[ACCOUNT OF ERTUGRUL’S VOYAGE, SINK IN THE SEA OF JAPAN & AFTERMATH] Haftalik Mecmua’ No. 77. 3 Kânûn-i Sânî 1926. “Ertugrul nasil batti?" [i.e., How did the Ertugrul sink?]

[BALKIR], MEHMED ALI (Engineer Captain in Ertugrul Frigate) (1864-1933).

Haftalik Mecmua, Istanbul, 1926.

COMPLETE TITLE: [ACCOUNT OF ERTUGRUL’S VOYAGE, SINK IN THE SEA OF JAPAN & AFTERMATH] Haftalik Mecmua’ No. 77. 3 Kânûn-i Sânî 1926 Pazartesi. Ikınci Sene, Müdürü: Kemal Salih. “Ertugrul nasil batti? Ertugrul ile Japonya’ya giden ve bogulmaktan kurtularak avdete muvaffak olan mütekâid Bahriye Kaymakami Mehmed Ali Bey’in muhîc hatiralari bu nüshamizda basliyor.” Ressamimiz Münif [Fehim Özarman] Bey’in Ertugrul’un garkini tasvîr ettigi bir tablodur.  [i.e., How did the Ertugrul sink? In this issue, retired Naval Engineer Captain Mehmed Ali Bey, who journeyed to Japan aboard the Ertugrul and narrowly survived the disaster, shares his harrowing memories of the shipwreck and its aftermath. Cover painting by our artist Münif Bey vividly portrays the tragic sinking of the Ertugrul.].

Original illustrated paper covers. Elephant folio. (45 x 31 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). 8 p., ills.

Rare issue of Turkish magazine including the first published tragic account of the Ertuğrul frigate, which sank after striking rocks during a storm in the Sea of Japan on September 16, 1890. Written by the ship's Engineer Captain, one of the 69 crew members who survived, it provides a compelling first-hand narrative of this historic journey from Istanbul to Japan. The account details the voyage, the disaster, and the aftermath, offering a rare eyewitness perspective on this significant event. The cover illustration is reproduced from the painting by famous Turkish artist Münif Fehim [Özarman] (1899-1983) vividly depicts the storm and sinking of the Ertugrul in the Sea of Japan.

Haftalik Mecmua is a weekly Turkish magazine published in 176 issues between 1925 and 1928. The magazine was notable for its inclusion of large colour illustrations by Münif Fehim (Özarman) and Râtib Tâhir.

In his memoirs, Mehmed Ali Bey recounts the journey of the Ertuğrul frigate to Japan, detailing the ports it visited, the warm reception it received, and the traditional Japanese banquet hosted by Emperor Mutsuhito in Tokyo, attended by all the officers. He vividly describes the tragic accident on their return voyage, the harrowing struggle for survival at sea, and their eventual landing on Oshima Island. His narrative continues with the days spent in Kobe, their return to Istanbul aboard Japanese ships, and the journey of journalist Noda Shotaro, who accompanied the survivors back to Istanbul. Mehmed Ali Bey also chronicles his observations during the cholera epidemic in Japan, including the quarantine procedures and a disinfector machine he sketched. Upon his return to Istanbul, he recounts manufacturing an oven based on his observations, which he later demonstrated to Sultan Abdülhamid II.