The evening times., 1900-01-08
vICTORIA's PRIVATE MUsFUM.
Information About n LittIe-Kno,vn
Room at windsor

tFs1m Tt-BitsJ
There is at Windsor Castle a private mu-
scum which is Of very recent date and in
the formation Of which Her Majesty has
taken an immense amount Of interest Its
treasures are in many cases Of unique
value. both from their associations and
their intrinsic worth.
In 1885 some WOrkmen engaged in tear
ing out a set OF apartments that had long
remained unused, and which were situated
ID the tower. came upon some old lumber,
as they imagined IL TO be. in a MASSAGE
which was quite blocked up with il. On
closer examination. however. the lumber
turned out 70 be collection Of most In
teresting and valuable rei--s. whose very
existence had been forgotten for genera
tions.
Her Majesty took great interest in the
md, and, in conjunction with the inspec-
tor. conceived the idea OF making a private
museum Of these and similar treasures in
the lower yestibule. an apartment near the
equerrles entrance on the ground floor.
II was just at this time that Sir Herbert
Kitchener. now Lord Kitchener. Of Ehar-
tum- paid visit 70 Windsor on the concIu-
sion Of the DOugOla expedition in 1897 He
brought with him several trophies Of the
campaign. which the Queen PROMPTLY or
deTed 20 occupy the first case Of her new
museum These treasures consisted Of
Wad Bishara's red banner. with its lin
rattle. which was captured al the battle OF
F1rket. also crusaders sword found in
his house and with a Spanish motto in
German characters which SAYS: DO not
sheathe me without homer" In this case
TOO, the Queen has placed the Afghan tro-
phles presented 10 her by Lord Roberts ten
years previously
The second contains several notable ar
Jicles chief Of which is a fine specimen Of
eXecutioner's ak, which has evidently seen
great service and which was given 10 the
Queen by Sir William COngreve- who in
vented the war rocket.
The next case has a unique collection Of
beautiful feather clOaks formerly belong
ing TO some chiefs OF the South Sea Is
lands. On a charming network are sewn
feathers so minute that they form
smooth. finished surface in black yellow
and red Colors. Most OF these are single
feathers Of a very rare species OF parrot.
and each Of the magnificent cloaks has
been valued by experts at not less than
&10,G00. On further enquiry II was
found that they had been given by the
King OF the Sandwich Islands in 1924. 20
his majesty. King George "
In the fourth case are a great set of
Nepaulese knives and daggers used in
our Indian frontier campaigns bv the
GhoOrka and similar tribes The .Kokri %
OF GnOol hid A-hLllB hulIe. winch the ua-
tive uses in preference to the sword or
bayonet, is well worth attention.
Case No. . displays the head and skin
Of an enormous Indian lion around which
have been grouped the ancient Hanoverian
standards of the first three Georges. some
weapons Of the Zulus taken at Isandhlana.
some finely caparisoned saddles Of war
horses. and a ''sampit," or blow tube. used
TO shoot poisoned darts by the natives Of
BOrneO.
The next collection is a very fine and
unique one. being that Of a succession OF
spurs. Of all shapes and sorts. from the
wars Of the roses till today With these
are placed six pieces OF plate which for
merly belonged TO the Thirty-second Regi-
ment. They viii At once strike the specta
tors attention by their extraordinary
snaps. being twisted into most fantastic
arrangements. This was due TO the effects
Of a shot which struck the regimentai plate
chest during the siege Of Lucknow.
Case No. may be said to represent war
weapons Of various countries. They are
old muskets and blunderbuses Of the Prus-
sians French. HanOvariOns. Russians. Por-
tugueSe. Spanish, and English. Also Afri-
can war hatchets and hammers together
with bundles OF spears and arrow heads
Of the North American Indians. Then
there are the shields and weapons OF Asiat-
ic savages. as well as of such nations as
the Chinese asd japanese.