The Washington times., 1901-07-21
FOREIGN TOPICS.

1t is interesting to note that early royal
titles-as Mr.. Ashley states in the Die
tionary of English History'-were ma
uonal. and not territorial. Thus Egbert
was King of the West Saxons," and AL
fred often used the title of king of the
SaXons."
In view OF his Majestys name there is
| special interest in the style of Edward
the Elder. who designated himself king
of the Anglo-Saxons." Athelstan was the
first monarch to adopt regularly the title
OF king of the English, which was also
the official description of the Norman
| sovereigns. Magma Charta opens with
the words: John, by the grace of God.
| King OF England, Lord of Ireland. Duke
| or Normandy and Aquitaine, and Earl of
AnJou.' Edward 1 dropped the title de-
| rived from Normandy, but compensa-
ton Edward III added that of King of
| France, which was retained till 1901. De
fender of the Faith of course, came with
historical irony from the Pope to Henry
| VIII, who was the first to describe him.
self as King of ireland. James l was
| proclaimed King of England, Scotland,
France, and Ireland"
After the Scotch ac. of union Q70O
Anne took the style OF Queen of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland" which,
with the Irish act of union. became ''of
| Ireland, King" The Inst change was
made in 1876. when Queen Victoria as
| suined the imperial title of Empress of
| India"
King Edward. like Napoleon Bonaparte
| and his restless nephew, the German Kai-
ser, has high appreciation of the his
toricai Importance of the events in his
reign and is giving orders to eminent
painters to commemorate them upon can
vas for the benefit OF posterity while the
persons participating are still alive. The
King is now sitting two hours a day to
Luke F'ildes for a portrait in the robes
that he wore at his accession. He has or
dered picture of heroic size of the scene
in the House of Lords on that occasion,
and has commissioned another artist TO
paint a scene which occurred at St. James
Palace the other day when he received an
embassy to deliver the congratulations of
the Sultan of Morocco upon his accession
to the throne. Another picture will be
painted of his Majesty in the act of de-
livering medals to the heroes of the South
African war. This will introduce eighteen
or twenty of the most important military
figures in that episode of British history.
If the portrait of Mr.. Fides Is satisfac-
tory thirty or forty replicas will be or
dered for the various colonies of the Brit
ish Crown. Hence the order involves the
work of several years and Will bring a
In France doors and windows are taxed
In over 100000 houses. and returns made
a few years ago showed that the amount
received from such taxation was just
about half as much was received from
the land tax. Every railway ticket in
France is taxed, and, in fact, in that
country almost everything Of any value
or of money-producing power is taxed
either by central or local authorities. or
both. Everything that goes into any city
or town in the shape of wine, fruit, poui-
try, fish, or any kind Of food or drink is
taxed as 1t enters. Any person placing
tables plants. or flowers In front of his
establishment or an awning over doors
or windows is taxed fog SO doing. The
town authorities of Bonn. In Germany,
have decreed that every projecting win
dow or balcony shall be taxed 50 marks,
or about g. los year.
Vice Admiral Gervais, of the French
navy, who is in command of the COM
bined Mediterranean and northern squad
rons for the naval maneuvres, has just
published an article on the structure and
distribution of the French fleet. He Sc
verely cIiticises the various naval ar
rangements, which, since the days OF
Trafalgar, have become established in
stitutions. He denounces as sheer and
absolute folly the custom of maintaining
two separate, and therefore weak, squad
rons, one in the Mediterranean and the
other III the English Channel. The Med
iterranean squadron, he writes. Is COM
posed of the newest and fastest warships.
while the channel squadron contains old
vessels, and would be OF no use where 1t
is in a war with England. Vice Admiral
Gervais even goes so far as to intimate
that all this would rave been changed
but for the outcry which would inevita-
bly, have been raised by the Inhabitants
of Brest and Cherbourg IL the hope OF
their gains had been blasted by the with
drawal of the squadron.
Admiral Dupont has also raised his
voice against the present distribution of
the French fleet. What" he exclaimed
the other day to an interviewer, is that
large squadron of ironclads doing in the
channel? Its place is not there but in
the Mediterranean. 1t is at Ioulon and
Bizerta that We ought to be able some
day d,a, to reply xictorousiy VI to Malta sn1 and
basin of the Mediterranean, that our va
val destiny must be decided; SO We should
concentrate all our attention, eforts, and
resources upon II.
The reason for the refusal Of Emperor
William to sanction the election OF Herr
Kaufman as second burgomaster Of
Berlin is stated to be that twenty years
ago Herr Kaufman, who was then an
officer in the Landwehr. took an active
part in electoral agitation and was Presi-
dent of the Waldeck Progressist Associa-
ton. Owing to his attitude he was dis
missed from the army. but he was al
lowed by Emperor William l to retain his
title of officer. The whole Ministry ap-
proved of Herr Kauffmann's election as
second burgomaSter, and the action of
the Emperor is expected to cause much
feeling.
The news that King Edward is reduc-
ing the expenses of the royal household
calls attention to the enormous costs of
equpping and maintaining royal kitchens. |
The one at Windsor is by no means the |
most costly Nevertheless it contains |
nearly $4,000 worth of copper and $4,000 |
worth of silver and silver-plated utensils. |
George III expended $4,000 upon the fit |
tings, which are mostly of black oak, and |
apart from their historical interest have |
greatly decreased in value.
Soon after his accession to the throne |
the Car laid out 100000 in remodeling |
and furnishing the imperial kitchens at
the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg. All |
the cooking utensils are OF solid silver, |
and include forty stewing pans. none of |
which could be purchased under goo
apiece.
The spice boxes are of solid gold, en-
graved with the imperial arms. and the
ranges and ovens are edged with silver.
The actual cost of building the kitchen
was Sl20, 600 the purest black marble be-
ing used throughout, and the decorations
were responsible for an outlay OF $4,000.
Among the cooking utensils should be
mentioned 5000 silver spoons and gold
gridiron that belonged to the great Cath