89. _A Daring Robbery._
On July 15th, 1907, the papers published the following:
"Last night the steamer _Sophia_ was seized by armed robbers 16 miles
from Odessa, while on a voyage from this port to Korthion. At 11
o'clock three young men appeared on the deck, where the captain and the
passengers were at supper, and held them in check while two others
seized the man at the wheel and ordered him, under threat of death, to
set the ship's course for Odessa. Some of the robbers, who appear to
have numbered 18 in all, then went into the first-class saloon, where
they took possession of an iron cash-box containing 50,000 roubles
(L5,000), which was in charge of a cashier of the Russian Bank for
Foreign Trade. They also took 1,000 roubles (L100) belonging to the
passengers. The robbers then proceeded to disable the engines, and let
off all the steam, and finally made their escape in two of the
_Sophia_'s boats after destroying the third. The police are seeking to
trace the band, but hitherto without success."
90. _The Fall of Abdul Hamid._
On April 29th, 1909, after the fall of Abdul Hamid and the enthronement
of Mohammed V, the President of the United States of America sent the
following telegram to the new ruler of Turkey:
"I offer your Majesty my congratulations on your accession to the
Throne with such universal acclaim voiced by the people's
representatives and at a time so propitious to the highest aspirations
of the great nation over which you rule as the august head of a
constitutional Government. I assure you of the friendship of the
Government and people of the United States, who earnestly wish for your
Majesty's happiness and for that of the people within your dominions,
and I add my own wishes for your Majesty's health and welfare."
91. _A President Abroad._
The _Times_ of Dec. 4th, 1908, contained the following telegram, dated
Paris, Dec. 3rd:
"The French Government will come to a decision at the Cabinet Council
to be held on Saturday as to the conditions upon which President
Castro, the despot of Venezuela, will be allowed to land in France. At
the moment of his departure for Europe it was reported that the object
of the President's journey was to see a distinguished specialist with a
view to a surgical operation. Since then, however, trustworthy
information has reached the Quai d'Orsay to the effect that his state
of health is not so precarious as it had been reported to be, and that
he looks forward to receiving in Paris the hospitality to which South
Americans are accustomed. If that be the case, there are serious
reasons for believing that he will meet with disappointment. The
relations between France and Venezuela have been suspended now for
several years, and the French representative at Caracas, it will be
remembered, was expelled from Venezuela. The French Foreign Office is
at present engaged in preparing a statement of its grievances against
President Castro, to serve as a basis for the discussion in the next
Cabinet Council of the delicate questions raised by the Dictator's
decision to visit this country."
Again, the _Times_ of Dec. 11th contained the following, dated Paris,
Dec. 10th:
"President Castro landed in France this morning from the steamer
_Guadeloupe_ at Pauillac, where he was met by the Venezuelan Consul at
Genoa and a dozen or more friends. He took a special train from
Bordeaux, and on arriving with his wife, brother, three doctors, and
six servants, he allowed himself to be photographed, subsequently
driving to the Hotel de France. On reaching the hotel he received a
visit from M. Gout, a high official at the Quai d'Orsay, who had been
specially despatched by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to inform
President Castro of the conditions on which the Government has allowed
him to land in France, and on which he will be permitted to stay here.
The Government has refused to reveal the details of the decision at
which it arrived in the Cabinet Council of last Saturday as to its
treatment of the Venezuelan President. He declared to the
representative of the French Foreign Office that he had come to Europe
as a mere private individual to see a doctor, but a semi-official note
communicated this evening states that 'it is believed that he will take
advantage of his stay to try to settle his affairs with the various
Powers which no longer have agents accredited to his Government.'
"There is reason to believe that this very guarded and somewhat
enigmatical statement marks the definite decision of the French
Government to demand from President Castro a complete settlement of all
the questions outstanding between him and this country. It is felt that
while France cannot repudiate her traditions of hospitality, she has
nevertheless seized this opportunity to make it quite clear to the
President that any prolongation of his sojourn here must depend on his
meeting the views of the French Government."
92. _A Rejected Ambassador._
In 1885 Italy refused to receive Mr. Keilly as ambassador of the United
States of America, because he had, in 1871, protested against the
annexation of the Papal States. And when the United States sent the
same gentleman as ambassador to Austria, the latter refused him
reception, on the ground that his wife was said to be a Jewess.