Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-06

ord time he made Mr.. Strobel third assist
ant secretary of state and later minister to
Ecuador and to Chile. 1t is said that his
contract with the King of Siam guarantees
him large salary and that his presence
In that kingdom will result in some great
reforms, of which the world will soon hear
Still another American who has served as
diplomatic adviser to oriental ruler is
Gen. John w. Foster. the eminent diplo-
matist, now residing in Washington, who
was minister to Russia Mexico and Spain
in the seventies and eighties. and who was
Secretary of State during the latter part Of
the Harrison administration. After the war
between China and Japan the Emperor Of
China invited Gen. Foster to come to Picking
and participate in the peace negotiations
with Japan. For these services the en-
peror offered to decorate Gen. Foster with
the Order Of the Double Dragon, but tho
latter declined the honor.
Buchanan Pasha."
The Sultan Of Turkey has an American
adviser In the person of Ransford d. Buck
nam. late of Philadelphia. His official title
is naval adviser and aid de-camp to his
imperial highness the sultan" He wears
the conventional Turkish fez and luxuri-
Gus uniform weighted down with gold en-
broideries about the cuffs and collar from
which latter depends the gorgeous star OF
the Order OF Osmaneh" conferred upon
him by the sultan. Upon his left breast
he wears the distinguished service medal
conferred by the same imperial Eand. His
shoulders are adorned with golden epau-
lettes. and a. his side he carries resplen-
dent dress sword. In Cairo he ranks as q
"pasha," and his influence at court is pro-
portionately great.
His career has been peculiarly pctur-
esque. He was born in Nova Scotia thirty
eight years ago, was brought to Maine
when an infant, and went to sea as cabin
boy on a merchant sailing ship when but
fourteen. He remained at sea until he had
become commander OF many ocean crafts,
both sailing vessels and steamships on
both the Atlantic and Pacific. He was for
some time chief officer Of the City OF Pc
later was manager for that company at
Panama. He had the position OF superin-
tendent at Cramps shipyards, Philadel-
phia, at the time the Turkish warshp
Medjdia building there, and was COM
m!ssioned by the Cramps to sail that ves-
sci from Philadelphia to Constantnople
Arriving at that capital Mr.. Buchanan met
the sultan, who was SO impressed by his
breadth of knowledge and experience in
naval affairs that he gave him the high
commission mentioned. This was just two
years ago this month. Bucknam Pasha's
task is to build up navy for the sultan.
who has hitherto devoted his attention al
most exclusively to the army. His present
naval program is said to call for the ex-
penditure, under Buchanan PashaS' i'm
mediate supervision. OF $4,000 900. And
Buchanan Pashas own salary is said TO be
princely.
Perhaps these Yankee advisers to orr
entail rulers will be prevailed upon to write
their personal "reminiscences some day after
they have returned to their native heaths
If 30, the literary world will doubtless
profit by some facts every bit as strange as
fiction and quite entertaining.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.