THE SULTAN OF EGYPT

North Otago Times, Issue 13236, 6 March 1915, Page 7

THE SULTAN OF EGYPT

DIPLOMAT ANT) rATtMTJR, SOME PERSONAL TRAITS. (By G. Abid-el-Messih, in the London Express,) Al; Hip dawn of his new reign Hussein Kamel, Snllnri of Egypt, lias been greeted by I hi' most solemn salute of arms Ihe Nile Valley lias ever witnessed, for, wliile tlie gnus of I lie citadel of ftilndin were announcing his accession, an army, of more than a hundred thousand men was prhseiiling arms across the whole country greeting his new dignity. After having completed his education in hancc, Hussein KameJ came back to Egypt for the festivities at the opening of ilieSuc/. Canal, and for ten years ho took mi active part in the public life of the country until IS7O, when he followed his father into exile, He deplored more than anyone the errors and mistakes which led his country to linancial wreck, and he tried with all his might to reform the different departments he occupied, Tint what success could crown the efforts of this f one barrage against the whole tide? | When Hussein came back to Egypt ; during the reigns of his brother Tcwfik I and of his,.nephew Abbas llibny, Hus- I sein kept aloof from official positions | ■ nnd devoted his time, his .energy, and 6 his intelligence to Iho development of 5 the agricultural progress of the country, '] In that way he made himself.most, useful to his people. Improving the land. '• No agent in trade could have 'managed better than the present Sultan ( to popularise, the use of such modern instruments for the land and to em- ' ploy such resources to strengthen the ' soil, give it better life, and multiply i] the result. Setting the example to the 5 others, he was the first to start such Ji reforms nn his large estate of Teh El |! Bnrond, and on the estate he managed i| for some of his rich relatives and ji people.. ij His palace of Gnizeli was known to 'i be a jewel of horticulture, wilh i;s ji green lawns and varied gardens, where ij he used to take a few.hours' rest from Ji liis busy labours. ,l When speculation got hold of Egypt i| and of the Egyptians, it spread to ji flnizeh, Hussein Kamel always loved i 1 large areas an<l open llelils. He diil ij not care to reside in a palace sur- Ji rounded by large blocks of houses and i 1 villas, so he decided to give up his i] palace and live in the country in his ji fields among the farmers whom lie i 1 loved, i] lie had two large villas creeled for ( i him—one on the borders of the desert, i 1 at the end of the New Heliopnlis, the i| oilier in the suburbs of Alexandria, ji looking out on the big sea—so that i] nothing could stop its horizon nl the 'i hours of rest,. . ■ ]i Strong Personality, j He is far from vain, bill is n true ij prince, thoroughly good and kind wilh- Ji out being weak, bright and clever, bul i! relleclive, and not swayed by sudden 'i impulse; a true Mnhominodan, but [ liberal '.minded, and nn fanatic. He ( gives all those who approach him the ( impression of a strong personality, His ji conversation is coloured by the varied I imagery and hyperboles that form one j of the charms of the East, and those J who have the honour to meet him carry \ away with them pleasant remembrance's } of a gentleman of princely manners, of ) refined taste, a simple but grand seig- \ neur, They feel at once at their ease J with him, and they never forget that ? he.is a son of a descendant of anve- \ reigns, He never ceases smoking, Yinv always see Hussein Kamel through the ' blue clouds of a cigarette; Tie wears a very high tarbouche,. always on one side., lie is tall and slender, and is invariably scrupulously well dressed, I Hussein Kamel has always been most popular. On fete days, those of the Bairniif and other festivals, the greetings of Hie people, high officials, and functionaries went always to him, and people Hocked to his palace to my their homage "lifter their dutiful visit to the then Khedive. He was also in high esteemi in the Courts of Europe, for he was educated in Hie entourage of Napoleon 111., and the Empress Eugenie has long honoured him with her friendship. He met with the same consideration at.the Court of Savoy when he followed his father Ismail into exile to Italv. King Edward, then Prince of Wale's, entertained friendly relations with llmseiii to the end of his life. ' A curious coincidence associates him with.Prance and England. At one time. Hussein had au Important claim from, the. DairnJi Snnich, and desiring to have the opinion of some prominent legit! advisers in Europe, he referred thp.ease to M. Poincare; then a barrister, and to Mr Asonltli, who was I also at.that time, ht tho Bar.. . j