New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE.
..Ns WHO EXERTED INFLUENCE.
AND BAD. IN FOREIGN COURTS.
MASON IN THE EGYPTIAN ARMY AND
-. FRIENDSHIP FOR doRpoN-How NINE
WIZARD POSTPONED A WAR.


:, the civilized and uncivilized world
ecu'' v % he found American men and women
tae. role Of sufficien, importance to make
pias"e a reckoning with their individuality
nee' .s.,r influence. Sometimes the latter Is
anu snr good while in q few Instances Its
exe' ..v. been OF contrary character. but in
eas zoe II has been sufficiently powerful TO
e' q 10 be taken into account. II would
rev. 40 much space and time to describe the
oc' We which this influence Is achieved and
ne.,ned good deal. II not most OF 1t. may
H-.sv asc-ibed to the fact that to the repu-
Cor honesty and frank dealing which the.
speaking races throughout the universe
- among other natonalities the Ameri-
-. unite a keenness and quickness Of intel
-. species Of mental smartness. II the ex-
s"-...on may be used. which pertains far more
.bA countrymen OF MachavelN and 10 the
o..r,as than 70 the Anglo-Saxon.
This talent which Americans possess for rails
49, themselves above the commonplace and for
,,sv,ng their individuality felt in foreign coun-
,.ss has been brought home during the last
-ssk By the death at Washington Of that gal
Ian, soldier Colonel Alexander Macomb Mason
,-,,s,ed and loyal adviser and friend OF three
rsvntian Khedives in succession. grandson
~ that General Macomb who died as General-in-
rb,e. OF the United States Army. Mason took
mart as naval officer in the Civil War, and
after its termination saw active service in
chi and in Cuba before making his way to
Cairo where along with number OF other
American officers he was employed by Khedive
,snoau 10 reorganize the Egyptian Army and
yavv II was while thus engaged that he was
brought into contact with General Chinese
Gordon. and that he should have succeeded IN
winning the friendship. the confidence and the
-sgard o, such a man as this mos: eccentric but
h-llaut and heroic English officer speaks vol
ZINES In favor Of Mason.
FRIEND OF CHINESE. GORDON
What specially endeared him 10 Gordon was
his singular modesty. his discretion and. above
ALL his ability to hold his tongue. Mason was
q most quiet and unassuming person: men have
known him several months and been in almost
daily intercourse with him. and then have
learned only through others Of his splendid
record in the Soudan. where he made the first
survey OF Albert Nyanza. and where he CO.
operated with Gordon in the organization OF
that once so prosperous equatorial empire OF the
Khedive. Gordon one Of the most difn-
cult men TO get along with. and there were
days when he was so excitable and irritable as
70 DO absolutely UNIT for human Intercourse.
No one realized this better than he did himself
and. being very fond Of Mason, and unwilling
10 quarrel with him. he made an arrangement
which was as characteristic OF the one man az
&, was Of the other. II was agreed that when
ever Gordon felt his fits Of irritability and ex-
ASPIRATION coming OF he should hang out OF MS
window or above his door huge hattle-axe
which he had picked up in the soudan. and that
whenever this danger signal should be put out
civ aim wi
The axreeren: worked splendidly. Mason
never betook himself 10 Gordon's residence with
out looking up for the battle and II the latter
was In sight nothing IN the world. not even the
most pressing official business. could induce him
TO tntrude upon the privacy OF his chief Mason
had the singular faculty OF inspiring IN every
body with whom ne was brought into contact the
sarne degree OF confidence that he enjoyed on the
part Of Gordon There IS no place IN tho world
where there is such amount OF intrigue as at
Cairo But although Mason had been loyal 10
Isman he stood equally high in favor with his son
and successor. Tewfk and. in spite Of his hav-
Ing played prominent part in the incidents that
occurred before England's occupation Of Egypt.
he was requested by the British Government in
1854 and 1885 TO act Jointly with the late Admi-
raj Sir William Hewett In a special and Confden-
tia embassy 10 King John Of Abyssinia. 1t was
a mission Of great personal risk. especially at
that particular tuncture. and had il not been for
the fact OF Mr. Gladstone being in Office, and so
avsrse 10 everything connected with Egypt that
ne would not even hear its name mentioned either
in Cabinet councils or in society. some token OF
royal recognition would have undoubtedly been
conferred by the Queen upon the English Ad-
rniral and his American colleague. Mason like
wise played a conspicuous role in all those nego-
tations which led to the transfer OF MassoWah
and OF other Red Sea ports 70 Italy. jointly by
England and by Egypt. 1t may be doubted II
there has ever been any one not an English citi-
zen or servant Of the Queen who has been initat-
ed 10 such at extent into the diplomatic and State
secrets Of Great Britain as Colonel Mason
COLONEL MAsON's HONESTY.
Never was there more modest and unob-
rusive man than this square jawed. taciturn and
yet gen.al-faced and warm-hearted American
whose services 10 the cause Of geographical! sci
snce az the headwaters Of the Nile entite>br to
prominent place among the African explorers
Over and over again was promotion 10 the rank
Of pacha pressed upon him. not merely by Khe-
dive Tewnk but also by his successors, the Eng
lish authorities; Lord Cromer first and foremost
warmly recommended him for the distinction.
Yet ne Invariably refused, alleging as an excuse
that he had no hankering for utular distinction.
and that while mis- means were sufficient 10 main
tain him as oey or colonel they were inadequate
Tor a full-gedged pacha or general. For Mason.
IN spite Of the unrvalled opportunities which he
had enjoyed In the Soudan as n Lower Egypt for
enrchng himself had remained poor man-no
small credi, for a public official In a country
whore the very air that one breathes is tainted
with gross dishonesty and corruption. In one
word. Mason was an American Of whom his
had he prOlId
never a. any moment forgetting the country OF
ns birth and his citizenship thereof. caused the
name Of the United States 10 be honored and re
.sec'ed in countries where IL had up 10 that time
pesn unknown
~Ounierparts 81 Mason 70 be found ngur-
s II the modern history OF many another for
YIN hn..e . ne