Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
KING MAY VISIT US
Admirers of Edward VII Dis
cuss the Matter.
PALMA TROPHY DINNER
THE AMERICAN CHEER" SUB
JECT OF COMMENT.
Belief That Japan and Russia Will
Fight-London News and
Gossip.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

States? l hear that some of the officers OF
the American squadron have been discuss
ing this very interesting question with their
British friends, and have expressed the
hope that it may be automatically made
and answered in the affirmative. They con-
firm the opinion. generally held by Ameri-
can visitors to this country, that if the king
were to become the guest of the great re-
public he would receive a more cordial well
come than lie has ever met with in any
country outside of his own. 1t is, of course,
recognized out of the question that his
majesty should cross the Atlantic this year
but it is suggested that he might find it
possible to do so in the autumn of next
year. The most ardent of his majestys
American admirers would not, however, ex-
pect him to cross the ocean for the purpose
of visiting the United States alone He
would naturally go there before, or after,
brief sojourn among his loyal subjects of
Canada. His recent European tour has evil
IDENTIFY fired people on your side with IA de-
sire that "England'S AMBASSADOR should
draw closer the bonds between this country
and own. The bare fact that the prof.
ect is being discussed serves to emphasize
the universal impression that the king
should take most credit for the Anglo
French rapproChement, and to suggest the
interesting reflection that the two great re-
puhcs of the world not only appreciate.
but serve to demonstrate that monarchy
may have other advantages than those of
picturesqueness. And could there be any
thing mere happily appropriate than that
the first kingly guest at the White House
should he he who, if history had not writ
ten itself differently. would have been rep
resented there by a viceroy and not an am
bassador?
Palma Trophy Dinner.
yI,1,o
to the Palma trophy victors a the Troca
dero last night looked strangely familiar
until one remembered that one had been
looking at them under Bisley hats and in
Bisley costumes the ranges up to two
hours before. There was indeed n hur-
RED stampede from the ground to the rail-
way station when the match was over, and
1t was said that some of the diners changed
into evening dress on the way to Waterloo.
1t was quite international gathering,
and many tongues were spoken. But the
circumstance that the American and En-
giish representatives spoke and applauded
in 1.-THE tongue that Shakespeare spoke"
while French and Norwegians had to ap-
plaud on faith, served to remind one how
great unifier is common language
The Americans modestly attributed their
victory to luck. The shooting conditions
were perfect, clear sky and only the light
est breeze, but the Brtons would have had
a better chance If the weather had been
less perfect.
1 found very little disposition to affirm
or admit that the match had shown the
krag-Jorgensen rifle to be better than the
Lee-Enfield service weapon, and indeed,
the Norwegians. who were low down in the
list used the krag, which is the service
rifle of their own army. The French dis
dained good many of the appliances
which Americans and Britons find so neces-
sary to long distance shooting, and instead
Of adopting the natural positions favored
here imposed upon themselves all the dSa-
bilities of military discipline.
The Duke of Cambridge presided at the
dinner and made wonderfully sustained
speech for old a man. He rarely misses
the opportunity of telling his hearers that
he is old man. The Americans gave
proposed, and took the cheering out of
British mouths. The American cheer
startled the other natonalities and is thus
described in an English newspapers:
Their leader called out, Now, with a
great. big, high rocket. and the stick
long time coming down, and the cheers that
followed We're supposed to represent this
proceeding by onomatopoetic sounds. 50
the cheers went like this: 'Ho-o-o-o-on,'
which was supposed to describe the letting
off of the rocket; 'S-s-s-s, described its
cent; 'Oh-h-h-h, We're the EXPLANATIONS OF
the spectators delight, and 'Ah-h-h-h' OF
their complete satisfaction; and these
sounds were repeated several times. But
1t would be just as appropriate to initiate
Il
studied methods of Cheering really
failures"
The writer thinks that the American
method seems to suggest that there is Il
problem in the cheer. The Australian
troopers who came over here for the dia-
mond jubilee startled Henley one day by
cheer" which ran like this: "Rck-tick
ricktickrick hoopa h -hoOpa h-hey;" then after
a pause, "Ra-di-dadi and Il final "Coo-ee.
But these elaborate formulas become
tirely meaningless. They spoil all the spon-
taneity of the thing, and spontaneity Is
essential to the success of cheer.
Gear of Russia Ill.
l have just heard from the mouth of
high Russian official that the ear is Ill.
He is not confined to his room, but he Is
depressed and suffering. Ministers keep his
ma jesty so fully occupied with details that
he has not time or energy for the mastery
of important and serious matters. The
Kishineff massacre, for instance, caused
him much concern that he sent special
representative to the spot to check the re-
ports which were placed before him from
official sources. The ministers nulitied this
good intention however, and the result was
mass of conflicting reports. The infiu-
eEce of ministers over the present ear IS
greater than that of the advisers of any Oh
his predecessors. Each minister is ear IN
his own department.
The Russian people are disappointed with
interest in mis- bicycle than in his army.
He reads the reports that are placed before
him by the war and naval ministers, but
he never makes suggestions or evinces in
terest in the various proposals. Each min
lister has an interview with the car once
week. The whole of his majesty's time is
consumed in reading official reports and IN
devoting himself to his family. There Is
probably no unhappier sovereign in Europe
than Emperor Nicholas, whose energies ale
exhausted by the hopeless attempt to mas
ter details which are beyond his power.
A friend who has just returned from Rus
STA and Manchuria tells me that signs
have ceased to be significant" if war does
not shortly break out between Japan and
Russia. The latter power, at any rate, Is
preparing for it, and all the urgent concen-
trat on of munitions of the war in the far
east express the belief of her ministers
that the outbreak is close at hand. Japan,
on the other hand, while making the same
preparations with the same belief, thinks
that war will not come until spring. Russia
has just placed in the krupp and Erhardt