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1136 TURKEY AND TRIBUTARY STATES
recoils!ruelion, ;it. the Sultan's private expense, but flic work is itoi yet
complete. The Assar-i-Tcwjik is to be reconstructed in Germany. The
contract for building a cruiser in America is said to be signed, but delays arc
probable.
For the navy of Turkey the crews are raised in the same manner as tinland
forces, partly by conscription, and partly by voluntary enlistment. The
time of service in the navy is twelve years, five in active service, three in the
reserve, and four in the Redif. The nominal strength of the navy is 6 viceadmirals,
11 rear-admirals, 208 captains, 289 commanders, 228 lieutenants,
187 ensigns, and 30,000 sailors, besides about 9,000 marines.
Production and Industry.
Land in Turkey is held under four different forms of tenure—namely,
1st, as 'Mlri,' or Crown lands; 2nd, as 'Vaeouf,' or pious foundations;
3rd, as 'Mulikaneh,' or Crown grants; and 4th, as 'Miilk,' or freehold
property. The first description, the ' miri,' or Crown lands, which form the
largest portion of the territory of tho Sultan, are held direct from the Crown.
The Government grants the right to cultivate an unoccupied tract on the
payment of certain fees, but continues to exercise the rights of seigniory over
the land in question, as is implied in the condition that if the owner
neglects to cultivate it for a period of three years it is forfeited to the Crown.
The second form of tenure, the 'vaeouf,' was instituted originally to provide
for the religion of the State and the education of the people, by the erection
of mosques and schools ; but this object has been set aside, or neglected, for
several generations, and the 'vaeouf lands have mostly been seized by
Government officials. The third class of landed property, the ' mulikaneh,'
was granted to the spahis, the old feudal troops, in recompense for the
military service required of them, and is hereditary, and exempt from tithes.
The fourth form of tenure, the 'miilk,' or freehold property, does not exist
to a great extent. Some house property in the towns, and of the land in the
neighbourhood of villages, is 'miilk,' which the peasants purchase from tima
to time from the Government.
Only a small proportion of arable land is under cultivation, owing principally
to the want of roads and means of conveyance, which preclude the
possibility of remunerative exportation.
The system of levying a tithe on all produce leaves no inducement to the
farmer to grow more than is required for his own use, or in his immediate
proximity. The agricultural development of the country is further crippled
by custom dues for the exportation of produce from one province to another.
The system of agriculture is most primitive. The soil for the most part is
very fertile ; the principal products are tobacco, cereals of all kinds, cotton, figs,
nuts, almonds, grapes, olives, all varieties of fruits. Coffee, madder, opium,
gums are largely exported. The opium production in 1900 amounted to
about 7,500 chests, or 105,800 lbs. It is estimated that 44 million acres of
the Empire in Europe and Asia are under cultivation. The forest laws of
the empire are based on those of France, but restrictive regulations are
not enforced, and the country is being rapidly deprived ol its timber.
About 21 million acres are under forest, of which 3J million acres are
in European Turkey. Turkey is a wine-growing country, the total production
being estimated at about a million hectolitres annually. Of this amount
about 160,000 hectolitres are exported—chiefly for mixing. The culture of
10.1057/9780230270305 - The Statesman's Year-Book, Edited by John Scott-Keltie
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