The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-24
SIR HENRY P0NS0NBY.
His Death Must Be a Hard Blow
to Queen Victoria.
HE WAS HER TRUSTED ADVISER.
The Last But One or the Attendants
Who Entered Her Scrvfce Before
tho Prince Consort Died.
Aaap,es From the New York Tribune.

the Eavside. exhausted ~ age ana toil,
that one begins 70 realize how Tar al
yaBced tn years f. Queen VICTORIA anu 20
what an extent she ts matFfarc1. not Only
among the g8.hgo.eg people subject 10 her
.ule. but also 20 the monarclTS OF the
world Gen. SIR Henry Pousonhy, VINO
has fast died on the Isle Of Wight. wa a
young officer % the guards when ne o.
came attached 70 the court Ia the Capa-
city OF squerry 70 the prince consoFt az
4he close OF the hfies. Ye; tie queen was
ALREADY a -grandmother az the time ana
had welded sovereign power over q htta
% the globe for more than two decades
gfue wear ago. warned by the fraEicaAy
suddeu death a. Osborne OF his ufeieH@
colleague. Gen. Sir John Cowell, IKE hifn-
self a victim 70 overwork. SIR Henry Ten
drred his resignation 10 the queen mani
festiy DESTROYS % escaping q similar tate.
Bat az the urgent request OF her Majesty.
who patheticaliy pointed out 10 hlm taAt,
broken as she il by age and iBfrmity. the
close Of her reign. which Wouid fet1eFe
him OF his IsbOrs. cannot be far distant
he consented 20 remain 81 harness. tie
was the last. save Lord Bridport. Of those
old and trusted attendants who entered
her mafenfyg servtce while her husband
was sti1 alive. II must be very Sad Tor
the venerable sovereign to see these, heF
contemporaries. thus vanishing one by
one into the grave. ana Il Is not diticDtt
10 ANU iAAAE AA+A 1A-[ 1850
and desolatiou which she must suffer y
their disappearance
Few people save those acquainted WITH
she court and official lie OF Greet Britain
have any idea 81 the ardp9us work entaiied
by such 4 portion az that which Sir Henry
pons0nhy filled IS private secretary to her
majesty since 1870. II addition TO the care
of the queens own vast private CORES
pondence, the naanae sEnent % her estates
and Intimate Affairs, there II scarcely Il
government Office OF importance winch dJes
not seno every day u the paalce a. which
her majesty may be residing. boxes Of doc
uments. osEers. warrants and directions.
requiring inc royal Signature and imIne-
dRto attention and just IN the same Nay
that copies Of all important dispatches re-
celved al the foreign office are at nEcc for
warded 10 the queen. so. 200, are al papers
OF any moment submitted IN draft 10 her
before being sent abroad by the secretary
OF state for foreign affairs. Indeed, IL Is
thanks 10 this practice that war between
Great Brltata and the United States was
avoided IN 1861 In connection with the Trent
affair. For. had the dispatch drawn
up by the English cabinet been forwarded
to Washington City IN It's original form.
a conflict would nave been Inevitable. II
was only the very radical and conciIa-
tory changes effected BY The queen and
her husband In the draft that deprived tho
document OF rs offensive tenor and that
rendered possible an amlcahle settlement
or the trouble. All these papers pass
through the hands OF her majesty prl-
waite secretary. who As necessarily a mem
her Of the privy council. since Il is In
dispensible hat a man tntTusted With 81
many state secrets OF the utmost moment
should be bound by some more serious and
stringent obligation 70 III discretion than u
mere personal sense of duty and honor.
The work con mences usually before 10
O'Clock In the morning. the queen looking
Into every matter. asking innumerahle
questions. requiring minute explanations
OF every subject. often having the leading
newspapers read 10 her. and ~dlspatching
every item Of her huge correspondence in
a sharp. puremptory way which renders IL
difficult 10 make any suggestion or 70 get
her to accept any recommendation or
counsel Yet Sir Henry was By virtue of
his office. as well as OF the trust reposcd
in him by his royal mistress, the only per-
son In a position 10 offer advice, 20 inill-
ence her decisions In the right and popu-
lar direction and 20 soothe the irritation
and impatIencc OF a character which. al
ways impcrious. had become doub.y intol-
Grant Of all restraint and opposition at
the close OF . reign OF wen nigh three
score years. A soon as the queen Rent
out for her daily drive after lunch. Sir
Henry would SET haui 10 work I'm his Of
flee With q number OF trained confidential
clerks getting rid OF the hug load of busi-
ness piled up In the morning.
1t is no secret hat the nicmbers Of the
royal family. male and female. young and
old, British aud foreign. do not always get
on we'll together. There are iealousics.
dislikcs and unpteasantness of every kind.
trouble about money matters. iutriEues
and even downright scandals. II was Sir
HeurY's duty u know al about these. to
mako the queen acquainted with them ac-
cofdlng - hts discretion and himself To
- en H.EaHF - FHA snA.4 Ia s
stances as mediator, pgsccnakcr or CEN
sor. Many 2 time when hc had hail a hard
days WORK he would hc mmone - the
queens private apartments after dinner
90 receive instructions about some more
or less unpleasant affair which would keep
him busy untl long after midnight. In
deed, ne had beer q Sort ~ providence 20
shc queen ana her children. and IL spoke
well Ter hts tact, discretion a7t cleterur~s
that he shouid have Invariably httn re-
raryied a. such by them.
NOE does tA.S by amy means constitute
tho SUM total - the duties which de-
Nolvea upon So Henry TauS.uhv A rsr-
ton Of each day VAS invariably s0t9t no
seeing VISITORS tu communicable e.
them htr nss9est<'s Wishes and Intentions.
and iu prncut.ns ffam them thc points
OF -inferm8flan san w1.e1 sae dc-.rct .o
he posted previous to Receiving thcu 5u
audience. ANA 10 every asamcH, Dee vaail
te interrupted ~ tar appearance 81 aue
81 the rsNfi servants 90 slmwen a.m uu-
ftaIrs 90 her majesty 1art-u.}t .F .~fer
II really % saGf- question vbga h4l suI-
denis occurred - uer N1Hv tna tEne
shat 3 have sag - hts a,lle office G.Vl-
stair Is Windsor castle and Sass known
him 90 Pc called away gnus three 1851 frur
simes eetthin the space ~ % fet4r. tu4 3
can sta soe the gallant .He-l5ekirc $50
s~ol5ler. rising from h- desk 0ifa q vsr7
OF excuse tud b}ft7o.aE 0s fr-rk rrs.