiority which the practice

of military exercise gives to the infidels in war is clearly evident, as

well as the deficiency of the people of Islam in several points

connected with military science, is not the obstinacy with which you

oppose the introduction of this exercise, purely a treason against our

religion and empire?” When I had thus set forth and laid before them

their actual condition, such of them as were disposed to reason ceased

their clamour, and answered thus: “Truly His Highness Sultan Mahmoud was

about to appoint a deputation for the purpose of establishing this

exercise, according to the principles laid down in the treatise entitled

‘The Origin of the Institution of Discipline;’ but as longer life was

not granted to him, the deputation was not named. If at that period good

order had been established, we should not have been beaten by the

infidels.” In these words they made confession of the truth; but some

answered differently, saying, “In the corps of Janissaries I receive

twenty-five aspers; if these troops of the Nizam-y-Gedid should increase

in number, and become serviceable, I am afraid that as the Janissaries

will no longer enjoy any consideration, I shall not be able to draw my

pay. If I knew for certain that no loss would accrue to me from it, I

would say, God grant that all the people in the world may become

soldiers of the Nizam-y-Gedid.” These people expressed their true

sentiments. Others again spoke thus: “If we abolish the new regulation

(although we know that it is likely to be serviceable, and that our

other undisciplined forces will never be of the least avail) the enemy

will celebrate the event with the rejoicings of a marriage-feast, and

encroaching on our territories more and more, will confirm their victory

by imposing on the Sublime Government hard and disgraceful conditions;

and to conclude, as there will be no means of opposing the enemies of

our faith on any side, the power of the Sublime Government will decline

from day to day. If, under the Divine favour, these troops who are

clothed with the garments of discipline, should be augmented until they

amount to the number required, and stationed in the fortresses upon the

Russian and German frontiers, as well as in other parts of the empire,

we very well know that, in a time of trouble and of war, they will not

be disconcerted like our raw soldiers, but will stand firm and unshaken

in the midst of carnage. We will prove the truth of our words by this

example: If, on a stormy day, a vessel be manned with persons utterly

ignorant of sea affairs, the ship will undoubtedly sink, and all on

board will perish; but if the crew are acquainted with navigation,

however great may be the storm which they encounter, they will, by the

grace of God, obtain a deliverance from it. Can there be any room to

doubt that a few persons who have for fifteen or twenty years exercised

the art of war, and have learnt sundry military stratagems, will obtain

an easy victory over many thousand unpractised soldiers, overthrowing

them, and bringing them into captivity?” In such terms as these many of

them avowed their assent and conviction. It ought to be generally known

that, whilst many thousands of our undisciplined forces were unable to

obtain the least advantage in the war which they waged at Alexandria and

Cairo against the reprobates of France, our gunners and regular

infantry, although few in number, bravely combating the infidels and

defeated them incessantly; and the flight of a single individual of that

corps was never seen nor heard of. As their valour was conspicuous to

all, many of those who had carped at them saw and acknowledged their

error, saying “these are the troops who will render effectual service,

and we have sinned in calumniating them.” His Highness Gezar-Pashah

seeing the greatness of soul which these men displayed in war, and with

what heroic courage they became martyrs, while not a single individual

thought of flight, spoke thus: “Truly before I knew what sort of men

these were, I was wont to abuse them; but if after this I do so again,

may my tongue be dried in my mouth.” This we have heard from persons who

were present at the time that he said it. If we possess any

understanding or sense of rectitude, and be able to distinguish good

from evil, we may perceive and comprehend how important and necessary

the services of these troops have been; and also that, with the

exception of this sort of regular soldiers, the residue of our forces

have only served to create confusion and occasion famine, in our camps,

frontier fortresses, and other military posts. There are certain

expressions current amongst the enemies of our faith which our ears

heard in the time of our captivity. They say thus: “The greater is the

number of troops sent by the Ottomans into the field, the better are we

pleased; because if they are very numerous, their magazines will be

exhausted, and they will disperse before two months have passed; and if

your raw soldiers march against us, the greater part of them will be

mowed down by our grape shot, and the remainder will fly.” Behold, we

have seen with our eyes that this saying is exactly conformable to

truth. The following is another of their expressions: “If, for instance,

in an army of one hundred thousand Ottomans, there could be found an

hundred well trained men, we should, in computing their numbers, only

reckon those hundred, without taking the others into our calculation,

because we know that one soldier thoroughly exercised, is equal to one

thousand raw and ignorant men.” It is a certain fact, that we have seen

in the wars persons who, having never in the course of their lives taken

a gun in their hands before, but spent all their time in the exercise of

some trade, and knew not what they were about, but first put the ball

into their muskets, and then the powder above it. It has been sometimes

proved by experience, that as these people know not how to handle their

ammunition, it would be better that they should leave the army rather

than remain with it; because, being of no use, they do harm by the

disorder which they create. Some of our raw soldiers who do not know the

proper charge of powder, by putting too great a quantity into their

guns, cause them to burst, and thus maim, or even kill both themselves

and those who stand near them; and many of our unpractised horsemen who,

when mounted on their steeds, fancy themselves the heroes of the age,

and would not deign to give a salutation even to their own fathers, when

they draw their sabres in action, wound the heads of their own horses,

and thus cover themselves and their beasts with blood; this awkwardness

of theirs cause those who see it to utter ejaculations of surprise. In

short, it is evident to men of understanding, that as the talents of

reading, writing, riding on horseback, shooting with the bow, playing on

an instrument, and other similar acquirements, will not come

spontaneously to persons unskilled, and uninstructed in them; so

likewise victory cannot be obtained without a knowledge of the art of

war, which is a particular, and noble branch of science, independent of

others.

There are indeed certain considerations which may induce us to pardon

those calumniators of the Nizam-y-Gedid, who are any wise connected with

the old corps; but do those persons who are by no means attached to

them, and who know the difference between alum and[88]sugar, and between

good and evil, show any sense in daring to abuse so noble a science?

Their perverseness and obstinacy are astonishing, seeing that,

notwithstanding the taste which the infidel race has always had of our

raw troops, they do not allow it to be sufficiently proved, that if a

war should break out, these ignorant beasts pressing together in masses

of one or two thousand men, will be unable to resist the tactic of the

enemy.

SECTION V.

_Containing a relation of the footing on which the old corps of troops

originally were, and of their present state._

Since so unreasonable a dissension prevails between our old and new

troops, we have undertaken a disquisition on the organization of the

first of these corps. The public are well aware of the conduct observed

by our old corps of troops when they march out to war, or return from

it; but if any persons should be ignorant of this, we will thus explain

it to them. At the time that His Highness Sultan Suleÿman Khan set on

foot these forces, the soldiers whose names were inscribed on the

muster-roll conducted themselves on their marches with the most perfect

propriety; and at the places through which they passed, whether they

moved by land or by water, did not take so much as the value of an

asper, either from rich or poor, mussulman or Rayah; neither did they

eat a single egg without paying for it, nor injured the honour of any

one. Truly the said troops, yielding implicit obedience to the orders of

the emperor of the times, and of their other commanders, performed their

duty well, and wronged no man in any respect. In their military

expeditions they were wont to subdue forts and countries, and to ruin

the reputation of the infidels, and thus to elevate the glory, fame, and

power of the emperor of exalted splendour, and as they were thought

worthy of the prayers of his Highness and of the people of the true

faith, the whole world held them as objects of praise, and all men

desired their honour. As they were so highly respected a body, they did

not admit into their ranks men of obscure race, such as Franks, Greeks,

Armenians, Jews, or gypsies, or persons belonging to any other

inglorious nation. Being men of true courage, they repressed these as

well as all other insolent and shameless persons, and those of the

description of robbers. As the enemies of our religion were not pleased

with their excellent regulations, they found means to introduce into

their ranks very cunning spies for the purpose of sowing dissension

amongst them. These spies gradually creeping in amongst the soldiers

under pretence of being comrades, insinuated themselves like Satan, and

began by degrees to set on foot practices, tending to corrupt the valour

implanted in their hearts, and their zeal for religion. “Comrades (said

they) the pay which we receive from government is seven aspers, and they

point out to us Paradise as the reward of martyrdom; they will certainly

cause us all to be slaughtered by the infidels; we have not two lives,

why then should we be destroyed for seven aspers, and without reason?”

