MYSTERY MAN OF EUROPE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12615, 27 November 1926, Page 11

MYSTERY MAN OF EUROPE

Millionaire’s Private Liner: Sir Basil Zaharoffs Romance

Behind the scenes in the drama of the nations there are powerful and mysterious figures whose names mean little to the man in the street. Among them is the millionaire who has startled two continents by offering to place at the disposal of Belgium £10,000,000 for two years without interest, and of France a similar sum at 2 per cent, interest, with a further £20,000,000 to follow.

ASK the average man if he has ** heard of Carnegie, the ironmaster, John Rockefeller, the oil king, Schwab, the steel king. Pierpont Morgan, the king of trusts, and he will probably be able to give vou some facts about these men of enterprise and fabulous wealth. But there are few people who, previous to the recent sensational news, realised that there is one whose power in the world of finance is even greater than that of the men of resource, genius, and pertinacity who were among the chief factors in building up the prosperity of their country. The word of Mr Alfred Lowenstein can make or mar aspirations of more than commercial importance, yet he hates the limelight ns he hates laziness. To all but his trusted secretaries he is a man of the fewest words and a man o»f mystery. 12 CARS AND 4 ’PLANES Not only has be an air fleet consisting of a sixteen-seater HandleyPagc, an eight-seater Napier Vulcan, a four-seater D.H. 50. and a special amphibian Napier Viking flving-boat, but also a land fleet of twelve motor cars. Known to his staff as the “active millionaire,” he rises a-t 6 a.m. and , rides one of his 16 thoroughbred ! horses. He transacts business in half- | hour periods throughout the day. and j indulges in games in. between whiles. I There are professionals in boxing, billiards, tennis, golf and racquets' on bis staff, and every day he pits his skill against them. Soon, it is understood, he is going to the United States, and instead of booking passages for himself and bis staff in the ordinary wav. be is j understood to be chartering a liner. Put “the” mvsterv man of Europe ! is Sir Basil Zaharoff. Nobody knows j the extent of bis power and influence, j for bo is the most elusive man in the J world. He once said that no one 1 knew enough about him to write bis j stow and that no one ever would. | Sir Basil is probably one of the

richest men in the world, if not actually the richest.

His generosity is astounding. He has founded chairs for literature and aviation in Oxford. Paris, Petrograd, and London, has given monev for the restoration of Westminster Abbey, for tbe training of athletes for the Olympic Games and for a host of other worthy objects. It was in the most casual way that be called at tbe University in Paris and, learning that the cost of a. chair J of aeronautics would be £28,000. at I onoo signed a cheque for that amount. He began his career as an agent of | the firm of Vickers in Spain, and later i became identified with the firm. Then lie passed on to other enterprises, and became an international figure in politics and finance. LOVE ROMANCE Sir Basil’s most famous stroke of business in the last few years was the purchase of Monte Carlo during the war. Sir Basil bought all the shares, which he afterwards distributed to French investors through his banks. The success of the experiment mnv be judged by the fact that in 1924 the profits of the company exceeded six hundred thousand pounds for distribution among Sir Basil and his investors. His marriage, which did not take place till he was 74 vears of age. to the Duchess of Villnfranca. was one of the srreat love romances of the present age. It was in 1924 that the wedding was celebrated, but the romantic storv of devotion dated hack 20 vears before that. Tbe Duchess cf Villafranca de la. Caballeros had first been married when a girl of 17 to Francesco de Bourbon. Duke of Marcher*. the head of one of the branches of the Spanish j Bourbon family. Sir Basil and the Duchess met at a ball in Madrid. The Duchess was only a girl, married to a man who was bv that time a hopeless invalid, and she was verv unhappy. Sir Basil and tbe Duchess fell in love with each other at first sight that

night at the ball. He was rich and handsome, she brilliant and charming. They knew that they would have tc wait many years for each other, but their love remained firm and true, and was ultimately rewarded upon th< death of the Duke in 1923. When the marriage did take place the greatest possible secrecy was preserved. Tlie ceremonv was in the private chapel of the Chateau de Malincourt, near Paris. The gates of the chateau were closely guarded. A Press photographer who ventured near had his camera broken, and after the wedding Sir Basil and his bride left by motor-car for a mystery honeymoon. Their wedding happiness was very short, for the Duchess died at the beginning of this year. Like Sir Basil Zaharoff, Mr Montague Oolrt Norman, governor of the Bank of England, has become famous fur sudden appearances on secret missions. . To the man in th« street he is practically unknown. Yet as governor of the Bank of England he wields an enormous influence, and some unoplr regard him as being the power behind the throne of British high finance. Totally unlike the popular conception of a banker. Mr Norman is a quiet, rather serious man of middle age. with soft, * pointed beard and keen brown eye s. ; ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL Last year he departed suddenly on' a cold-standard mission to tbe United States. The first news of his departure reached England when the liner carrying him reached New York. He returned ns secretly as he went. That is “The Governor”—sudden, unexpected, almost whimsically elusive. He is the elusive Pimpernel of British hanking circles, and has a somewhat legendary personality even to the members of his own organisation. He has immense vitality and canaeitr for work. But intercourse with other men tires him. He cares nothing for society, rarelv goes out. and cannot, be drawn into participation in public, social, or official functions.