KING JACQUES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5312, 25 June 1904, Page 12

KING JACQUES

(From Our Special Correspondent..) LONDON, May 6. The amazing and amusing impudence of that volatile and delightfully irresponsible creature calling himself “His Imperial Majesty Jacques I. of Sahara” occupied the attention of the Master ol tho Rolls and a colleague in tho Appeal Court last Monday. “Jacques I” had hcen greatly shocked by a decision of a mere judge (Mr Justice Bucknill), which made him appear to be just as amenable to British law as the lowest employee at the Savoy Hotel, that being Jacques's royal residence during his stay in England. Mr Justice Bucknill, with an astounding disregard for the “Emperor’s” feelings decided that Colonel Graves of whom more anon —who claimed to have been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Saharan Army—still in tho process of materialisation —had a right to servo a writ on his royal master by substituted service, Jacques having evaded personal service first by barricading himself in his Savoy suite, and then by skipping to Holland. The result was that a garnishee order was laid on “his Majesty’s” bankers in London Tho “Emperor” appealed against this order which related to a small matter of £166 odd. that amount being claimed by Colonel Graves ns one month’s salary as Commander-in-Chief. Jacques denied that Colonel Graves had ever received such an appointment from him. but by affidavit the Colonel swore that the “Emperor” not only placed him at tho head of tho Saharan Army but directed him to at once engage officers and got estimates for tho erection in tho new Empire of bloc-khousos similar to those used in tho Transvaal. The “Emperor's” ccunsel took the line that Colonel Graves had no caso at all because there was no empire. Tho British Foreign Office had issued a circular pointing out that the piece of the Saharan Empire which had been “annexed” by M. Lebaudy was in the dominions of the Sultan of Morocco, ami that by a treaty between the Sultan and Great Britain nothing could be landed there without tho consent of the Sultan. The Master of the Bells swept a.side all questions of Empire and treated Jacques I. as a mere mortal who, having evaded service “by brute force” whilst staying at tho Savoy Hotel would have Ins appeal dismissed with costs. Tlie gentleman who caused King Edward’s judges to bo guilty of such fearful examples of lose mojeste, has had an eventful career. Colonel Graves comes ot an old Irish family ruined by land troubles. Ho began his military career in the Royal Artillery and then, migrating to South Africa, became g. sergeantmajor in the Cape Mounted Rifles. Later he became gunnery instructor to the Malagasy Army, first running' a cargo o? guns and ammunition through the French blockade, and then instructing the Malagasy how to use them. In 1890 ho left Madagascar and served in the Chartered Company’s police, but in the following year ho returned to Madagascar, ami became Commander-in-Chief of the Malagasy army. In 1895 the French landed ,and finding the Malagasy would not fight Colonel Graves left them to the protection of the fever which haunts the Madagascar coast, and which proved by far the most formidable foe the invaders had to encounter.