Arizona republican., 1902-06-19
Gossip of Other Lands

Empress Eugenie is among the nu- Swindle at Paris, and it seems that in some way or another Mue. Humbe-t managed to eXtort over 1,000,000 francs frofn the widow of Napoleon III in spite of the imperial ladys well iusti- fed reputation of intense close fsted- ness in money matters. The Circum- stances under which Mime. Humbert succeeded in making the acquaintance Of Eugenie and of entangling the lat ter in her financial tolls remain shrouded in mystery.
 But it is by no means the first time that the empress has lost large sums of money through imprudent invest ments. A considerable portion Of her fortune vanished in Argentine securi- ties a the time Of the Barring cOlla pse, and she likewise lost much money through the duke and Duchess de Mouchy. In fact, I imagine that at her death her estate will be found to be far smaller than generally antici- pated and that it's value will prove bitter disappointment to those who bank on becoming her heirs.
 King Alfonso has appointed Senor Merry del Val to be his private Secre- tary. The senor. who is secretary Of embassy in the diplomatic service in Spain and who, in times gone by. has been stationed at Washington, has for a couple of years past been acting as his soVereign's English tutor. and is q brother of that Mgr. Raphael del Val. archbishop of Nicaea, who is so great q faVorite Of the pope and who has now been dispa tened by the latter to London to represent the holy see at the coronation festivities of King Edward.
 Both the del Vals talk English per fectly. having had an English mother and likewise having been educated at the Jesuit College of Stonyhurst. in England.
 Young Khedive Abbas is once more at odds with the English government
 and the relations between himself and Lord Cromer are exceedingly strained. It seems that a short time go q couple
 of young English officers, who had
 lunched not wisely but too well. en- deavored to penetrate into that part of the vicc-regal garden at Montaza which is reserved for the ladies of the
 khedival harem. Finding themselves opposed by only a single guard CT sentry duty. they assaulted the man, and had thrown him to the ground when they in turn were assaileG and roughly handled by a number Of na- tive gardeners. who. hearing the cries of the guard. had come to his assist ance.
 h spite of the efforts of the khedive to secure the punishment of the two intrudeTs. 1t was his guard and like wise the gardeners who had come to his assistance who were punished. on the prepostcrous charge of having
 fallen upon the officers without provo cation, and a sentence of eight months
 in prison was imposed upon them, not
 withstandinG the protests of Abbas,
 whose sovereignty is merely nominal, the actual ruler of Egypt being Lord C-omer.
 The khedive, being unable to secure
 any redress complained O: the matter to his friend. Wilfred Blunt, former secretary of legation in the English diplomatic service. and married to the granddaughter of the poet. Lord By ron. Blunt immediately proceeded to
 make the affair known in England, both in parliament and in the press, and according tc a letter since received by him from the khedive. the latter has been taken most severely to task and strongly remonstrated with by Lord CroHer for invoking the good offices of such an inveterate opponent cf the present British administration in Egypt 5s W'ilfred Blunt, who has been mere than once expelled from the land of the Nile by the English authorities there in consequence of his vigorous championship of native
 rights.
 Only those who have lived in the ori- ent can form any idea of the indigna- tion which the attempt by these young officers to penetrate that portion Of the
 khedival palace and grounds sacred to thc viceroys seraglio has aroused. It
 is the greatest insult that could be oi- 1 fered to a Mohammedan ruler, or in i deed to any follower of the prophet. | since the seclusion of the women in Mohammedan countries is so strict 1 that it is construed as q gross viola ! ton of the most elementary rules of 1 courtesy and of etiquette to even in- uuire after the health and welfare of 1 the wife or wives of all oriental friend. ] In British India these rules are strictly observed by the members of i the English official world in their deal 1 ings with the natives. and there is nc doubt that had the two cavalry sub | alterns who attempted to invade the ! vice-regal gardens at Montaza. near | Cairo. been in India, and had the ihe- l dive happened to be an Indian rajah ! they would have been called to severe
 account. court martieied. and probably
 dismissed from the army. At any rate , their sphere of usefulness in India
 would be regarded &G having come to
 an end. But. as the affair occurred ir Egypt. they seem net only to have go;
 off scot free, but even to have been
 able to secure the drastic punishment ! of these natives who cndeaVUred to
 obstruct their tresspass.
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