DEEPLY MOURNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 213, 9 September 1933, Page 9

DEEPLY MOURNED.

Death Causes Great Shock to

British Friends.

A NOTABLE CAREER. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 8. The news of the sudden death of King Feisal came as a great shock to his numerous friends throughout Britain. Although he had been confined to his room for somo days his death was unexpected. It is understood that his Foreign Secretary, General Arie Pasha, was with him when the end came.

King Foisal gained great distinction during the war, for when his father raised the standard of revolt against Turkey he led many daring raids into and behind the Turkish lines. Having been freed from Turkish rule, Iraq, after the war, was recognised as an independent State with Britain as the mandatory Power.

The Emir Ghazi, who has been proclaimed King of Iraq, is 21 years old and was educated at Harrow. When the late King left for Switzerland a few days ago, ho appointed the Crown Prince as Regent in accordance with Arab custom. The Emir Ghazi was proclaimed King at a simple ceremony, and the President's Senate- and Chamber and Cabinet Ministers afterwards took the oath of allegiance. The public was notified by a salute of 101 guns. King George's Message. King George sent the following messags to the King of Iraq:— "The Queen and I have learnt with profound regret of the sudden and unexpected death of your illustrious father, King Feisal, whom wo so recently had the pleasure of welcoming as our guest, and we would ask Your Majesty to accept our heartfelt condolences on the grievous loss which you and your Royal house and people have sustained through this melancholy event. "At the same time I take the pleasure of offering to Your Majesty my cordial congratulations on your accession to the Throne, together with the heartiest good wishes for the happiness and prosperity of your reign."

Soldier and Statesman. London newspapers pay a warm tribute to the late King as soldier and statesman, and recapitulate his brilliant share in the Middle East campaign. General Viscount Allenby, who commanded the forces in Palestine during the war, and who was attached to King Feisal's staff during his recent visit to London, described him as a loyal friend, a charming personality, a straightforward man, a very good soldier and an able politician.

Lord Allenby added: "The King was not well during his visit to Britain, but felt that his duty called him back to Bagdad. I presume he sacrificed himself to his country. A King has to do that sort of thing."

Poet ana king, musician and marvellous horseman, a wit as well as a statesman, Jb'eisal, ruler of the most recent monarchy to be set up in the world, was a tew years past 40. He bore the glorious title of ■'BJiereef," applicable only to established male descendants of Hassan, grandson of the prophet. Feisai's Incorrigible romanticism taciiitated hie rise in the world o£ Islam. He always charmed the most critical listeners with his felicity of phrase, even in Western tongues. His flexible voice, his distinction in gesture, the deference of his attitude, and the clarity with which he would champion a cause won expressions of approval at the Versailles Peace Conference, even from the reluctant Clemenceau. His most successful device was the tale.

He could hold an audience indefinitely with the genius of the born story-teller. At the right moment he would enforce hie moral. He could go on by the hour, his voice never failing, and the interest of his listeners never flagging. Once, in a stretch of desert, during the war, it seemed to Feisal's British staff officer that this prince of story-tellers had kept hie peculiar public too long. He insinuated to an Arab of rank that there seemed literally no end to the story. The Arab gravely informed the impatient Briton that the anecdote might be spun out for another two hours. "Two hours!" echoed the man from London, "but the Turks will have time to come up." "If the Turks come up," replied the Arab, "they, too, will wait to hear the end of the story!"

The third son of Hussein, one-time King of the Hedjaz (by the grace of British arms), Feisal, who was educated at Mecca and Constantinople, rose to a position in the Turkish Army until, in 1910, he escaped to Mecca to join his father'e revolt. In 1918, oil entering Damascus, he proclaimed himself King o£ Syria. Two years later he was expelled'by the French t-oops in charge of this mandated area. .H- travelled to London, and when a Meisopotamian revolt broke out because Britain had not eo far fulfilled her pledge of giving the country a king and government of its own, Feisal appeared to be the man for the job. In 1921 he was invested with the status of royalty, and a plebiscite of the country voted 96 per cent in favour of him. Progress was made under the new monarch in cotton-growing and oil developments. Treaties tending towards internal and frontier peace were negotiated with Turkey, and the Kingdom of the Hedjaz and Nejd, and when King Feieal asked Britain to give his country complete independence) his request was granted in the 1927 treaty revision, providing for complete liberty in 1932, under certain conditions regarding proper defence .and financial administration. These conditions were ultimately fulfilled, and Iraq was declared an independent State, and admitted to tbi League of Nations as such in January, 1932.