The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05
SIR CLAUDE MCDONALD.
THE SCOTCHM4y WHO REPRESENTS
ENGLAND ~ THE FAR EiNT.

Described as n Man who Can Take n
Henthen Colony aud CiyiiiZe II Quickly
His Temper shown In ~ Question OF
burgundy and an Elephant stampede.
The British Empire has intrusicd its interests
in the Far East TO tall thin, red headed Scotch.
man. lie is described as man No dignifed
that IT is painful iO bc near hint lie is not a
pleasant person either to know ~ To talk with but
he is described az u man who can take a heather
colony and civillc II quicker than any ono in the
Quccn'S service He IN Sir Claude Mcdonald,
now British ambassador Ia China. lie was
promoted To TIM, place because in Africa he about
fulfilled the ideal " n colonial Governor. He
was heard from last when the Germans were in
kiaoC Chou Bay and the Empress of China was
accused II trying 10 kill of the young Emperor.
The report went out that tho lad was dying The
Dowagcr Empress is hostile 10 the English. who
have chnmpOnrd the Empcrors cause. The
reports continued To grow alarming until one
day a note came To tho Downgcr Empress from
the British Ambassador. II said simply, Time
for the Emperor to get better" and the cables
soon announced his recovery. Sir tlaudcs
reputation had preceded him And though his
methods ncisi,o and cfTectua his name docs
not inspire the dislike even terror, that attaches
to Sir Rcdvcrs Butler
Butler Kills Just kills" the colonial English
man will tell you. Sir Claude is most consider
ate and even kind. hut Voc 10 the person who
tries to trick him"
Sir Claudc's method IL 10 bring about re-
suits gradually and let the native develop him
self you cannot transplant a civilization Of
twenty centuries on a tribe of savagcs and expect
them tn breathe 1t in" is his contention. Al the
same time Sir Claude believes in being obeyed
and IN stringent measures when they arc required
Onc practice of the West Coast Africans which
he thought should W. abruptly stopped was that
uf sacrificing human life. ON feast days or when
entertaining guest IL has been the custom along
the banks Of the Niger for chief to have several
prisoners put to death. In Central Africa there
is still q great deal II this done
Mcdonald put stop To II on tho Gold Coast
by one move. lie had been away taking a vaca-
ton to Eng aud and on returning found native
uprising caused by several chiefs slnughtering
some prisuncrs. There were fourteen guilty
chiefs IN all and Sir Claude had them brought
i Ransimg ten" ten in 'front.' H OF im he said Now you
men have never been here before. This Is your
first offence. II * justice that you should be
warned. go away and never come back. You
| two have been here before You know the law.
| To the chains, hut You two are incorrighlc.
Sergeant. take them away and hang them Or.
! DERBY. IL my breakfast ready"
| While Sir tlaudes methods are so incisve, he
| is not devoid 81 genialItv and kindness and the
natives were actually fond Of him In Africa. This
was true also Of his subur Innate officers \ party
The mouth 81 ,hc Niger and Sir Claude came iilcre
10 take dinner
"Hy the way" he said. when champagne was
| brought On, II ordered some fine Burgundy from
| an English firm to be sent here. Did IL arrive
The officers Looked at one another in confusion
III" wine had arrived and had been consumed.
| Nv" did not know I" whom II belonged" they
haS.Gn"d t" say, and thought 4 any one put in
What good docs that do m" now inquired
| Sin Claude. with suspicion ~ temper. that may
! i" cNcus II when one can really" what II is tn be
| deprived NJ such luxury in that forSakcn torrd
| spot "liut" he added, young men will be young
| men. St"ward,bring on that last bottle "i cham
;. Vt another time, 20 illustrate, quality in this
| English empire builder. tho wife ~ an officer nm
eIpcctcdy arrived. The quarters provided fo
! he, wcrc very inferior md Sir Claud" gave W
! his own in order mat ihIs H9man might b" more
ccssinn than might I've supposed for person wh'
commands in his particular sphere The respect o
| n King. II shows him thoughiful of others.
while Sir Claude is not military man he pos
| s"sScS cunln"eS in time ~ danger that wn,Ilt
direction. tie ,ogk command personally Of al
| expedite up III" Niger ~ uucll an uprising onc"
travelling ~ a big 'uEbont armed With rap, !i
Lad" 81 bullets and ARROWS came rom the bank
and every man on the boat suddenly dissolve go
that he had business below excepting Sir Claude
| lie stood leaning against a stanrhion smoklns
! n long ciga", and when the storm burst neNc
| moved Casting his eye about he noted whr-
he ne came from Snd then gave ordrrs to tvnil
! p MAXIM IN tho bushes The attack soon cease,
nul 81 claude looked about for his cigar.
| Ia been shot ava" hv bullet
Mcdonald hal the native Africans 80 com
rl"cl" under his c"nt7"l that they would ohe,
! him ln n" death. ON ono occasion he was gu
hunting elephants and the party suddenly foun
themselves In tho heat OF n stampede. Ihos
/ WHO hNN" been IN such prcdichmcnt say thcr
is nothing else so terrifying, knowing The dan
gee N this instance. ST. Claude shouted out I"
b every one tu stand pc'fcrty still and only lea
TO- the s,i" when an elephant charged upon him
I Ia" entire nN-tv Ohrycl MS one man with tn
result uua' MT pr-snn received any injury
such actIuls gave Sir Claude wonderful rcpu
tauun IN West Africa
Hll was held in alteration. lie was the frs, Coy
ern"r who did not make mn attempt to abolis
NJ lhammHianiSur the folpwcrs ~ which NJ
numc-uns on the West Coast The liOussa native
wee lluwrl a. build mosques and not required +
du in the early morning and evening. the hes
time ~ dav for work in that country This CAV
opportunity for the prayers, and Sir CLAUDE
thoughiulneSs was So muCh appreciated tina, III
lluuSSa troops became the best and most loyal o
| tho coast
tie lid not interfere with polygamy. either. an
! with wlirhcrati only VII ~ asked h. whitehead
* practiSct all through Genital and South Africa
and 80" pcrSon accused ol being a witch IS r.
! Suyl as holding tn" hand in boiling water. drink
. lns y 'lS"n and being thrown in the river with III
hands iird. DitrnunicS the accused one demandc
such u trial and then Sir Claude did not interfere
! II rDica,ri to he gave protection.
, II al his admin tratun his aim was TO give Il,
negro Civii1nton nnl" 5, fast a. he could dgc'
| it Nc did not abolish slavery at q swoop, h,
made laws whereby tho' IN bondage could grac
uav buy their freedom lie imposed no cusio'
,u les nn the native To hammer trade until the
demanded them lie made them observe n" san
tnrv W. unit, tn" negroes tnnS example from III
cleanliness Of The whites and mgan to fellow. !
! lie did not brlcyc in missionaries spcndln
thousands Of dollars t. establish schools. h,
, waited for the native gradually 10 develop thc
himself as he saw Their advantage in the whites