THE OLDEST RECORDS.
[To Vis EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Whilst fully sharing the views put forward in your• admirable article on the " find " at the British Museum, I would venture to suggest that the obstructiveness of " jealous Mahommedan custodians " has become somewhat exaggerated in the eyes of "learning," which apparently suffers under a delusion that impossibilities lie in the way of its looking in likely places. It may be that in the storehouse of the "old Serai" Treasury there lie hidden invaluable ancient records, as you suppose, for you say that it is a " tradition of the Seraglio" that these should neither be dispersed nor searched.. It unquestionably is a tradition here, as it is with the authorities of, say, the British Museum in regard to their own• library, that this collection should not be dispersed ; but no.• bar is placed in the way of a search.
For instance, more than once within the last few years. Professor Vamb6ry has been allowed to institute a search for • historical documents in the Sultan's library. He was naturally- not permitted to carry away documents with him, and to that extent the library was "jealously" guarded, but be was [Mowed to search, make extracts, copy, as much as he pleased.
As to research and exploration for antiquities in Turkey, beg, in all truth and justice, to take very particular exception to the letter from Mr. St. Clair which you publish in your• same issue.
There is a regulation as to the conditions under which, explorations may he carried out, and the Government has to• make inquiries on the spot to see that private rights, roads,. &c., are not encroached upon. To this, which in all countries, must be the same, Mr. St. Clair will not, I am sure, object.. The regulation was drawn up by Mandy Bey. the Director. of the Imperial Museum, a gentleman of wide learning, him- self an enthusiast in antiquarian research, a recognised: authority in Europe on the subject, and most eager to en- courage exploration in Turkey. It is natural and right that he should object to the treasures of art and antiquity dis- covered in. his country being carried away thence, to the loss. of the Imperial Museum, which he has succeeded in raising to so high a standard of excellence ; but there his " obstruc- tiveness" ceases.—I am, Sir, &c., Constantinople, February 2nd. VINCENT CAILLARD. [We have been obliged to shorten Mr. Caillard's letter, but. his argument is untouched.—En. Spectator.]
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