New-York tribune., 1910-11-13
Anglo-American Memories
XCIII.
PRINCE FRANCIS OF TEck.
,coB~rish. 1910. by George ". sn,auey)


! would pour out details He had de-
voted himself TO setting up an automo-
bile club on great scale and now the
club building lifts its fine facade IN
Pail Mall. q monument TO the enthu-
siasm and administrative capacity of the
. Prince.
II is monument also to something
else ] once asked Prince Francis how
=. he had managed to get his club built
50 quickly, SO much more quickly than
! important structures are usually put
/ together in this country. He said;
i hoped you would ask me that 1t
has been built in this short time because
I sent to America for American fore
men and put them in charge The
. credit is due 10 them"
Did they get on well with their Eng
! 1ish workmen and the English workmen
with them?"
: Il have never heard 4 complaint
J from either. Moreover, the work has
/ been done not only quickly but well and
! sclidly-no building more So
! Il covers nearly the whole OF the site
or tho old War Office and is, or soon
viii be- the last word. at any rate on
1 this side Of the Atlantic, in luxury and
/ conveniences and variety in club life
! Prince Francis himself was IN one thing
I American; ne had an open mind and
did not reject d novelty because il was
e novelty or had no precedent. What
viii happen 70 the club now that he is
gone is a question. II has. I believe,
five or six thousand members and con-
tains Two hundred bedrooms, and almost
everything you can think of except a
recetrack for motors
He was chairman OF the Middlesex
Hospital-tle same hospital to which Sir
Henry Morris, about whom I wrote you,
was Consulting Surgeon. Of his work as
chairman I hear the account should ex-
pect- He mastered the whole business Of
hospital government, gave time without
stint to his duties and was devoted,
indefatIgabIe, intelligent executive. It
is the chronic condition OF all London
hospitals supported by voluntary contri-
buttons 70 be in debt. The MiddIesex
owed 100000 which il had no means of
paying. Prince Francis set 10 work and
IN three months or so raised the whole
amount-begged II from the public /
Then. instead Cf resting on his laureIs-
which is not what laurels are meant for |
he proposed TO raise another larger |
sum TO put this great hospital on a self |
supporting basis. And then death came. /
Prince Francis had a generous side TO /
his energies. even in little matters; he /
liked doing kindnesses for others. Little !
things or big, the spirit was the same. /
When Mr.. BoUrze Cochran was in Lon |
don last year he brought his automobile /
with him. He was going to the Cont |
nent, and to take an automobile with |
you from England to the Continent IN .
wolves some rather technical arrange /
ments with the customs and other /
authorities. Neither Mr.. Cochran nor |
his chauffeur knew exactly what TO do. |
W. went upstatrs-this was at the Ritz
HoteI-to call on an English Iady-a /
brilliant being who lives in New York !
and there We found Prince Francis, !
When he heard Of the automobile diff !
culties he said at once:
Why, that's in my jurisdiction. /
-@-@~ -te-~ tAA| 4N1J o. LaLt'lLlDllt- AluB /!
exists for. Give me the facts and III /
arrange 1t all for YOU"
AIT. Bourlle Cochran was 4 stranger TO /
him. but that made no difference Turn !
ing TO his hostess, he asked if he might /
use her telephone, called up the secre-
taTy OF the Automobile Club. told him .
what was wanted. asked him TO see that /
the fOrmalities We're attended TO. and |
ended with a characteristic sentence:
Please understand. the details I have
given you are all you need. Do not
trouble Mr.. Cochran, but arrange SO that
when he arrives at Dieppe he shall find
his motor waiting for him. ready to start
for Paris. and his papers all in order.
The chauffeur viii have funds for all
expenses You quite understand Thank
you. Gocdby~
He dies at forty. but in his forty years
he has lived the full measure of ordinary
lives He departs amid such expressions
OF grief and affection as attend man
70 his grave not because Of his position
o. relations, but because he was man.
G " 9