Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
HIGH HONORACCORDED
Extraordinary Hospitality to
the LongWorths in London.
FOR THE PRESIDENTS SAKE
Our Chief Executive Much Esteemed
in England.
AMERICAN WOMEN WITH TITLES
Long List Of International Marriages
Intimate Relations Held
With Royalty.
AMERICAN WOMEN WITH TITLES
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
LONDON. June Is, 1905
I do not remember that any American
ever received higher social honors in London
than have been paid to Mr.. and Mrs Mich
olas Longworth, unless 1t was Gen and
Mrs Grant. Many Of our countrymen have
visited this city under most favorable aus
pices and have enjoyed extraordinary hos
pftality, but the Presidents daughter has
been received a princess. has been given
precedence over all the nobility and aris-
tocracy and, a sporting person would
say, has been classed with the royal fam
lily. WWherever she has been the seat of
honor has been accorded to her without
question, and that Is a tremendous conces-
sion from people whose names are num-
bered in the order of their rank in Debretts
peerage. In England every man with
title has a number which indicates his po-
sition in the order of social precedence,
and he must be placed Immediately after
the one who wears the next highest num-
Der and Immediately before the one who has
the next lowest number. The kind Is num-
Der one, the queen Is number two the
Prince of Wales Is number three and after
him the rest of the royal family. Mr.. and
Mrs Longworth have followed next in rank,
although thus far no tags of numbers have
been pinned to their democratic garments
This has been not only an acknowledge
ment of a relationship to the President of
the United States, but 1t Is intended to be
a compliment to the American people. 1t
means that our Observation-Disclosures we
may select to fill that office-is acknowl-
edged to be the equal in power and rank to
the sovereigns of Europe. 1t is also intend
ed as testimonial of respect and esteem
to the person Theodore Roosevelt who is
almost as well known here as he is at
home and is an object of intense interest
on the part of the British people.
went downtown this morning to talk
with the officials of the Russo Jewish COM
mttee, an organization of Englishmen who
have been doing a great deal and as much
as any one can do to relieve and protect
their coreligionists In Russia. Almost the
first question the secretary asked me was
What sort of chap is your President?"
Coming up on the top of a bus the other
day I sat beside country parson who was
in town for days shopping, and we got
into conversation He knew that was an
American by the same token that l knew
his profession, and after a few words about
the weather he remarked: I'VE have great
admiration over here for your President"
l went into a bank this morning for some
money and while / was waiting for the
clerk to make up the draft the cashier re-
marked: THAT President of yours keeps
stirring things up. doesn't he?" These
remarks illustrate how much attention he
Is receiving from the British people and he
stands very high In their estimation. There
FORE a part of the honor and glory that
his daughter and son-in-law have received
was intended for him.
Ambassador Reid's Lavish Hospitality
The story OF their entertainment has
been told in the daily dispatches Mr.. and
Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. the American ambas-
sador and his wife, who was daughter Of
Mr.. D. o. Mills of San Francisco, have
done wonders for them. Few people could
have done SO much The Reds have taken
the lead in social affairs in London, and
no in the diplomatic circle at the cou, :
of ST. James ever lived in greater splendor
or entertained in a more sumptuous man
ner. 1t is costing Mr.. Reid between $3.50
COO and $500 900 a year to keep the Ameri-
can eagle screaming. II he remains here
four years, as he probably will. 1T will cost
him at least a million dollars to crafty his
social ambitions but he will make record
in that respect that no embassy in any
capital of Europe, Asia, Africa or America
ever surpassed.
His house rent is $4,000 year, for which
he is enabled to occupy the finest private
palace in Europe, and he has country
seat for the summer for which he pays
$4,000 a year. His embassy is the most
sumptuous residence on Park lane, the
most famous residence thoroughfare In
LONDON, ana IL Is said TO De insured, with
its contents, for 81, 600 900. The larger
part of this insurance Is upon the pictures,
one of the finest, most valuable and rare
of all the private collections In Europe. The
library is equally rare and contains ex-
ampleS of the most valuable books IN print.
The mansion is called Dorchester House;
1t ranks next to Buckingham Palace, the
residence of the king, in magnificence. 1t
surpasses Marlborough House, the resi-
dence of the Prince of Wales. 1t is built
in ornate Italian renaissance and contains
six reception rooms, twelve drawing rooms
three dining rooms, library, music
room, art gallery, twenty-four cham
bers and various other apartments The
drawing rooms are arranged so that they
open one into another, and, combined can
accommodate over thousand people with
out crowding. The White House at Wash
ington would look insignificant beside the
American embassy in London. To maintain
this establishment Mr.. Reid has more
than fifty servants, and those who are
seen by the public wear liveries- of light
blue and gold with broad revers of buff
heavily trimmed with gold braid. Gen.
Miles famous uniform was simple and
modest beside them.
bachelor equerry OF King Edward, and it
was rather singular coincidence that he
should have attended his royal majesty
the other night to be entertained in his
own house by his American tenant.
Capt. Holford Is the son of the late Rob-
ert Stayner Ho1ford. who one of the
richest men in England, although a COM
moner. He inherited two very large for
tunes and doubled them by shrewd invest
ments The son inherited everything at his
fathers death, including the Park lane pal
ace. which cost three or four million dol
lars, and country place near Tetbury
station, Worcestershire, where he has an
estate of 10000 acres. The country seat is
quite as fine as that of Dorchester House,
and even larger. Capt. Holford Is in the
Life Guards but has been attached to the
royal family for twenty years or more, first
as aide de camp to the late Duke of Char
ence and afterward to the present king.
American Women With Titles
One consequences Of the functions which
have been given In honor OF Mr. and Mrs
Longwerth has been 10 remind the public
how far the British peerage has been
Americanized, for the list of duchesses.
countesses and ladyships who have been In
vsted TO meet their country-woman has