The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
Gossip of Foreign Courts

A reader writes to the editor OF West
ern paper publishing this letter asking
why Flaneur omitted to state whether
there Is Princess Of Wales living when
he described the,investiture Of the young
prince and former similar functions at
Carnarvon Castle. 1t Is true a good many
persons have the idea that Britain at
present has no Princess of Wales. But
1t has. King George, when voluntarily d.
vesting himself Of his title of Prince of
Wales and creating his eldest son, &C.
cording to custom, titular chieftain of
that royal principality. did not divest
Queen Mary Of her second title. She Is
technically still Princess of Wales. but
will have to give up the title automatical-
ly upon the marriage Of her son.
Once only in British history has there
been a Princess Of Wales" SO created
in her own right, and that was Mary, the
daughter Of Henry VIII. 1t is an event
similar to that of Mathilda, the daughter
of Henry I, who was made Lady Of
England" and that of Emma, daughter
Of Richard I, who became Gem Of Nor
mandy"
The chateau Of Malmaison, where Jo-
sephine, the first wife Of Napoleon I.
lived and died. has been transformed into
a museum, and 1t was an American OF
the name of Edward Tuck who has pre-
sented to 1t recently the bed upon which
Napoleon is said to have died.
That bedstead is a modest enough piece
of furniture. but 1t boasts an imperial
crown, and also has the trademark Of
the merchant who supplied the Emperor
with his needs when he went into exile.
Gen. Bertrand brought 1t back from st.
Helena and used It himself when he set
tied at Chateauroux. AS matter OF
fact he, too, died in II.
At his death the bed became the prop
erty of one of the generals farmers,
but losses and adversities compelled him
to part with it to a banker at Chateau
roux. 1t remained in that bankers
family until, with his other belongings,
1t was sold at auction in Paris. There
the American bought it. Frederic Mas
son. the greatest authority on Napoleon,
was consulted by the curator of NAL
maison, and he had no hesitation in de-
claring 1t the authentic bed from st.
Helena.
The Murat family also possess bed
which is said to be the one on which
the Emperor died. 1t Is believed to be
an authentic bed from St. Helena: 1t is
known that Napoleon had two beds, on
one of which he died, and on the other
of which his body was laid out. The
latter is the bed owned by the Murat
the Malmaison bed.
Sir Eldon Gorst did not long sur
vive his retirement from his post as
British consul general in Egypt. His
death occurred a the end of last month
at his seat, Castle Combe. in Wiltshire.
He was born in New Zealand, in 1861.
where his father was a British COM
missioner. Though barrister, he early
chose a diploma tic career, becoming an
attache at Cairo in 1886. Since then,
with the exception of the period from
1904 to 1907. when he was recalled to
London to serve as undersecretary in
the foreign Office, his official life was
linked closely with Egypt. He filled a
number of responsible administrative
Offices there, including that of financial
adviser TO the Egyptian government.
before he succeeded Lord Cromer as
consul general, in 1907.
Sir Elden admittedly then was called
to fill very difficult position. his meth
DDS evoking much criticism at home.
Untrammeled by the acts of his prede-
cessOr he broadened the scope of re-
forms according to the immediate needs
of the country.
Holding firmly to the British occupation
under which Egypt has prospered, he
was inclined to give Egyptians a some
what larger share in the management of
their own affairs, and he threw open
certain administrative posts to natives.
This new policy aroused a good deal of
discussion. and the opponents of Sir Eldon
in England seized upon the speech de-
livered by Mr.. Roosevelt at the Guild
hall in London as justification for their
censure. II must be admitted that Sir Ell
don in his last report, confessed that his
experiments were not altogether a sue
cess, but many on the spot think that in
his ill-health he took too pessimistic a
view. Several excellent reforms were
carried out by him. The law relating to
police supervision has been most sue
cessful, the country having been cleared
of the marauders who had made life in
the provinces unbearable.
Sir Eldon was a personal friend of the
Khedive, who attended his wedding in
London in 1903, and bestowed upon him
many marks of favor. The Khedive
also paid a personal visit to the sick-bed
of Sir EldOn n few days ago, having
come to England especially for the pur-
pose.
For a time. before entering the diplo-
matte service, Sir Eldon was one of Lord
Churchilrs private secretaries
an event which recalls the association
of his father and Lord Randolph as
OF tne historic Ourtn party.
The following tale of Prussian red tape
Is going around the press in Germany:
A year ago the paymaster of a regiment
dsbursed a sum of 10 cents for a piece
of military cloth. In May the military
audit authorities pointed out that the
piece Of cloth should have cost only 81
cents. 1t was declared 20 cents had been
paid in excess which the treasury un-
dertook to pay. In order that this might
be brought to the knowledge of all con-
cerned, up to the present seventeen per-
sons have contributed to the work. At
the audit Office the matter passed through
the hands of five clerks before 1t reached
the regiment concerned. There twelve
persons. from the colonel down to the
adjutant's orderly, had to deal with 1t.
A few allied departments have yet to
be notified, after which the memorandum
dealing with the excess charge will begin
its return journey to the audit office.
FLANEUR.
Copyright l9ll by Court Gossip Syndicate)