The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-18

From the London Daily Mail
 IT would be difficult to find among the
 crowned heads of history a more pa
 \ thetic figure than Manuel II, King of Portugal and the Algarves. On that fate ful February l, 1908, he miraculously es- capped death and saw his father, King Carlos, and his elder brother assassinated in an open carriage. He was himself
 wounded, and he had his arm in sling when, few days later, he pronounced his first speech from the throne, speech which, for time at least won the heart of every Portuguese.
 Extraordinary stories were told at that time about this youngest of European rulers They made "superman" of him, as one who worked 20 hours out of the 24, discussing with the ability and the ma turty of thought of a Pitt, Drsraeli or a Bismarck, affairs of state, and sssum- ing with ease and perfect confidence the greatest of responsibilities in country where the political situation was more complex than in any other European na- ton.
 That King Manuel Is unusually gifted in many ways has been evident to all who have had the privilege of approach ing him. He wished to be sailor before the tragic events occurred which brought him to the throne, and he threw himself into the study of mathematics and naval construction with great energy and thor oughness
 The boy would rise early in the morning and study Plato and Greek philosophy before he went to breakfast in his moth- ers apartments. Most of the day was devoted to studying, and in the evenings he would take up music or drawing. Like
 his grandfather, Louis I of Portugal, Manuel is fond of music, and plays the plano quite remarkably From his great grandfather, King Ferdinand II, he has inherited love for art, especially sculp- ture and painting.
 The beginning of the young monarch's
 reign was promising. When he drove from the Necessidades palace to the cortes
 to open parliament. flowers were show cred from the windows as the handsome sovereign passed. He set to work in earn est, fully realizing his responsibilities and
 the importance of his official duties. King Manuel has an admittedly nervous
 temperament, but that he is endowed with great courage and presence of mind
 has been repeatedly shown. No monarch ever entered upon his task under mora
 difficult and threatening circumstances Only a few days after his accession to
 the throne he was warned that the dan- ger surrounding his position would Dc greatly increased unless certain reforms
 were instituted.
 He was told repeatedly that army and navy officers were among the ranks of the republicans; he would not listen. year or so ago. during an important dinner al the royal palace, with Queen Amelia. his
 mother and the Duke of Oporto, brother 1 of the late King and heir to the throne and number of dignitaries and diplomats an officer of the royal household abruptly rose and declared that his imajesty's youth so appealed to his pity that he wished to
 warn him of an impending disaster; spies and traitors were in the palace and Q
 great conspiracy was being matched to
 bring about the Kings downfall. Still
 Manuel paid no heed. Courage and fear
 lessness, in deed. Is part of royal train. | ing: 1t may even be said to be inherent
 in royal blood.
 England had an occasion to see the
 young King some time ago when he paid
 a visit to the late King Edward and wal
 welcomed amid great enthusiasm. Hi pleasant and almost boyish smile. expret.