MODERN TURKISH MILITARY COSTUME. It is well known that the Turkish Sultan, among the first revolutions which he introduced, made a very serious innovation upon the costume of the country, by prescribing a semi-European uniform to the army, This was probably one of the most judicious steps he could have taken, to prepare the way for the system of improvements which he had in view, and has since so far succeeded in. Dress is so conspicuous an object, and one so constantly before the eye, both in public and elsewhere, that a change in it, though often one of the most difficult to bring about, is one most speedily rendered habitual, and best calculated to accustom the public to novelties, and to Frove the power of him who has begun to dictate them. When Dr. Dekay visited Turkey, in 1834, the change of costume had been recently introduced. He presents us with the above sketch, and the following explanations and remarks. "Sketches of Turkey," ch. 23.) "We took a boat to explore the upper part of the Golden Horn. The river Lyceus which is formed of the Cydaris and Barbyses, runs through a lovely valley. We passed on our left, the mosque of Eyoub, or Job, a disciple of the prophet (Mahomet,) whose bones are said to have been miraculously found here, and who is revered as the patron saint of Constantinople. It is the only mosque which strangers are not permitted to enter. The walls are said to be encrusted with the rarest marbles, aud the floor covered with the richest carpets. There is preserved here a piece ef striped brown and white marble, bearing the print of the prophet's foot. In this mosque is preserved the sacred banner of the prophet. As we proceeded, the river Lyceus dwindled to a petty creek, tastefully fringed along its banks with picturesque brickyards. At a small wooden building near the water's edge, where we stopped to take pipes and coffee, we witnessed a scene, which, to veterans like ourselves in the New York militia, was exceedingly diverting. Two soldiers were stationed on guard at this spot; and, as their duties were not particularly burdensome, they were quietly kicking their heels over the bank, and endeavoring to inveigle some little fish, (Smaris,) about the size of our Killifish, out of the water. They could not, however, be accused of deserting their post; for their muskets were stuck up in the grass some two or three hundred yards off, doing duty for their masters. Upon examining the muskets of these soldiers, which they permitted us to do freely, we found them to be of Turkish manufacture. There was little to criticise, except that the stock of one musket was broken across, and held together by the extemporary aid of a piece of rope, while the other was perfect in every respect, except that it wanted a trigger. Neither had flints; but, as the country is now in a state of profound repose and peace, these would be quite superfluous. The dress of the modern Turkish soldier has partaken of the general change which has taken place within the last ten years; and, whatever it may have lost in pictur. esque effect, it has certainly gained in effectiveness for military duty. Instead of loose, slipshod slippers, he now wears stout, serviceable shoes, securely fastened by leather strings. The huge balloon cashkeers, which impeded all his movements, have given place to woollen trowsers, still rather ample, but not so large as to prevent him from making a rapid charge on the enemy, or from running away. The glittering and flowing jubee and bayneesh, are well exchanged for a smart tight-bodied blue jacket, closely hooked in front, and allowing perfect freedom to the limbs; while the turban, infinitely varied in shape and color, often ragged, and frequently dirty, suggesting the idea of walking-toadstools, has forever disappeared. In its place the soldier sports a tidy red-cap, with a blue tassel gracefully depending from the crown. With the exception of the cap, and the still lingering amplitude of trowsers, the Turkish soldiers could scarcely be distinguished from the regulars of any European nation. The topegees, or artillery, wear a cylindrical military cap; and it was the wish of the Sultan to have furnished it with a small rim in front, to protect the eye from the glare of the sun. This daring innovation was opposed, and successfully too, by the Ulemah, that learned corps, from whom emanate all the law, physic and religion of the country. It was argued, that no Musselman could perform his devotions without touching his forehead to the ground; and the proposed leather projection would ren. der this impracticable. As no one happened to hit upon the idea, that the cap might be turned around while at prayers, the Sultan was compelled to give up the point, as he had previously done, when it was attempted to induce the Ulemah themselves to abandon the turban. They replied, that they were not boys, and could not wear boys' caps, and accordingly stuck manfully to the turban, in despite of the supposed absolute power of the Padir Pacha. AGRICULTURAL. TOO MUCH LAND. During a recent excursion in this aud some of the New England States, I was struck with the comparative sterility of land which might by proper cultivation be come "the garden of the world." Instead of seeing fields of wheat