The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-25

London, June 24-With dramatic sud-
 denness King Edward VII. has been
 stricken down upon the eve of his cOro-
 nation. Tonight he lies in a critical state at Buckingham Palace. Indescrib- able consternation prevails throughout
 the country, and this consternation is reflected in the cablegrams received from all the centers of the universe.
 King Edward is in a room facing the
 beautiful gardens of Buckingham Pal ace, far from the street crowd. If to- nights progress is maintained he will probably tide over the effects of his se-
 were operation, which has successfully
 removed the local trouble But should
 any complication occur, such as septic peritonitis or blood poisoning, it is fear ed his majestys present physical and
 nervous condition would prove unequal to the strain involved. There Is, conse
 quently, intense anxiety as to the out come. His age-sixty- years-is also considered somewhat against him.
 His doctors believe that his majesty would have been dead before now ex cept for the operation. His condition became so alarming last night that at one time it was feared death might en- sue before the surgeons knife could af- ford him relief Intense swelling of the extremities accompanied by alarming symptoms of modification, constituted the emergency which demanded an i'm mediate operation. To the last the king tried to avoid this, and he was willing to be carried to the abbey for the cere- monies in order that it should occur as arranged The influence of Queen AL exandra was enlisted, however and at an early hour this morning the royal patient was prepared for the operation which, even in the skillful hands of England's best surgeons, was fraught with grave danger.
 Shortly before ? o'clock this after noon his majesty was moved from his couch to the operating table, and the anaesthetic was administered. Sir Frederick Traves made the incsion near the patients groin and carried it upwards with an outward slant for nearly four inches. The obstruction was removed and tubing was placed III ltie dlleCItu IHltSlllle.
 King Edwards first word when he returned to consciousness was to ask for George and the Prince of Wales, who was waiting in the next room, was immediately admitted to his fathers presence.
 While the operation was being per- formed the great central court yard of Buckingham palace, so lately the scene of such brilliant gatherings, was utter ly deserted, and an impressive silence reigned throughout the building. The equerries talked in whispers, servants tiptoed about and the tension grew al- most unbearable. Then the word was passed around "All had gone we'll"
 Rumors are afloat this morning that although the necessity of surgery in his majestys case was obvious the actual operation was misdirected. The symp- toms of great pain and high tempera- ture pointed to appendicitis but when the appendix was revealed it proved to l be healthy, and the unexpected exist ence of a large abscess in the coecum | was discovered.
 Whether or not there is any founda- ton for these rumors, the bulletins | have seemed to indicate that the sur geons were satisfied in first instances | with the evacuation of the abscess and 1 that they made nor attempt to remove | the appendix or other structures which | might contain the germs of future dan | ger, probably preferring to defer such | operation to some future period
 Lord Salisbury and MT. Balfour then went in to congratulate Queen Alexan- dra, and afterwards an informal and , perhaps historic discussion occurred be- tween the Prince of Wales, Lord Sails bury and MT. Balfour.
 Before the end of the afternoon over two thousand callers, who included all the foreign representa- atives in London and members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, had inscribed their names on the visit ors' book at Buckingham Palace. All the royal princes called especially on the Prince of Wales and bade him good bye. The majority of them will leave London tomorrow morning for their countries.
 In striking contrast to the happy an- ticipation with which the day opened is