The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-24
KING LEOPOLD OF BELGIUM.
Some of His Observation-Disclosures of
House of Newcastle.
MardIise de FOntepaV in the RaItinore

some of His Nageries-TrOubIes of
House of Newcastle.
Marquise de Fontenay in the Baltimore
American.
Those who are disposed to believe that
it is only in novels and me,odramas that
monarehs are wont to myster:ously van
ish from sight, either temporarily or for
ever, need only cast a passing glance at
the Belgian newspapers just to hand in
order to convince themse YES that there
is no nee sity for either novelist or play.
wright to draw on their ina gination in
the matter. For King Leopold has once
again been alarming his people and his
family, besides throwing in confusion
the whole government administration. by
being completely lost fer the space of an
entire ten days An important cabinet
council was to have been held on a stated
day at Ostend, to which all the minis
ters had been summoned and a number
of DEGREES and proclamations of urgent
gravity were ava ting the Kings sigma,
ture including one giving the royal sane
ton to the dispatch of a Belgon contin-
gent to China. The ministers and the va
rious government officials arrived at Os-
tend on the appointed day. but there was
no Kipg. Inquiry led to a reluctant ad-
mission on the part of the court officials
who are obi & d 10 bserVe the utmost
d screton in revealing the masters
whe eabouts-that the King was away
yachting somewhere in the North sea. In
asmuch as the government bus ness for
which his presence was needed admitted
of no delay, kilograms were sent to all
the German Dutch. Danish and British
ports at which it was thought that the
royal yacht might possibly touch, but
no trace OF the King could be found. Day
followed day. and the alarm, net only at
Osterd, but like wise at Brussels, and in
deed throughout Belgium. grew hourly,
until finally after ten days of anxiety
and dsmay and confusion, the King fin
ally sailed into port without vouchsafing
any other explanation than that he had
been delayed by str SIS of weather, cal
though the meteorological reports gave
no indication CT any bad weather having
been noted in Northern Europe.
Through the Kings non-arrival in tine
the departure of the Belgian troops for
China has been delayed for three weeks.
and inasmuch as there are great Belgian
industrial and commercial interests in
China, a good deal of Indignation prevails
at the prospect of these interests being
compromised through the action of the
King, for if Belgian is sending contln-
gent to China, il is with the object of re-
ceiving its share in the territorial and
financial indemnities estorted from the
Chinese government as the result of the
present military opera tons in the Far
Orient
This is by no means the first time that
the King has disappeared in this fashion
On one memorable occasion he complete
ly vanished from sight for the space of
six weeks, and ministerial crisis having
Unexpectedly arisen in Brussels, he was
sought far and wide, the sittings of Par
lament being suspended from day 20 day
since there was no possibility of pro-
roguing the legislature or receiving the
resignation of the defeated ministers. nor
yet of appointing their successors, with
out the Kings presence. When last heard
of he had been yachting off the Moorish
coast and as Belgium has no navy, Eng
fish. German and French warships were
requested to cruise along the Moorish
coast with the object OF discovering II
the royal yacht had perhaps been wrecked
and Leopold captured by Moorish pirates.
Finally, after all Europe was IN a state OF
perturbation about the matter. the King
was by chance found enjoying himself BY
means OF a driving tour In questionable
company IN one of the most remote por-
lions Of Switzerland
Nor can one forget that memorable
birthday OF his three years ago. when an
the troops OF the Brussels garrison hav-
ing taken up their position IN review or.
der aud the dignitaries Of the court ana