Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-01-14

Z service. At a period slightly {
> prior to the beginning Of the
Z general European war he was Z
y given tho unofficial post Of am
Z bassador-atlarpe. Access to
? his papers was recently OBJ
3 tanned with permission to tran 8
z scribe the more important and
: interesting Of his diplomatic
z adventures, and AZ a result, this +
astonishing story 10 now pre-
? scented.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
l believe ! am the only man who has
ever browbeaten Kitchener to his
face. 1t is this circumstance that J
propose now to relate.
In the summer of the year 1911. Eu-
rope was astounded by the news that
Italy. which had long coveted Tripoli,
was massing an army with the object
Of Selling that Turkish province with
hardly pretense of justification. As
she held command of the sea, and
there we're only ten thousand Turkish
troops in Tripoli. the success of the
proposed act OF spoliation appeared a
fofeeone conclusion unless Turkey
could move q force through Egypt for
the purpose of defending her last Afri-
can possession.
Now Egypt. although occupied by
Great Britain. was nominally Turk
ish province. She paid tribute to
Turkey of $3.500.000 annually. The
khedive was q vassal of the sultan;
Turkey has always claimed the right
to use Egypt as a base for warlike op-
eraticns. The very army which over
threw the khalifa at Khartum moved
under the Turkish flag.
With a large force in Syria and an
other on The east littoral of the Red
sea. 1t seemed only matter of time
before Turkey could throw enough
men into Tripoli to drive the Italians
into the sea.
Therefore the moment ! heard Of
ltaly's coup began to wonder what
part Great Britain was playing in the
crisis.
Three weeks previously Sir Edward
Grey. the British foreign minister, for
whom l was engaged In the unofficial
task of investigating certain Influences
which were making for war in Europe.
had written me very friendly letter,
suggesting that the recently construct
ed dam at Assuan. on the Nile. was
one of the worlds marvels, and that q
sight of 1t would well be worth my
while as soon as my affairs permitted
me to leave Vienna. where was then
staying.
had taken the hint and gone to
Cairo. where. being acquainted with
many members of the English govern
mental staff. l spent very pleasant
fortnight, not. however. too much en-
crossed In social pleasures to prevent
me from keeping my ear to the ground,
to listen for sounds and rumors.
Lord Kitchener had Just been ap.
pointed to the supreme command In
Egypt Nominally the khedive's ad
wiser, he was to be actually the ruler
Of the province. British prestige
which had sunk to low ebb during
the period of his predecessor, was ex
pected to reach the heights which II
occupied when Lord Cromer's nod was
law all through the valley of the Nile
We had known that Lord Kitchen
er's appointment, coming Unexpectedly
AZ It did. was of high Significance. He
had been summoned hastily to Down
ing street: something was in the air
and we had all felt It.: his movements
- always, were yelled In mystery
and none knew whether he had al
ready sailed or was still lingering In
England. Meanwhile there was nobod,
In charge at Cairo with power and au
thority to issue commands in Eng
lands name.
They knew II. that poiyglot crew O
Germans. Greeks. Armenians. Copts
Levantines: and Cairo buzzed like ,
bees nest with intrigues. So that I
ever the khedive was tempted to def!
his British masters and display his no
torious pro-Turkish sympathies. nov
was the time.
80 when I descended to the dining
room OF Shepherds on q certain
morning and read in q newspaper tina
Italy had addressed an ultimatum I,
Turkey. knew that ! had not beel
recommended to investigate the As
suau dam for nothing.
had hardly finished breakfast wheI
Atterbury. who was In charge. cam,
into the dining room. There was |,
suppressed excitement In his manner
despite his attempt to appear at ease
Can you come out on the verand,
q once. x?' he asked
went out with him. The verand,
was deserted. for Egypt does its shop
ring and pays its visits in the earl.
morning. before the heat srows Ia
xense. and exercises In the late after
noon. Atterbury Sat down with M
beneath the. shade Of = palm and pulle'
some papers from bis pocket
*" be said. turning on me SUD
denly. \ didn't know you were here OF
epvsrnmsnt business. This p IN in