The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-04

| tCopynght lG3. b. A. ID! Jacooeon)
Queen Mary's interest in court ar
ransements does not begin and end, a
| is popularity supposed. with the appoint
ment of her personal aids. Since KIM
George came to the throne. Queen Mar
has insisted upon experimenting tn,
details Of the Organization and admins
tration of the royal household. wori
which In the past was delegated Il
court oficials. This has resulted II
|, many alterations, particularly In regart
to the number of servants employed. fol-
she discovered that she did not require
nearly the number of servants and at.
tendants that were formerly deemed
necessary, the pomp maintained being
much more simple than was previously
the case.
The business-iike spirit which per.
vades the whole Of the Queens house
hold Is rather striking. Everything
seems to proceed there as though BY
clockwork, and while there is no stint
or penury, the Queen permits no waste
q strict economy being enforced In
every direction. Queen Mary exercises
full control over all that takes place in
her name. and scarcely a letter Is dis
patched before IL is submitted to her
for approval Mr.. z. W. Wellington
with the vast correspondence which she
receives each day. and takes her In
structions concerning the replies which
should be sent. The Queen devotes
several hours q day to her correspond
ence.
In what may be styled the business
side Of the Queens household. the Earl
Of SALISBURY Is the leading figure. He
is her Lord Chamberlain and, TO q con-
siderable extent. his duties approximate
to those carried out by Lord sandhurst
in the household OF the King. He is
charged with the entire conduct of her
majestys encourage. and Is responsible
to her for It's proper maintenance. All
items Of expenditure on behalf of the
Queen have to pass through his hands,
though 1t is her treasurer, A. Nelson
Hood. who actually signs the checks
and sees that they are dispatched.
The Mistress of the Robes. a position
now held by the Duchess of Devonshire.
in reality Is the head of the Queens
household. among the principal OF her
duties being the supervision OF the Maids
of Honor. Her former Official title at
court was Mother of the Maids" Next
in order Of importance among the ladies'
Of the Queens Court come the Ladies Of
the Bedchamber. These, together with
the Bedchamber Women. are more gen
orally known today by the designation of
Ladies' sim Waiting, but the former title
IL correct, and has reference to the days
when these ladies were actually called
upon to serve the British Queens at thir
toilet and to assist generally at the rob
ing and disrobing every morning and
night Needless to add, this no longer
forms part of their duties.
II Is the Bedchamber Women who now
are more commonly knSwn as the Ladies'
in Waiting. and one Of these always Is
In attendance upon the Queen. Each of
these is on duty a fortnight at a time.
and then Is relieved by the next on the
list, the change usually taking place on
a Monday. These Ladies. though nomi-
naliy selected by the Mistress of the
Robes, are really chosen by the Queen
in person from the families Of her init
mate friends.
The British postal service has improved
somewhat" since the days Of Charles
H. In May. 1852, Charles wrote TO Philip
w Of Spain, making serious complaints
respecting the conduct Of the Spanish
The letter was folded and
but not dispatched. It can be
seen in the Public Record once. with an
by Secretary Nichols, to the
fleet that It could not be sent. as at the
lime when 1t should have gone there were
10 available means Of conveyance of
nail to Spain.
Another letter written in 1880 was dis
covered In the British Public Record
ONCE two years ago. having been un-
delivered. 1t IL addressed, For by Loving
.rfed. Richard Hiekson, a butcher in
ouham, to be delivered to William By
waters, Durham. paid 9 pence" A copy
u the letter was forwarded to the de-