Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-24

"Hox about your talk with General Chinese
Gordon just before he went to Egypt? That
affected history. did il no,?' asked
YES, was the reply. That was perhaps one
o.. the most important interviews ever take~
IL was At the time of our troubles with
Egypt. The government had decided to give
M the Soudsn and Gen. Gordon was at South
snpton, about to proceed TO Egypt He had,
knew, POSITIVE orders as to what was to be done
and | wanted an interview with him upon the
situation | wrote him AT SOUTHAMPTON telling
hin | wogld like 10 see him and asking him
when he eoals receive me. He replied at once.
saying hat IL would be impossible for him to
talk w me and that he had nothing to saw |
thereupcn teiesssphed HIM that must see him
and that | would leave for Southainp ton on the
nezt tram l have been told that ne spent the
sest of that day walking up md wn and debating
whsther he ~ould see me when i came or not.
When l got OF the train / went at once to
his house and rang the bell. In a moment the
door opened aud little fellow who 1 took
for Gen GordoRs butler, asked ne in and
helped me of with my top coat and hung up
my hat 1 asked him ii Gen. Gordon was in
AID he replied that he was and motioaed me to
90 into the next room. went in and the little
man followed me. took a seat and then told
the little man TO please tell Gen. Gordon
that Mr.. Stead of the Pal Nal Gazetfe
was there and vouid Ike TO see
him Nhereupen the lis:ls man said
81 am Gen. Gordon" and he reached me his
hand and then took a chair and sa. down beside
me. We then went over the whole situation to-
gether, and his ideas we're such that they re-
suited In an entire change of government
policy. listened to them and when | went
back to London 1 laid them before the
government ministers and they decided to
accept them and to send him to the
SOudan- urged them to let him carry out his
ideas in his own way. and had they done SO in
all Prehahihty the war would have been
speedily closed. IL vas his idea to have taken
. camel and to have gone alone to the camp of
the mahdI and TO have discussed matters with
aim. But no. the government would have its
own way, and the result was the death of Cor
don.
The best interviews have ever had i" con-
nnued NJ: Stead. ARE some which have never
been published. One of the most remarkable
have ever had was WITH tine Gar OF Russia, but
the czsr insisted that no mention Of il should
Be made In print, and though wrote a long
series of Letters on Russia for the English and
American newspapers and published a book on
Russia TIE public do not know to this day that
met the emperor ana talked with him."
Please describe the interview" said /, "and
tell me how the car impressed YOU"
The Countess Novikof arranged the meet
ing, replied Mr.. Stead. and the audience was
given ne much to tbs surprise of the English
minister AZ ST. Petersburg, Sir Robert Norier
and the other diplomats. IL is, you know, not
considered proper for q minister to present one
OF his couutrynen to n monarch unless he has
been presented at eoart at home. have never
besn presented to thu queen and have never
considered 10 worth the troubIe and expense of
buying a court dress, and il seemed TO me at 81.
fetersSurg that our minister did not want me
to meet the car. 4 did meet him, however.
and he received me In one of the rooms of his
palace at C.tckina- He sat at one side of a
t~bis during our conversation and I sat az the
othsr facing HIM. and the convsrsation vas free
and open and there was entire absence of red
tape about my reception Tue ear smoked a
Cigarette during the talk. though, by the way.
rensmber he failed % offer me one. He
knew Of mo. for had been writing in favor o,
hnssla Ter the past twenty years, and i began
my conversation BY saving: