A DESERT EMPEROR

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8289, 18 September 1903, Page 1

A DESERT EMPEROR

Writing on August 7th, the Paris correspondent of a London newspaper, says : M. Jacques Lebaudy, millionaire, and aspirant to the non-existent throne of the "empire of Sahara," has received a check. His yacht, the Frasquita, which put in at Las Palmas, has been seized by the Sp.tni, ; h authorities on the ground that, as a French subject,, M. Lebaudy had no right to 11)' the Portuguese flag at the masthead. There was a violent scene between the self-styled "Emperor" and the Spanish officers who detained the vessel, and in reply to the question as to whence he had come, the former answered heatedly:—"l come from my own country; I have no information, to give you. I recognise no Hag but that," pointing to the blue burgee with three gold balls, which was run up at the main. It, will be remembered that some mild excitement was caused in diplomatic circles when the news reached Europe that a French force had landed on the West African coast, and had annexed a strip of territory. Anxiety, however, gave place to merriment when it became known that the "sugar king's son" and a handful of yachtsmen composed the force. Details that have now cewne to hand show that wealthy young M. Lebaudy, in hitting upon his latest schema for dissipating part of his immense fortune, had made elaborate preparations to assume sovereign isway nu the dark continent. Two months ago, M. Clerc, who runs a, yachting agency in the Rue Meyerbeer, received a cable from Madeira, signed Jacques Lebaudy, asking for twenty well set-up seamen to be sent out to join the yacht at once. Each man received an advance of £l2 before setting out, and afterwards signed on, the articles declaring that the discipline enforced on board was the same as that in the British Navy. - The yacht left Las Palmas, M. Lebaudy himself being on the bridge, and making for the mainland, touched at Tarfaya, south of Cape Juby, where the expedition was well receeived by the natives. A course due south was then steered, and in a small bay between Cape Juby and Cape Bojiider anchor was dropped. Here a "poet" of five men, armed with rifles, was established, and the place dubbed Troja, after Troy, and the Frasquita returned to Las Palmas to embark several newly-re-cruited ex-non-commissioned officers, who were to serve in the imperial "army." On the return journey it was found that the "post" liad disappeared, and that a. nomad Moorish tribe had taken the men prisoners. Then, according to one of the 'crew, M. Lebaudy wrote a letter, in French, to the chief of the tribe, demanding the surrender of Ins men. The chief replied suggesting that M. Lebaudy use less ambiguous and lofty phraseology, and incidentally asked for £4O before giving up his prisoners. The following morning, when the exchange was to take place, a native came off to the yacht and told how another tribe had come along in the night and put the firm, tribe to flight after capturing the five Frenchmen.. Disheartened at this abrupt contretemps, M. Lebaudy once more readied Las Palmas, only to have his yacht seized as stated above. It transpires that the "emperor" had a scheme to builel a railway across the Sahara- at his own cost, so as to ensure through communication from one end of his "dominions" to the other. Special envelopes had been printed for all official communications, addressed "The Civil Governor of Troja, Empire of Sahara, via Las Palmas, Grand Canary. Per Imperial Saharan Line." Owing, however, to the fall of Troy, the railway scheme was frustrated, and the envelopes were not used. While the Frasquita remained in the little bay M. Lebaudy made several expeditions ashore, during one of which he espied a pretty native girl. He at once opened negotiations to purchase her from her parents, and the bargain was just concluded when several of the more impetuous" youths objected so strongly to the transfer that hi 6 Imperial Majesty was compelled to beat a precipitate retreat to his boats. M. Lebaudy is now marking time, execrating the officiousness of the Spanish authorities, and dreaming of new empires to conquer.