Having, by similar and repeated insinuations, corrupted the minds of the

faithful soldiers, these began to care no longer about the concerns they

were intended for, and saying at last, “Useless and destructive

expeditions are only proper for the Russian infidels, let us leave it to

their soldiers to feed upon dry biscuits, as for us we will return home

and eat fine Baklava.”[89] Thus they forgot the stream of benefits in

which they were immersed, and the kind treatment and protection that

they had experienced. As there was nobody, either in the corps or out of

it, who spoke reason to them, they came in process of time to do

whatever they liked, plundering the places that they traversed on their

march, burning and destroying the houses both of Mussulmans and Rayahs,

and stretching forth their hands against the honour of their families.

Besides all this, although the whole body of men who compose an hundred

and ninety six Ortas, being quartered altogether in one residence, ought

to have no differences one with the other; yet hatred and dissension

rose to such a pitch amongst them, that they no longer considered those

who did not belong to their own Orta, as brothers in religion, but,

without dissembling their sentiments, exchanged bullets, and drank each

others blood; and in the villages, forcing open the houses of the poor,

committed murder, which disorder still prevailing, as none of them are

safe from the others either in war or peace, their well regulated system

of discipline hath perished and gone to decay. They pass their days in

propagating seventy thousand false reports, saying, “When we were

opposed to the infidels, they did not allow us to give them battle; if

we had obtained permission, we could without trouble have overthrown the

crals from their thrones; but the ministers of our government conspiring

with the Ghiaours[90] cause us to be slain and taken prisoners, and,

receiving from the Russian infidels casks of gold, deliver up the

country to them.”

On a day of battle, as soon as they have heard from a distance the noise

of a cannonade, and have seen a few hats, the Mussulman spies who are in

their ranks begin to exclaim aloud: “Community of Mahomet, why do you

stay here? the Ghiaours have forced our camp, the troops in front of us

have turned their faces this way; we shall be pursued and made

prisoners.” As these cries spread in succession through the army, even

the very regiments which since their original institution never

surrendered their kettles to the enemy[91], and which are at that moment

sacrificing a thousand martyrs in their defence, now estimating their

own lives at the price which the others set upon theirs, abandon in the

space of half an hour their tents, camp equipage, kettles, and baggage

of every sort, and repairing straight to the imperial camp, plunder the

treasure, effects, and military chest, and then adorning their heads

with the trophies of their pillage, walk about in small parties with a

presumptuous air, as though these were inscriptions which made good

their pretence of having beaten the enemy, and overturned their cral. As

they are all mixed and confounded together, there is no way of

distinguishing those who fight with true patriotism from those who do

not, and there are amongst them certain adversaries who begin the attack

against the orders of their Vezier, Agha, Pashahs, and other officers.

When, however, the action is engaged, it is not possible to make them

stand their ground for half a minute, and the following example is a

clear proof of it. During the reign of his Highness Sultan Moustapha, in

the year of the battle of Kartal, when an hundred and fifty thousand

soldiers of Islam were opposed to the infidels, whilst his excellency,

Cogia Abdee Pashah (who hath attained to the mercy of God,) was engaged

in combat on the field of battle, at which time the people of Islam were

not very hard pressed, a mounted spy, dressed like a Chiaoush, rode

hastily along the rear of the entrenchments of the Janissaries, and

cried aloud: “Janissaries, why do you remain here? the Ghiaours have

turned our rear!” having said these words, he put spurs to his horse and

departed. Before he was out of sight, the whole camp of janissaries,

without examining whether he had spoken truth or falsehood, at once

betook themselves to a precipitate flight. The infidels, availing

themselves of the opportunity, pursued them, and were on the point of

completing their destruction; but his excellency, whom we mentioned

above, saved them by vigorously charging the infidels with another

corps; but while he thus checked the enemy, the fugitives never thought

so much as rallying or coming to his assistance, neither did they stop

to take breath, until they arrived on the banks of the Danube, amongst

the tents which contained the treasure. As they did not see the enemy at

their backs, they ought to have retraced their steps, instead of which,

they plundered the baggage and treasure of the imperial camp, and not

being able to cross the river in open boats, they threw themselves into

the river, so that one third of them, or perhaps more, were swallowed up

in the Danube. Some, who could not swim, climbed up the willow-trees

upon the banks of the Danube, and many lay hid among the reeds and

flags; but when the enemy arrived and perceived them, they were all put

to death by fire and sword. It was exactly three days before the whole

army of the infidels came up, when they made themselves masters of all

the artillery, ammunition, and military stores of various descriptions,

which our bravoes, who were unable to carry them off, had left on the

banks of the Danube.

Towards the conclusion of the Russian war, which had succeeded the one

we have been speaking of, when Cogia Jussuf Pashah was Grand Vezier for

the second time, all the officers of the corps, and the Janissary-Agha

coming up to the Vezier in a body, made to him this representation:

“Although we have upwards of one hundred and twenty thousand men, yet

eight thousand of the Russian troops, crossing to the higher side of the

Danube and attacking us, have completely routed our army. It is utterly

impossible for us, with our regular troops, to make head against such

welldisciplined forces as those of the Ghiaours; therefore, if you

intend to make peace with them, do it without delay. While our soldiers

continue ignorant of these new military manœuvres, we are not destined

to become victorious, from this time even to the day of judgment.” The

astonished Vezier said in answer to this strong representation, “How can

I lay these points before the Emperor?” To this they replied, “We will

ourselves cause a petition to be drawn up and presented to him.” At the

same time, they caused an humble representation to be written out by me,

and delivered it to the Vezier. It was dispatched to the Emperor, and

his Highness became convinced of their inability of obtaining success in

future. When peace was made, in consequence, the Sublime Government,

considering that the Janissaries themselves had declared that their

state of discipline rendered them unfit to oppose the tactics of the

enemies, thought itself obliged to use every effort to introduce into

the corps of Janissaries a regular system of exercise, hoping by that

means to retrieve their affairs, to avert defeat, to open the way to

victory, and to obtain security from hostile machinations. The

Janissaries, however, contrary to reason and expectation, would not

receive this project, and absolutely rejected it. But as it became

evident that, if it were abandoned to oblivion, things would become

worse, and the infidel race would certainly encroach more and more, and

as the conversation which had taken place at Petersburgh relative to the

reservoirs, was then generally known, a body of musketeers was formed

from among the Bostangees, and quartered in the barracks newly

constructed at the Levend-Chifflick. As when His Highness Sultan

Suleÿman set on foot the corps of Janissaries, the new recruits deserted

next day, so in the present instance a number of worthless persons set

up an opposition in defence of the Janissaries, although these were no

otherwise connected with it than by the simple reception of pay, and

began to whisper to each other, “Hark ye! a hearth[92] is set open for

the Nizam-y-Gedid; if these new troops, who are practising military

evolutions, should perform any good service in war, the institution of

Janissaries will become obsolete, and our muster-roll will be erased

from the list.” They suggested also, that as the men who were inscribed

in the corps of the Nizam-y-Gedid performed an exercise similar to that

of the Ghiaours, the Mussulman faith is thereby injured. Although these

blockheads had never before given themselves any concern about our faith

or government, and indeed knew nothing of what belongs to Mussulman

purity; yet, on the present occasion, they showed a mighty anxiety for

religion, and by that means prevented many persons from inscribing their

names, and encouraged many who were already engaged to desert. Behold!

how inscrutable are the decrees of Divine Providence! When the war with

France broke out, at which time these forces consisted only of three or

four thousand men, the new gunners and musketeers were appointed to

serve at Cairo and Acre. The said troops committed no excesses, either

on board the vessels in which they were transported, or in the places of

their destination whither they repaired, nor robbed any man of the value

of an asper; but both in going and coming, conducted themselves with

propriety and modesty. If any persons have either seen or heard of their

having committed the least fault, we challenge them to declare it. When

by the favour of Divine Providence they arrived at Acre, the French

infidels, who had for sixty-three days pressed very closely Gezar-Pashah

and the inhabitants of the place, were within a hair’s breadth of making

themselves entirely masters of it; for they had already entered that

which is called the Sublime bastion within the fortress; but the troops

of the Nizam-y-Gedid, valiantly exerting their military skill, in one

day slaughtered the infidels to such a degree, that in no part of Europe

did the French nation ever receive so disgraceful an overthrow; and no

man in the world is ignorant that the said fortress and its inhabitants

were delivered by their courage. Is not this also a proof of their

utility, past and future? Wherever they have been opposed to the

infidels, although few in number, they never turned their faces back,

but broke the enemy, or were themselves broken; and as not one of them

dared to mention the word flight, they have always, in exact obedience

to the will of the great and mighty Prophet, punctually discharged the

duties which appertain to a holy war, and a steady zeal for the faith.

