The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

With regard to the board of green cloth
Of which mention has been made above
it is one Of the most ancient institutions
Of the English court. II is composed of the
lord steward OF the treasurer. and of the
comptroller of the household. as well as
Of several minor officials, and derives its
name from the green cloth on the table
at which the officials sit on the occasion
OF their meetings. It has charge not only
of the accounts and Of the victUalng Of
the royal household but likewise Of the
exercise Of a number Of legal prerogatives
and immunities pertaining TO the resi-
dences Of the sovereign. The board Of
green cloth, is, in fact, the council Of the
lord high steward. who. in ancient days,
bore the title Of seneschal, and who, sub
ject. of course to the sovereign enjoys
jurisdiction. independent Of the ordinary
tribunals of the land over all the inmates
of the royal palaces and royal parks and
over the people connected Herewith. IN
deed, the lord steward in conjunction
with his board OF green cloth. has the
rights Of life and death over offenders.
and the power Of selecting a jury from
among the servants Of the sovereign IN
these modern times il is doubtful whether
the lord high steward would be willing 10
exercise this prerosative Of sitting in
judgment upon "a case Of felony. such as.
for instance murder committed with
i'm the precincts of Buckingham Palace
! or Windsor Castle, and he would probably
delegate his authority 20 one of the
! Judges of the high court Of justice 10
deal with the case. In fact, he does
| something of the kind at the Ascot races.
/ The Ascot race course, as everybody
| knows, forms part of the royal domain
/ of Windsor, and since ii has become so
popular as a race meeting during the As
| cot week in midsummer, it has been
| found necessary to devise some means of
administering summary justice on the
/ spot.
/ Accordingly, the lord steward OF the
| household each year secures the services
! of the senior police magistrate of the me
/ tropoIis for the Ascot week, and the mag
/ istrate I'm question. by virtue of the au-
/ thority delegated to him by the lord
steward holds court in his name in
room provided for the purpose beneath
/ the grandstand, and infliCts penalties on
/ the thieves and tOughs who are brought
/ before him. charged with offenses com
mitted upon the race course. The last
/ occasion on which the lord steward dealt
with a case of homicide was when the
mysterious murder of SenH the Swiss
valet Of the Duke of Cumberland, after
ward first King of Hanover. took place
/ in St James Palace. The duke was the
/ subject of such general execration that
popular sentiment did not hesitate to lay
the crime at the door of this son of
! George III But the cOrOner's jury, re-
/ cruited by the lord steward and by the
/ board of green cloth, from among the
/ Kings servants, absoIved the duke Of all
/ responsibility and rendered a verdict Of
murder by unknown persons.
J The lord high steward receives his
/ charges Immediately from the sovereign
/ and by virtue Of his Office takes prece-
/ dence Of all dukes. who do not happen to
/ be princes Of the reignng house. The
/ immediate direction Of the royal house
| hold below stairs that is. the kitchens.
/ the domestic servants, &c. IS in his
| hands and in those of the board of green
/ cloth He and the latter are responsible
/ for the expenditures and for the supplies
But virtually his authority extends over
/ the entire court. even the chamber. the
chapel. and the stables The lord stew
1 aids insignia Of Office is a white wand or
staff which he carries in the presence
/ Of the sovereign. but which on state oc-
/ casions. when the monarch is not present.
/ is borne before him by a footman, bare
/ headed. On the death of the sovereign
/ from whom he has received the white
staff, be breaks II over the royai bier at
! the close OF tae obsequies. 10 indicate that
/ mis- Office has ceased, and that there is no
| longer any board Of green cloth.