The Washington herald., 1913-03-16

An influential Anglo-American COM
mittee has been formed to purchase Sui
grave Manor, the old seat of the WASH
ingtons In Northamptonshire. England,
in celebration Of the one-hundredth an
niversery Of the declaration of peace
between England and the United States
The manor of Sulgrave was granted
by Henry VIII to Lawrence Washington
In 1888. and he built the present house
which bears the Washington arms The
church contains the bust of Lawrence
Washington. with a shield representing
the family arms (the stars and stripes)
and a headless efigy. The Washingtons
left Sulgrave for Brington. near North
ampton, in 1910, when the estate was
sold.
During the last half OF the eighteenth
century the Sulgrave highwaymen were
the terror of the whole country. until
the gang was broken up in I7s1, when
four of them were hanged at Northamp-
ton. The parish clerk was leading
member, and much Of the stolen prop
erty was put away in the church and
its vaults.
Some Of the British papers have been
printing an item about the Prince OF
Wales spending his Easter vacation In
visiting Berlin. Potsdam. Dresden. and
Stuttgart. after which he was to take
part in several Midland hunts. His visit
to Germany. moreover. is alleged to be
connected with his approaching betroth-
al"
This is all pure invention. The Prince
Of Wales is to join the King and Queen
at Buckingham Palace when he leaves
oxford during the present week for the
Easter vacation, and few days later
will accompany his royal parents to
Sandringham to spend the holidays. Very
likely, however, the heir to the English
throne will spend July and August at
Heidelberg. but he will maintain the
strictest incognito during his stay In
Germany.
II was said formerly that at Buckihg-
ham Palace ceremonials everybody knew
everybody else. at least by sight This
is no longer the case. except at the
diplomatic and official reception. which
opens tho season. This is always the
most brilliant of the functions. owing
to the great variety of uniforms and
yards of decorations. This time there
were the usual features. large diplo-
matte circle. a very crowded entree. and
a full attendance of general company.
The reception of the Corps DiplomatiGus
was accomplished with rapidity, and the
passing of the "entree" company also
was made quick work of. The whole
affair was most strictly formal, there
being none of the halts when passing the
sovereign for few words of CONVEX
sation, which were formerly customary
on such occasions The supper and car
riage arrangements were excellent. Peo-
pie now leave the ballroom directly thew
have passed" and proceed at once to
supper. which greatly facilitates the get
ting away, as everybody is not crowding
and struggling to leave at the same
time.
There was very small royal circle
at that court The royalties were re-
ceived by the King and Queen in the
white drawing-room, where the process
sion to the ballroom was formed. The
durbar canopy and carpet. which were
used at the second state ball last year,
appeared for the first time at any court.
Countess Benckendorff was prevented
from attending by illness. hence Nine.
de Villa Urrutia offIciated as doyenne
of the Corps Diplomatiaue. The King
and Queen and the royal princes re-
turned in procession as soon as the pres
entations were over. Supper was served
in the throne room for the Corps Diplo-
matiaue, and in the green room and
lower dining-room for the other guests.
The most precious possessions OF roy
alty and nobility or of celebrities often
are of SO little monetary value that even
a thief would decline to waste his time
and opportunity trying to get them
at autumn the Princess Friedrich Karl