ABDUL'S NEW PRISON.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1645, 11 January 1913, Page 14

ABDUL'S NEW PRISON.

"SHERLOCK HOLMES" HIS FAVOURITE BOOK. What does Abdul Hamid, the Red Sultan, think of his country's debacle? When the victorious onsweep of tho Servians into Macedonia made the fall of Salonika almost certain it was resolved by the Porte to.remove, tho ex-Sultan from his residence there, and accordingly ho was taken to tho white castle ot-liey-lerbey, on the coast of Asia Minor. How ho consented very • reluctantly to tho migration is related Dy 31. Lauzanne in tho "Matin." It is common, gossip that when steps wore taken for'bis removal'from Salonika ho flatly refused to obey. "They shall only tear me away from here by sheer force," ho exclaimed. But time was short and events were pressing. So other steps were taken, and German influence was brought to bear. The German guardship Lorelei.was sent, off to Salonika with a mission'to persuade Abdul Hamid. On board were two princes of tho Imperial Turkish family, both of them sons-m-law of Abdul. As soon the Lorelei reached Salonika thov were shown into the ex-buttons presence, and did their.best to convince the fallen ruler that 'he must leave the place at once. But all-their could not induce the old man to go back upon his resolution not to move. The commander of the Lorelei, in. the gorgeous uniform of the German navy, was then ushered into Abdul Hamid s presence. This at once changed his tone of defiance. "I have every confidence, he said, "in the loyalty, and friendship of tho Kaiser. I will, under such auspices, follow you all over the. world. Within an hour Abdul Hamid was on board ship. His presence there was almost immediately followed'by a double and complete surprise for all who were about him. For this ex-Sultan, who had been depicted as having fallen -into, a condition bordering on idiocy and stupidity, displayed a remarkably clear and accurate knowledge of affairs. Moreover, this remarkable man, who a 1 his life had never been" known to speak twenty words of French in- public, and had always declared 'that he was quite ignorant of that languor,' began,to speak., French not only fluently, but with an extraordinarily good accent. "Two disastrous wars in tho same yew! It is terrible," ho remarked, in reference to Turkey's unhappy situation. Speaking in French,-ho asked, for news concerning the members of the German Imperial-family,'of whiohj it seemed, he knew every member. He was silent and saddened for a time when told of the death of Baron Marschal von Bieborstein, which seemed to be. the only recent event of which he knew nothing. "He was my friend," tho ex-Sultan observed, sorrowfully.. - ~'.'■. _, He was curious to know whether Sir Arthur Cohan Doyle was still amusing tho world with his stories of the exploits of Sherlock Holmes.' These stones, he said, were the-only ones that over appealed to him. "Conan Doyle," no said,' "would have made a magnificent chief of During his voyage to Asia Minor Abdul Hamid both ate and drank heartily. On the other hand,' he did-.not ■•make, any use. of the bathroom which was set apart for him. ' ' • ■' He begged tho commander of the Lorelei to convey ..his personal remembrances and thanks to the Emperor William for the consideration and attention shown to him on the voyage.; and ho gavo to each officer either a diamond pin or a gold cigarette case studded with diamonds. . ~'..,'*

There was but one moment of hesitanoy at the end of tho voyage to Beylerbey.' This was when ho had to leave the German vessel and enter' a boat in which, alone, he was taken to the landing place. Following him were his ten; wives and some attendants, all of whom had gone with him from, Constantinoplo'into captiv-

%• -v... -' ..., ■ ' •'"' ': „'; At Beylerbey he refused to., occupy: the, palace itself—the-placed which <-in",- ; day§; gone -by"sheltered an Empress'ofbut decided..to be installedvin a small pavilion adjoining-it. Then,.once again relapsing , into '■'silence, ■ and appearing, to be entirely Indifferent to all around him; he became absorbed in thought, ■■ The phaso did not last long, for he soon began to take an interest in the fowls and turkeys in a courtyard below, and called for somo corn to feed them. And a little later he called for some asses' milk to. drink. '■'■■-■ :~ . ••..:'/.

On learning, that one'of the, officers of the guardl' for whom he .had a certain liking, had been called, away to a sick wife, hb. remarked drily, on'hearing of the man's distress: "Ah, well I The poor fellow has only one wife; what, would he do if he had ten, as I have?" ; ■•':-.