Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-21
ALL ABOUT WHITE ELEPHANTS
Mr.. p. T. Barnum, Mr.. Frank Vincent
and Others Make the Subject Very


Mr.. p. T. Barnum, Mr.. Frank Vincent
and Others Make the Subject Very
Lively.
The two articles about white elephants,
says the New York San, seem to have
made great stir among the admirers of
those siamese beasts, who appear to be
both numerous and outspoken.
Mr. P. 7. Barnum, the great Snowman,
whose white elephant is now in London,
telegraphs this spirited communication
from Bridgeport:
Your report to-day of conversation with a
gentleman recently returned from Siam.
states he pronounces my sacred white elephant
Ialr sample OF those at the Kings palace in
siam. Herein he speaks the truth, except
tnat mine Is better specimen than the King
OF siam owns, and yet will give this gentle-
man 100000 if he will deliver nv choice of
TWO OF the Kings elephants in good condition
IN New 1ork within year, and | will also
add bonus of 100000 If the gentleman de-
cllnas this offer, it will go far to prove that
his wild guess work and libellous assertions
are mere twaddle, and utterly untrue, as
now pronounce them. | demand his NAME
and have directed my attorney to prosecute
him for gross and wantOn libel.
Next comes Mr.. Frank Vincent. Jr..
who has written book on the land where
the white elephant fiourishes, with the
following vigorous letter:
To the Editor Of the Sun:
SIR-four issue of this morning contains
two articles on the general subject of the
white elephant, which seem to call for some
comment, If you viii kindly give me space
The first Of the articles. entitled 'White
Elephant W Orship," | regret to inform you, is
plaglarlzed almost verbatim from my Land
OF the W hlte Elephant" and paper recently
contributed by me to Harper's WeekIv but no
credit is anywhere given to either Of these
signed sources. The article is, however, con-
structed in so realistic and suave a style that
l should be very sorry thus to disparage it
were 1t not that there seems just now to be a
slight epidemic of ''literary appropriation"
Thus-amOng other journals that might be
mentloned-the ECeHiHg Post of few weeks
since gave its readers a column and half on
alblno elephants, appetizingly dished up from
the same sources as above mentioned, and
without the slightest reference either to pub
LEGATION, author or traveller.
In the second article to which | desire to
call your attention aud that of your readers
occur the following lines: "The statements
published yesterday by Mr.. Frank Vincent in
regard to their scarcitv," reference IS made
TO the chang pOUk, or sacred white elephant
Of Siam, Saying that only seventy (sic) of
them have been known of, are pure ro-
mances." beg to say that have never any,
where at any time made such a statement If
there were any ''pure romances" at all about
the matter it would surely be in saving that
as many as seventy had ever been found! a
me that but eleven (Il) frst-class sacred white
elephants had been captured in Siam during
period OF 1852 years. AT this rate, to reach
even the "OnlY seventy known of''-Which
the 'gentleman just returned from extensive
travel in Siam" politely attributes to my ig-
nOrance or wilful misrepresentation, or both
would require about $500 years. But
whether the white elephant existed in the
prehistoric or in the glacial period, is a sub
lect which scarcely enters into the SCOPE of
my communication.
In fact, white elephants seem recently
to have set people by the ears more or less
all over the world. We observe that
citizen OF Siam, now residing in London,
writes to the Times to combat the idea
that white elephants are held to be sacred
among the followers of Brahma, and the
London illustrated Times has this to say:
Letters in the Times from Mr.. Mai Pleng.
burmese gentleman residing in London. and
from Prof. Rhys Davids, the learned author
OF treatise on Buddhism, absolutely deny
lnaJ Jnere Is any priesthood of the white ele-
phant or any religious rites performed in
honor of the animal. On the other hand Mr.
Davis, the representative here of Messrs
Barnum, Bailey " Hutchinson, writes to the
papers and forwards a communication from
their agent at Calcutta, Mr.. GAYLORD, who
purchased this creature at Burmah Mr.
Gaylord specifies infinitely all the requisite
qualifications of sacred" Burmese ele-
phant, which correspond with the peculari-
ties of Taoung Taloung. The sanctity of this
animal remains matter of doubt. Dr.. Scla-
ter, Secretary to the Geological Society, states
that they would not allow any public per
Torrance of representation OF religious
ceremonies,
Olive Logan, writing from London,
says:
was at the pink elephants private view.
and should have written you about the brute
before this only ] said to myself chi bOnOP Old
Tongue Bramah, or whatever they choose to
call the "white" elephant, is a tremendous
dlslllusi0n, and no more white than an alli-
gator Is: He has got q pink patch across his
face and trunk, little pink dots on the outside
Of his ears, yellow toe nails, and a handsome
par OF tusks. That's about the size of him as
a curiosity, and don't call that much.
Even the Cinnamon in New York appear
to be engaging IN this great white elephant
discussion with as much enthusiasm as
the shoWmen, authors, citizens of Siam,
and letter writer's, if we may Judge from
the following story, told by one of our re-
pOrteTs:
Mr.. Nom Wah, the laundryman. of
Third avenue, near Fiftieth street, was
probing pigeon English out of "A copy of
the Sun with his fore finger and pair of
round, horn-framed eye glasses, when a
reporter of the San went in to get his
shirts yesterday.
what are you reading?7 the reporter
inquired.
Lead about white elephant" said the
Chinaman. "Tinkee him all one big lie.
White wash blush makee white elephant
IN III minute. Elephant no can makee
hlmselfWhite. One day me saw Japan
juggleman in Barnum circus talkee heap
lllsh to Ilish gal. No can fOolee John"