The Washington herald., 1911-01-25
SOCIAL GOSSIP OF
FOREIGN CAPITALS

OF the Coronation Court of Claims is
deeply interesting. especially when a con-
siderable time has elapsed between two
coronations. as in the case of those of
Queen Victoria and King Edward
One of the most interesting of the
many preliminary preparations for the
coronation of British King is the set
ting up of a Court of Claims This
court may examine witnesses on oath
and otherwise possess full judicial func-
tons. and has taken the place of the
lord high steward. who in the days of
the Plantagenets was the first great Of
ficer of the crown. AS matter of fact.
in those days the English King WAS not
regarded as an actual monarch until he
been anointed and crowned and in the
meantime the lord high steward acted
as Il kind of vicerOy and in reality was
supreme throughout the land.
Henry ", however, came to the con-
cluSiOn that this Office was far too power
full to intrust to any subject, and he
therefore attached the duties of the po-
sition 10 the Crown. Ever since. when
ever ii has been necessary for sOver-
eiSn to appoint A lord high steward. such
was done under a definite commission.
As soon as the term Of the commission
expires the appointment also lapses
The Court of Claims, in reality. is a
committee of the privy council, presided
over by the ord chancellor of England
and il is 81 constituted that each of the
great parties Of tn" empire are repre-
sented. This committee selects one of it's
number to act as lord high steward on
the day of the coronation and to walk be-
side. the sovereign during the procession
to Westminster Abbey and return.
Formerly this court dealt with the
claims of all vino, for one reason or an
other. considered they had a right to take
part in the browning of the monarch, but
during recent coronaIions the court has
dealt only with such claims as actually
concerned the religious ceremony in the
abbey. shutting out from its scope of in
quiry those which in oIden times were
performed at the subsequent banquet in
Westminster Hall
No coronation having taken place for
more than sixty years when the Court of
Claims was set up, prior to the crowning
Of King Edward. there naturally was a
Indicated, and some of them proved to
be very much entangled. For instance,
three peers. the Earl of Loudoun. Lord
Grey de Ruthyn. and Lord Hastings. each
claimed the privilege OF carrying the
golden spurs i'm the coronation procession.
Each traced his descent-through differ
ent lines-from the third Earl of Penn
brooke. on whose behalf the spurs were
carried at the cornation of Richard IL.
that peer being at that time one of five
children
The Court of Claims. after a prolonged
hearing, held that the issue was too OBJ
scure for it TO be able to give any judg-
ment on the matter, and it was decided
ultimately 10 let King Edward select
which of those three should have the
honor
| learn that thus far not a single claim
has been put in with respect to the
coronation of King George. This may be
accounted for partly by the fact that so
many difficult points were cleared up in
1902. when that court had to sit almost
daily. and partly because it has been
decided that any claim upheld since the
coronation of Queen Victoria shall hold
good for the descendants of the then
claimant.
This court also has to hear some anus
ing contentious for perquisites of one
description or another. The Earl of
Enroll. for example. indicated his claim
to serve at King Edwards coronation
as lord high constable of Scotland. and
as soon as he had accomplished this he
demanded as his right silver baton with
golden ends the royal coat-of-arms being
placed at one end and his own armorial
bearings on the other.
In this he was successful and this fine
baton still remains in his possession. Now
then. since Lord Enroll will serve again
in the same capacity to King George.
the point is being made. whether
or not he is entitled to another baton.
and the Court of Claims probably will
he called upon to determine the interest
ing point.
The dSnifed position Of Lord High
Chamberlain also gave the Court of
Claims a great zeal of trouble eight years
ago. There were no less than four
claimants for this. namely: the Duke of
AthoI, the Marquis of Chomondely. the
Earl of AncaSter, and Earl Darlington.
The first named soon was ruled out of
court. but it was very difficult matter
TO decide which of the three remaining
noblemen should be called upon to Off
ciate. At length King Edward himself,
with his customary tact. suggested that
the three peers each should hold the pO-
sition in alternate reignS. This was
agreed to and the Marquis of Cholmonde-
ly acted as lord great chamberlain TO the
late King. This position, however. is
not to be confused with that of lord
chamberlain to the Kings household. At
the approaching coronation it will be the
turn of the Earl of Ancaster. The Earl
of Darlington of the period will serve at
the coronation of King Georges sue
ceSSor.
There were many other curious claims
dealt with by the court eight years ago,
including one from the owner of the
manor of Arlington. i'm Sussex. who
demonstrated successfully that under the
seal of Henry he was entitled to serve
to the king on coronation day IA mess
in an earthen pot called maupygernon.
This weird dish consists of a mixture of
| almonds, milk Drawn and capon. sugar.
spices, and chicken, parboiled and
chopped fine
Col. Gaedke, the well-known German
military critic and one of the foremost
his recent discussion on Peace and
armament" has this to say:
Every state. in a certain sense, is a
large business concern in competition
with every other state. jealousy watch
| ing the progress of its neighbors and
| contemplating their ruin or submission.