The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-21
the Arabian Nights. Calling his grand
vizer, he said:

vizer he said:
Summary order.
Issue an order removing a fifth OF
! the inmates of all prisons In Egypt
and another sending them to war
| ship (the name of which l have Tor
gotten) lying at this moment in the
harbor of Alexandria,
''The grand vlsier, familiar with the
utterly reckless and high handed man
ner in which the race of Mehemet All
| conduct themselves in the face OF dif-
ficulties, and remembering the fate of
the Mamelukes asked for little time
| before issuing the order and withdrew.
He penetrated the scheme in an in
stant and forseeing grave troubles
and complications with the European
| states in the event the orders were is
sued handed in his resignation. The
latter was accepted and another per-
son appointed to the post OF grand
vizier, to whom Ismail gave the same
directions. He, too, saw the trick and
resigned, and Ismail proceeded with
the appointment of third grand vi
zier. The person last appointed was
of different metal from the others and
when he received the peculiar order
from the khedive he proceeded at once
with it's execution.
"The prisoners thus collected repre-
SeDLGu lIe WOICL CldSo Nui dlA III
on the country by the completion of
the Suez canal, and as soon as they
reached the warship the commanding
officer received orders to sail out to
sea and there open and read certain
sealed orders from the khedive, which
were placed in his hands by the officer
who delivered the prisoners. He did
So Breaking the seal and removing
the firman, he read:
Hrnfa
"Bind these prisoners hand and foot
fasten a bar Of iron to their necks
and dump them overheard. When you
have done this. .Sut.e abot: Ger three
days and return to Alexandria to await
further orders. ihs firnap was sx-
ecuted.
"A few days after this occurrence the
friends and companions in vice Of the
drowned criminals besieged the CONSUL
ates at Alexandria and Cairo with anx-
ious inquiries about those who they
knew had been placed on the warship.
The consuls took the government Off
cia1s to task. The latter knew moth
ing. They were deaf, dumb and blind
when il came to accounting for the
prisoners, and so the inquiry was car
ried up to higher officials, until finally
il reached the khedive and grand vizier.
Then IL was that the consuls and
representatives of the powers, great
and small, were given to understand
that as the ruler OF Egypt the khediye
had to protect his people by any means
that lay in his power. and that the
prisoners I'm question had been simply
placed aboard warship and set down
beyond the borders Of Egypt. This was
all the satisfaction the latter were able
20 secure. Nothing could be proved.
no one knew anything, and as ma Jor-
ity OF the consuls had some time before
this had their eyes opened 10 the class
OF people whom they were protecting
they had little interest IN carrying this
matter further.
Caused - Great EEOdas.
The effect. however, upon the class
whom Ismail desired 20 reach By this
singular course WAS like magic, The
fumor got out in Alexandra that the
prisoners on the war vessel had been
taken 10 sea and drowned and that
another batch waf b. be- disposed Of IN
the same manner a. an early GATE.