Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-04
The Knights
OF the Silver
Greyhound.

W
which the outside world know
less about There are seven of thes'
messengers In all, and they arc at
teached to the foreign office. The chic
of these messengers receives f4OO 1
year and the others ESQ., but despite
this comparatively modest salary the
posts are eagerly sought after. and
when vacancy occurs there is very
keen competition to secure II.
Though the post and the telegraph
are largely utilized today for the for
eign office, it is still a tradition that
all important papers shall be carried
by messengers. so that these are cen
stantly travelling about Europe and err
Joy facilities for seeing life abroad
that is denied TO any other official.
The whole of their travenng expenses
are, of course. paid by the govern
ment. and 1t may be added that these
expenses are computed upon very
liberal scale. When they reach their
destination they become the guest of
the minister or the foreign court to
which they are sent. so that they find
their lines cast In very pleasant places.
HIS LUGGAGE LOST"
Even in these prosaic days these
kings messengers have many adven-
lures. and often they travel almost
with their lives in their hands Early
In this year. just before the deposition
OF the cx-sultan OF Turkey, a mcsscn-
ger was dispatched with important
papers for Sir Gerard Lowther, our
ambassador at Constantinople This
fact became known to the revolution
airy party. and, since il was generally
understood that the papers he was
bearing contained important instruc-
tions from the British government re-
garding the attitude that our repre-
sentative was to take in the event of a
crisis being precipitated. determined
efforts were made to get the papers
from him
The trains crossing the Turkish
frontier were all carefully watched by
spies In the pay of the revolutionaries,
and at length the messenger was rec
ogniZed. The best means by which to
obtain possession of his papers were
carefully considered. Though II was
practically certain that his dispatches
would be borne upon his person and |
not In his baggage. his bags were !
carefully lost" as soon as he entered |
turkish territory, and when they came |
to light later in Constantinople they |
bore unmistakable signs of having |
been tamDered with.
oUTWITTED THE SPIES.
Two endeavors were made to enter
his sleeping compartment in the train,
but both these were frustrated while
the messenger, fully alive to what was
going forward, took good care to let it
be known that he always carried a
loaded revolver and would not hesitate
10 use II should occasion render it
necessary 1t was then decided that |
a final effort would have to be made
in Constantinople itself. and before the
messenger could reach the British en-
Dassy. This, however. he neatly count
cred by quitting the train early one
morning at little waySide station
some distance from the capital and
completing the journey by motor car. |
for which he had wired some time
previously.
When the King is abroad the foreign
service messengers have a very busy
time. They leave Downing street twice |
a week, and are the official method OF
communication between his majesty
and his ministers. When the king is
taking one of his frequent yachting
trips abroad 1t is often a matter OF
very considerable difficulty to reach
him. and one of the messengers had an
exciting chase after the royal yacht
a few years ago. He was handed des-
patches and told that his majesty
would probably be at Malta upon n
certain date. He found there was a
steamer leaving London that would
enable him to reach his destination
with few hours to spare.
CHASING HIS MAJESTY.
When he arrived at Malta, how
ever, he found that the royal yacht
WAS not there, nor was 1t expected. |
Hasty cables to the foreign Office re-
suited in his being ordered to Gibraltar,
where 1t was thought his majesty
might put In. A torpedo-boat destroy
er of the Mediterranean fleet was plac-
ed at the messengers disposal and he |
hurried off to ''The Rock" Still no
signs Of the royal yacht, and no one
seemed to have any idea where 1t
might be found. The young comman-
iant of the destroyer thoroughly enter
I'd into the fun of the thing. and there
ensued a chase of the missing yacht
hat was full of excitement for all on |
BOARD. The destroyer was driven at
iull speed for the whole time and liter
ally tore through the still waters of the
Mediterranean, speaking every vessel ii |
net for news of the royal yacht At
ength 1t was discovered off the coast
If Greece, and his majesty personally
the messenger and the
,ommandant of the destroyer upon the
skill and pertinacity they had displayed
n finding him. at the same time ex-
pressing his regrets for the trouble he
lad caused.
When engaged upon their official
luties the kings messengers carry a
iery pretty badge. which they produce
ipon demand to all authorized to ask
or 1t. in order to prove their bona
ides This is a beautifully modelled
in full course. 1t Is made
II solid silver, and contains about it
/ secret known only to diplomatists of
he highest rank, so that any forgery
" II would be detected at once 1t Is
rom this badge that messengers have
got the title of which they are so
proud. THE Knights of the Silver
MOVED ON.
At times they have some very anus
ng experiences. a messenger, for in
stance, arrived in Vienna one night
With some papers that 1t was Inn
Dortant should reach the British am
without delay. ball was
going forward at tho embassy when he
arrived, and his efforts to enter were
door, who hinted at personal violence
IL he did not clear off.
At his wits end how to convince
the adamant attendants OF the i'm
portance OF his mission, the en-
ranged messenger at length saw
friend cross the hall, and called out to
him. The attendants were busily
hustling him down the steps OF the
house and into the street when the
scuffe attracted the notice OF the Of
fieial who had been hailed He stopped
forward and recognized the messenger
Apologies followed. and the dispatches
at length reached the ambassador.
At times the messengers are sent to
all sorts of curious places. Not long