bearing thirty bushels to the acre, we find scarcely twelve to fifteen in the yield; where two tons of hay should be cut, hardly one is the product; where thriving fruit trees might be expected, bending beneath the weight of their delicious fruit, our eyes are pained by the sight of gnarled, stunted and half dead trees, scarcely able to sustain the life of the few curled-up leaves that come forth as if to reproach their owners by the sight of their consumptive appearance. If they had tongues to speak how bitterly would Is it be they complain of their treatment. cause nature is so miserly that she does not reward man for the labor he bestows on her, or because man will not let her yield a bountiful supply in reward for his labor? What is the cause of this sterility, and the complaints of the farmers that they cannot make a living, though they have hundreds of acres at their command? It is evident the fault is with themselves. They attempt the cultivation of too much land. Our farmers have from fifty to five hun dred acres under what they call cultivation. Still they are in debt, and in many cases the more they possess the worse they are off. Their land is scattered far and near. Two acres here, and ten there, instead of being compact together. In this manner, more time is often lost in going from one lot to another, in the building fences of other people, and keeping out their cattle, than the whole income of the land amounts to. I have myself lost more time in this way in a single year, than it would take to keep ten acres in the finest condition. own What is the remedy? Sell half of your land and spend the proceeds of it on the remainder, and thus make what you have yield a liberal income. Depend upon it, there is no course so suicidal as ing and attempting to cultivate two hundred acres, when you can hardly do justice to one hundred. Suppose, for instance, a man has fifty acres of naturally good land, and he has but a certain amount of manure, time, &c., to use in its cultivation, which is not enough to keep it in heart, or pay that attention to rotation of crops, which it requires, is it not evident that the land, the owner, or whoever is connected with it must suffer? Would not all intelligent persons condemn such a course ? Yet how many such instances are to be seen all around us! I believe it would be for the interest of many farmers even to give away a portion of their land, rather than have so much in their care. Self-interest tells us it is the true policy of such a man to sell what he cannot properly use, for he would gain time to devote to the remainder, money to purchase all that it required, his crops would yield in double ratio, his land increase in value as it increased in fertility, and thus he would be in every way benefited. I have seen acres of the best land, overrun with daisies, mullens, and other noxious plants, that root out the grass, and eat up the life of the soil, without affording nourishment to either man or beast, which might by a little attention yield a rich harvest. But the farmer has no time to attend to it, and the land becomes worse than use. less; for it is self evident, that land must either increase in fertility or decrease in value there is no middle way—it must af ford a profit or be an expense. Look again at the swamp and meadow lands, with which our country abounds that are not only worthless, but causing sickness and death in their vicinity. All these might be reclaimed and made the most productive land, by a small outlay of time and capital; the owners have neither, because they have too much land already calling. for their attention. The muck contained in these places, can be made to pay better interest than bank stock. Yes, if properly used, it may be made the farmers mine of wealth. This leads me to inquire how are our lands rightly cultivated? I reply, by using the experience of those who have studied the chemical formation of soils, and the effect different manures have on different soils. Much time is lost and land injured, by the farmer not knowing the relative value of his manure, and the theory of rotation of crops, which might be saved by the expenditure of a little time and money in procuring and reading agricultural books and papers. There is too much of the saving a cent, and losing a dollar economy in this age. arrived, that men will be willing to study the theory and practice of farming in all its details, then shall we see agricultural pursuits elevated to a proper standing, and yielding a profit that shall rejoice the hearts of all-Amer. Agriculturist When the time shall have Independent Testimony to Missionary Character and Labors. Messrs. Editors:-The following extract from a private letter from Midshipman R. CDUVALL, U. S. Navy, to his friends in Surry county, N. C., will be read with interest by his numerous acquaintances, in Western North Carolina; and will be of value in giving highly nonorable testimony to the character and labors of our Missionaries in heathen lands.