The Portland daily press., 1895-11-16
MADAGASCAR'S QUEEN.
She Chews Tobacco and all the Court
Follow Her Example.
Her Husband is Prime Minister and Runs
the Government.

Her Ii uSDa0Q Is Rr1me Minister ana NUM-
the Government.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago
Daily News.
London, Oct 21-The other day short
paragraph was cabled to the papers in
this country announcing in few words
the fact that the prime minister Of NADIA
gascar had put to death his five score
taries because he suspected that they were
betraying state secrets to the French. He
did not accuse all Of them of this crime
but he had facts to prove that one or two
of them were guilty. 1t was impossible
to fasten the crime upon any particular
one, so he had all of them executed to
make sure that the guilty ones were pun
ished.
This prime minister is remarkable for
many reasons. In the first place, his
name is Raiuilairivoni, which in itself Is
enough to make him famous in any land.
But he also happens to be the husband
of the queen Of Madagascar, although he
is an old man of 66 years, while she is
but So and in the very flush of woman
a-AOAS
legitimate claims upon fame OF peas
ant origin, he rapidly worked himself to
the fore, and has been the leading states
man OF his country for more than a gen.
Grafton. He is the real leader of the ma
tion, and has served as such under three
queens. Today in Madagascar he is what
Bismarck used to be in Germany and
Gladstone in England.
Madagascar is curious mixture. The
queen is a Christian, but she chews to-
bscoo and expectorates in silver vase.
Her husband is very proud of French
legion of honor collar which he wears
night and day, but if any native should
happen to express favorable opinion of
the French in his presence that native
would very suddenly be waited into eter-
nifty The queen has fine, big Bible,
plentifully emblazoned in gilt, at her side
at all times, but she orders the execution
of an enemy as another woman orders
her breakfast.
Tho queen is seldom without a large
chunk of tobacco in her mouth and, as
she sets the style in Madagascar, all of
the court ladies, not to be outdone in the
matter of fashion, also have large chunks
of tobacco in their mouths. AT royal
function where all the ladies are chewing
tobacco industriously an American lady
might be shocked. But the Madagascar
ladies regard it as rare accomplishment
and the society buds there are taught to
chew with the same care that American
parents teach their girls to dance or play
upon the piano. 1t is one of the polite
arts there and lady who does not chew
is as badly handicapped socially as
woman here who eats with her knife.
The queen is called Ranavalona Ill
Her features cannot be called delicate and
in complexion she is pretty dark, much
darker than most of her subjects. Her
figure is above medium height. She
dresses in European garments and upon
sta g occasions wears a robe of red velvet
and crown of gold. Her usual resi-
dence is not the enormous three-story
palace Moja Kamiadana built for Ranava
Iona l. by a French architect, but a
stone mansion hard by called the palace
Of Masandro, arranged in good taste and
with proper regard to comfort.
Her husband is something of a Napo-
leon. He is small and lean and rich. His
wavy hair bespeaks his humble origin.
Under an air OF good-fellowship he con-
ceals extreme energy, an iron will and
much keenness of intellect. Withal he is
an able politician. He lives in tine palace
of Zanooval, called the silver house, be-
cause when it was built for Prince
Raekoto, son of former queen, the
prince caused it to be studded with sill
YER nails and furnished with silver locks.
The premier dresses plainly save on
great occasions, when he wears dolman
of white satin, embroidered with gold
short trousers, ending in white stockings,
with ribbon carriers; great buskins with
vary high heels, and suspended from his
shoulder crossbelt, heavy with gold,
which supports a sabre, whose scabbard
of black leather is encIusted with gold.
The cause of the war which France is
now waging against Madagascar is easily
explained. The French are seeking to
establish an actual protectorate over the
Whole island, with the ultimate design
undoubtedly of annexing it outright.
The Aovas deny that in the treaty of peace
they signed with France in 1885 or in any
other document they ever gave France
the right to assume a protectorate over
the island. The overtures for peace in
1885 again and again broke down because
the Hovas woulo not have the obnox-
ious word in the treaty or anything that
could be twisted to mean the surrender
of the sovereign rights of the queen.
This treaty was accepted by The Mala-
gasy only when the French government. |
eager to end the war in which French
men had persisted. like sheep in the dead
" climate Of the coast, without gaining a |
single advantage for their country, au-
thorized the French plenipotentiary to
dispense with the word 'protectorate.
France was to represent Madagascar in
her foreign relations and the queen was
to govern the whole island except few
small districts on the coast and the near