The Washington times., 1901-10-06
EOREIGN TOPICS.


head must be by far the most uneasy that
wears crown in the whole wide world.
The Sultan has reigned now for over
twehty1siS years. and though during that
tlne MS Empire has been dismembered
OF some OF Its fairest regions. the Sick
Man 9f the East is still able to defy a
great Power. The career of n Sultan is
more prolonged than the unhealthy poliu-
cal atmosphere of Constantinople would
lead oneIto suppose. In the nineteenth
and three Of these divided eight years be-
tween them. giving an average OF twenty
three years for the remainder.
The coronation robes of Queen Adelaide,
consort of William ". which have for
long been in safe keeping in Brodie Cas-
tie, Morayshire, were recently sent, ac-
cording to persistent rumor, for some
time to Windsor at Queen Alexandra's
request. The question naturally arises,
are Queen AleXandra's coronation robes
to be fashioned on the lines of Queen
Adelaide's? The robes are of black vel
vet. with wing sleeves edged with gold
trimming Queen Adelaide had presented
them to the Duchess of Gordon, who was
then mistress of the robes. she being
Miss Brodie, of Brodie. before she NAL
ried the then Lord of Huntly.
One of the innovations introduced by
his Majesty the King is the revision, day
by day, of the visitors book. In the time
of good and great Queen Victoria almost
any person with sufficient assurance could
call at one of the royal palaces and IN
scribe his or her name in the volume III
charge of the porter. At Marlborough
House this custom was also at one time
prevalent. But of late years a very DIFF
ferent rule has been in vogue, mainly be
cause certain nameless individuals in
scribed their signatures in the book Now
that the Prince of Wales has become
fA.a hat hos
indiscretions shall not be repeated. Only
callers known to the household officials
are permitted to write their names in the
book.
So far back as investigation has gone
the English people have been willing to
pay an admission price. as it were, to see
its King crowned. The prices vary from
half a farthing for a seat at Edward Is
coronation in 1872 up to 800 for a window
fully covering the professional part of
next June's show. A penny or so of in
crease on the first named figure ranged
until the Charless II festiyity. when the
equivalent of s. ruled. Fancy rates be-
gan to prevail with George III and have
continued since. For his coronation $50
were paid for front seats in the gallery
of Westminster, and seats on the streets
went for S. That windows command
such enormous prices already for King
Edwards coronation would indicate that
by the time 1T comes off sight OF the
affair is going to be the equivalent of a
sight OF money.
An archaeological discovery has been
made at St. Maurice Switzerland. Two
interesting sections of pavement of the
Roman era have been found. One of
them, of beautiful red color, is made of
pounded brick, with fat surface. The
other is made of strong concrete. over
which is layer of pounded brick, similar
to that used in the forum Of Rome. Many
visitors haze already been 10 the Museum
of Antiquities Of st. Maurice to see the
Musty with the cobwebs of 400 years,
abandoned long ago and lost, there have
just been found in the Castle of Wolfegg,
Wurtemberg. the first maps that ever
contained the name and geographical out
lines Of America. The maps were dis
covered by Rev. Joseph Fischer, a priest,
who is professor of geography in Field
kirch, the capital Of the Austrian province
of Vorarlberg
The maps bear respectively the dates
of 1907 and l5i6. They are in a state OF
remarkable preservation. The earliest map
is believed TO have been drawn under
the personal supervision of Columbus.
German geographers consider this find
the most important of modern scientific
times.
hopelessiS lost. Nordenskjold in his last
work.. referred to their existence as a
legend.
The recent despatch of eight battalions
of Turkish troops to Mush, or Moosh, in
Armenia, had long been foreseen by the
leaders of the Armenian Committee.
Only few weeks ago PRO Armenia
paper devoted to the Armenian cause,
whose editorial committee, including such
men as NM. G. Clemenceau Anatole
France. Jean Jaures. and Francis de
Pressense. give 1t the highest reputation
for trustworthiness, said that all signs
pointed to systematic massacre of Ar
menians this autumn. the extent of which
would depend upon the Indifference of
Western Europe. If there is a great out
cry in the civilized world and strong dip
lOmatic pressure upon Abdul Hamid. they
VIII very likely. it is believed, be stopped
at once. but otherwise they will go on
slowly but surely until the season is over.
Although various causes have been given
by travellers for these annual massacres
which reached such depiorable extremes
five years ago, according to Ali Nouri
Bey. an eX-official of the Turkish Govern
ment now in Paris, they all amount TO
this: The Turks. who are landowners or
tenants. are obliged to borrow money
either for Improvements or to tide them
over a bad harvest. The Armenians, who
are merchants and money lenders, loan
this money. The Turks. finding it incon-
Uenient TO pay. send secret messages TO
Kurdish tribes in the vicinity, who swOop
down and wipe out the creditors of the
Turks. The Armenians are not a fighting
people and little resistance is offered. The
survivors are then taken in hand by the
local Turkish authorities and frightened
into making a written statement that "a
dispute having occurred among them
selves they had fallen upon and killed
aU
of the authorities nobody would have re-
mained alive" This document is then
presented to the Governor. who sends
long telegram to the Sultan about the
matter and the usual answer is that he
forgives the Armenians if they promise
not to begin again. and al the same time
he orders the Governor to take energetic
measures 10 protect the Kurds against
the Armenian briGands.
Among the signs noted which Pro Ar
mcnia" deems significant as foreshadow-
ing more than usual activity on the part
of the Kurds is the fact that lew weeks
ago two notorious chiefs Murad Bey and
Moussa Bey of KeZan, presented a petit
ton to Abdul Haniid through Zeki Pasha,
the commander of the Fourth Army
Corps. asking for permission to form
new Handle cavalry regiment, in order
TO protect themselves and their tribe
against the expected attacks OF the Ar
menions in the neighborhood. This petl-
ton duly accompanied by gift of S2,5'H,
was sent 10 Zeki Pasha and afterward
Forwarded to Abdul Hamid with a favor
able report from Zeki Pasha.
Japanese public opinion. If one may
Judge from the utterances of the press.
is becoming more and more excited about
Russia's attitude In Manchuria. 1t is re-
called that Russla's history does not war
rant the world in placing implicit con
hdence III her adherence to international