-The letter is dated U. S. Frigate Savannah, Hilo, Byron Bay, Hawaii, Sept. 23d. 1844. Your readers will recognize this as one of the Sandwich Islands. Those Islands were visited a little more than twenty years ago, by our missionaries. They found the inhabitants in the lowest state of heathenish degradation-given up to almost every vice of which humanity is capable. Their labors have been signally blessed. Instead of being cannibals and offerers of human sacrifices, they have been elevated to a place among the civilized and Christian nations of the earth. Perhaps since the days of the Apostles, the most illustrious display of the efficacy of the Gospel has been exhibited in those Islands, that has been seen in any part of the whole world; showing that when the simple truth of salvation by Grace is faithfully preached, and accompanied by Spiritual operations a "nation may be born at once." A few years ago, in the period of 12 months, after the most scrutinizing examination as to preparation, 10,000 persons, out of comparatively a small population, were received as members of the church. There the effusions of the Spirit have been frequent and powerful. The church at Hilo is the largest single church in the world; numbering about 5,000 communicants. After giving a glowing description of the beauty of the scenery of the Island of Hawaii in the neighborhood of Hilo Bay, the writer proceeds to state, that after taking aboard the vessel a large supply of water and wood, the Captain required but one Midshipman in each watch to remain on the vessel, and permitted the rest to go ashore-" Where we were always met by the admiring, kind, inoffensive Kanakkas (for that is the name indiscriminately applied to the Islanders) and welcomed by them to their neatly built huts: much improved in appearance, by being fashioned more after the Missionaries' dwellings. At this place there are three families of American Missionaries, whose dwellings were shipped from the U. S. They are neatly painted-have glass windows, &c., presenting a singular contrast to the leaf house of the Kanakka. * * * Around each house is a beautiful hedge formed by the coffee tree. In the enclosure are many other trees, and shrubbery-happiness and contentment finish the picture. "The Missionaries are deserving of the praise of every civilized nation. They can never be repaid by any temporal or worldly reward. Imagine, for a moment, the innumerable hordes of these miserable, sun-burnt Islanders-beings degraded below even imagination's most disgusting fancy-who daily worshipped some huge, frightful image, and offered to its horrid deity the bleeding body of father, mother, brother, or sister-See the same heads now reverently bowed in intelligent Christian worship of the true God. How great the change! "I attended the church here twice: and have never seen a people more strict in their attention. Most of them can read and write; and many understand the first principles of Arithmetic. They observe the Sabbath very sacredly. Nothing would induce them to break the Taboo' (as they call all restrictions placed on that day.) They will not indulge in any pleasure on that day, notwithstanding their great fondness for swimming and bathing. "I have conversed much with the Mission aries concerning their efforts. We have spent much of our time with them, and have made their houses pretty much our home during our stay. Every Sunday they preached us a sermon. Our sailors now are greater heathen than the Islanders. As a token of gratitude, and a testimony of regard for their character and labors we raised for them over one hundred dollars. Could our countrymen but see what they have effected here in this benighted land-see their wives and children and know what they have suffered in leaving their country, to live among heathen, they certainly would be willing to contribute something to their support.' Watchman. ORIGIN OF GUNPOWDER.-We had thought Germany entitled to her claims of originality in this destructive material, and those claims could not readily be exploded; but we find that at the late session of the Paris Academy of Sciences, two distinguished Savans presented a work on the origin of gunpowder, in which they trace it to the Indians on the banks of the Ganges, who, say these authors, ascertained that the saltpetre which the Indians had picked up, produced a powerful combustion when thrown on hot charcoal, and that with mixtures of these they made many incendiary preparations. Upon this the Arabs greatly improved, and prepared a powder which they used in war. These facts having been ascertained by people in Europe, Germany first, probably the genius of the old Monk, as reported, may have produced the present mixture which we call gunpowder. At the same session a valuable paper was read on the precautionary means necessary to prevent explosions in gunpowder manufacture. The paper was from M. Vergnaud, inspector of powder mills, &c.—Eng. pap. Elephants' Remains. A heap of bones of such size as to have been unhesitatingly pronounced to be those of elephants, and which have been highly interesting by the use made of them to solve a historical question, has been discovered at Fontaine, France. The Savans say that they have thus stumbled upon proof that a detachment of Hannibal's army must have halted at this place; and the discovery has therefore produced much excitement. The route of the conqueror has long been a subject of controversy, and the point at which he crossed the Rhone is yet unknown. The first vessel ever built in California was a little schooner of about forty tons, in the month of May, 1828, by Wm. G. Dana, formerly of Boston, and who has for a long time resided at St. Barbara.