The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-14
QUEEN RANAVALONA Ill
MISFORTUNES OF AN INTERESTING,
But MISGUIDED, WOMAN.
Her Career as Ruler of NADIA t,as scar
Exiled by the French to the
Island of Reunion.

LONDON, March 13.-Much sympathy is
felt in certain quarters for Ranavalona III,
the Queen of Madagascar who has been
exled by France, which country recently
conquered her domain, to the Island of
Reunion, a French colony. When a Euro
pean power conquers a barbarous country
the policy usually followed, if the ruler of
that country has any considerable influence,
is nominally to retain him in power and Sc
cure all his influence for the new regime.
Queen Ranavalona III has been the
throne fourteen years, and she is thirty-six
years old. There is plenty of evidence that
she has been regarded by her subjects with
more than ordinary loyal love. She has
been almost revered as a deity by many
of them; and the very fact that large
part of her people have been loyal to her
has now led to her downfall: for her hold
upon the Hova nation has been used not
to help the French since they became mas
ters at Madagascar. but 10 attempt to re-
build the fortunes of the Queen herself and
of her courtiers.
This, at least. is what the French say.
They assert that the revolts among the
people, in which as many twenty thou
sand men were engaged. were fomented and
encouraged by influential Hovas in the in
terest of the Queen. sThebresult is that
since September last the French have taken
pains to make the Queen a mere nonentity
in Malagasy affairs. She has lived in the
palace, but her Hova flag taken down
and the French flag was run up in its stead.
The French have condemned by court-mar-
tiaI and shot for treason the Queens uncle.
When General Gallicui arrived at the cap
itaI and entered upon his duties as resident
general he informed the Queen that it was
not his place to call upon her, but it was
her duty TO call upon him as the representa-
tive of France; and when she came he
made her stand throughout the painful in
terview, while he sat in his chair. Very
likely she would prefer. proud woman as
she is. TO be exiled to Reunion rather than
TO undergo longers among her old subjects,
the 'humiliations that have been her lot
within the past few months.
Ranavalona III is a religious and pure
minded woman, but she has never been
outside of her island until now, has lived
i'm seclusion and though she has always
been credited with excellent motives, she
was misled. both before and after the war
with France, by ignorant and corrupt adj
visers. She often said. and honestly pc
lieved, that her people would fight TO the
death rather than yield their country. Her
husband was the prime minister, n crafty
and eloquent man, more than twice as ola
:
will of her own, and OF late years she has
been more under the influence of her rela-
tives than of her husband. He was a man
of diplomacy and talent, and had he lived
and been able TO shield the Queen from
foolish counselors after the war 1T is not
likely that she would nave been expelled
from her country
In person Ranavalona Is slight and grace
full. nearly all the Malagasy women are,
and her features are pleasing ana pretty
rather than handsome She is Of by no
means robust constitution. but is pale and
delicate. and in that respect presents a
striking contrast TO her nearest temale
relatives her eldest sister and an aunt, who
are tall and well-formed women, with
ruddy cheeks and red lips. In the mission
school the budding Queen was known as a
willful pupil. and she was actually expelled
from her class for act of disobedience
by the English lady teacher With good
sense and candor. however. she confessed
her fault asked forgiveness. and was re-
ceived back into the school, where she
completed her studies, learning. among
other things, to read and write the English
language fairly we'll besides mastering the
literature of her own. Ii would be fiattery
TO say she a brilliant scholar, but only
the truth to tell that she showed abilities
equal TO the best average or her class.
After the French captured the capital,
Colonel Shirvington, an Englishman who
had resigned the command or the HoVa
army because the Queen and her husband
would not follow his advice with regard TO
the conduct of the campaign. predicted that
the Queen would make further trouble for
the French She is a very obstinate
woman" he said. land viii always COM
mand a large following. The French have
apparently decided that the best way TO
prevent her from causing them embarrass-
ment in the future is TO remove her from
| the country She will probably never see
her native land again. IT must at least be
| she has always been spoken OF with re-
spect and that while really Queen. she
was just in her dealings wien all white per,
| sons who showed a friendly spirit toward
| her ppODle.