New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-06
KEW PALACE.
SOME HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE ROYAH
RESIDENCE SOON TO BE OPENED
TO THE PUBLIC.

From 7 he Pail Mall Gazette
Although Kew Palace which is shortly "a ~
thrown open 10 the public by the desire Of Hef
Majesty, is not an imposing building, ii has
somewhat curious history, and has been so close
ly Identified with the life of the present reign
ing dynasty as TO be a place Of historic interest.
It's history reveals phase Of homey royal
life which in an altered degree characterizes the
present royal family. In days gone by the
palace was known the Dutch House, and
seems to have been built on the site Of the house
known in the reign % Elizabeth as the Old
Dayie House, which used a nursery for
the royal children at the time that George III
and hrs Queen lived in the Old Kew Palace OPP
poslte. Ii is not unpcturesque and is substan-
TALLY built in the Dutch style OF architecture.
T. explain the royal associations with Kew, We
nave 10 20 back TO the day OF the old palace,
which. under the name Of the White House,
was in existence until the beginning Of he CEN
tury In 1870 Frederick. Prince Of Wales OBJ
tanned a lease Of that property from the Capel
family, and the house was then considerably en-
larged redecorated and rearTanged
The presence Of royalty brought several dis
tinguished residents 10 the neighborhood. but at
that tim" the life Of the Prince. who seemed 10
love the place, did not altogether please his
fathers court. and one historian narrates that
Kew and St James's then at daggerS
drawn" The Princes attachment for the place
did not diminish. however and il is interesting
to note that he devoted considerable attention
TO agricultural matters. The members Of the
royal family lahored I'm the garden themselves.
and II was customary for them TO press their
/ friends and visitors into the work OF improving
/ IT, In arranging the garden the Prince had
called in the services IF Kent. the celebrated
landscape gardener, and in 1881 after Prince
Frederick died. the Princess Dowager Of Wales
| made further improvements having the work
superntended by Sir William Chambers. Indeed,
according TO T.. Beresford Chancellor's His
/ tory Of Kew, ito this Princess undoubtedly
due the honor ~ largely carrying into effect the
work begun by Lord Capel in nstituting a
Ihysic' garden there" So enthusiastic the
Princess in the matter that she planned and in
| 1139 employed William Acton 10 carry out the
! idea Of an exotic garden The present Kew Car
| dens are, therefore. a perpetuatiOn Of the same
| idea In 1872 the Duke Of Argyle presented the
| Princess with a fine collection Of trees and
shrubs that had been removed from Wilton
Park. and Her Royal Highness appointed Ter
! fav0rite Lord Butte, TO direct all matters relat-
ing 20 he gardens.
The homely Old fashioned place after the
ccath Of the Princess. In l1l2 became the favor
tie residence Of her son, George III, and it is not
surprising 10 find that a few years later he pur-
| chased from the Capel family the freehold ~
the estate so rich TO him with memories Of boy
hood and early manhood. Presumably the Old
palace was becoming too small for the require
ments ~ the royal household. and not long after
this the King began to build castellated palace
Oh the banks Of the river. but this was regarded
/ by contemporary opinion as a foolish project
and the "detesabe building" as it was de-
| sCribed was demolished in ISIS by George ".
AS already indicated when George III and his
Queen lived in the old palace. the Dutch House
was known as the Queens Lodge and also az
| the Nursery House" and the ground behind Il
was called The Queens Garden" II was on
this plot that the young Princes Were Initiated
into the art or agriculture Incy We're taught
10 SOW wheat and reap H. and not only that but
to grind it and bake the flour into bread. In
deed Kew Palace typical English home.
and the King who adorad the place. is said 20
have fed. lived and looked like typical English
farmer He lived for three months Of tn" year
here and frequently visited it during the re-
/ mainder ~ the year II is the scene II his
/ roval homcly life that is 10 be- thrown open %
public inspection II has remained untenantcd
! since the death Of Queen Charlotte and the
/ custodian Of it, on behalf u the Queen lives
close hy in a charmingly rustic cottage over
/ the doorway Of this ld-fashioned home ~ roy
atty may be seen the initials Fl. s O." with the
date 1871
Some " the rooms are Of good size but others
are small and dark one Of the drawing rooms
has ceiling in relief enhematic Of the seasons.
[ and here are 10 Do seen some quaint pieces or
| furniture and needework done hy some OF The
roval children. Some fine old oak panellIng
has unfortunately been painted white: and in
tanning a manuscript list Of the bells and the
rooms they rang from. on the doors inside the
horee aro massive brass plates engraved with
, the roval arms and the Prince - Waless
feathers and r p W" Frederick. Prince ~
I Wales Altogether the palace has quaint
and old world appearance that cannot FAN 20
interest the intelligent visitor Among the
curious features are the vast vaults on Whlcn
the palace is built. and these. from their con-
struction are believed 20 have formed the foun-
dation Of a former building There are. too'
underground passages 10 several OF the apart
rrenfs When the palace is thrown open, visi-
tors 10 Kew and its famous gardens will have
an opuortunity Of a peep into one of the historic
n, mes of our royal family.
NAVAL MESSAGES BY CARRIER-PiGEONS.