EGYPT'S NEW RULER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 10 February 1915, Page 3

EGYPT'S NEW RULER.

BRILLIANT CEREMONIAL ACCESSION. LIVELY STREET SCENES. NEW ZEALANDERS TAKE PART. The following account of the ceremonials in Cairo and Alexandria on the occasion of the accession of the new Sul-1 tan of Egypt, Hussein Kamcl, on December -20 last, is taken from the Egyptian Gazette of the following day:— Yesterday morning at a very early hour the chief streets of the capital began to assume an unwonted animation. AH the invitations to attend the great ceremony at Abdin Palace announced that the. guests were to be there at 8.30 a.m. ,and long before that time the main routes converging on the palace were filled with automobiles and conveyances of every description. On tile previous day crowds had arrived from every part of Egypt to be present at the installation of the new Sultan. All the balconies and terraces of the houses on the main routes were crowded with people from an early hour, and by 9 a.m., when great masses of Australians and New Zealanders began to defile through the streets witli their bands playing, thousands of spectators were on every coign of vantage to watcli the great spectacle. The troops arrived from every part—from the camp at the Pyramids, from the Citadel, from the great line of camps that extend along (Abhassia, Ilelmieh, Zeitoun, and Ileliopolis, and from 'every other centre where the thousands of British soldiers are. concentrated. Their martial bearing and exact marching evoked the admiration of all beholders, as did the high stature and stalwartness of the Australians and the smartness of the British mounted troops and the Ceylon teaplanters' contingent. VERITABLE PAGEANT OF EMPIRE. All the streets were lined with Brit- ! isli troops, every one of whom had ICO rounds of ammunition. Egyptian troops j were also in evidence. The pupils of the Egyptian School were along the street b.v the Kasr-el-Nil bridge, in the Neighborhood of the Sultan's private palace. Tiien came tile sth Lancashire and the fltli and 10th Manchester as far as the National Bank. Thence through Sharah Emadel-din and Sharah Maghaby to the Opera, square were the New Zealand troops, and onwards to the Abdin Palace square were the Australians. The Westminster Dragoons were stationed in the neighborhood of the Opera Square. On the palace square were Egyptian infantry, the Ceylon teaplanters' contingent, and other units. It was indeed a pageant of Empire. All the streets were gay with flags, the, new Egyptian (lag and the British flag being much in evidence. SCENE AT THE PALACE SQUARE. I Tn front of the. palace a great tent had been erected, whereunder about two or three thousand invited guests took up their position at 8.30 a.m. There was a very representative gathering, including all classes of European and native officials and civil society at Cairo, Bedouin chiefs from the desert, Mudirs and Omdahs from every part of Egypt, and a number of Alexandrians. At 0.30 a.m. the Sultan left, his palace at Kasr-el-Nil, and his departure was announced to the capital by a salute of guns from the citadel. ARRIVAL OF THE NEW POTENTATE. Preceded by a squadron of Egyptian Lancers, in a magnificent equipage, with running savees and coachmen and footmen in red and gold livery, the Sultan, in a fez and frock coat, with Roushdy (the Prime Minister) on his left, drove 1 along the streets, amidst most fervent demonstrations of loyalty, constantly saluting with marked affability the multitudes, who aceaimed him on every side, while all the troops saluted him when he passed. The Hertrjirshire Yeomanry also formed part of the Sultan's escort. A few minutes afterwards Mr. Cheetliam (the Acting British Diplomatic Agent) and the Staff of the British lAgency drove up in two carriages, and soon afterwards in another carriage came Lieutenant-General Sir John Maxwell and the British Admiral from Port | Said. j THE SULTAN AND FINANCIERS, j A reception at the palace followed. In receiving the various deputations the Sultan, addressed a few well-chosen words to each. Addressing the bankers and heads of companies, whom he received at 2 p.m., His Highness said lie was pleased to see so many representatives of banks and industrial companies, to whom he promised his personal assistance. He added that without the assistance of European banking and commercial companies Egypt- could not manage her own affairs. The weather throughout the day was somewhat cold, there being a greyish sky, now and again enlivened by a flash of sunshine. At 12.30 p.m. there was a slight shower . The behaviour of the crowd was Very orderly. The old Khedival liyni;i was played on the Sultan's arrival at the palace. - j ILLUMINATIONS AT NIGHT. \ The rejoicings of the morning continued al through the day and night into the night. At sunset myriads of lights blazed forth on Government and private buildings; all tin; banks made a gallant show; several business houses and all the inhabited hotels and clubs were illuminated with taste. The 'Abdin Palace had windows and doorways outlined with minute electric lights, and presented a festive yet dignified appearance. In the absence of the reinstalled Egyptian flag, red lights outlined the eresent and three stars in the medallion over tlie main entrance. Many soldiers mixed among the holiday crowd. CELEBRATIONS IN ALEXANDRIA. Alexandria was a mass of bedraggled and rain-soaked bunting yesterday, and flags of all nations were to be seen in one single street. The colors that were predominant, however, were those of Great Britain and of the new Sultan, the red flag with three cresents and three stars. In spite of the wet I weather, in the evening Alexandria took on quite a cheerful aspect as the municipality, most of the hanks, anil several business houses burst out into a blaze of electric light. There was not a great number of people in the streets, but the weather was such as to damp the ardor of the most patriotic.