Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07

l
| bique channel, midway between Africa and
Madagascar between latitude IL degrees,
and ID degrees south and longitude ~
| degrees and As degrees 30 minutes east.
The principal islands are the Great
Comoro. Anjouan. Mohelie and Mayotte.
They were first reported seen in 1891 by
the English navigator Lancaster. In 1916
the islands. were absolutely independent
! and under the rule of several sultans. CHIEF
| of whom was the Sultan Abdullah. against
| whom. as we have seen, Prince All raised
| ten years later. on May IS, 1886. that
France by virtue of certain treaties as
| sumed the protection and established there
| her authority through official residents in
each island. The soil is fertile and permits
the culture Of cotton, sugar and conee, ana
| all tropical plants, particularly vanilla and
| cocoa which grow abundantly and In WIG
state. The population is composed OF
| Kaff1rs. Malgache, Arabs and negroes. with
these there has resulted mixture which
has produced a depreciation both of the
Arab and the negro. The population of the
islands amounts to about 10000, and the
total area of 76O square miles. At the death
| Of the Sultan -Abdullah. February 2, 1881.
| civil war broke out among the divers
pretendants. when France was obliged to
| land an expeditionary column, which has
resulted in a permanent occupation by the
French government.
The writer was passing the Cafe de la
Pals in Paris one day in 1900 when he was
hailed by familiar voice proceeding from
a group assembled at table IT proved
othe, then governor general of Senegal. He
introduced to his friends all governor
generals, and among these Commandant
Decaze, then governor general Of the Grand
Comoro. You are well met" said Lam
othe. YOU DecaZe. as governor general
you should know your predecessor" plac-
ing his hand on the writer's shoulder; the
former Sultan of the Comoro, and Lam
othe proceeded to tell the story to his
friends. which is here related.
All these years, from the time when he
returned from the Indian ocean in March,
1916. the writer told
Claimant that Prince Ali and his
ApDears treasure had disappeared, he
supposed that the prince was
no longer of this planet But recently
| there has been great interest excited in
all circles in Paris over the reclamation
of Said-Ali, Sultan of the Comoro, exiled
In 1895. and who now demands that he be
heard with the object in view of being re-
established in his functions as sultan
There certain circumstances, first the
name. second the visit to Cairo, and third
the visit to the khedive. to Ollaguier Bey
and to de. Lesseps. which indicate in
dubitably that Sultan Sad-Ali is no other
than Prince Ali whom the writer sent to
Cairo in 1919
The story Of said-Ali's exile. as told in
LIE Journal of Paris. reads more like ro-
nance than reality.
The I'd of August 1895. because of an at
tempt to assassinate NJ Humblot. resident
Of France to the Comoro. Said-Ali. sultan.
was accused of employing the assassin. but
the sultan denied 1t vehemently. The 21st
of November. 1895, Said-Ah was invited to
dine on board the ship L'Eure. He was
scarcely arrived when the ship sailed. the
commandant announcing to the surprised
sultan that he was a prisoner. He was
given a pension of 5000 francs year.
Subsequently he was sent to the Reunion,
where he constantly begged to be tried or
that he be returned from exile.
"Said-Ali," says NJ Hauser in lie Journal,
had made the acquaintance formerly of
NJ. Ollaguier Bey, commissioner general
of Egypt at the exposition of 1878. Said
Ali has since kept up his cordial relations
with the family. When one day Said-An
learned that the son of Ollaguier Bey, M.
Paul Ollaguier, had become lawyer he
wrote to him: Allah has wished that the
son of my best friend become a lawyer,
should defend me. Defend me-"
M. Paul Ollaguier studied the case of Said
All and convinced that the Sultan of the
Grand Comoro was the victim of great
injustice. he made attempt after attempt.
and finally the ministry of colonies declared
that from the 26th of November, 1906 Said
Ali was authorized to reside at Madagascar,
the Reunion or in the archipelago of the
Comoro. except In the, Grand Cemoro. and
that his pension should be doubled.
But Said-An, according to NJ. Olaguier.
does not ask for such apparent favors. He
, has been deprived Of his rights of sovereignty
and exiled without reason. The ministry
says because Of considerations of politi-
cal character"
THE truth is" said LIE Journal, "Said-Al
is the victim Of an abominable act of in
justice on the part Of a certain industrial
society in the Grand Comero. which has
an interest in keeping Said-An aloof from
the island. The reasons for the sultan 8
taking of appear to be financial and not
at all political. sald-AH has been exiied
without ever having been tried; he will de-
fend himself. The chamber Of deputies has
taken UP the affair: light will be thrown
upon the matter: the truth will be shown"
The exiled sultan has written the follow
ing note to the editor of LIE Journal, reply
ing to certain remarks In
Note From that journal. Referring to
Said-Ali. kings in exile, he said:
I'm the name of the merci
full and clement God! &C.,.
Praise be to God, who created darkness,
the mysteries, and doubt, and who estab-
lished light to clear up the darkness, truth
to explain the mysteries, and conscience to
dissipate error!
The Prince Said-AH. Sultan of the Grand
Comoro chevaler Of the Legion of Honor,
faithful friend Of noble France. following
the inspirations Of his heart and the trad-
lions OF his Ancestors, to the editor of LIE
Journal Salut!
II should not be compared to native
cause our exile proceeds from a very diff
ferent cause.
descended from the prophet, belonging
to that valiant and warlike Arab race which |
has conquered the finest countries of the
world, have always professed for France. |
so glorious and magnanimous, a profound
admiration. have considered 1t a duty to
offer her my country and a favor OBJ |
tain her protectorate. 1 have not been |
taken with arms in my hands; was taken |
away by vessel OF war. on board Of which |
l was invited to dine, and then told / was
a prisoner
1.-THE power OF attorney signed was not |
given Of my free will. but forced from me. |
Robbed Of my property, receiving no rev. |
enue from my vast property, I have asked |
for Justice during the last twelve years in |
vain"
Should Said-An prove to be- as he ap- |
pears to be, the same Prince Ali who prof. |
fered the crown of the Comoro and it's
treasure to the commandant of the Egyp-
tan expedition on that night In December, |
1876. the ex-commandant sends the prince |
now king in exile, the expression of his |
friendly sympathy. adding his regrets for |
his non-acceptance Of the crown and treas |
ure. Prince All. as grand vizr. had not |