New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-08
TOPICS IN PARIS.
n VAST MINING GRANT IN MADAGASCAR
NJ BERTRAND AND THE GRAND OPERA.

Paris, October %.
had an interview this evening with Mr. Abra-
ham Kingdom who obtained the concession of all
tie mines contained in 100000 acres from the
Government of Madagascar, and has made over
the grant TO syndicate Mr.. Kingdom is mem.
Der Of the Society of Friends and still follows the
business of printer, in England. He has large
number of the 500 shares composing the stock OF
the syndicate and believes that they will one day
be worth q vast sum. He sent out by the
Friends on a liberation mission to the Queen OF
the Hovas. She took great liking TO his VIE
and the whole family were on terms OF afecuoha'e
intimacy with her during the six or seven years
that the Kingdoms lived there. The shre"u
Quaker found himself confronted with European
rivals of all kinds, but he kept to his peace prih
ciples prospected the country and came upon coai
measures richer, he thinks, than any that nave
ever been worked. AS to gold, he Deiieves tha'
Madagascar contains the finest aurifereus deposits
in the world He showed mo quantity OF mug
gets in their natural state, some OF when were
large He told me to choose any for curiosity
ont Of the lot save the biggest, which he wanted
10 exhibit in London. l. did not choose even the
second nor third nor fourth rate one in point OF
size. but perhaps tenth rate one and found
that it weighs over fifty grains
Mr.. Kingdom likes Madagascar. The Hovas, he
saws, are bright, cheerfulminded and clever
people 1t was delightful to live among them.
Their Queen is largely endowed with the mother
wit of the race She speaks English and enjoys
English poetry. OF her genuine piety there can
be no doubt. 1t was a cause of great worry to
her TO have the French bockading her ports. But
she has made up her mind to do her best ana 10
trust in Gods justice. Mr. kingdom does not
speak well of the climate. In the low levels IL Is
a noxious one and in the highlands one must be
-. aud T.
TO biiousness. But he found that it did not dis
agree with him, although he remained so long In
Madagascar The syndicate to which he sold his
concession contains several French capitalists one
Of whom is NJ. Fould, the Deputy, grandson OF the
Minister of Finance and son-inlaw Of Madame
Armand Heine NJ. Ribot has taken, he says,
fair and moderate view of the powers secured to
France by the Patrimonio treaty of protectorate
1t is that France has no right to NEEDLE with the
Internal government of the island. She is simply
the intermediary between the Queen of the Hovas
and the other foreign countries.
NJ de Many, who can never forgive the British
for having turned his ancestor, De Many de la
Bourdennais out of Malabar, is going to bring M.
Ribot's Interpretation of the Patrimono treaty
before the Chamber of Deputies. NJ Ribot being
an accomplished lawyer and an admirable speaker
will know how to answer him.
Mr. Kingdom is a small, why, dark man, direct
and unaffected in manner. He shows Quakerly
disposition to avoid beating about the bush. he
looks to me a truthful man, and he says that he
did not, when preparing reports on the mineral
wealth Of Madagascar, trust to other eyes than
his own. The people, he thinks, have industrial
aptitude They are docile, we'll as clever and
most teachable. Attempts have been made by
Europeans under disguised forms to introduce
slavery. But those who enslaved the natives have
fhar T. bn
not.
II. Bertrand's deed of partnership for the man.
agement of the Grand Opera is registered. He
puts into the enterprise his business capacity and
100, 900 francs The other 100000 is found by
O number of capitalists, who, no doubt wish to
exercise patronage in recommending ballet girls
and singers and to have their entrees to the wings
NJ. Bertrands is to be the sole signature Of the
company. One-half of the money found is to be
placed in La Caisse DIES Consequations at 3 per
cent to serve as security for the payment OF
fines, which, if the covenant with the Government
is not strictly carried out may be imposed. Bert
rand is not to manage any other theatrical estab-
lishment. He has made his Afarseilles theatre
to man of straw and has come out of his Varieties
with great fortune. Colonne, famous for his
concerts and for following in the traces of Pas
deloup giving serious and elevatng music for the
millions, is in the partnership He is an able man
in his speciality, which is instrumental
music. '-' Nobody better understands how
to bait hook than Bertrand He
does not get up to have any principles. To make
money is his one object He made fortune in
ministeripg to the low tastes of the Imperial
court. 1t was at his theatre that 0ffenbach's
muse. as incarnate first in Mile Schneider and
then in Nine. Jude had her fullest fling. La
laII UaIan and To he
Bleue, La Mariee dc Chez Nous and other more
than risky boufie operas were brought ont there.
II must be said that they drew the crowned
heads of Europe The late Gar on his way to
Paris with the present one and his sons Vladimir
and Alexis. telegraphed from AX-la-C hapelle for
two boxes at least to be kept at Les Varieties
for him and his suite, and after the performance
had the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Orange,
and the Duke of Edinburgh to meet Mile. Schneider
and her maids of honor at a supper at the Cafe
Anglais The supper iollifcation. to use
a mild word. Its fame spread over Europe and
helped TO secure the greatest theatrical run that
was ever heard of TO La Grande Duchesse. The
fortune of Bertrand was made by that singer who
had extraordinary spirit talent and the quality
of fantaisie which is on any stage but that
of Paris NJ. Bertrand is to take possession of the
Opera House on New-Year's Day.
The return of the Prince of Naples to Monza
after long tour round Northwestern Europe
conceded with NJ. de Giers's visit to that Royal
residence. The Court of Belgium did not 20 much
out of its way to do honor his candidate for the
hand of the Princess Clementine. to whom he was
not presented. The Brussels press has not shown
itself amiable toward the ilustrious tourist and
spoke in a manner which must have been mortify.
ing TO him of his dimnutive stature weakly ply
sique and soft, silken air. When he was in Bel
GUM be showed spirit of Devotion never enter
ing church without going on his knees and offer
ing up a prayer On Sundays he was punctilious
in the discharge of his religious duties 1t is re-
ported that on the field of Waterloo he said 1T
aInA E,,rn cd lie nde