If there is any falsehood in my words, let any one prove it; I am

extremely willing that he should do so, otherwise, for God’s sake, let

every body listen to reason. When our undisciplined forces in Egypt

found themselves unable to make head against the cavalry or infantry of

the French infidels, they retired for protection behind the ranks of our

regular troops, who alone stood their ground, and by that means saved

themselves from the impending danger. Moreover, in the year 1217 they

were sent against the Mountaineers who had rebelled in Rumelia. Since

that insolent race first showed themselves, several Veziers and other

officers had been sent against them without effect.[93] Having formed

the wicked design of destroying the Nizam-y-Gedid institution from its

roots, they now exerted their whole strength and gave battle. Although

the regular troops had with them neither their cannon, howitzers, or

mounted men, and were engaged in the midst of a severe winter, snow,

rain, and mud, and though the rebels were strongly posted in a town,

they nevertheless marched up to the attack, and without regarding the

advantageous position of the insurgents, while they were themselves up

to the knees in mud and water, they knocked down half of the rebels like

rotten pears, sending their souls to hell, and obliged the rest to fly.

In a short time the field of action was covered with the vile carcases

of the rebels, and those who were taken alive reported that they called

out to each other, “Ah! comrade, these troops which they call

Nizam-y-Gedid, are not what we took them for.” In these exclamations

they betrayed the sense of their own inferiority. Every one knows that

at last these rascals, unable to make a stand on any side, climbed the

mountains by night, and fled. To this we may add, that although the

banditti tried by every means to introduce a spy into the ranks of the

new soldiers, they could not succeed, because, by the regulations of

those forces, an officer is appointed to command every ten privates, and

these officers who have an opportunity of seeing constantly, as well

their own men as those who are on the right and left, are acquainted

with them all, and in the line they never quit each other’s sides; if,

therefore, a stranger from without should get in amongst them, in what

condition would he find himself, being exposed in the middle; like a

broom in a court-yard, he delivers his collar to the first man that

takes him.

Just and intelligent men may readily understand how easily the Sublime

Government can organise these troops, from this circumstance, that it is

utterly impossible for any person, whether Mussulman or infidel, by

passing to and fro to examine the state of these troops, and learn where

they are going, and what they are about to undertake, without being

discovered and punished. The advantages of the new corps, and their

superiority over the old are infinite; were we to write them all down,

we should fill several volumes. In order, however, to make the people

comprehend well, we will point out to them another of these advantages.

The soldiers of our ancient corps, are not at all clothed alike; from

this diversity of garment, the following bad effect results: if, in time

of war, any of them should desert from the army, as there are no marks

by which we can distinguish whether the deserters belong to the troops,

or whether they are tradesmen, or servants, they have thereby the

opportunities of escaping without being known. Whereas the new troops

have a particular uniform of their own, so that the stragglers would be

soon discovered. Hence it results, that in a large camp of the new

troops, every man will be forced to remain fixed in his company, and

steady in the performance of his duty, whether he would or no, since it

is impossible to desert without greatly incurring the danger of

punishment.

Another of their advantages is this: our old forces, when in presence of

the enemy, do not remain drawn up in a line, but stand confusedly and

promiscuously like a crowd in a place of diversion. Some load their

muskets, and fire once, some twice, or oftener, just as they think

proper, whilst others being at their wits’ end, and not knowing what

they are about turn from side to side like fabulous story-tellers.[94]

If in consequence of any movement which they perceive on the side of the

enemy, the officers endeavour to make the troops fall back a little,

some will obey them, others will not, every one does just as he likes.

If they wish to retire a little, the soldiers make that a pretence for

flying to the distance of some days’ journey.

But the new troops remain drawn up in line as though they were at

prayers, the rear ranks being exactly parallel with the front, and

consisting of the same number of companies, neither more nor less, so

that, when it is necessary, they turn with as much precision as a watch.

The whole body, consisting of many thousand men, observe attentively the

signals given them by the two fuglemen who explain by signs the commands

of the officers, and not one dares so much as to turn his head. Thus the

orders of the officers being communicated without the least noise, they

stand firm, and lend an attentive ear, whilst not a word issues from

their mouths. If, for instance, the officer whose business it is to give

the command, makes the signal for attention, the whole body are ready in

an instant, and not one of them dares to stand idle, or to make any

noise, or to look another way, thus they are equally prepared for

whatever may happen. Sometimes the signal is given for them to load and

discharge their muskets successively, without regarding order or slacken

their fire, so as to make the balls shower like rain. If, while thus

engaged, they meet with a check, the officers immediately by a signal

will cause them to retire in good order, and will supply their place

with fresh troops from the rear, who likewise scatter their fire in the

same manner. This method of managing troops gives great facility to

their operations. Sometimes they dispose a large body of men in a

circular form, and then cause them to march round in such a manner, that

as the circle turns the soldiers incessantly discharge their muskets on

the enemy and give no respite to the combat, and having prepared their

guns for a fresh discharge before they return to the same place, they

fire the moment they arrive in the face of the enemy. The result of this

circular formation is, that the fire and slaughter do not cease for an

instant. Sometimes, when it is judged necessary, several thousand men

being crowded into a narrow space, form a solid mass for the purpose of

appearing to the enemy to be few in number, then by opening out, they

can execute any manœuvre that they please, and sometimes, ten thousand

men deploying, appear to consist of fifty or sixty thousand. At other

times, when they are hard pressed, the troops receive the superior

officers in the centre, and throwing themselves into the form of a

square castle, pour their fire on every side, the artillery also being

disposed on every face of the square, so that if the enemy should charge

them even on four sides, he will be unable to make an impression. If the

enemy’s cavalry should endeavour to break in upon them while they are

formed in this manner, on the signal being given, the front rank men

kneel altogether in an instant, and remain in that position keeping

their muskets supported against their breasts, and the ranks who are in

their rear stand upright and make use of their fire-arms, thus rendering

it impossible for the hostile cavalry to break in and create confusion.

Should it happen that the enemy is as skilful and well trained as

themselves, and employs against them the same discipline, then of the

two parties, that will be victorious whose chiefs are enabled, by the

favour of Divine Providence, to put in practice with superior address,

the new science and stratagems of war which they have learned, because

the apostle of the Most High, our great prophet (on whom be the

blessings and peace of God!) himself condescended to use military

stratagems. This sacred tradition is thus related.

During a holy war which was carried on in the happy time of the apostle

of God, (on whom be peace!) a certain valiant champion of the enemy’s

army came out to offer single combat, and demanded that the glorious

Alli should be opposed to him. Alli, well pleasing to God, having

received the command of the Apostle, girded on his sword only, and

immediately went forth alone to the place appointed for the combat. When

this friend of the Most High met that infidel, he thus addressed him: “I

come on foot having one sword; why come you out on horseback having two

swords and two bows?” The great Alli spoke to him again, saying “let

these things be so; but I come out alone to give battle on our side, why

do you bring another man and come both together?” The infidel, at this

question, looked about him believing that another man had followed him,

when at the same instant, the great Alli, in the twinkling of an eye,

made the vile head of the reprobate fly off. The death of the said

wicked person having been a source of joy to the followers of Islam, the

excellent Alli, meeting the great prophet on his return, related to him

the admirable stratagem by means of which he had slain that wretch. This

holy tradition has been vouchsafed unto us.

