WILBUR LETTERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 87, 7 January 1920, Page 7

WILBUR LETTERS

MORE ABOUT THE VISIT TO

JERUSALEM

FRIENDSHIP WITH THE SULTAN

THE FASHODA INCIDENT

(By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rcc. January G, 11.5 p.m.) London, January 5. The Kaiser sent to "Nicky" his impressions of Jerusalem, where his religions sentiments received nphock. After describing his emotions in treading ground where the Saviour had trod, he adds: "Manifold different confessions of sects of the common Christian faith has done much in the way of church-building on eo-called traditional places. It has been something of a men for the highest towers and biggest churches, which do not harmonise with tho sites on which they are erected, or in fact one could cnll it nn exhibition of church models. This also lias tho clergies of .different churches who take pleasure in intrigues and political designs, thus fostering hatred instead of love, and leading to free fights and battles in churches instead of Psalms and friendly intercourse. Worse still, they have created'the worship of stones and wood, forbidden in' the Second Commandment, Instead of Divinity itself. Very nntura.iy this fetish adoration has created a sunreme contempt for Christians with' Moslems. I felt profoundly ashamed before Moslems, and if .1 had come without any religion T certainly would have turned Moslem. The way our religion is understood in Jerusalem will never convert a single Moslem."

Continuing, the Kaiser said: "T return home with the firm conviction that the Saviour's grave is certainly not 'beneath the Church of Rnint Souulchre. which in appearance and decoration compares badly with the mosque Omar in its simple, nwe-insniring grandeur." The Kaiser lieliovrd that the asroundinc recention he received was due to his friendship with the Sultnn. because "T always employed a loyal lioliey towards him, and the same I so often advocated for von too." The Kaiser julds: "The hatred of tho English , is growing more intense, and there is also I crowing an open enntcmnt for Prance." The Kaiser'continues: "That is unavoidable in eonscmioneo of the terrible quagmire France is now floundering in over inlernnl affairs, splashing dirt, ri'.'ht and icft (ill Hie whole of Europe reeks with tho stench. Here people look upon them as a dying nation, especially since the ignominious Fashoda retreat. What on earth possessed them after such a wellarranged and plucky expedition as that of noor, brave Marchand? They were in a first-rate position and able to help us and another in Africa who was sorely in need of strong help. The news came as a thunderbolt on tho Eastern peoples. If it is true, as the papers say, that Count Muravicff counselled France to tako this stop, ho was singularly ill-advised. It has given our friends and allies a mortal blow hero and brought down their nncient mestigc. never to rise again. The Moslems call it France's second Sedan." The Kaiser concludes hi? Eastern impressions by warning "Nicky" that Turkey is very much alive and not a dyiiw man. "Bewaro of the Mussulmans if you touch their national honour, their Kaliph." Writimr in August, ISOI, thp'lCniser refers to tho coming visit of the Tsar to the German fleet, and wishes the Tsar to understand that "the fleet is just in the act of expansion and. transformation,! which is a drawback to its outward penrance, displaying a lamentable'want of harmony and liomogenootisness." He also thanks the Tsar for his sympathy over "my poor dear mama. Her suffering, however, was so terrible that one could only look upon the end as a release."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[The "Fashnda retreat" referred to occurred in 1898. In September of that year, a few days after the Battle c-f Omilurman, a small French force under the command of Major Marchand. occupied Fashoda, on tV Tipper Nile, and tho French flarr was hoisted. The French Minister for TWii'n Affairs stated that Major Marchand was an "emissary of civilisation." but Lord Salisbury pointed out that "bv the military events of the past week ell the territories which were subject to the Khalifa nassed by right of conquest to the British and. Egyptian Governments." Gi"">t Brihin "nres <, "d for the recall of Marehand. lfflt tho French Gbveninmnt endeavoured to make tlio recall a condition of a territorial settlement, which would /jive France part of the left bank of the Nile. The relations between the two countries became ereatly strained, and in both countries there naval mid military activities. Both narfies in. England Hie Government unitedly, and. on November * Lord Salisbury announced th"t the ■French Government had come to the conclusion "(hat the occnnation of F*shoda was nf _ no sort of value to the French Rentihlic," and it was announced in Paris that "the Government lnd ''""iflnfl pot to vphin th" Marchnnd Mission e> Fashoda." The evacuation was carried out in December, and the British and TVptinn ftVs were hoisted. Count MnravieiT, who was referred to by the Kni«cr, was at tli.6 time Russian Foreign Minister.!