The Washington herald., 1911-03-08
Interesting Gossip of Foreign Courts.

We all know that the parents of Queen
Victoria-the Duke and Duchess of Kent
were in financial difficulties before the
birth of their famous daughter, and
that a succession of unexpected events
brought them into great prominence. Few
know the romantic happenings which oc-
Cured at the birth of the little Princess
Victoria and the part that a Welshman
played then.
It is necessary to go back some years.
Gen. Sir T. Picton. the hero Of the
Peninsular war, and Wellington's right
hand man at Waterloo. was a Pembroke
shire man, and was at home on fur
Tough after many years of foreign serv-
ice. The grim old warrior was walking
in the country road one day, when he
met fine specimen of a country lad,
clad in moleskin trousers. and with an
old pair of clogs on his feet. After some
talk, the general was so taken with the
boy that he asked in his unual blunt
way: We'll, my boy, whose son are
you?" The boy replied promptly: Nab
Shoni'r Crydd, SER Gohnny, the black
smiths son. Ssir) We'll. boy. what
would you like to be?'' Doctor, SER"
wen, I1en, DOCTOR you SIldll De
The old warhorse kept his word. To
his credit be it said. he paid for the
lads education at Queen Elizabeths
Grammar School at Carmarthen, and sent
him to one of the London hospitals,
where he passed his examination with
credit But just at the time, by the
irony of fate Picton was killed at Water
loo. and trouble began. Without money
or influence. DR.. Daniel Davies pluckily
started a practice in Drury Lane and
Seven Dials, at that time the worst
slums in Europe. Great popularity at
tended him and "Dr. Taffy" became a
household word with the wretched in
habitants Of that region.
Then fortune knocked at his door, and
in a strange way. The wife of the Ouch
ess of Kent's coachman was given up
for dead in childbirth. Some one sug-
gested "Dr Taffy,'' and in despair he
was sent for. He saved her life and
that of the child. Soon after the royal
mistress was in a like desperate case,
and the royal doctors gave up hope. The
old coachman, however, saved the sit
uation. Send for Dr. Taffy,'" /" he said,
confidently: he'll save her." The ad-
vice was acted on. DR.. Davies arrived
When he saw how matters stood with
the royal patient. he asked bluntly:
(which do you want me to keep alive,
the mother or the child?" The agonized
duke instantly replied: MY wife"
We'll" he said. deliberately, 'I will
keep them both alive"
And he did The little Welshman be-
came court physician, and the baby be-
came the great Queen Victoria The debt
which the British empire owes to that
Welsh doctor can never be repaid.
AdrAraI Sir Michael Culme-Seymour,
who played such an important part in
the Kings libel action, is handsome
veteran Of seventy-five, bright-eyed, alert
and wiry. During his fifty years and
more in the navy he has held the most
important positions that can fan to the
lot of a British admiral, among them
the two blue ribbons OF the service, the
command of the Mediterranean feet and
the port-admiralship of Portsmouth. His
family, so distinguished in naval annals,
has always been persona grata with the
royal family, and King George and Queen
Mary, as Duke and Duchess of York,
were frequent visitors to Admiralty
House, Portsmouth. when Sir Michael
was ADMIRAL commander-in-chief Of this
most famous Of British ports.
His long active service record includes
campaigns in Burmah. the Baltic. the
Black Sea- In China, and with the naval
brigade in the Crimea, where he was
present at the fall OF Sebastopol
The admiraIs son, Capt. Michael
Culme-Seymour, who also gave evidence
on behalf OF his majesty. Is a promis-
ing young officer, who has had much
to do with the efficiency OF the service
IN fha iuaDdrfnrf caDzcity Of assistant