Although many similar stratagems have been employed at various times, by

holy warriors, and leave has been granted to the spies sent forth

amongst the infidels for the purpose of advancing victory to the people

of Islam, to assume any sort of dress; and although the great Prophet

hath given full permission and authority to do any thing which may

conduce to the defeat of the infidels, yet an ignorant rabble keep

chattering like parrots, some of whom do not approve of the dresses of

the new troops, while others say that their exercise belongs specially

to the Kiafers[95], and does not become Mussulmans.

With respect to the manner in which the provinces of the Sublime

Government are to be defended, and the means by which the enemies of our

faith are to be repressed, and the causes that have produced victory and

defeat, the rabble are utterly ignorant of them, occupying themselves

solely with this question, “shall we lose our pay of a few aspers?” With

this, as with a fishing hook, they draw from their sack various

absurdities, and prevent a number of simple and foolish men from

undertaking the duties of holy warfare. In truth, is not this a

sufficient reason for their being excluded from the two blessed worlds?

To sum up all in one word: it is evident to men of penetration, that

there is no possibility of introducing this system into our old corps,

for this reason; that as at their first institution they were regulated

in a different manner, every one of them has an aversion to submitting

himself to the new discipline. If, for example, any of the old troops

wish to leave the camp and return, although forty thousand officers

should attempt to turn them back, it is useless; they will do as they

please. If only five or ten individuals should turn their faces, who has

power to say to them “Stop, go not away!” the whole body forthwith

following on their steps; for the most part draws breath in the tents

containing the treasure and baggage of the Imperial camp.

The following is another of the advantages of the new troops. If it

should happen that the enemies have obtained the victory by their

superior numbers, and that the new forces were defeated, they will not,

in consequence, lose courage and disperse themselves; their captains and

other officers will rally them the following day or soon after, and will

again march upon the enemy; and not one of their soldiers will dare to

make the defeat a pretext for quitting his post. But if our old corps

meet with a small check, they run, throw themselves into the water, and

get drowned. Thus they become the cause of the progress of the enemies

of the faith. Which thing having come to pass in our own times, twice in

the Russian, and once in the Austrian war, and repeatedly in the war

with the French, is manifest to the world, and wants no new proof.[96]

Another of the advantages of the new troops is this; that when a body of

them are appointed to defend any post, they establish an advanced guard

round the place in order to obviate any hostile stratagems. Although

this sort of vigilance and precaution was formerly observed, yet there

is a world of difference between the ancient method and the new.

According to the old system, it is not easy to discover strange soldiers

of the enemies’ army who mix with the posts; but it is utterly

impossible for strangers to pass the guards of the regular troops, and

to get into a fortress which they defend; so that the army is safe from

any surprise.

The following is a description of the manner in which these posts are

arranged. When they are disposed round the camp, a certain word is given

them every night as a sign; the commander-in-chief first announces in

secret this word to the officers, and they communicate it privately to

the officers of the corps de garde; if therefore they meet with a

suspicious person, they immediately demand the parole, that is to say,

the sign word for the night; and if he does not give the parole of the

night, they seize and conduct him to the captain of the camp. Behold!

this is the only method of discovering spies; and as it is a matter

which, above all others, demands great care, they will pay special

attention to it; so that until their return from any expedition, the

parole of one night will never be the same as that of another, and by

this means they are delivered from the plague of spies. But of all the

advantages, the most material is this. If, under Divine favour, a

sufficiently numerous body of these new troops should be properly

disposed along the frontiers of the Sublime Empire, our enemies will

find themselves opposed on every part of the boundaries of Islam, by

expert artillery men, and well disciplined forces, perfectly acquainted

with the rules of the art of war; nor will they, as heretofore, be able

to take advantage of our unguarded posture, in order to make an attack

upon us; for there are persons still alive who well know that when in

the time of Sultan Mahmoud the German infidels assaulted, and at once

made themselves masters of the fortress of Nissa, it required a great

deal of trouble to drive them out. In fine, His Highness the Emperor,

and the supporters of his power, considering that it is indispensably

necessary to guard against such occurrences by striking terror into the

enemies of our religion, have firmly resolved to take measures for that

purpose, seeing that those enemies who were from the beginning a

troublesome and insolent race, and who, in all times, had been unable to

withstand the power of the people of Islam, insomuch that they were wont

to frighten their bastards in the cradle by saying “The Mussulman is

coming!” and many of them on seeing one Mussulman, took off their hats

through excess of fear, now venture to resist us, and have with

exceeding care and diligence made themselves so thoroughly masters of

the use of fire-arms, that a body of some thousands of them are able to

serve their cannon with as much precision and celerity as they can their

muskets, firing a single piece of artillery twelve or fifteen times in a

minute, and making a thousand discharges in the space of an hour. By

this means they destroy the people of Islam from a distance, and prevent

them from making use of their sabres. They now say, “At length we have

taught the Ottoman troops what value they ought to set upon themselves;

henceforth they will never set foot in our country; even the Mussulman

provinces are ours.” Thus they never allow victory to incline to the

side of Islam, and especially since the year 1182, they have continued

to afflict the followers of Islam with most disgraceful usage, bringing

under their own power so many of our tributary subjects. Nevertheless, a

crowd of ignorant people of our nation never bring these things into

their recollection, nor can persuade themselves that the success of the

infidels for nearly the space of forty years over the people of Islam

proceeds entirely from their own inability to resist their fire, and

that their own frequent flights are the cause which disables us from

carrying on war. These despicable wretches have never issued from the

castle-gate, nor travelled a single stage from home, neither do they

know what war and peace mean, nor from what cause the troubles of the

world have sprung, and whence they are likely to arise in future; some

of them are so ignorant of what belongs to pure religion, that in

repeating a short prayer they commit mistakes from beginning to end; men

in appearance only, vulgar of the lowest description, children of

falsehood, who suppose that the Nizam-y-Gedid is the cause of confusion

in the universe, and that if this ordinance were removed, and the old

system restored, the world would be tranquil in five days.

Last year, one of those superlatively ignorant persons was appointed to

the office of receiver of the revenue in one of the islands. This man,

who before was continually uttering curses and execrations against the

authors of the Nizam-y-Gedid, having gained five thousand piasters by

the perception of the imposts, and hoping it was continued to him for

another year that he might gain five thousand more, upon meeting with

his friends and companions, said to them, “Ha! comrades, there is no

harm in this Nizam-y-Gedid; I, indeed, at first opposed it, but it was

from want of sense; for the impost upon wine is not paid by those who

drink it, but is levied upon the wine which is sent to Russia, so that

the money comes out of the pockets of the Russians; it were better that

it was twice as much; I now understand the matter, and I make vow never

to speak a word against the Nizam-y-Gedid.” See how this man, in

consequence of gaining a few piasters by an institution which he had

been in the habit of abusing, is not ashamed afterwards to praise it.

Such, however, is the nature of all the lower orders. To sum up all in

one word: if the clamour and execrations of a rabble, who makes no

difference between good and evil, obliges us to abandon the said

institution of new troops, (which Heaven forbid!) the enemies of our

religion will find so much the more facility in invading us; and as one

of their kingdoms maintains three hundred thousand regular troops, they

will mount upon our necks on seeing that the Ottomans cannot discipline

a hundred thousand. At that time we shall not derive the least service

from those knaves who disapprove of the Nizam-y-Gedid; they will merely

say that it was thus ordained; that there is no contending with destiny;

and if a great calamity befalls (which Heaven avert!) they will, without

making more words about the matter, become the authors of trouble and

distress.

SECTION VI.

