The Florida star., 1909-05-21
0RELEk TOR CAIRO.
American Makes Generous Offer
to Khedlve Of Egypt.
OFFERS TO PAY EXPENSES.


Inc 10 Bring Shaft Of Rameses From
Upper Egypt to capitaI-savantl
May Oppose, Though AeesPtanes d
Deemed Probable.
Frederick Courtland Penheld. for
merly United States consul general al
Cairo. who recently married Mrs. An
ME Weightman Walker, daughter and
heiress OF the late Mr.. Weightman
the great manufacturing chemist OF
Philadelphia. has been spending the
winter In Egypt with bis bride and
within the last few weeks has made a
generous onter to his highness the
: khedive and the council Of ministers of
the Egyptian government. Mr.. Pen
field proposes Ito give proof Of my In
terest In the capital Of his highness-
wherein dwelt several years and
where / have many valued friends
by offering to defray the expense of
transporting from upper Egypt and
re-erecting at Cairo an example Of the
glory OF ancient Egypt in the form OF
an obelisk."
The British capital, on its Thames
embankment. has a splendid specimen
Of this expression of Egyptian art, the
French capital has an obelisk standing
In Its most important square. Rome
has four or five. while the capital of
the Ottoman empire is enriched by an
even greater number taken from the
land OF the Nile. The last Of these
monuments to leave. the land Of their
creation was presented to the city OF
New York by former khedive.
"For years II has seemed to me an
anomalous fact" continues Mr.. Pen
neld In his letter to the khedive, that
the capital OF the land Of obelisks, the
metropolis Of the continent and the
unrivaled winter resort of cultured
Europeans and Americans should be
less favored than the capitals and
great cities herein named. To play
even small part In placing in Cairo
Its logical home-an obelisk of Impor-
tance would afford me great happiness.
and therefore beg to make the offer
In brief terms to defray the total cost
OF transporting and re-erecting I'm a
conspicuous place In the capital the
obelisk OF Rameses the Great. now
standing. with pedestal and part Of it's
SHAFT covered with soil, near the Nv
Ions OF the temple OF Luxor.
Il am fully aware that the project
may arouse the opposition Of savants
and archaeologists In Europe and else
where and that their cry Of 'desecra-
don would find vociferous expression.
But l fail to comprehend how con-
scientious objection can be made TO
the obelisk's removal from upper
Egypt where 1t can be viewed only
by few hundred persons each winter.
to the nations capital. where the
masses, not only visitors from all
countries. but the enormous native
population as well. may see It daily In
their goings and comings. II this pro-
poSal be. favorably entertained l shall
beg that the task Of removal may he
executed under the supervision of such
engineer officers and representatives
OF the Service des Antiquities as the
Egyptian government may assign TO
the work. 1t would be my wish to
nave the obelisk placed either in Abb
din square or upon the space in front
or the Khedivial Opera House. But
the choice Of site should be willing
to leave wholly to the government Of
his highness.
II feel that am well enough known
In Egypt, through having for years
been the accredited diplomatic repre-
sentative OF the American government
10 have my bona 6des at this time
well understood, and l beg to assure
your excellencies that II this petition
De nonOred by the acceptance Of NV
Oner l will cause the Luxor obelisk
ana Its pedestal to be removed 10
Cairo and re-erected without exnensa
to the Egyptian govern
nent. and II permitted to thus prove
NY affection for his highness' capital
Deg TO state that | shall neither ex-
oect nor desire reward in any form"
At the last accounts Mr. Penf,eId
lad not received a reply. but there Is
'ery little doubt that his generous
,ner VIII be promptly accepted by the
>syptlan government provided the
ouncil OF ministers can obtain the IN.
iorSement OF the officials OF the mn
eum at Cairo and other arcbseolo-
lists. There has been earnest ooposi.
Ion among all the archaeoIoyicai So
ieties In Europe to every recent prop-
'Sition to disturb any Of the ancient
monuments upon the upper Nile. and
here Is now a strict law against TAX
ng antiquities out OF the country. The
emoval or one OF the several obelisks
o the upper Nile to Cairo would not
e contrary TO that law. although IL
7ould meet with the general objection
disturbing any antiquity.-william
| Curtis, Washington Cor. Chicago