Middletown transcript., 1897-11-13
LIrERARY NOTES.
NovEMBER cENrURY.

Ion as on the previous attempt only having
it enlarged and "the lifting power and
tightness" increased.
He tells of their start on May 18th last
from Gothenburg enroute for Spitzbergen,
where house had been erected on the
Mountain side which was to enclose the
balloon while adjusting it for its ascent,
where it was finally housed on June 14thr
and'on July 1st the balloon was ready"
"but the necessary south wind was
wanting" They were kept in suspense un-
til July 10th when the cry was heard
Southwark A strong and steady south
wind, and the final preparations and ar
rangements were made by and for the three
who entered the basket to take their flight
into the unknown. They were Herr Andree,
Mr.. Strindberg and Mr.. Fraenkel. "Andree
now instructed the sailors to cut the ropes
when he should say three" Ex-
aetly at 2.30 in the afternoon Andree called
out with a-calm and steady voice, s'Cut!-one,
| two, threel Thus he served his relations
with "terra-frmia' for a time, how long
it has no tyet been given Us to know. When
Andrea was asked how long before he might
be heard from replied "Atleast not before
three months; and one year, perhaps two
years. may elapse before you hear from us,
and you may one day be surprised by news
of our arrival somewhere. And if Motif
you never hear from us,-others will follow
| in our track until the unknown regions of
the north have been surveyed" Whether
it is the love of adventure, spirit OF investi-
cation, the desire to reveal the heretofore
unknown TO the world of science, or the
world of commerce, that has pr lnpsed the
undertaking of this perilous expedition we
are not told. This much is revealed in the
above mentioned article that with delibera-
tioR it has been planned and arranged for
and all precautions taken for the safety of
the Inhabitants of the basket and it is with
anxious anticipations that many will look
for news from them, as all that has yet come
has only been conjecture.
We are brought into quite close touch
with the ''sick man" of Europe in the de-
scription given by the Honorable A. w.
Terrells ofhis interview with Sultan Add ul
Hamid, as he gives it in the current number
Of the Century. The object of this inter
view on the part of the Sultan was to
correct some false impressions which had
been made through newspaper accounts of
the massacres of the Armenians. The
writer, however, introduces his article with
some facts relative to the Sultan himself
who according to his opinion as well as
from very reliable authority from whom
he quotes, is cEe who "has never failed to
win the heart Of any European who has been
admitted to any degree of itimaey with
him Except in religion he is more
European than an Asiatic He
is no more an Oriental despot than the late
Czar% In personal ability 1 should
say he is the Cars superior" > He
has done more for the education of his
people than all the Sultans who have gone
before him.
The writer then goes OH to describe the
personal appearance of the Sultan. A man
somewhat past fifty. whose expression "is
one Of extreme sadness" and in contrast to
his attendants who are gorgeously arrayed
he appears in plain garb" His manner
in entertaining his guests is refined" and
The is alike free from that stilted dignity
which repels confidence and from that alb
sence ofreal dignity which INVITES familiar
ity. Much more is said complimentary to
the Sultan, making one feel that it is a pity
that man with so much character, should
be bound to such race. In this interview
the Sultan speakes of the introduction of
the Armeniens into the Ottoman Empire
where they were offered protection from the
Persians and Tartars, "and tells of the quiet
industrious life they began as tillers Of the
soil and in commercial pursuits; for the in
habitants were so continually engaged in
warfare that these branches were neglected;
and for four hundred years they prospered
and were contented under Mussulman
rule"
In the course of his remarks the Sultan
speaks Of the favors shown them and the
confidence reposed in them by himself as
well as previous rulers and that it was not
on account of their religion that violence
was shown them. Through discomfort
"their ingratitude was shown by plotting
and organizing to destroy the Ottoman EN-
pire. He says with great emphasis that
no Christians had ever been prosecuted by
his government or people for their religious
faith" And of the massacres he says-The
truth. unfortunately is meyer published in
Christian newspapers about conflicts be-
tween my Mosem and Christian subjects"
His solution of the Armenian trouble in
substance is sthat the Armenians had BAN
ded themselves religiously to accomplish
this ends politically, and because of this
they have been dealt with by the sword.
DECEMBER McCLUREs.
CONSIDERING the imDortauce of this work