_Wherein is explained the purpose for which exercise is intended._

In the time of his Highness the late Emperor, during the period of my

two captivities, I have often, in the course of conversation with

Russian military men, questioned them, saying, “by what secret prodigy

hath it come to pass, that you Muscovites, who were formerly a very

stupid and easily vanquished nation, have for some time back obtained

such success over the race of Osman?” They, in reply, said, “Since you

are ignorant of the causes of our superiority, you shall be made

acquainted with them. The Russians, in former times, did not possess the

knowledge of tactics, and were therefore beaten by their enemies. A man

called Mad [97]Petro, having in his travels seen the world, and acquired

an intimate knowledge of the advantages thereof, became Cral of Muscovy,

and subjected the Russians, whether they would or no, to the restraints

of discipline. In order to try what progress they had made in it, he

declared war against the King of Sweden, and avenged himself of him. He

then went in an expedition towards the Crimea, reduced whatever

fortresses he thought proper, and began to break the power of the

Tartars. Afterwards, when we concluded a treaty with you, we demanded

for our Cral the title of Emperor; and as you could not oppose us, the

Sultan Mahmoud Khan (of excellent memory) in writing to us, granted that

title. Then in the war with Sultan Moustapha, we approached Adrianople,

and made peace on our own terms. And see, in the present war, we have,

with very few troops, defeated your numerous forces; and after taking

the fortresses of Hotim, Bender, Ibraïl, Ismail, and Otchakoff, and

conquering Moldavia and Wallachia from one extremity to the other, we

passed the Danube with eight thousand men, and routed the Ottoman army

consisting of fifty thousand. As you have no troops able to face ours,

know that this time also, after being well beaten, you will make a worse

peace than the former one.” In this manner did they answer this poor

person[98]; and truly before much time had elapsed, it came to pass that

such a treaty was concluded.

SECTION VII.

It is a difficult thing to find out the spies that go to and fro in the

camps of the followers of Islam, and it is necessary to explain how much

injury is done by them. As this matter requires attention above all

others, let us relate some events which have happened to us, with the

consequences resulting from them.

In the war with the Russians, during the reign of the late Emperor,

Sultan Moustapha, two hundred thousand unknown and undisciplined troops

were drawn together. In this multitude no one knew the other, and if a

father had searched for his own son, he could not have found him. If

each day some hundreds separated themselves and went off, no one knew

it, nor even could have said to them, ‘stop! remain!’ In so disorderly a

camp, the spies from the side of the infidels came and went each day and

night, and acquainted the Russians with every thing that passed in our

army, and the secrets of our government became known to the enemy. For

this reason, whenever a forward movement of our army was resolved upon,

they surprised the camp towards morning, the day before it was to be

executed, and routed so large an army of the Ottoman race, without

allowing them to open their eyes, all being buried in sleep. We have

learned by experience, that as the infidel race are very cunning and

deceitful, they have often effected, merely by wiles and stratagems,

things which we never have been, nor ever will be, able to bring about

with our hundred thousand men. Among all the wiles which that wicked

race have put in practice, there is one extraordinary stratagem which it

is worth while for us to describe. During the said war, three poor men

belonging to the assembly of Janissaries, having concerted together,

went out to gain some information of the Russians: after it was quite

dark they seized, on the Muscovite borders, a certain Ghiaour, one of

those who were employed in getting forage, and, satisfied with their

success, were conducting him to the camp, when, their prisoner being a

cunning hog[99] that understood Turkish, said to them, “Sirs! if you set

me at liberty, my father, who is a rich man, will recompense you

largely.” They, believing his words, conducted him back to the Russian

confines, where he soon found a surreptitious pimp[99] whom he called

father, to whom they delivered him. This man, who was also a very

deceitful rogue, said to them, “I am greatly pleased at your bringing my

son here and not killing him, and I am very much obliged to you.” With

these and other expressions of gratitude, he gave them five ducats, and

continued thus: “I have not been able to reward you as I ought to do,

but allow me to show you something, and let that be another recompense.”

So saying, he carried them in disguise into his own camp, and placed

them at the edge of a large tent; here the comrades perceived that there

was a great bustle before the tent, and that within they were weighing

gold and silver coin in a large balance, and were then filling with it

some casks placed near. In the tent were men habited in divers sorts of

Mussulman dresses, and the casks filled with money were continually

distributed amongst them. The traitor, after showing these things to the

three comrades, took them to his own tent, and said to them, “Comrades!

see what I have shown you. Part of this money is to go to your

government, and part to the Vezier and other Generals of your army. We

have purchased your country with money; the sum that has just been given

is the price of Constantinople which we have bought and shall soon

enter. My motive for informing you of this is that you may henceforth

look to yourselves; do not remain in your camp, nor even lose time at

Constantinople; but go to your own country that you may not be made

prisoners. Keep all this secret, and say nothing of it in your camp.”

With these words he led them back to the Ottoman confines. The comrades

returned to our camp, and being all three simple fools, they gave

implicit confidence to the falsehood contrived to deceive them; and

whenever they met their friends and acquaintances they said to them,

“Breh! what did we come here for? Our chiefs have sold their country and

are now receiving the money for it: we have seen it with our own eyes;

why should we stay here? all that passes is but lost labour.” By this

means they struck with consternation many who were as great asses as

themselves, and these spread confusion and alarm through the whole

Imperial camp. Finding this pretext of going home, a great number of the

troops went off and dispersed, like a flock of young partridges.

The Russian hogs, availing themselves of so favourable an opportunity,

brought the devil among us. But the best of the story is, that they all

laughed at us in relating it to each other, saying that in order to

disperse a Turkish army, they had only to weigh a little gold in the

presence of three of their men, and then send them to inform the rest of

it. Thus, on account of so many ignorant fools, who understand nothing

of the wiles and machinations of the enemy, it is necessary that we

should give our troops such a form of discipline as may prevent similar

disorders, and the danger of the spies who mix with our men and can

never be discovered.

How is it possible for us without such a system, to avenge ourselves of

our enemies, to defend our Empire, or to gain the least advantage? As

the deep cunning of the Russian race was not at first so well known, our

precious heroes of soldiers made use of such expressions. “The Muscovite

infidels are dogs of fishermen, whom we can suffocate only by spitting

upon them; if we each of us throw a stone, we shall destroy them all.”

These Janissaries who are merely vain boasters, good only for swaggering

on the pavements, falling by thousands into the hands of the Russians

through their total ignorance of military affairs, at length saw and

learned the power and stratagems of the enemies of our faith. But to

what purpose? since the children and daughters of so many noble and

pious persons of the Mahometan community have continued even to this day

(a space of nearly forty years!) in the possession of the Russians; and

the children whom they have produced remain depressed and afflicted, a

weeping prey in the hands of soldiers, officers, and other

reprobates.[100]

If a rabble of men, ignorant of the world, who pass their whole time in

festivity and play, or in buying and selling, or in idleness, were in

the first place to learn thoroughly the things which belong to purity,

and then, in order to preserve their religion unsullied, were to avoid

discourse with infidels and designing men, and examine whether their own

observance of it did not require some correction, there is no doubt that

they might attain to the summit of the good things, both of this world

and of the world to come. If they contend with us, saying, “We

understand questions of purity, we preserve our religion, and there is

no doubt of the validity of our marriage contract[101]”; in that case,

although what they maintain be true, yet, as the knowledge of the

affairs of this world is apt to occasion many great sins, let them not

lengthen their tongues on a subject of which they certainly know

nothing, and to which their understandings cannot reach. If this

business of the Nizam-y-Gedid seem obscure to them, let them acquire

information from men who, like this humble individual[102], have reached

their eighty-seventh year, and have gained by experience a thorough

knowledge of the world, and have brought to light what things have

injured, and what have turned to the profit of, the Sublime Government.

Let them not talk of things void of sense, for as the troubles of man

proceed from his words, so reason is given him as a defence against his

words.

SECTION VIII.

