The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-10-14


dipIomatist recently accredited to
the Sultan describes in the LONDON
Standard how he once secured an
audience of his Majesty and how he
Jared
His object was to obtain the con-
firmation of an already chosen Arch-
bishop to Macedonian see. For
weeks he was thwarted by officials OF
the court, and then for more weeks by
the Sultan himself. who protested to
be too busy to see him. However, az
last he was really received, and this is
what happened:
His Majesty awaited me in a small
but richly furnished room. He stood
in the uniform of a Turkish Colonel
bv a low sofa, with his gloved left
hand on the hilt of his sword His
rather long, melancholy countenance
was curfously and subtly lighted by a
sort of good humored latent smile.
Even in his dark and usually sad eyes
the same strange laughter seemed to
lie In them one could read either
suppressed merriment or irony. Prob
ably he was foretasting the humor OF
the diplomatic transaction which was
to follow, and enjoying it quietly!
81 sat exactly opposite the Sultan,
who took a place alone on the sofa
About yard away on his left the &C
compIished dragoman of the palace.
Ibrahim Bey, occupied a small chair
and on my left was my own dragoman.
Looking me straight in the face,Abd
Hamid said a couple of phrases In
musical Turkish, speaking very low.
Ibrahim Bey bowed low, made the Te-
mena'a and began to translate. rms
he did afresh each time the Sultan
spoke, till, at the end of the audience
he was quite weary with the gymnastlc
exercise He began thus:
His Majesty commands me to say
how much he regrets not having been
able to receive you sooner. II was
great annoyance to him, as ne mad
subject he particularly wished to DIS
cuss with you His Majesty is pleased
to see YOU, and hopes that you are
ready to enter upon the subject
replied that / was deeply sensible OF
the honor conferred on me- the more
so as my Government had charged me
to bring to the personal notice of his
Majesty a question of some Importance.
/ was especially delighted to find his
Majesty so ready to enter upon details.
''The Sultan bent his head slightly
toward me and murmured few words
with a sphinxlike smile. Before his
Majesty begins to talk about that mat
ter he wishes to know how long you
were accredited to the Court of st.
James's.
This seemed a curious introduction
to the decision of the Archbishopric in
Macedonia question, but L replied that
altogether 1 had been about seven
years in London.
:" Then you must be well acquainted
with English society,"
IT replied that in my modest way
I thought knew something of the
English.
livery well! His Majesty is most
anxious to have your opinion on En-
glish women
I'm spite of myself I cried out
WHAT and looked to my interpreter
to see if Ibrahim Bey had translated
Alright He nodded. and Ibrahim Bey
repeated, His Majesty would know
what man like yourself who is
familiar with English society, thinks
of the ladies'
Ihey are Sooo ana Pio'ly' GU
swered briefly. wondering what the
qualities of English women had to do
with the case of my unconsecrated
Bishop.
His Majesty says that when he
was in England he saw many beauti-
full women I opened my eyes wider
and wider, and ventured to ask: Was
his Majesty ever in England?'
Certainly; 1 and my elder brother.
Murad, accompanied our uncle, Sultan
Abdul Aziz-Heaven rest his soul-to
Finland to visit Queen Victoria. HIS
Majesty uttered these words scarcely
above a whisper, looking very seriously