New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-17
Adventures in Many Lands
The Nation's Food Problems

OF another distinguished and eloquent
man felt very much graft
nea' SAID Mr.. Disracli to me, "and
wondered TO whom he was com
paring nc. / could hardly expcct ne
would put me on a level with Mr. Fox
or Mr.. Pitt, but ! was running over
IN my mind the names of some of
our orators of secondary rank. when.
after q pause, he continued. yes,
your style reminds me forcibly of
that OF Saint Augustine
There is a world Of suggestion in the
record that it was Sir Rivers who in
troduced Goschen TO Lessons. an Incl
dent which was an appropriate prelude
TO Sir Rivers's distinguished career in
Egypt, the most important work Of his
long and useful life. The other dav we
were paying tributes to the memory of
Lord Cromer, whom some have called
the greatest administrator that land
mas known since Joseph ben Israel; as
perhaps he was. But il must not be
forgotten that II was very largely Sir
RIVERS wilson who made possible Eve
lyn barlng's advent and rule in the
Land Of the Nile. The latter's services
in the days of the Commission of In
quiry, as Minister Of Finance, and on
the Committee Of Liquidation were CO.
lossal and invaluable, and the chapters
relating thereto are important history.
They are also delightful reading. with
their personal memories of Lessons.
lsmall, Nubar, Gordon, and other actors
In the great drama. Of course he ad-
mired Gordon:
/ once travelled from Alexandria
with an Italian bishop who was on
his way from Khartoum to Rome. !
talked TO him about Gordon, suppos-
ing that there could be little in com
mon between q man of Gordon's
somewhat narrow evangelical views
and a Roman Catholic prelate. but
the. bishop expressed the greatest ad-
mlratlon for him. ! asked if he could
account for the cause of Gordon's
extraordinary influence over the ma
tlves of Africa. To my surprise he
replied, simply: His chastity" The
possession Of this quality, which was
absolutely incomprehensible 10 the
Arab, seemed to raise him to the
position of a mystical and almost d.
vine character.
He saw much of Lessons. and talked
with him about Panama as we'll as Suez.
When the failure Of the original French
company at Panama began to be fore
Swallowed, and there was talk Of modi-
flying the plans so as to provide for a
lock canal instead Of one at sea level,
"le Grand Francois" burst out PASSION
ately: "Who dares pronounce the word
locks? God Almighty made the Strait
Of Magellan without locks. and | shall
make my canal without locks"
In Paris Sir Rivers had important
and interesting diplomatic experiences,
and saw much Of many important and
interesting people, in literature and
art as well as in diplomacy and poll
tics. He spent some time in the United
States engaged in Pacific railroad nego-
tiations, and then for many years was
at the head Of the Grand Trunk system
in Canada. OF all these experiences
and activities he wrote entertainingly
and instructively; and it is not in
congruous altogether that he should
have ended the volume with a chapter
on British bulldogs which in technical
knowledge Of points" would do credit
to any expert of the Kennel Club. II
may be added that his editor has done
her work with Aawless taste and judg-
ment, and has thus produced an ex-
attractive book about an ex-
ceptionally attractive man.