The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-22

Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home oil
the Washington family in Northampton,
shire is to be purchased and preserved
as a memorial of the century OF peace
between English speaking people II mas
long been the object Of pilgrimage on tne
part of Americans, some of whom were
anxious to buy the historic place
though Sulgrave, which is small village
a few miles from Brackley' Is Iot 'eiS
accessible TO tourists.
The washingtons appear to have come
originally from Lancashire. Laurence
Washington, the founder of the North
HAMPSHIRE branch, was Mayor OF North.
ampton in 1892 and in 1545. He received
the manor of Sulgrave on the dissolution
of the monasteries and built the manor
house part of the building tnat ne
erected still survives, with large gaoieu
porch, over which are the Washington
arms. ,,-
These contain a suggestion of the stars
and Stripes" which were adopted as an
emblem of the United States, Tor they
consist of a white shield with TWO REQ
stripes. and at the top three red stars.
The Washington family did not remain
long at SuIgrave, the estate being SOLO
in 1910, but they continued 10 RESIDE III
Nor.lamptonshire. 1t was John' the
great grandson of the original Laurence
washington, WIO elIlSloASN ~
in 1857 and founded the family OF VIZ
ginia washingtons from whom the first
American President descended.
The Car has conferred the Order of st.
Alexander Newski upon Count Bencken-
dorff as a reward for his many years OF
faithful and successful diplomatic ser
vices. This order is classed as the sec
ond highest decoration in Russia Cthe Or
der of st. Andrew is the firsr. 1t has q
pink ribbon, a six-pointed star, and a red
enamelled crown. The St. Alexander
Newski order was founded by Peter the
sonages who have "weaTied" themselves
in the public service.
The motto is Ia trudi etchestro,"
CFor hard work and the fatherland).
Count Benckendorff has been Russian
Ambassador at the Court of St. James
since 1905. He was born at Berlin in 1s49
of ancient German North Prussian)
stock. His father was Count Constantin
Benckendorff, and his mother the Prin-
cess Luise. daughter of the Duke OF
Croy. a powerful Prussian magnate
The ambassador in 1873 married the Coun-
tess Sophie Shuvaloff. He entered the
Russian diplomatic service first in 1853
but left it seven years later. In 1856 he
re-entered the service as attache to the
Russian Embassy at Vienna. Later he
was promoted as envoy to Copenhagen
and in 1903 transferred as ambassador to
London, the highest classed post in the
gift Of the Russian foreign office.
King George of England has had quite
a supply of decorations made to be dis
tributed in Berlin. But when the Lon.
don paper which publishes this with the
additional remark that decorations are
far more agreeable TO Germans thar
pieces of jewelry." it shows an almost un.
believable Ignorance of its topic. The
economical practice of giving decorations
instead of snuff boxes or jewelry was in
troduced by the late Queen Victoria OF
England. On more than one occasion
there was surprise and annoyance at a
foreign court because one class of the
Royal Victorian Order was bestowed
upon ministers and chamberlains. while
lower class of the same decoration was
given TO upper servants and railway Of
hcials. One decoration should be kept
for highly placed personages exclusively
as the distinction between the various
classes often is not fully understood
everywhere.
When Queen Victoria visited the Prus-
sian court at Berlin and Potsdam during
the sumner of 1855, there was lavish dis
VI SlIiS ldSl by
mistake one of her best SNUFF boxes
valued at s5O0. was given to a functionary
who was scheduled to receive a very
much less costly present. Lord Bloom
field at once sent to recover the box as
soon as the blunder had been discovered.
The messenger, however. was too late,
for the precious gift already in the course
of a few hours had been converted into
cash.
select audience, including members of
the royal family. sitting in concert hall
in London the other night. heard selec-
tons from Faust. being rendered that
very moment in the Paris Opera House.
and heard them distinctly. with no note
missed or marred.
II was the new submarine cable under
the Channel that made the experiment
possible by means of the new electro
phone" and its success renders the hope
more probable that remarkable develop
ments may be looked for in the near fu-
ture.
Electrophone transmitters placed on the
stage in Paris collected the notes and
passed them through the new cable to
the receivers in London, which the audi
ence had at their ears. So loud was the
sound that the notes could actually be
heard leaking" as it were, from the
receiver into the hall itself.
When the developments that are hoped
for materialize, receivers will no longer
be necessary, and a subscriber sitting
comfortably by his own fireside will COM
mand the services of the finest musicians
actors, lecturers, and singers.
The change at the United States En-
bassy in London with the arrival of Mr..
Page, has exercised a depressing effect
upon society. Mr.. and Mrs. Whitelaw
Reid occupied one of the finest houses in
that city, and also a lovely place in the
country, and they entertained constantly