RANAVALO OF MADAGASCAR.

Evening Star, Issue 11452, 21 January 1901, Page 6

RANAVALO OF MADAGASCAR.

The ex-Queen Ranavalo*s fate grows mora rigorous, and seems to call for pity. She is now deprived of all her native attendants. The French, after the conquest, though they removed the unhappy Queen from her palaca with little ceremony—so little that one of her ladies gave birth to a child on the transport between the shore and the steamer—yet did not oppose ' a modest suite from following their mistress into exile. Among these there remained up till to-day an old dignitary of the Court, who filled the office of interpreter—for Ranavalo could speak English, but not a word of French—and three or four native servants. Thus the little woman in her loneliness had at least the consolation of being served by her own people. Did the French colonial Government envy her this solace? They have just shipped back to Madagascar the interpreter who has been her faithful companion and all the native domestics—even her maid. The unfortunate Queen is now left alone with her guards, who are said to be camped, if not inside her house, at least outside her gate. Never again to hear her tive tongue, never again to see one of her own race! The French have for this unhappy woman nothing but jeers, though they have wrested from her the domain of her ancestors, and although she is helpless in their hands. And yet we know that the French are sympathetic! Just across the way, at Marseilles, they are weeping copiously over Mr Kniger. So much depends on whether the sympathy is to be expended on one's own enemies or on those of* other people^—Tho- ' Sketch.'