New-York tribune., 1908-08-30
KINGS MESSENGERS.
An Office of Responsibility-"The knights
of the Silver Greyhound

IL Is scarcely saying too much 70 assert that TO
the great majority of their COUntrynen kings
messengers somewhat nebulOus officials. hazI-
ness possibly densifed by the ccmprehenstveness
of the word '-messenger'' and its varied COuven-
tIonal significance, says "The London Globe 1t
may seem obvious truism. but not altogether
needesS, tnat not every IungIonTy WIN b ors
indeed. is of decided BELTS its respon-
know il is not omen 10 public, competition. The
knights of the Silver Greyhound" as some ons
which has been recently still more reduced-sre
@ OF social R0iS9b b of5 tse Fore Scr
tary. subject 10 qualifying exaln ~ '0 10
wear a uniform while on service-lark blue frock
coat. gold edged waistcoat buttoned high trousers
with crown garter royal cypher and greyhouno
pendant. peaked black braided cap with git 80
in front-but the regulation is practIcaIiy d9blls ,s
What they do always bear. however, Is the 1dosst
pendant. Worn@or supposed to be-on a dark blue
ribbon round the necb Practlcaliy the gfsctIv gegI
familiar to all the officials on the routes s rnes
travel and only on very .i sxGeP2na Ss matter
of fact. moreover. the identity of the king mes
..baSs. Of stout canvas which accompany him. one
Of which containing smaller crosse SoaI cfisfody :
and others. uncrossed. are allowed TO go as 'iN'-
In ordinary times the journeys OF kings messsn.
gers matters of routine and they can seneIaLs sen
i satSy tSb tbar o Is a tradition nat
one Iuckless individual dispatched in such not
to Change the dress clothes in which he attlre'
when the mandate arrived And IN thiS ms os The
messenger who. believing himself to be last tfII 1l I
list for the ..route" betook himself. in DnsSar
ing place. Scarcely had he arrived Wneh hyIder- R
ceived a Foreign Office telegram 70 thlS ot ,N-n
nnes ON his promptly presenting himself -
headquarters he discovered that the message SENT
or recent Years the king s messenger has ben
largely in evidence in felton, and not I ,~s,,,
his shrewdness heroism ana nta story some
times. il is true. captlous obJectOrS ma! to
that the heroes bear much the same reat,U,r rjs-
the real officials as poor Ouidas famous sliai,.
have actual officers OF the t,srsstna.
for that The actual annals of the kins S;IIirr m
senger service. however. supply plenty Oa tbaf 4
dispatch should be In the hands OF our FolssI
Office before the information II contalneo oreen's
the Representatives OF another another y small ugger
a night when the weather was SO psa atoraf
packet would not start Almost sasriemce Of Captain
Robbins during the Franco German War o. ~, Sse
He was Instructed TO deliver were then
Versailles and was nearing his destination, who
he fell into the hands OF some f .hersfere be
shot IL was in vain he produced his ,S paeSSe an,t
his passport: he was spy tney y,er with short
shr,Yf ar the hands OF franc-treurs Inc srto,Is
the Inn where he was taken nislas
tdnne 49, sr,,dengIy gave him till the i,sncv
morning but, thinking better or eHe a,d the nm
wanted 10 shoot him before dawn anu r.ir ttll ft
Eeanar WITH iifficuty induced them to wal ss had
WAS light But before then Cap.ttlll, and made
availed himself of a convenient "iiu
Ut The aphorisn is true enough whfcn teus and those
duty has its victims IN phor;tT pehcT az viii cite man,
| case among the kings messenss,ic.ss exacting
lives prematurely shortened eaoved conditions ..
] trayelng hs rpily enable one 20 .s;-rr
1ences With 'old unhappy far on 'h'"s