GEOGRAPHY. 73 



Maritza, Karasu or Nestus, Karasu or Strymon, Vardar, Indje-Karasu, 

 Salambria, which empty into the Archipelago, also the Narenta, the Drin, 

 the Yojussa, and the Aspropotamo, emptying into the Adriatic. The inland 

 lakes are of no importance. 



The climate of Turkey, north of the main range of mountains, is very 

 similar to that of Germany ; that to the south resembles that of Italy : it is 

 everywhere healthy. The fertility of the country is extraordinary : of the 

 vegetable kingdom, we find grain (in abundance), Indian corn, millet, wine, 

 southern fruits, oil, cotton, flax, hemp, tobacco, wood of all kinds. To the 

 animal kingdom belong beautiful horses, camels, asses, mules, horned cattle, 

 hogs, bees, and wild beasts of various kinds. The mineral products are 

 rock and sea salt, saltpetre, sulphur, and various metals, although the 

 system of mining is very rude. 



The population of Turkey in Europe is composed of Turks (about 

 700,000), Greeks (1,200,000), and Slavonians (principally in the north, 

 Serbians, Bulgarians, Croats, Montenegrians : in all, about six millions) ; 

 there are also about two millions of Wallachians and Moldavians (remains 

 of the original population), 1,600,000 Albanians or Arnauts, 250,000 Jews, 

 100,000 Armenians, and 250,000 Zigeuni. The religion of the land is the 

 Mohammedan, although there are about eight millions and a half of 

 Christians, mostly Roman and Greek Catholics. The scientific culture of 

 the Turks is very slight. Their principal occupation consists in agriculture 

 and raising of cattle. The arts and manufactures are mainly conducted by 

 Christians and Jews, and the very important foreign commerce is shared by 

 these with the Armenians. 



The government of Turkey is a despotism, the supreme ruler (now Abdul 

 Meschid, born 1822) bearing the title of Padishaw, Pasha, Grand Sultan, 

 Grand Turk, or Emperor. The minister of the Padishaw, to whom is 

 delegated the supreme power, is called Grand Vizier ; next to him, the 

 Divan, composed of the principal state officers, exercises a great influence. 

 Nothing definite is known as to the finances or military forces of 

 Turkey. 



Divisions. Politically, European Turkey is divided into Turkey proper 

 and secondary Turkey. The former, besides the two capitals of Constan- 

 tinople and Adrianople, is divided into five eyalets or provinces (each under 

 a pasha of three tails), which again are subdivided into thirty-three 

 sandschaks (under pashas of two tails). These eyalets are : 1, Rum-Ili, 

 and 2, Silistria, which include the old provinces of Bulgaria, Thessaly, 

 Thrace and Romania, Macedonia and Albania ; 3, Bosna or Bosnia ; 

 4, Deria, also called Dschesair or the viceroyalty of the Capudan 

 Pasha, embraces the Turkish Islands of the Egsean Sea, except 

 Crete, Taso, Samothraki, Imbro, Stalimene, (fee, as also the neighboring 

 coast country ; 5, Kirid, formed by the island of Crete, with a few 

 neighboring islands. 



Turkey secondary, or the vassal states, are : 6, Principality of 



Serbia, pop. one million, under Prince Alexander Georgewitsch (cap. 



Belgrade). 



73 



