Mehmed Saib Bey

Born in Erzincan, Mehmed Saib Bey came from the İslam community; the father's occupation was "Miralay; Malatya Sultansuyu Çiftlik-i Hümayun Nazırı". The first annual entry, for 1880/81 (AH 1298), places Mehmed Saib in Malatya as Muhasebe kalemi cariye hesabı refakati, where the entries run to 1884/85. Next came Sivas, Malatya and Latakia (Lazkiye) from 1885 to 1897. The lists have no entry for 1891 to 1893. Alongside, the lists for 1894/95 give a second post, in Jableh as Kaymakam vekili. The annual lists then follow Mehmed Saib to Nablus and Beirut (Beyrut) from 1897 to 1900. For 1900 to 1903 the lists have no entry. Alongside, the lists for 1899/1900 give a second post, in Basra as Vilayet mektupçusu. The last posts were in Istanbul from 1903 to 1906. Eight places on two continents in all, a number reached by fewer than 4 per cent of the 6,605 officials with a place of service.

Pay rose from 100 kuruş a month in 1880/81 to a peak of 2,700 in 1899/1900, in Basra, when 96 per cent of paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 1,200 kuruş. In all, 16 years of salary come to 172,860 kuruş, 2.2 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1905/06.