The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-09


council is likely to prove interfting
to American shippers.
The condition of the port of London
has long been subject of indignant
protest from everybody compelled to
use Il.
During the busy season there is
usually shoal of vessels lying off
Gravesend unable to find dock accom-
mediation, and II Is a notorious fact
that the navigation of the River
Thames, below London Bridge, is worse
than Hell Gate. in New York. was
before its Instructions were removed
by dynamite.
The management of the docks Is in
the hands of fifty-three distinct, inde-
pendent authorities, entailing enough
red tape to fit out any ordinary ves-
sells cables. etc.
At the coming election the Radicals,
or. as they are called in local politics.
the Progressives. have n platform
calling for municipal ownership of all
the docks and the excavation of a
thirty foot channel as far as Black
wall, cleaning out the fossilized cor
porations and privileged companies, re-
modelling the docks up to date. and
intrustng their future management to
a committee representing the council,
the shippers, the government and the
London corporation.
The programme is the most drastic
onslaught on the London corporation
system there has been for centuries.
Many Of the privileges attacked date
back almost to the Norman conquest,
and were granted when piracy was
not fnfrequent as far up the river as
Deptford.
THE KINGS POWERS.
King Edward VII possesses many
very extraordinary powers and priv
ileges which not many people are
aware of, and which it is possible even
his majesty does not quite realize.
Some of his possessions are distinct
ly curious. AS an example he is the
sole proprietor of the beds of all Brit
ish tidal rivers such as the Thames,
the Mersey, the Dee, the Tyne and
many others. That part of the shore
all around the coast which lies between
high water and low water mark also
belongs to his ma jesty. and he may put
it to any use which he thinks fit, while
theoretically every inch of ground in
the kingdom still belongs to him and
not to the landlords. If any of his sub
1ects find new lands they belong to
the king. If a Britisher first finds the
north pole then the north pole will be-
long TO the king. or if an island should
suddenly rise in the sea it would be-
long to the king
1t is an old saying that the king can
do no wrong, but possibly it is not un-
derstood that this is actually and liter
ally the case in England as far as the
king and the law is concerned He
would not be held personally RESPONSE
BILE for any crime or tort" which he
chose to commit at any time. The law
In such cases says that any injury
which might be inflicted upon sub
tect In this way must be ascribed to
the mistake of the kings advisers.
Upon no pretense can his majesty be
arrested, nor can his goods be dis
trained or taken in execution in case
he did not meet his liabilities.
His majesty is exempt from taxation.
This comes about by the simple process
of reasoning that, as the revenue of the
realm, is his prerogative, it would be
useless and absurd for him to tax him
self
KINGS RIGHTS.
The king may demand the immediate
return to England of any of his sub
Jects, no matter where they may be at
the time. and he has the power to de-
clare that any particular person shall
not leave the country, no matter for
what reason. AS head of the army and
navy he has many curious privileges,
and for one thing may absolutely for
bid the importation into the country of
any munitions of war.
There has been no disclosure of the
nature and scope of the Victorian
memorial which will be proposed by "A
committee headed by the Archbishop
OF Canterbury, Lord Salisbury and
Lord Roseberry. 1t is thought that the
memorial will have both a practical
ana an ornamental side, involving a
work of benevolence on a large scale