PLAIN SPEAKING.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5835, 22 November 1880, Page 3

PLAIN SPEAKING.

A curious anecdote from the diplomatic world of Constantinople is communicated to the Vienna Alltjemeine Zeitung. In the course of an audience with the Sultan, Mr Goschen, "with genuiue English

straightforwardness," uttered tho following words of warning :— " The foundations of your Empire are much shattered ; the slightest push may bring down the whole building ; Sire, I entreat you to reflect upon the truth." Shortly afterwards Mr Goschen called upon M. Tissot, told him wJirtt bo had ventured to say to tho Sultan, and entreated him, at his next audience, to back up his wattling with similar faithfulness. M. Tissot promised to do so, aid kept Ins promise. Groat, however, was his astonishment when the Sultan, excited and indignant, turned upon him and said— " Never before bus tho Ambassador of any Power dared to address such language tome !" M. Tissot hurried to Mr Goschen, and informed him what the Sultan had said, ndding that he had literally repeated tho very words which Mr Gosulum hnd imod. H<>ri>u|>r>n. nfior n short pause, thiEivlUh Ambassador sent for his dragoman. " Toll me." said he. " exactly what it was you said at my mouth during my last audience with the Wan." The dragoman, with astonishing readiness, repeated word for word tho expressions given above. Mr Gnsehcn then said to the triari, "Did ynu faithfully translate the Words which I used?'' 'The dragoman began to stammer out an apology. Ho had not tho courage, 1)0 said, to render the expressions exactly, "for no man could ever dare to say such words to tho lord's very self." 'llence, by a niere accident, the praiso belongs to M. Tissot of being the first man to a use a plainer manner of speech, to tho Sultan than any Ambassador of a foreign nation had before ventured upon.