Many simple persons, who do not know why the treasure of the

Nizam-y-Gedid was instituted, and whence this money is collected, and to

what purpose it is expended, say sometimes, “the water of the old

cistern is not exhausted; why then is the new revenue made a separate

treasure?”[103] We have already stated how difficult a thing it is to

explain public affairs to people who are plunged in the darkest

ignorance, and to make those who cannot read the common alphabet

understand science; although we were to labour until the day of

judgment, we should not succeed. If a man is capable of receiving the

words of truth from his outward ears into his mind, we proceed to relate

matters as they really are.

Wars have been carried on for seventy or eighty years in a rude manner,

and with weak and irregular troops, during which time the followers of

Islam having been often defeated, His Highness Sultan Suleÿman Kannuni

thought proper to form the body of the Janissaries, whom he divided into

different divisions, assigning to each their particular regiments and

quarters. He considered, however, that these troops could not be

assembled and kept together for the love of God only, but that it was

also necessary to establish funds for the purpose of providing meat,

drink, &c. for them, as well as to appoint them a pay suitable to their

expenses. After consulting with the wise and experienced men of the

time, he regulated the administration of the revenue in the following

manner. A small part of the monies drawn from the provinces that had, by

right of conquest, become subject to his illustrious predecessors, was

appropriated to the subsistence of military men who served on horseback

and otherwise. The Emperor appointed by the canon[104] that, from the

annual product of the revenues, and from the sums which every one who

succeeded to the farming of them, paid according to his means, as an

anticipation price, provision should be made for meeting the expense

incident to these corps, whether in war or in peace. After these

arrangements had been made, it frequently happened that, in good times,

no war took place for twenty years together, during which some of the

military men who belonged to the corps, having turned old, departed in

peace. As the papers granted them to enable them to draw their pay fell

into the hands of their servants, relations, or comrades[105], it was

not suffered that the allowances appointed for several thousand men

should be received by persons who did not belong to the military

profession, who were novices in affairs, or apprenticed to some trade.

As few of them left sons capable of taking the place of their fathers,

and opposing the enemies of our faith, men of war became very scarce,

and it was therefore necessary to levy fresh troops, and assign new

funds for their support, the old revenue being exhausted. Besides this

cause of the impoverishment of the royal treasure, the price of all

commodities had greatly augmented since the time that the canon was

promulgated. For instance, at that period an oke of the flesh of mutton

was sold for four aspers, but in the course of time it rose to

twenty-five paras, and other things were dearer in proportion. Thus an

increase having taken place in the price of the necessaries which were

furnished to the corps at its institution, the royal funds provided for

that purpose were no longer able to meet the expense of the times, and

as they were nevertheless obliged to find some means of going on, the

rents of the Sublime Government began to run into each other; that is to

say, that in order to provide for the expense of the current year, they

sold the revenue of the succeeding one, and so on. Hence resulted a

deficiency in the Imperial finances. Even the treasures, which had been

amassed with a great deal of trouble previous to the Russian war that

broke out during the reign of the late Sultan Mustapha, were in that war

entirely drained and consumed, although every thing was then very cheap

when compared with present prices, and after peace, the finances could

not recover themselves, but the expense still exceeded the revenue. The

enemies of our religion being informed of our want of money, were

thereby confirmed in their purpose, and obtained complete success. But

besides the difficulties in which our government found itself involved

in peaceable times, owing to the deficiency of the ordinary revenue

which did not suffice for the current expenses, there have been moments

during war in which it stood like a man who has both his hands tied down

to his sides, and knew not which way to turn itself; for as there was no

ready money, nothing could be accomplished, and nobody showed any

inclination to engage in a holy war; nothing was considered but pay,

rations, and the privilege of being exempted from active service.

Thus hath the want of a well-organised system of finance been clearly

proved, the whole revenue of the state not being sufficient for the

exigencies of these times. The following example will point out the

truth of this to the people at large. Suppose the case of a man, who

twenty or thirty years ago enjoyed an income of one piaster a day, and

regulated his expenses accordingly, if that man continued on the same

scale how could he live at present, when every thing is four or five

times dearer than at that period, and make the two ends of the year meet

with his piaster a day? In like manner, we may apply this consideration

to the actual condition of the Sublime Government. Behold, while the

royal finances are in so great a state of penury, not a single person,

whether rich, poor, or tributary subject, will give a single piaster to

the treasure, under the name of a voluntary contribution, towards

carrying on war; and, in short, no man will go to war gratis, and at his

own expense, only to please God, or for the love of the prophet or the

emperor; the formation of troops proportioned to those of the enemy, and

the providing of military stores, which may equal theirs, are things

which must be accomplished, not by words, but by money. The truth is,

that the treasury does not possess a fixed revenue sufficient to defray

contingent expenses, and, to sum up all, the old revenues of the Sublime

Government were calculated for the old expense; and as two hundred and

forty-five years have elapsed since the publication of the canon, the

expense having constantly increased whilst the revenue was never

augmented, His Highness, the Emperor, has looked out for some remedy in

such difficult circumstances, and has laboured to establish a revenue

proportioned to the amount of expenditure of these times. But that the

requisite funds might neither be taken by violence, nor derived from

casual contingency, it was thought proper to draw them from the peculiar

possessions of the government and the sources dependent thereon. A

treasure having been with much difficulty amassed, in which were to be

deposited the money raised under the title of Iradi-Gedid, the following

reflections presented themselves relative to the manner in which they

were to be regulated.

The produce of the imposts at the time that the canon was promulgated,

was farmed out in small branches to those who bid for them the highest,

and authority was granted to them to receive each a part of the tribute

on their advancing a certain sum in proportion to their respective

means, and on condition of their paying a thousand piasters a year to

the crown besides; thus a man was able in three years to reimburse

himself of the small sum which he had advanced, and then if the contract

was continued to him for the course of his life, he could make a clear

profit of forty or fifty thousand piasters; and perhaps of an hundred

thousand if he lived long enough. The contractors continuing to give the

crown only a thousand piasters after the first small sum advanced, the

whole benefit of the revenue accrued to them, but the profits of the

public treasure were not augmented and continued the same. A new method

having, therefore, been found absolutely necessary, has been adopted,

and in such a manner as to leave no person any pretext for complaint.

The arrangement is this: that when the perception of an impost, which

belongs by right to the treasury, falls vacant, it is no longer farmed

out in consideration of a small sum, but is taken possession of on the

part of the Sublime Government, and the management of it is carried on

for the benefit of the new treasury; the sum which continues to be paid

to the crown, as well as the profits derived from the perception of the

impost, are appropriated to the pay, clothing, and allowances of the

troops of the Nizam-y-Gedid, and to the special exigencies of the war

department, such as the providing of cannon, ammunition, tents, camp

equipage, military stores, and the expenses of the park and train of

artillery.

As the accountants of the old treasury are wholly employed in the

collection and management of the funds appertaining to it, a director

was specially appointed for the purpose of watching over that part of

the administration, and by his ability the whole has been properly

regulated. These are then the advantages which result from the expense

of the troops being defrayed by this new financial arrangement. The old

revenue hath not been thereby prejudiced, and the charges of the new

troops are provided for. This business has been conducted in so masterly

a manner that no just cause is left to any one to cry out against it;

and the new revenue, like the new system of discipline, being

established on the best footing, causes no loss or damage to any man,

but, on the contrary, tends manifestly to perpetuate, until the last

day, the duration of the empire and of the people of Islam, as must be

evident to all persons endowed with penetration.

When we have by so distinct an exposition rendered all these points

clear, those men who are acquainted with the difference between alum and

sugar, good and bad, and in whose essence is a leaven of science, will,

no doubt, listen to reason, and, by Divine grace, being brought under

conviction, will submit themselves to the book of God, mighty and

powerful!

THE END.

Printed by Strahan and Spottiswoode,

Printers-Street, London.

-----

Footnote 1:

A great Roman pavement is still visible in Wallachia. It begins at a

small town called _Caracalla_, situated near the borders of the

Danube, about three miles from the place where the great river Olt

falls into it: and it runs up in a straight line with this river, as

far as the Carpathians, where its traces are lost. It probably led to

the Dacian capital, Zarmiss, which is now a Transylvanian town, and

contains many ruins of Roman monuments of an inferior kind. The Latin

language is almost the only one spoken by its present inhabitants.

