HOW THE SULTAN IS INTERVIEWED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2426, 28 January 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOW THE SULTAN IS INTERVIEWED.

Tub Sultan of Turkey is a man of about middle age, with a sad, thoughtful face — a dignified gentleman, of kindly mien. He shakes you by the baud, iuvites you to enter the smaller room, waves hishand to give you a seat, and in this way places you at your ease. There is a Pasha waiting t interpret for you, and he, standing by, receives from you the remarks you make, and translates them to-the Sultan telling you what the Sultan says in reply. The Pasha is not quite certain to tell his Majesty exactly what you say; lie will, in fact, alter your phrases as so best to suit them to the royal ear. .Something in this fashion - —Pasha: ',His Majesty says: when will the Nnglish leave Egypt?" You "I do not think they will evacuate the country for sonic time. " Pasha (translate ing to the Sultan); "He says, Oh, Father of the Faithful, that; lie hopes, please God, they will go very shortly. " Or, Pasha: " His Majesty asks what is the opinion iii England about Bulgaria. " Yon: "That the Bulgraians .should be allowed to choose their own prince, and live peaceably." Pasha(translatinir to the Sultan): "He hopes, your Majesty, in common with all Englishmen, that the Bulgiriaus will accept your Majesty's orders, and leave the choice of a prince to you." So that, unless yon understand Turkish, the interview, so far as yon are concerned, is of very littie value. You think you learn exactly what the Padishah thinks, and that yon are conveying your opinions to him. Nothing of the i-ort, the Sultan hears just what the wily Pasha desires, and so do you, and the farce is kept up to the end of the visit, At last you rise to go. The Sultan has been told little or nothing that you said; you have learnt not!:ing of the re:il miucl of the Sultan. But that is immaterial. The Pasha has made yon comfortable and pleased his master aud the Grand Turk and his subject are both very happy. But I think I hear you ask whether this can be the case with so great a man as Sir Charles Dilke- it can unless the Chief Dragoman of the embassy goes with him as interpreter to the Sultan, and then you will know what the Sultan, says; though it is more than probable thiit even in tli.it ense the Dragoman will fail to translate for you your pungent remarks to the Sultan. The Dragoman is an Armenian, and he would not hurt the foldings of the Sultan for anything. Besides, it would be impolitic in him to do anything of the kind. He has to mjet his Majesty again, and he, being an Oriental himsolf, knows that lie must not say any thing offensive to the Grand Turk. Fho.m two to three tn-is of stamps ate despatched daily from Somerset Hoine. At certain seasons, such as Christinas and other exceptionally busy periods of the year, the weight removed in a single day by the Post Ofiico vans roaches as much as eight tons. This enormous quantity of .stamps is daily distributed throughout the area of the United Kingdom without the loss of a single penny stamp, A. xovur/rv, was introduced into the, programme of the Wanganui BixingD.iy Sports, viz., " Dick Tmpins' Ride to York/' Dick Turpin was chased over hurdles by all who entered, and the conditions were that should he ba caught, the captiu'cr was to receive £3, but if not Turpin was to take the money. He had ten seconds stare, and then ten minutes were allowed in which to capture him. The gentleman who represented the noted highwayman was suitably attired in the traditional style, and mounted upon a fine black mare. Fifteen horsemen started in pursuit over the hurdles, and Dick \V;i« eventually caught by a Mauri hid amidst loud applause. Fhom a prospectus published in the London Times, it appears that one of the leading Wax Vesta-making Companies was able to pay in the last three years dividends from 13 A to 22! per csnt, and its £5 shares are selling at £13. It appears that the largest sale for vestas in faney tin boxes is Australia and New Zealand. The consideration to be paid on floating a Joint Stock Company to tako over the business and plant of R. Bell and Co. is fixed at Sii7,ooo, £27,000 to be payable in cash, and the balance in paid-up shares, debentures or cash, as might be agreed upon. It was proposed to raise the new Company with a capital of £100,000, £23,000 being thus available for working capital, stock and extension of plant. Last year the colony of New Zealand imported !),171 packages of matches and vestas, valued at £2(j,sS:j, paying £0,045 in duty. In ISSS the importation was 1«ry023 packages, valued at £33,152, and payiug in duty £8,388. Here is a very heartless story from Paris. The son of a London merchant started six months ago, it is said, to find a long-lost uncle in India. When he had boon gone for some time a letter came, saying he had found the missing relative, who had most kindly received him ; and then, a few weeks later, came one from the uncle himself, announcing the premature death of his nephew, and adding that he would have the body sent home to England by the next mail. So the next Indian steamer was met, and on board it surely enough was an enormous case, which was claimed by the sorrowing parents, Fancy their surprise and vexation on opening the case, however, to find that it contained a very fine Bengal tiger. The father at once wired to the uncle, saying : "You have been deceived ; the corpse of our s-on has not been sent. The case sent by you contained only a tiger." The answer received soon after was to this effect: "There has been no mistake There is a tiger in the box I know, uud yuur pour .wu Ueurge is in that tiger J' ,