VOL. XLIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 58 I 



much, an oke, which is 1^ lb. English, he supposes nearer truth : the following 

 conclusions then will result : That therefore on the highest number of 19OOO X 

 27, we have 513000, the quantity of okes of bread consumed, and consequently 

 the number of souls at Constantinople. That on the decrease of the plague to 

 17000, 54000 persons were either dead or missing. That when the quantity 

 was reduced to 14000 on the cessation, those either fled or dead amounted to 

 135000. 



It is said by some, that Constantinople contains near 3 millions of inhabitants ; 

 but on whatever supposition we take the consumption of the quantity of bread, 

 that quantity will be found erroneous. On a gross calculation made by some of 

 the principal men, and particularly the Chiorbachees, or colonels of Janizaries, 

 who had their stations at the most noted and only places where the funerals pass, 

 they reckoned for 6 weeks, while the plague was at its height, and in its crisis, 

 from 900 to 1 000 per diem ; and that the whole amount of the dead in that 

 time might be about 40000: and from the time it wis in its increase and decline, 

 they added 1 5 to 20000 more. If therefore we admit 60000 in the whole, it 

 will be as that sum to 513000, or as 1 to 8±-l. 



There is a remarkable coincidence between this proportion, and the number 

 of dead which was carried out of the Adrianople-gate, during 1 2 days, the same 

 season of the year 1752; and of the like number of days in 1 75 1 . 



Hence the number of dead, at least through that gate, in time of common 

 health, was to those in that of sickness, as 59 to 489, o^ ^s 1 to 8^, nearly. 

 The Adrianople gate is reckoned the greatest passage for the dead, on account 

 of its vicinity to the most extensive burial-places. A great deduction must be 

 made for the vast decrease of the consumption of wheat towards the cessation of 

 the plague, from the considerable numbers, who fled into Asia, the islands of 

 the Archipelago, ^nd Romelia. 



It is extremely difiicult, if not impossible, to come at any other computus of 

 the number of inhabitants, much more so of houses, at Constantinople. The 

 city is divided somewhat in the manner it was under the Grecian empire, that 

 is, into different quarters, called Mahales, and each under the special direction 

 of an Imaum. As far as it extends to their immediate advantage, they are in- 

 formed of the number of families in their district ; but whoever would dare to 

 collect from them, might not only risk the censure of the government, but his 

 head. Besides, if the inquiry is general concerning houses, it is impossible to 

 fix a determined idea ; they confound palace, seraglio^ shop, room, and call 

 them indiscriminately houses. The Jews say, that they have lOOOO houses at 

 Constautmople : but in what we call a house, there are perhaps 10 families, and 

 the distinct number of the latter they dare not mention.. Mr. P. endeavoured 

 with persuasion, and all his weightj to induce the Greek and Armenian patri- 



