Osman Efendi

The life of Osman Efendi began in Antakya in 1855/56 (AH 1272). Osman began work in İskenderun in 1875/76, at about 19, on a first salary of 190 kuruş. The annual lists begin in 1875/76, with Osman as Nüfus Kâtibi in İskenderun, where the entries run to 1881/82. Alongside, the lists for 1880/81 give a second post, in Samandağ as Rüsumat Başkâtibi. Alongside, the lists for 1880/81 give a second post, in İskenderun as Rüsumat Nezareti Muhasebe Mukayyidi. The annual lists then follow Osman to Mersin from 1882 to 1886. Alongside, the lists for 1885/86 give a second post, in İskenderun as Rüsumat Müdüriyeti Estimatörü. Osman then moved to Tripoli (Trablusgarp) from 1892 to 1907. Alongside, the lists for 1906/07 give a second post, in Beirut as Emtia-i Ecnebiye Gümrük Müdüriyeti Estimatörü. The farthest post, Tripoli, lay about 2,150 km from Antakya, and fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,339 officials with a known birthplace and place of service served as far from the birthplace.

The salary went from 190 kuruş a month in 1875/76 to 1,170 in 1906/07, the peak, in Beirut, when 84 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 23 years of salary come to 214,320 kuruş, 1.9 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1906/07.