The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22
KINGS MESSENGERS
in GREAT BRITAIN
Heroic Exploits Are Accredited
to Them in Some of the
Modern Novels


Modern Novels
1t is scarcely saying too much 20
assert that to the great majority OF
their countrymen kings messengers
are somewhat nebulous officials, hazi-
ness possibly densihed by the compre-
hensiveness of the word messenger
and it's varied conventional signihcance.
1t may seem an obvious truism. but not
altogether needless, that not every
functfonary who carries royal messages
Is a kings messenger. The Office, tn
deed, Is one of decided status as BELTS
its responsibility, and il is with infinite
thankfulness that we know 1t is not
open to public competition. The
knights of the silver greyhound" as
some one has POLITICALLY styled them,
are limited in number-which has been
recently still more reduced-are gentle
men Of social position, often retired
service officers. and are nominated by
the foreign secretary, subject TO a
qualifying examination. BY the strict
letter of the regulations they are sup
posed to wear a uniform while on serv-
ice-dark blue frock coat. gold edged
waistcoat buttOned high, trousers with
a scarlet cord down the seams. gilt but
tons with crown, garter. royal cipher
and greyhound pendent, peaked, black
braided cap with gilt crown in front
out the regulation IS practically dor
mant
BADGE OF OFFICE
What they do always bear. however.
is the badge of silver gilt, royal
crown and silver greyhound pendant,
worn-Or supposed to be-On dark
blue ribbon round the neck. Prac-
ticalIy the personalities OF the kings
messengers are perfectly familiar TO
all the officials on the routes they
travel, and only on very exceptional
occasions is it necessary to produce
their badge. AS a matter of fact,
moreover, the identity of the kings
messengers is Enthusiastically assured BY
the service bags OF stout canvas
which accompany him, one OF which.
containing smaller crossed bags OF
various sizes, never leaves his personal
custody, and others. "uncrossed," are
allowed TO go as ordinary luggage.
In ordinary times the journeys OF
kings messengers are matter OF rOu-
tine, and they can generally calculate
safely enough on the intervening Pc
riods of leisure, though there is a
tradition that once one luckless indi-
viduaI was dispatched in such hot haste
TO a far distant capital that he had
no time to change the dress clothes
in which he was attired when the man
date arrived. And in this connection
another venerable story may be told
of the messenger who. believing him.
self to be last on the list for the
route" betoOk himself, in bliSsful an-
ticipation of few days rest, to a for
eign watering place. Scarcely had he
arrived when he received a foreign
Office telegram to this bewildering ef-
feet: You are fast and dirty. Re-
turn at once" On his promptly pre-
senting himself at headquarters he dis
covered that the message sent was:
you are first on duty.
FIGURES IN FICTION
OF recent years the kings messenger
has been largely in evidence in fiction.
and, not unnaturally, his shrewdness,
heroism and hairbreadth adventures
provide material for capital story
Sometimes, it is true. captious objects
ors may insinuate that the heroes bear
much the same relation to the real on
cials as poor Ouida's famous guards
men have to actual officers OF the
household cavalry-but the story is
none the less interesting for that. The
actual annals of the kings messenger
service however, supply plenty OF
thrilling situations. Once when 1t was
important that dispatch should be in
the hands of our foreign office before
the information It contained reached
the representatives OF another power
queens messenger crossed the channel
in small lugger on night when the
weather was SO bad that the packet
would not start. Almost more SenSa-
tionaI-and nearly tragic-was the ex-
perience OF Captain Robbins during the
Franco German war of 1870. He was
Instructed to deliver dispatches TO the
king of Prussia. whose headquarters
were then at Versailles, and was near
ing his destination when he fell into
the hands of some Franc tireurs, who
insisted he was a German, and must
therefore be shot 1t was in vain ha
produced his badge and his passports
he was a spy. they declared, and Ger
mans whether spies or not met with
short shrift at the hands of Frame
tireurs.
SAVED BIZ AN INN KEEPER
The keeper OF the inn where he was
taken managed on various pretexts to
dissuade them from immediate execu-
ton; they grudgingly gave him till the
following morning. but. thinking better
OF their clemency. wanted to shoot him
before dawn. and the inn keeper, with
difficulty. induced them TO wait till il
was light. But before then Captain
Robbins had availed himself OF con-
venient window and made his escape
The aphorism is true enough which
tells US that duty has its victims in
peace as in war. and those who can
speak with authority will cite many a
case among the kings messengers OF
worthful lives prematursly shortened
by selfiess exacting devotion TO duty,
though improved conditions of travel
ing happily enable one to class such
occurrences with ~old unhappy tar or
things.r=Lond0n GloF ~ -