Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-03
SOME ROYAL SECRETS.
King Edwards Observation-Disclosures
Correspondence.

correspondence.
There Is a sense in which monarchs
have no secrets. In the nature OF
things they are compelled by the ne
cessities Of their position to take some
one into their confidence with respect
to almost every detail Of their daily
life. But for the most part these con-
fidences are jealously guarded, and in
hundred and one ways the public
curiosity has to satisfy itself with
more or less plausible guesses at the
truth.
Take the case Of King Edwards pri-
vate investments. These are known to
but three courtiers, and only one
schedule Of them. 1t may be said with
confidence, is in existence. People pro-
fess to know Of large purchases, of
West End ground rent, Of huge COM
mitments in American railways, and
50 forth. For the most part, however,
these securities are held in the names
Of trusty intimates, who are them
selves large investors, and no estimate
Of his majesty's personal estate has any
value whatever. Many European SOW
ereigns, especially in the more restless
portions Of the continent, are said,
with much reason. to keep the bulk OF
their private fortunes in the strong
rooms of the Rothschild and other A.
nancial houses in London and else
where, where their secrets are invio-
liable.
One veteran monarch, to the writer's
knowledge, conducted his private bus
mess with his London agents through
the medium of a young Englishman,
whose duties were quite unsuspected
even by his own relatives. Whenever
he came across the channel he used TO
put up with linen draper whose ac-
quaintance he formed in his boyhood,
and by this means his movements were
kept secret. If any one had inquired
his business he would have produced
a case of commercial samples and Of
fered to open an account.
King Edward carries at one end OF
his gold albert gold key which opens
his private writing desk, and there Is
no duplicate. All state papers, how
ever, are kept in despatch boxes until
transferred to the safes in the secre-
tariat, and Of these the keys are kept
by Lord Knollys. When his majesty
has quilted his personal apartment no
servant Is allowed to enter until an
assistant secretary has destroyed the
contents Of the waste basket, the blot
ting pad and even the printed wrap
pers Of newspapers received from ev-
cry capital in Europe. 1t Is an unwrit-
ten law that the private secretary shall
not indulge in a gossipy diary after the
manner Of Samuel Pepys-he must, OF
necessity, keep a daily record Of bare
facts-and certain courtiers, including
the maids Of honor, are required as
condition Of their service to enter into
an obligation of the same kind.
All royal kilograms pass through st.
Martins le- Grand, and are manipulated
by a special operator, who Is reserved
for this duty. Unlike public messages,
no duplicates are kept, and the orig
inal messages in certain instances are
promptly returned to the palace, after
a note has been made Of the number
Of words for the purpose OF the ac-
count. The cipher codes which are
used between the foreign office and the
embassies abroad are not employed for
the personal messages Of the king. nor
Is any system of cryptic writing usual
between monarch and monarch.
The German emperor incloses all his
private letters in waterproof envel-
opes Of a special make. He is beliey-
ed to make freer use Of secret devices
in corresponding with his ministers
and other men than any other Euro
pean monarch. and there Is no doubt
that his private safes contain a mass
Of secret intelligence, strategic memo
randa made by his own hand and 9TH
er matters which in this country are
such things. 1t is understood that he
keeps no private diary. but the En-
press Augusta has been accustomed
ever since her marriage to commit her
thoughts on current affairs to writing,
and each January, the diary for the
previous year is locked and preserved
in her Jewel safe.
The czar of Russia has heavy bur-
den to bear by reason of the suspicion
with which he is compelled to regard
even the most intimate courtiers. He
is known to keep a private record, to
which no one besides the empress has
access, and there is no doubt that many
things which in happier surroundings
would be freely discussed with his
courtiers are shared by the empress
alone. His control Of the treasury en-
ables him to conduct his personal A.
nances with the greatest secrecy
Casselps Journal.