Footnote 2:

Antonii Bonifici Asculani Rerum Hungaricarum Decades. Decad. ii. lib.

8.

Footnote 3:

Knolles’s History of Turkey, p. 204. and Tounousli’s, Ισορια Ιης

βλαχιας, p. 247.

A piaster and a half is equal to an English shilling.

Footnote 4:

Knolles’s History, p. 296.

Footnote 5:

Dracula in the Wallachian language means Devil. The Wallachians were,

at that time, as they are at present, used to give this as a surname

to any person who rendered himself conspicuous either by courage,

cruel actions, or cunning.

Footnote 6:

Although the amount of the tribute was often increased under the

successive Voïvodes, the same formalities of payment existed as late

as the year 1716, when various changes took place in the Wallachian

government, as will be observed hereafter.

Footnote 7:

Nobles.

Footnote 8:

Christian tributary subjects.

Footnote 9:

A Ferman is a written order issued by the Grand Vezier in the Sultan’s

name.

Footnote 10:

Higher clergy and nobility.

Footnote 11:

Cantimir’s History of the Ottoman Empire, p. 186.

Footnote 12:

Cantimir’s History of the Ottoman Empire, p. 451.

Footnote 13:

Cantimir’s History, p. 452.

Footnote 14:

Chamberlain.

Footnote 15:

“It has been supposed that the Turks, to console the Greek descendants

of the imperial family for the loss of empire, had bestowed on them

the government of the two principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, an

error which appears to have no other foundation than the assumption of

the illustrious name of Cantacuzenus, by two persons of obscure

family, born in Wallachia, who were raised to the administration of

that principality in the seventeenth century.” Thornton’s present

State of Turkey, p. 385, from Cantimir’s Ottoman Hist. p. 371.

Footnote 16:

A descendant of the Voïvode’s grandson above alluded to, is now living

in Wallachia, and possesses all the landed property left by his

ancestor, which gives him an annual income of upwards of 200,000

piasters. He is looked upon by his countrymen as the first and richest

Boyar of Wallachia, and is acknowledged by the court of Vienna as

prince of the Roman Empire, a title which, however, he cannot assume

in his own country so long as the Turks are the possessors of it.

Footnote 17:

The formulæ of a Beratt will be found in the Appendix, No. 1.; it is

the literal translation of the one given to the author by the present

Sultan, shortly after his appointment to the official situation in the

principalities. The original is written in golden letters, on a very

long sheet of parchment, lined with green silk, and containing a

variety of curious and rich ornaments.

Footnote 18:

Thornton’s present State of Turkey, p. 410.; and Cantimir’s Ottoman

History, p. 189.

The Russian court was the first who entered into official intercourse

with the Greek princes, and styled them by the title of _Hospodars_,

from the Slavonic and Russian word _Gospodin_, or Lord. The Greeks,

however, having the right to the title of prince from that of Beÿ

conferred on them by the Sultan, on their nominations to the

principalities, assume that of reigning princes, though they have only

the power and prerogatives of Viceroys. They also claim that of

_Serene Highness_, which the court of Vienna alone has consented to

give them. Their subjects invariably give them that of υχηλοτατε

most-high. Their sons are called by the Turkish tide of Beÿ-Zaaday,

literally meaning prince’s son; their grandsons have no title.

Footnote 19:

The Prince Callimacki has sent by me a copy of his code to the

university of Oxford. As Dr. Macmichael, in his “Journey from Moscow

to Constantinople,” gives an account of this book, I abstain from any

observations upon it.—_Note of the Author._

Footnote 20:

In page 416, of the “Present State of Turkey,” Mr. Thornton says, “The

Boyars of the most ancient families, indeed, assert that they are the

descendants of the Slavi, and are of a distinct race from the people

who have sprung from the alliances of the Romans with the original

Dacians; but the chief distinction among the nobles is their wealth

and possessions. The great majority of the Wallachian and Moldavian

nobility owe their creation to the Sultan’s Voïvodes; for even these

ephemeral beings, these fleeting shadows of royalty, are presumed to

confer by their breath a permanency of dignity,” &c. I perfectly agree

with Mr. Thornton as to the latter part of this observation; but at

the same time I must beg leave to say, that although I am well

acquainted with all the Boyars who are considered to belong to the

most ancient families, I never could discover that their claims to

antiquity went beyond the period of Raddo Negro’s and Bogdan’s

establishment; nor indeed are there many sufficiently conversant with

the history of their country, or with any other, to know that the

Slaves ever came into it, or even that a nation of that name ever

existed. Those who call themselves the oldest families merely date

their origin from Voïvodes, who have reigned within the last five

hundred years; and upon such origin alone they form their claims to

ancient nobility.

Footnote 21:

£360,000. sterling.

Footnote 22:

The same who was Captain Pashah at Constantinople in 1810–11, and

distinguished himself in that station by so many acts of cruelty.

Footnote 23:

In 1811, mineralogists were sent from St. Petersburgh to explore the

Carpathian mines. They discovered some large veins of gold, silver,

and quicksilver: time, however, was requisite to put the work into

proper train; and when it offered the best prospect of success, peace

was concluded, the Russian authorities withdrew, and the mines were

filled up again, to remain in their former state.

Footnote 24:

A killow (Constantinople measurement) is equal to an English bushel.

Footnote 25:

One oke is equal to 2⅘ lbs. English.

Footnote 26:

The kintal weighs 44 okes.

Footnote 27:

40 paras make a piaster.

Footnote 28:

The Fannar is a district of Constantinople, where all the Greeks who

enter the career of the principalities reside. They are thus

distinguished from the other Greeks of the capital.

Footnote 29:

See Appendix, No. 2.

Footnote 30:

Thornton’s Present State of Turkey, p. 434.

Footnote 31:

A declaration of war of the Sultan must receive the sanction of the

Mufti, as chief of the religion, who makes his approbation known by a

manifesto called _Fetvaa_.

Footnote 32:

He was first interpreter to the embassy; he has since the peace

entered the Russian service, and is now attached to the Emperor’s

embassy at Constantinople in the same capacity.

Footnote 33:

The word “Seraglio” is generally supposed in England to apply

exclusively to a palace in which the Grand Signior’s women are kept.

This idea, however, is erroneous; the Sultan’s residence in town is

called “Seraglio.” His women, indeed, reside also within its walls,

but their apartment is called “Harem.” The seraglio occupies the whole

extent of ground on which the city of Byzantium stood, and is

surrounded by the original Byzantine walls.

Footnote 34:

New military institution, explained in the Appendix, No. 5.

Footnote 35:

Mr. Adair.

Footnote 36:

Sir Arthur Paget had made a fruitless attempt in 1807.

Footnote 37:

Letter addressed by the Emperors Alexander and Napoleon to the King of

Great Britain, dated at Erfurth, October, 1808, and official

correspondence that followed it between the ministers of foreign

affairs of the three sovereigns.—Official Papers published in 1809.

Footnote 38:

The same whose premature appointment in 1805 had partly given rise to

the misunderstanding at Constantinople.

Footnote 39:

Corporals.

Footnote 40:

See the Appendix, No. 3.

Footnote 41:

See the Appendix, No. 4.

Footnote 42:

Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary, vol. iv. p. 199.

Footnote 43:

“It may be questioned whether it ever entered into the contemplation

of the Russian cabinet to ameliorate the condition of the inhabitants

of Wallachia and Moldavia, since no instance can be produced of any

exertion of influence on the part of the Russian consuls to alleviate

the distresses of the people, to check and restrain the tyranny of the

Greeks, or to promote any plan of permanent benefit to the oppressed

inhabitants.”—_Thornton_’s Present State of Turkey, p. 435.

