The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-09
THE SOVEREIGN OF EGYPT.
Methods of Life and Character of
the khcdiyc.
(Ffom the London Chroniele.)

(From the London ChronicIe)
The life OF His Highness is very dideren.
| from that which In the Western world il
usually associated with an Eastern SOW
| ereign. To begin with. the Khedive has
receiyed~a splendid European education.
he learned English as a child under tutors
| specially selected and sent to Cairo for
MS eeneht and that Of his brother, Prince
Mefemet. When twelve years Of age he
eieered the celebrated Haxius School. at
| GENEVA and afterward continued his scho-
lastic career at the Theresianum. at vi
| emma, fre;n which he was called by the
sudden death OF HIS father, the Khedive
| Iewhk, TO ascend the throne OF Egypt at
| the age Of eighteen, in 1892 At Vienna
| he was something OF favo-ite with the
| Austrian Emperor, who also saw that the
| prince was given a military training In
addition to his ordinary school work.
Naturally highly intelligent. Abbas proved
himself both industrious and capable. He
has the gift OF tongues. and can talk in
at least six lsrguages-English, French.
German. Italian, Turkish, and Arabic. the
last being in common use throughout
Egypt. Every official day OF his life he
will most probably converse in at least
four of these languages.
His Highness has a prodigious memory
and great capacity for mastering detail.
He is a hard worker and every moment
Of his time is parceled out with exact
ness. He usually rises at $50 in the morn
ing. and then goes out riding. an exercise
OF which he Is passionateiy fond, till about
8. when he has breakfast. Soon after
ward he Is busily engaged In State affairs
with his secretaries and minister's and TIL
fills " the forenoon till luncheon; but,
that meal over. he is at work again with
his stan until his public reception hour
comes around. when he meets all those
who have the right to call upon him and
good number who haven't In the even
ing there are dinners. balls, receptions. the
opera. and the theatre. All this gives
one the impression. perfectly correct one.
that Abbas Is no languid Oriental, but
prince OF high ability and remarkable
energy.
Nor is he less interesting from the pure
ly domestic point OF view. As a sovereign
he has to be a great deal at the State
palaces Of Abdin. at Cairo. and Ras-el-Tin,
at Alexandria, the former being the WIN
ter. the latter the summer capital Of
Egypt. but he likes nothing better than to
leave these for his more private palaces.
Of Koubbeh or Montazah. his seaside place.
koubbeh is some five miles from Cairo,
and here His Highness lives after much
the same fashion as might great English
landowner OF the most modern type He
1929
horses, English bred as well as Arabs. arc
his special pride. On the estate itself he
has brought into use the latest things In
American agricultural machinery, and he
takes an active part In the supervision Of
his numerous fari9s and cotton plantations
N the Nile YaIley-from which. indeed. he
derives the larger part Of his vast private
wealth.
His official income Is 10000 a year,
and an equal amount is paid to the other
members Of the Khedivial family Besides
his pronounced taste ..sr the life of a coun-
try gentleman. Abbas las taste. or rather
a passion. which is not generally shared
by country gentlemen. He Is skilled
and Is devoted to music. He
keeps private band of about fifty per-
ormers who find in him generous patron
but relentless critic. Woe betide the
nan who makes a false note,
His Highrsss is strict Mohammedan,
Ind as such eschews 10th wines and SD rits
His abstinence goes even further. for in
country where everybody smokes he-wiil
lave nothing to do with the fragrant weed.
ike his father. he is monogamist, al
hough his religion allows him four wives
he wants them. He is known to be great
y attached to his consort. who was Cir
ASSAM lady of the Khedivial household be-
ore her marriage. They have several
aughters and one son. the heir apparent,
Tho was born in February of last year.
y special decree OF the Sultan, who Is
till suzerain of Egypt. the Khediviats
escend5 directly from father to son in the
'estern manner. The domestic encourage
the Khedive is presided over by the
owager Khedlvah. or Khedivah mere. as
lie princess is called. This is in accord
nee with usual Oriental custom, which ac-
ords precedence to a mans mother over
Is wife.