Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-20

popular heroine OF her. A year or
more ago he cloped from Belgrade
with comic opera singer. and after
a long search was found In one of the
lowest quarters of Vienna.
Tho Servlan people are determined
that when King Peter dies the throne
shall pass to Alexander, the Kings
second son, who is studious and high
minded youth.
Despite the publicity necessarily
attendant upon their birth and sta.
tons, the secrets of kings, when they
arc permitted to have any, are jeal.
ously guarded. For example. one
hears stories every now and then that
King Edward has made heavy invest.
mcnt OF his private fortune In this or
that security, one of the favoritc tales
being that he has plunged heavily in
American railway snarcs. AS Il mat.
ter of fact, aside from two or three
confidential representatives, no ono
has any idcI OF the extent OF Ed.
wards fortune or the manner in which
it is invested
To the Kings private desk there Is
only one key. n golden ono which tn
King himself carries attached to the
end of his golden Albert. When tho
King leaves his private office not
even servant Is permitted to enter
until II trusted secretary has destroy.
cd tho contents of tho waste basket.
including evon the blottcr pads. When
the King sends II telegram no copy liz
made ut the telegraph office, ANA as
soon us tho message had been for
wardcd the original Is returned to the
palace. a veteran operator, who is
pledged To secrecy, has sent all the
royal family's kilograms for many
years.
In this connection 1t liz worth while
recalling that the provisions of the
late Queen Victoria's will have never
been made public. The last tesla.
mcnts of royalty are exempt from tho
necessity of probation. and beside
from her children and one or two 9TH
or persons no one knows what dispo.
sition the Queen made OF her proper.
ty.
Sir Mortimer Durand, Mr.. Bryce's
predecessor rs British ambassador nj
Washington, is one of the few dstin.
euished civilians to have been men.
toned in the dispatches for conspicll.
Gus gallantry under fire The occa-
sion when Sir Mortimer smcllcd
smoke was when he assisted General
Sir Charles MacGregor to rccapturc
the British guns ut the Hattie of Sher.
pur. He likewise took part In the
historic march from Cabul to Canada
har ms the political member OF the
staff of Lord Roberts, and at the re-.
quest OF the latter received the mil.
itary decoration conferred by Queen
Victoria for that splendid feat in the
history of India.
Stiil more admirable was the pluck
which he displayed in connection with
that subsequent mission to Cabul the
successful miilment of which was
lauded by Lord Lansdown when re.
signing the viceroyal.y OF India The
previous embassy TO Cabul, under the
Inflated Sir Louis Cavagnari, had sue.
cumbed to Afghan fanaticism, being
massacred to the last man. Yet in
spite of this Sir Mortimer refused TO
accept any military escort, prefcrring
to rely on the honor of the ruler
whose Moslem creed taught him that
no faith need be kept with n Chris.
tian.
Confidence begets confidence.
Trusting his safety and that of his
mission to my care. | have protected
him. These were the words of the
Afghan sovereign Abdur Rahman. tho
most remarkable Ameer of his line
and the opinion which he expressed
of Durand was to the effect that he
was a very clever statesman.