The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-19
ITS PLACE IN HISTORY.
No. 10 Downing Street Is a Most In
teresting old House.

terestAnS OAH mousse
From Pearson's Weekly.
Although Great Britain is to some ex-
tent indebted 20 nature for the position she
occupies to-day, still its wealth and pros
perity is largely due to the industry and
high qualities of the race and the condi-
tons of society, which favorlng the growth
OF a lelsured class. have ever furnished
goodly supply of statesmen to safeguard
the interests of the realm.
Although the empire building, of which
we hear so much to-day, commenced some
three centuries ago, it never assumed real
Importance till No 10 Downing street,
Whitehall. London, became the official res
idence of the first lord of the treasury
As the British empire in those days was
rather small affair. small house was
deemed quite sufficient for the official
abode of the prime minister.
Downing street was erected by Sir
George Downing S34 years ago on the site
OF the cockpit of the palace of Whitehall.
From the very first il was the home of
distinguished people, but il did not become
the abode of British statesmen till George
II made No. 10 the official residence of
Walpole and all other prime ministers al
ter him forever.
A shabby old red brick house is No 10,
and dwarfed into utter insignificance by
the sDlendor of the government offices
surrounding IT, With its funny-looldng
lions head knocker, its old-fashioned street
door and antiquated windows, brick-face0
front sunken area and crumbling ratings
il looks like some belated survival which
has somehow escaped notice in the mod
ernizing of London.
Transferred to the suburbs and Invested
of its reputation 1t might fetch $50 year
not more. AZ Whitehall, its appearance at
| the mart would cause a profound sensa-
| ton for with all its meanness the absence
| of spacious vestibu.es, magnificent stair
| cases, apartments gorgeous and stately
like those of its lordly neighbors, No. 10
| Downing street is by far the most inter-
| es ting house in the British empire.
1t is the official residence of the first
| lords of the treasury, and for two cen
| turtles past great ministers have met there
| and discussed matters of vast and imperial
| importance TO the country over whose des-
TIMES they presided.
Could the walls of the old house speak
many an unwritten page would have to be
( added TO the history of the British empire
| Curious as it may seem, the place, dingy
| and uncomfortable as it is, has the power
OF winning the love of its occupants. They
| come prepared 90 regard it as an office
| but they soon grow TO look upon it as a
| home How could it be otherwise with
house so rich in historical associations?
| Lord Liverpool and Canning were so fas-
| cinated by its gories that they set up their
| family belongings there, an example fol-
lowed by Mr. Gladstone and his great
rival Lord Beaconsfeld. Mr.. w. H. Smith
! was not romantic to leave Belgravia for
| Whitehall.
1t was here beside the old fireplace in the
hall that those two great warriors, Nelson
| and wellington, met for the only time in
| their lives. Neither knew who the other
| was, but the conversation of Wellesley
| made so deep an impression on the sailor
thai before he left he asked the hall porter
who the man was with the conquering
| nose.
The room most replete with historical
| memories is the old council chamber on
the ground floor. II was this apartment
which gave birth to the innumerable
schemes hatched for the overthrow of Ma
poleon.
Mr. Gladstone, always a lover of peace.
conceived such dislike for 1.-THE murder
| chamber" as he called il, that he turned
IL over to his secretaries and held the
councils in his own private room up
stairs.
The thick outer doors render the apart
ment so suitable for secret concave that
Lord Beaconsdeld also made il his council
chamber, ana had moved into IL the chair
SO which the great PIT used TO sit. Lord
Rosebery, too. loved PITTS chair.
The table IA the center Is covered with
green cloth, and, although Lord Salisbury
holds his cabinet councils az the foreign
office, chairs bottng pads. etc, are sim
placed round the table In case Of emcrgen-
cics.
The lock 20 the garden door Is Of pecu-
liar construction, aud the key remains m
tho possession OF the tenant tlll he quits
office Near the wall OF the garden n an
Old garden Hont colonial visitors looking
oser the old house viii Boz certain to visit
ihe garden, for the aeat b. immouaIizea
as having been see upon by Lord Bea-