Mere motives of good-will on the part of the Russian cabinet, are

certainly questionable; but several instances of interference have

occurred. In the official note given as a declaration of war in 1789,

by the Turkish government to the Russian envoy, the composition of

which was then attributed to the English ambassador, Sir Robert

Ainslie, one of the principal grievances alleged was the conduct of

the Russian consul-general at Yassi, who, it was said, had abused the

right of interference in a most insulting manner. It may be supposed

that the consul had acted in conformity to instructions from his

court, who sought to create motives for a rupture; but after the

conclusion of pence, nearly the same line of conduct was continued by

his successors: I have seen many official documents which prove it;

and during my residence in the principalities, several instances have

occurred, within my observation, of very active exertion on the part

of Russia to keep the accustomed system of extortion in restraint, and

to relieve the inhabitants from oppression; and such exertion has

certainly on many occasions prevented the condition of the inhabitants

from becoming worse.

Footnote 44:

Whenever the Russian or Austrian armies have entered the territory of

the principalities in their wars against Turkey, the natives have

immediately joined them. At the beginning of the war in 1806, Bukorest

was garrisoned by about 10,000 Turks, who declared themselves

determined to make a desperate stand against the Russians, and to burn

the city, if they should finally see the impossibility of preventing

them from taking possession of it. Some inhabitants gave information

of this plan to the Russian commander-in-chief Michaelson, who

immediately despatched to Bukorest a corps of 6000 men under the

command of General Miloradovith, which, by forced marches arrived

suddenly before that city, and three days previous to the time they

were expected by the Turks. These latter were seized with

consternation; all the inhabitants rose against them, and some armed

with sticks, others with bricks, tongs, pokers, daggers, swords, and

with every thing, in short, that came within their reach, they fell

upon the poor Ottomans without mercy, and cleared the town of them as

the Russians were entering it. More than 1500 Turks were left dead in

the streets, and the Cossacks, who preceded the regular troops, soon

reduced them to a state of nudity, in which they remained exposed to

the view of the public some hours after tranquillity and order had

been restored.

Footnote 45:

The treaty of Yassi signed in 1792, binds the Porte to consult the

Russian ambassadors on the choice of the Hospodars, and to appoint

none but such as are approved of, or recommended by, the embassy. It

contains also the stipulation of their remaining seven years at the

head of the principalities.

Footnote 46:

The Prince’s daughter.

Footnote 47:

The author alludes to the Sultan and the body of Orthodox Mahometans.

Footnote 48:

The late Sultan Abdullhammid.

Footnote 49:

Died.

Footnote 50:

The Christians.

Footnote 51:

Turkey.

Footnote 52:

1770.

Footnote 53:

He is called Kannuni from the new canon, or system of military

administration which he established, and is the same whom we call

‘Solyman the Magnificent.’

Footnote 54:

True believers.

Footnote 55:

Lower order of grocers.

Footnote 56:

The common Janissaries usually follow these trades.

Footnote 57:

There is a tribe of Courdes so called.

Footnote 58:

A kind of soldiers in Asia.

Footnote 59:

Oriental Metaphor.

Footnote 60:

The Christian kings are so called from the Servian word Cral or

Prince. More honourable titles are given to Mahometan sovereigns, and

to the King of France, who has secured to him by treaty, that of

emperor.

Footnote 61:

Christian Europe.

Footnote 62:

America.

Footnote 63:

A form of deprecation, as much as to say, “May the devil take no

advantage of the suggestion.”

Footnote 64:

1792, A.D.

Footnote 65:

It would appear that this person had returned from an embassy to

Turkey.

Footnote 66:

The author seems here to allude to the Empress Catherine, and to some

project that had been laid before her of completing the conquest of

Constantinople.

Footnote 67:

Western or European Christians.

Footnote 68:

The Empress.

Footnote 69:

The Archipelago.

Footnote 70:

These reservoirs are situated among the hills and woods between the

Black Sea and Propontis, in the forests of Belgrade and Domouzdéré.

Footnote 71:

The author of the project most probably meant the taking possession of

the reservoirs, and suspending the course of the waters to

Constantinople.

Footnote 72:

It is believed that the Empress Catherine had formed the plan of a

similar expedition, and that her death prevented its timely execution.

When in 1812, the approaching war between France and Russia rendered

the cessation of hostilities, on the Turkish frontiers, absolutely

necessary to the future operations of the Russians against the French,

it had been determined, and measures were taken accordingly, that an

army composed of regular troops, marines, and militiamen, amounting to

fifty thousand men, under the command of the Duke of Richelieu, should

have been transported from Sevastopol in the Crimea to Domouzdéré,

where its landing was to be effected under the protection of a fleet,

commanded by Admiral Bailie. This army was to take possession of the

reservoirs, and the Turks by whom the event would have been perfectly

unexpected and unforeseen, would, no doubt, have been compelled to

sign peace immediately. This bold scheme was to have been executed in

case any new difficulties had arisen in the negotiations of Bukorest.

It has been kept so secret, that it is doubtful whether any Turk

suspects, even at the present day, its having been conceived and

seriously intended.

Footnote 73:

A Turkish proverb.

Footnote 74:

The deceased Sultan.

Footnote 75:

Teryak, formerly an article of trade coming from Venice, is supposed

in Turkey to be a remedy against the bite of snakes.

Footnote 76:

The titles of some superior officers amongst the Janissaries.

Footnote 77:

A corps of gardeners for the Seraglio, but at the same time the

Sultan’s body-guards.

Footnote 78:

Regiment.

Footnote 79:

Mahometan priest.

Footnote 80:

The Thracian Bosphorus.

Footnote 81:

These are proverbial expression to denote the vicissitudes of fortune.

Footnote 82:

The Janissaries.

Footnote 83:

Before the institution of the Janissaries, the corps employed in war

were chiefly called Segbans.

Footnote 84:

Hagee-Bektash, whose memory is reverenced by the Turks.

Footnote 85:

The Christian Sovereigns of Europe.

Footnote 86:

Markwick Markham, a London watch-maker, in great esteem with the

Turks.

Footnote 87:

7 or 800 leagues.

Footnote 88:

Men of sense.

Footnote 89:

A kind of confection sold in the streets of the principal towns in

Turkey, made of paste, butter, and honey.

Footnote 90:

An epithet of disdain, bestowed upon Christians in general.

Footnote 91:

The honour of the Turkish regiments is attached to the preservation of

their kettles.

Footnote 92:

The Turks call the head-quarters of a corps, as well as their posts

and guards, hearths, as coffee is always made there.

Footnote 93:

In the reign of Sultan Selim, the petty governors of Thrace revolted,

and committed great disorders, even menacing the neighbourhood of

Constantinople. The city of Adrianople took part with them. The new

troops were sent against them, but did not obtain so much success as

the author is willing to attribute to them.

Footnote 94:

Men, commonly dervises, who relate stories to amuse people at

coffee-houses, and who receive a pecuniary recompense from the

auditors.

Footnote 95:

It also means infidel, but it has the sense of reproach or insult.

Footnote 96:

This has happened to them at Zenta, Craoul, Rimnik, Hotim, and

Aboukir.

Footnote 97:

Peter the Great. The epithet of mad is in Turkey considered as a

compliment to those who distinguish themselves by courage and bravery.

Footnote 98:

Meaning the Author.

Footnote 99:

Domouz, and pezevenk in Turkish, are common epithets which mark

disdain.

Footnote 100:

I have seen and conversed with Turkish women in Russia, married to

Russian officers who had made them prisoners, and who assured me that

they were very highly satisfied with their condition, and felt not the

least desire to return to Turkey.

Footnote 101:

The Turks consider the marriage contract to be so intimately connected

with religion, that a man who has committed any grievous infraction of

their law, is obliged to renew his profession of faith and marriage

ceremony, both of which have been rendered void by it.

Footnote 102:

The Author.

Footnote 103:

This is a _jeu de mots_, as Hazinay means in Turkish, both cistern and

treasure.

Footnote 104:

The military and financial regulations of the Sultan Suleÿman are

contained in a book entitled Kanuni-Humayoun, or Imperial-Mandate.

Footnote 105:

The Janissaries can easily alienate their pay, suffering others to

draw it in their name by presenting these documents.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in

spelling.

2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.

3. Re-indexed footnotes using numbers and collected together at the end

of the last chapter.

4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.