Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Tarih Lisansüstü Konferansı (Yavuz Selim Karakışla Anısına), İstanbul, Türkiye, 15 - 16 Mayıs 2025, (Yayınlanmadı)
Until 1914, when it was challenged by the synthetic versions produced in Germany, Chile supplied tons of sodium nitrate, the essential chemical fertilizer of the 19th century after guano, to the diverse corners of the world. The Ottoman agriculturalists, however, had only limited access to this substance until its trade was liberalized by a law promulgated on March 31, 1914, after a lengthy and complex process. In fact, shortly after the 1908 Revolution, in response to the growing demands, the Privy Council of Ministers decided that sodium nitrate could be freely bought and sold, without the need to wait for a change in the regulation that subjected its trade to the long bureaucratic processes. However, this de facto liberalization was revoked by a decision from the Council of State, and the trade of sodium nitrate remained subject to strict regulations until 1914, as it was deemed dangerous due to its potential use in producing explosives. One of the most significant factors influencing the liberalization of sodium nitrate trade was the involvement of the Ottoman branch of the Chilean Nitrate Producers Company, whose headquarters were in Belgium. The Ottoman branch was established in İstanbul, possibly shortly after 1908. Located in the Kevork Bey Han in Galata, it was managed by Yani Hıristaki, an agricultural engineer who had been educated at l’institute agricole de Gembloux in Belgium. Led by Hıristaki, the company actively promoted the benefits of chemical fertilizers. By leveraging scientific knowledge, such as organizing conferences, and seeking support from governmental institutions and officials, like the members of agricultural schools of Bursa and Halkalı, the company propagated for the use of this substance. Besides attempting to sway public opinion through the publication and free distribution of fertilizer reports, Hıristaki actively engaged with government circles to advocate for liberalization, which officially began in 1911 with a three-page letter to the Ministry of Forests, Mines, and Agriculture. This paper aims to shed light on the activities of the Ottoman branch of the company and its administrator, Yani Hıristaki, analyzing their methods of propaganda and publications, as well as the relationships they developed with the state.