Washington sentinel., 1900-06-30
The Bodyguards OF Soverei gns.
EzeniRg .SILNRara,

tates, however great their popular
itv and the strength OF the armies,
have always been 10th to entrust
the sole guardianship oitheirsacred
persons to attendants from their
own subjects, pTeierrlng BODY
guards o. foreign nationality. As
the greatest safeguard against
treason they employ aliens holding
that money purchases more faith
full service than that prompted by
patriotism. For centuries the
6delity and sturdiness of the Swiss
were so famed that nearly every
European ruler had Swiss body
guard, entrusting himself to their
protection rather than to that OF
his own subjects. Until
the middle of the eighteenth cen
tury the French Kings had Scots
Guard, and Gustavus Ado!phus
formed a similar corps. Moors
were also highly esteemed as
Royal bodYguards. Beng Mo
hammedans, they had no scruples
in riddlng their masters oil any
Christians who were inclined to
thwart the Royal plans The great
Napoleon was attended by dozen
Mamelukes, and one Of these al
ways slept across the doorway Of
the Emperor's bedroom. Undl
Fifty years ago the Moorish body
guard formed a picturesque feature
OF the Spanish Court. They were
6na1y disbanded by Queen lsa-
bella. The term Infantry 1t
may be noted, was originally the
Spanish name for the bodyguard
Of a Royal Prince or "Inlante.
The Moors, however, were the
guard during the day. For CEN
turies it has been the right Of the
Mnnteros Of EspInosa to guard the
Spanish Sovereign during the
night For four hundred years
natives Of Espinosa, who have
served in the army with honor,
have enjoyed the exclusive privl-
lege Of guarding the Royal family
oil Spain from sunset to sunrise.
Their service begins at mi dnight.
At that hour they enter the Palace,
locking the gates after the ancient
ceremony. The men are clad in
mail, carry halberds, and wear ielt
soft shoes. Before the door OF the
sleeping apartment OF each Royal
Prince and Princess one Of them is
stationed. The remainder in their
felt soled shoes silently patrol the
halls and corridors until 2 a. m,
when all withdraw and open the
Palace gates to the outer world.
The Gar of Russia is most Wig
ilantly guarded. The Preobrash-
enski or Imperial Guards were in
corporated by Peter the Great.
Not man is under six feet six
inches in height. The Guards
Chasseurs are composed Of only
dark complexioned men, " lille the
Smailowski are all blondes. A
re10HSSe nose is essential to enrol
ment in the Pavlow Guards. These
corps are especially privileged: a
lieutenant in the Guards ranks
higher than the colonel oil an ordi.
nary line regiment. But the special
bodyguard o. the White Car con.
sists Of Turkomans, the hereditary
and deadly enemies Of all Rus
SLAMS. Less obtrusiy E, but not less
protective, are he Corsican secret
police. They number about forty
men, and always accompany,
shadow, and surround the Auto
crat Of all the RusSias. They eye
every member Of the Imperial
Household from prince TO soul
lion with the same suspicion.
They keep a keen eye on the
kitchen. to prevent poison being
introduced into the Royal food.
With Turkoman and Corsican to
guard them the Emperors are per-
nally served by English atten-
dants. Well might the late Gar
say to the Princess OF Wales when
the annual family gathering at
Copenhagen broke up, "Good. bye,
my dear; you 60 back to your
English home, and | to my Rus
sian prison." The freedom with
which the Gar. unattended By uni
formed officials, moved about in
Moscow during his recent visit,
was contrary to all Russian prece-
dent, and created a leep impress
sion among the people.