The Washington times., 1909-04-30
People Just a Little Dlsap-
pointed, However, That
Baby Was Not a Boy.
QUEEN AND CHILD
ARE DOING WELL
House of Orange Saved and Dan
ger From Absorption by
Germany Is Over.

THE HAGUE, April 9O.-AH Holland
is in furore OF celebration today over
the birth OF a daughter to Queen Will
helmina at 7 O'Clock this morning.
The Queen stood the ordeal splendidIy
and DR.. Kouwer, her physician-in-chief,
declares that no untoward developments
are expected.
Just one thing keeps the HoIlanders
Joy from being complete. and that Is
that the baby is not a SON The house
Of Orange has been saved, however.
and the populace IS not letting its
slight disappointment affect to any ap-
preciable degree its celebration.
But few persons in this city went TO
bed. as the doctors had promised that
the birth would occur during the nigh.
Thousands crowded the streets and.
though it rained hard, none seemed to
mind It.
Vast Crowd Waits.
Every hour increased the anxiety aud
apprehension Of the vast throngs, and
when finally the news was flashed ON
the palace that the long-waited event
had terminated successfully, the en-
thusiasm of the people knew no bounds
and cheering crowds paraded the streets
and massed about the palace.
The Queen, il her apartments in the
rear Of the palace. heard the cheering.
and smiled appreciation of her people
loyalty and affection.
Owing to releated false alarms, .he
official salute was not fired until an
hour after tbs baby arrived, as the artiI-
lerists demanded proof of the event be-
fore notifying the public Then a salute
OF iifty-one guns was fired. Had a son
been born, 1oI rounds would have been
fired Couriers Immediately mounted
swift horses and carried the news TO
places that could not otherwise be
reached Throughout the kingdom peo-
Die were awaiting the news, and within
a rev hours OF the birth everybody In
the Kingdom knew It. Those In the CITY
VINO were not already on the streets
Wnen the event was announced, learned
OF IL by the booming Of cannon, and
they rushed from their houses and
Joined ln the general pandemonium.
NadCn En- .Fete.
Flags are now flying from nearly
every house in tae city. But few of the
shops are open. and the celebration will
continue the remainder of the week.
The telegraph office is flooded with
congratulatOry kilograms from all over
the world.
Prince Consort Henry personally re-
ported the birth Of the princess to the
registrar general. with many of the
ministers Of state as witnesses.
Queen WilheImina Helena Pauline
Marie is twenty-eight years old and
was married eight years ago to Prince
Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwe Twice
the royal couple disappointed the Dutch
people In their hope for an heir to the
throne, in 1902 and 1906. At the time
OF the last disappointment It was an
nounced that the house OF Orange was
doomed TO extinction. as all hope for
an heir had been abandoned.
Grave Disappointments.
This announcement filled the peopIe
with apprehension, as the succession TO
the Dutch throne would undoubtedly
have eventually gone to Germany, ami
the final absorption Of the kingdom by
Germany would have been inevitable.
The birth OF the heir is expected TO
stop all governmental and political in
trigues looking N dangerous foreign al
hances and annexation schemes.
Six rooms Of the palace have been
set aside for the royal baby Presents
representing thousands of dollars have
been pouring into the palace for the
last month.