The sun., 1893-08-06
The Reappearance Of Rassam.

Twenty-Five years ago the name Of RAs.
SAM was known wherever any interest was
felt in the contemporary history Of Great
Britain.
King THEODORE OF Abyssinia had impris.
oned the British Consul and his companions
at Gondar in consequence Of tho neglect
OF the Foreign Office to respond to COM
munication which the Ethiopian monarch
had addressed to Queen VICTORIA. Imme-
diate effort to procure the release Of tho
| captives was necessary. Mr.. HoRMUzD
RAssAM was selected as the messenger
from the Queen to King THEODORE. He
was a native Of Mesopotamia. attached to
the British political residency at Alden. He
took the message to the King and procured
| the temporary release OF the English pris-
| oners. but it was not long before they were
| all thrown into prison again. and Mr.. RAs-
| SAM with them. The result was the British
expedition to Abyssinia under Gen. NAPIER,
| which ended in the storming OF MagdaIa,
tho death Of THEODORE. and the release Of
all the European captives enharmed.
For his service in Abyssinia. Mr.. RAssAM
received from the British Government a
sum equal to $4,000. Since then his name
had sunk into obscurity, until it was
brought to the attention OF tho public the
other day in London by the trial Of re-
markable slander suit In which he was the
successful plaintiff.
The defendant was Mr.. ERNEST BUDGE,
the assistant keeper Of Assyrian antiquities
in the British Museum. Between 1877 and
1882 Mr.. RAssAM carried on excavations In
Mcsopotamia for the benefit of that institu-
tion and sent home many antiquities
About two years ago. Mr.. BUDaE. In con-
versation with Sir AUSTEN HENRY LAYARD.
the distinguished Oriental explorer. used
language which conveyed the idea that
some articles which belonged to the British
Museum had been stolen in the course Of
the excavations. and that Mr.. RAssAM was
party to the theft. There appears to have
been absolutely no justification for this
charge. and upon falling to obtain a satis-
factory apology. Mr.. RAssAM brought suit.
He discaimed any desire to make money
out of the defendant. but demanded vindi-
cation. and this he secured in verdict for
ESQ damages.
The most curious feature OF the case was
fact disclosed in the course OF the trial as
to the methods OF the British Museum In
procuring antiquities from the Turkish do
mnions. There are two ways in which this
may be done. One is by means OF excava-
tions carried on with the express consent of
the Ottoman Government. The other is by
purchase from local dealers. But the Turk
ish law does not permit the sale OF antiqui-
ties for export. Nevertheless. it distinctly
appeared that on one occasion when Mr..
BUDGE. the assistant keeper OF Assyrian
antiquities. was sent out to Babylonia, ho
was instructed by his superiors In the
museum to see II he could not get some an
tiquities from the local Dealers which would
have to be smuggled out of the country.
Mr.. Justice CAVE. who presided at the
trial. referred to this incident. remarking
that he would say nothing about it, since
the museum saw tit 10 do 1t. further than to
observe that he did not wish to suppose
that it WAS dono by the standing commit
tee Of tho institution. He might well have
been more severe in his comments. 1t Is
disgracafnl for one country to violate the
customs laws Of another country with
which 1t Is at peace. In order to add to the
stores Of n Government museum.