New-York tribune., 1907-06-02

retreat 10 France he carried with him these
paintings in his immense baggage train The
latter was captured by the Duke OF Wellington
and shipped of to London. along with other be-
iongings OF the British commander Thev re-
mained in England IN their packing cases until
after the downfall Of Napoleon and the return Of
the Duke Of Wellington TO England King
Ferdinand, learning that the paintings In ques-
ton were In the possession Of wellington at
once requested him to keep them as . token of
the gratitude OF his people and os himself for
'he services rendered by the Iron Duke in ex-
pe!iing the French invaders and in placing him
(Ferdlnandl once more the throne of Spain
NOT THE ONLY OFFENDERS.
1t is only fair to add that Napoleon and his
French generals were by no means the only
Offenders in this spoliaton of the nubIc in
stitutions OF the enemy. The practice was one
which was generally recognized and tolerated bv
international law. and In 1915 when the Papacy
recovered its painting of The Transhguratfon.'
oy Haphael as above described, 1t was forced to
surrender 10 Germany the treasures of the
Palatine Library Of Heidelberg which had been
looted in the Thirty Years War, and which for
the two subsequent centuries had been pre-
served in the Vatican
Nowadays looting in wars between cIviIized
nations has been virtually abandoned It is
however. still tolerated in conflicts with bar
barous or semi -barbarous foes In fact laws
still exist unrepealed In England, as well as in
most other monarchical countries of Europe
Vesting In the Crown-that is to say in the SOW
ereign-the right to all loot taken in war. II is
only after the anonted of the Lord or his repre-
sentative has had his pick that the remainder is
either distributed among the troops or sold at
auction, and the amount realized divided among
them In ratio proportioned to their respective
rank.
Perhaps the most striking Illustration of the
ethics which now prevail about such matters is
TO be found in the fact that, although every
Western ruler whose troops took part in the
march on Peking by the allied forces six wears
ago obtained portion of the plumber of the
Forbidden Ctty-Emperor William receiving a
quantity of extremely interesting astronomical
instruments several hundred years old which
are now among the attractions of his Palace of
Sans Souci, at Potsdam: while the London illus
trated papers published photographs of large
cases of plunder in the Imperial Palace at Pc
king addressed TO Windsor Castle--yet there was
not single looted French clock or any other
bit of plunder in the Franco German War Of
1870 10 be found in the palaces of the Kaiser or
of any other of his fellow German rulers in
spite of the widespread impression among the
French people to the contrary. But then the
French were a civilized nation, protesting
Christianity. and OF the white race instead Of
being yellow Asiatcs or dusky Africans
AS most Of England's wars in the last hundred
years have been with Asattc and African poten-
tates. II is not astonishing that many master
pieces of Oriental art obtained in this fashion
should be found at Windsor Castle Among
them is the celebrated Una, a jewelled bird
about twelve inches long. shaped like a pigeon
with an exaggerated tail. Rubies, diamonds
emerads and pearls are sewn about the quiver-
Ing feathers of golden hligree work. 1t holds a
priceless ruby in its beak, and an emerald OF
immense size and lustre hangs from its breast
There many legends woven about this bird
in the Orient. The Hindus have given it the
name of Una. and convinced that whoever
the Una must reign over India. Indeed
the fact that both tho Una and the great Kohl
diamond are owned by King Edward
makes 1t almost matter of course for the ma
tive Princes of Hindustan to acknowledge him
as their liege lord. 1t may be bitter and be-
wdering thing, this rule of an alien from the
West. But in the opinion of these dusky poten-
tates the powers above have willed IL so. and
pious souls must bow in solemn obedience to the
fat OF fate.
The Una figured in olden times on the canopy