Evening star., 1908-01-19
Special Correspondence of The Star.


LONDON, January Q. 1908.
MOST famous street in
the world as 1t is called
here, is about to be closed
to the public This is Down
ing street. which eX-Ambas-
sador Joseph ii. Choate once described as
the connecting link" between England
and America, and which certainly is one
OF the most interesting streets in the
world, if it be not the most famous.
Downing street is the hub of the great
British empire, yet as a street it is insig-
nifcant In fact. 1t is worse: it is the
dreariest. dingiest cul-de-sac imaginable.
and is dignified by being called street
at all. Excepting the big government
buildings which corner it, there are but
two houses, Nos. 10 and II. One is the
official residence of the prime minister of
England. the other OF the chancellor OF
the exchequer. The first of these, No. 10,
IS indisputably one of the most historic
buildings in existence.
II IS in Downing street that the British
cabinet meets. 1t is here that the most
important matters affecting the empire
are discussed, ministries made and broken
and peace and war declared.
So it is rather surprising that Downing
street should have been owned. laid out
and built by an American. Yet it is SO.
1t was in this connection that Mr.. Choate
referred to it in a memorable speech at
the London Guild Hall as the connect
ing link between the old world and the
new"
There is. of course. a sufficient reason
for such surprising step as the closing
of Downing street to the public. The gov
ernment scarcely would go to all the
trouble of passing a special act through
parliament fol the purpose unless it
thought the matter of sufficient impor
tance. Governments do not always take
the public into their confidence, and so
the reason may for a long time be kept
an official secret Yet the open secret is
that the government is afraid-afraid of
women. too, The women happen to be
that vast body yclept "Suffragettes"
which in various guises has been disturb
Ing political meetings and generally
threatening cabinet ministers all over
England the last few weeks or more.
There have been whispers that the suf-
residences of the prime minister and the
chancellor of the exchequer. In days gone
by there have been two riots in Downing
street. Perhaps the government is heed
full of that wise base ball saw, Three
times and out" and wishes to prevent
third one. AT any rate, the street is to be
closed and if the suffragettes desire to do
any rioting they must do it elsewhere
Downing street. as I have said, was
started by an american. His name was
George Downing. but he was not an
American on whom the United States
can pride itself historian of his own
nationality. In fact. declares that 'it be-
came proverbial expression with New
Eng1anders to say Of false man who be-
trayed his trust that he was an arrant
George Downing"
This Downing was the son of Emmanuel
Downing Of Salem, Mass. His mother was
Lucy. sister Of Gov. John Winthrop. He
was educated at Harvard and was the
second graduate of the university. For a
time he was professor there, teaching the
younger students. Then he went off to
the West Indies, was chaplain of the ship
and did deal of preaching. He eventu-
ally reached England. The times were
troublesome, the civil war was raging and
Downing sided with Cromwell He became
chaplain to Okey's regiment. Before he
was thirty years old he suddenly appeared
as general scout-master to Cromwells
srmy in Scotland. He was afterward en-
gagged in the settlement of Scotland. and
appointed his father clerk of the council
Of Scotland.
DoWnings forward rise was much
helped by his marriage. His wife was