The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-06
NO. 10 DOWNING STREET.
One Of The Most Famous Houses in London and
lis Diplomatic 0cCupanis.

Although Great Britain is to some eX-
tent indebted TO nature for the position
she occupies today, still it's wealth and
prosperity are largely due TO the in
dustry and high qualities Of the race
and the conditions of society. which,
favoring the growth of leisured
class. have ever furnished goodly sup
ply of statesmen to safeguard the in
terests of the realm.
Although the empire building, of
which we hear so much today. com
menced some three centuries ago, il
never assumed real Importance till No.
10 Downing street. Whitehall, London,
became the official residence of the
First Lord of the Treasury. according
To Pearson's Weekly.
Downing street was erected by Sir
George Downing 334 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 It
did not become the abode OF British
statesmen till George H. made No. 10
the official residence of Walpole and all
the other Prime Ministers after him for
ever.
\ shabby, old red-brick house is No.
10 and dwarfed into utter significance
by the splendor of the government Of
fees surrounding il. With it's funny
looking lions head knocker. it's old
fashioned street door and antiquated
windows, brick faced front, sunken area
and crumblng ratings IL looks like
some belated survival which has some
how escaped notice in the modernizlng
of London.
Transferred TO the suburbs and di-
nf iig n mi
$50 a year-not more. At Whitehall,
its appearance at the mart would cause
a profound sensation, for. with all its
meanncss, the absence of spacious Ves
tibues magnificent staircases, apart
menst gorgeous and stately, like those
of its lordly neighbors, No 10 Downing
street is hy far the most Interesting
house i'm the British Empire.
IL Is the official residence of the First
Lord of the Treasury, and for tWo cen
turtles past. great Ministers have met
there,aud discussed matters of vast and
imperial Importance to the country over
whose destinies they presided.
Lord Liverpool and Canning were so
facinated 10y it's glorics that they set up
their family belonging there, an eX-
ample followed 10y Mr.. Gladstone and
his great rival. Lord Beaconslield.
IL was here beside the old fireplace IN
the han that those two great warriors.
Nelson and Wellington, met for the
only time i'm their lives. Neither knew
who the other was. but the cOnvcrsa-
ton OF Wellesley made so deep an inn
preston on the sailor that before he left
be 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 lloor 1t was this apart
mcnt which gave birth to the iunumvr-
ablcs schemes hatchod for the overthrow
of Napoleon. Mr. Gladstone. always a
lover OF peace. conceived such a dislike
TOR "thc murder chamber" as he called
20. that ne turned II over 60 his score
tirlcs aud held the councils In his own
private rooms upstairs. The thick outer
doors render the apartment So suitable
FOR secret couClacc that Lord Ji'acons-
field also made ID his council vhemb"r.
and had moved 10 into the chair iu which
the great PIT used 90 sit Lord Rose
berry too. loved Pitts chnir. The table
in the center is covered with green
cloth. and although Lord salisbury
holds his Cabinet councils at the For
cign Onicc chairs blotting pads. etc,
arr stuu placed round the table TO the
garden iu case of cmergencies
The louk tn tho garden door BE- of
peculiar construction. and The koy re-
mnius lu the possession uf the tenant
iiil BE- quits uficc. Near the wall of me
garden is au old garden scat Colonial
Nisitots looking over the house Wlu bc
certain to visit the garden Tor the scat
is immortalizod as having been sat upOn
by Lord Bcnconsheld the evening bc-
fore ho quilted London Tor Berlin o.
upset thn san Stefauo treaty.
40 diplomatic etiquette did not forbid
No lD Downing street from being "a
popular exhibition. the little huu~s
would De- one ~ the show sights 0f the
world.