The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-25
OBEL|SK FOR CAIRO.
American Makes Generous Offer
to Khedive of Egypt.
OFFERS TO PAY EXPENSES.

ing to Bring Shaft of Rameses From
Upper Egypt to capitaI-savarts
May Oppose, Though Acceptance Is
Deemed Probable.
Frederick CORTLAND Penfield, for
merly United States consul general at
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 his bride and
within the last few weeks has made
generous offer 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 l dwelt several years and
where I 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 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 it has seemed to me an
anomalous fact continues Mr.. Pen
field 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-
lance would afford me great happiness,
and therefore I beg to make the offer
in brief terms to defray the total cost
of transporting and re-erecting in a
conspicuous place in the capital the
obelisk of Rameses the Great, now
standing, with pedestal and part Of its
shaft covered with soil, near the py-
Ions of the temple of Luxor
Il am fully aware that the project
may arouse the opposition of savants
and archaeologfsts in Europe and else
where and that their cry Of .desecra-
ton would find vociferous expression.
But fail to comprehend how con-
scfentious objection can be made to
the obelfsk'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 ard comings. If this pro-
posal be faEorably entertained I shall
beg that the task Of removal may be
executed under the supervision of such
engineer officers and representatives
of the Service des Antiquities as the
Egyptian government Eaay assign to
the work. 1t H9uid be my wish to
have the obelisk placed either in Alb
din square or upon the space in 'front.'.
of the Khedivial Opera House But
the choice of site / should be willing
to leave wholly to the government of
his highness
Il feel that aia well enough known
in Egypt, through having for years
been the accredited diplomatic repre-
sentative of the American government.
to have my bona. fides at this time
well understood, and / beg to assure
your excellencies that II this petition
be honored by the acceptance of my
offer ] will cause the Luxor obelisk
and its pedestal to be removed to
Cairo and re-erected without expense
whatsoever to the Egyptian govern
ment, and If permitted to thus prove
my affection for bis highness' capital
| beg to state that I shall neither ex-
pect nor desire reward in any FORM
At the last accounts Mr.. Penfield
had not received a reply, but there is
very little doubt that. his generous
offer will be promptly accepted by the
Egyptian government provided the
council of ministers can obtain the in
dorsement Of the officials Of the mu-
scum at Cairo and other archaeolo-
gists. There has been earnest opposi-
ton among all the archaeological so
cieties in Europe to every recent prop
osition to disturb any Of the ancient
monuments upon the upper Nile. and
there is now strict law against TAX
ing antiquities out Of the country The
removal Of one Of the several obelisks
on the upper Nile to Cairo would not
be contrary to that law, although 1t
would meet with the general objection
to disturbing any antiquity William
q. Curtis, Washington Cor. Chicago
Record Herald.
New Style In Creases.
Frenchmen, who regard King Ed
ward VII. Of England as the best
dressed man in Europe, have been In
terested in noticing since his majesty