-Salem Gazette. THE NEWS FROM MEXICO AND ENGLAND. In one day we have had the news of a military revolution in Mexico, effected by the army under Gen. Parades, and of a total change in the British ministry, because the Duke of Wellington and Sir R. Peel would not advocate the virtual repeal of the Corn Laws. Both these events make the prospect of peace in this country more unfavorable. The Mexican army and the people, as well as the military commander, are said to be in favor of fighting for Texas, although it has been annexed to the United States; while the new British ministry are less likely than the late one to pursue a pacific course towards us respecting Oregon. Lord John Russel was appointed by the Queen first Lord of the Treasury, and being requested to nominate a new ministry, presented a list of names which were accepted, at the head of which are Lord Cottenham for Lord Chancellor, and Lord Palmerston Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Mexico has now presented one more melancholy spectacle: the army have denied the authority of Congress, and, by destroying all respect for the Constitution have injured the nation more than could have been done by the loss of half their territory. O that our citizens and statesmen and officers would view aright this sad warning! A Rich Bequest.-A wealthy baronet, Sir Gabriel Wood, has lately died in the city of London, who has bequeathed the princely sum of £80,000 to the town of Greenock, Scotland, for the purpose of the erection and maintenance in that part of a hospital for the reception of aged, disabled and infirm seamen. New Instrument.-Another marvellous Musical Instrument is about to be introduced a harmonicon composed of stones from the Skiddaw Mountains, arranged on straw covered sticks on a table and played upon by wooden mallets. The music is like the piano and musical glasses mingled. POETRY. From the New England Farmer. Be careful that 'tis not too hot; The griddle heats, as you desire. The griddle's black face shines more brightly. Now pour the batter on-delicious! ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES.-These two countries, it is well said by the North American, are almost the only homes of the PROTESTANT RELIGION! That Religion has indeed a foot-hold upon the continent of Enrope, but uncertain and subsidiary. In the event of a crusade against Protestantism, England and the United States are the only countries which can be relied upon to unfurl the banner of Protestantism and to repel the shackles of Popery and Superstition! Here then, is the strongest and noblest motive for perpetuating the bonds of brotherhood between the two nations, in addition to the thousand relations of kindred, similarity of Institutions, and ties of interest and humanity, all pleading eloquently for Peace.-Richmond Whig. LONGEVITY.-The Newport Mercury has a list of 27 persons who died in that town the last year, whose ages averaged 80 years each. The list comprised about a fifth of the whole number of deaths in the town during the year. TO OUR OLD SUBSCRIBERS.-The first vo lume of the American Penny Magazine will be completed in the beginning of February, when those who began with No. 1 will have 52 numbers, of 16 pages each, containing nearly 200 illustrative engravings, and a variety of reading matter, derived from a great variety of sources, foreign and American, ancient and modern. Of their value our readers can judge. Many new and valuable sources of information are continually opening to us. The experiment which we have made, of furnishing American families with an illustrated weekly paper, devoted to useful information and sound principles, intellectual, moral and religious, at a lower price than any similar work, promises permanent success. Those who wish to receive the next volume will please to send the money, ($1) by the close of the term. Those who may wish to receive any or all of the back numbers, will be promptly supplied. As they are stereotyped, we shall always be able to furnish complete sets. TO OUR NEW SUBSCRIBERS.-Those who have subscribed for our second volume only, will be supplied with the few remaining numbers of Vol. 1, without charge, and are requested to circulate them among their friends. They will be entitled to all the numbers of the second volume. TO ALL OUR SUBSCRIBERS.-If each will procure one new subscriber, it will be rendering an important service to a new publication, designed for extensive and lasting benefit. THE AMERICAN PENNY MAGAZINE Is published weekly, at the office of the New York Back numbers supplied. Postmasters are authorized to remit money. Enclose a One Dollar Bil', without payment of pos tage, and the work will be sent for the year. "The information contained in this work is worth more than silver."-N. Y. Observer. "It should be in every family in the country.”— N. Y. Baptist Recorder. The New York Methodist Advocate speaks of it in similar terms. Also many other papers. Editors of newspapers publishing this advertisement for 3 months, will be furnished with the work for one year. |