The Washington herald., 1913-09-13
Court Gossip of Interesting
EpentS on Two Continents

tions, the anxiety Of the railway man.
ayers is not quieted. The line on which
the British King travels is kept under
surveillance for at least ten miles ahead,
the distance over which the engine pilot
heads the way. For there is the possI-
bility that train passing in an oppo-
site direction may be wrecked within the
ten-mile guard limit and obstruct the
royal progress. Therefore, within this
radius traffic is Temporarily suspended,
but only at the precise hour at which
the royal train passes. For thirty min
utes before II is due to pass a given
point no engine. train, or vehicle is al
lowed to proceed along or across the
line For a similar period all switching
or shunting operations on lines adjoining
the main line OF traffic must be stopped.
In the early days OF Queen Victoria's
Journeys TO Scotland no trains or engines
were permitted to travel between any
two stations from the time the pilot en-
gine was due to the time the royal train
had passed; but this drastic order has
been modified since in favor Of passenger
trains and OF trains hauling fresh fish to
market. But these trains, when nearing
afly point toward which the royal train
is advancing, must lower their speed 10
not exceeding thirty miles an hour. Nor
must there be any steam whistles blown
when anywhere near the presence OF
royalty. So is the blowing on OF steam
forbidden while waiting for the passage
OF the royal train. i.
Traffic Is completely paralyZed by ths
boiling and padIocking OF all switches
over which the pilot engine and royal
train pass, and the gates of grade cross
In;;s where there are no gatekeepers are
locked one hour before the royal train
is due. -
There IS 4 story OF a woman gate
keeper on one of the Scottish lines who
displayed remarkable devotion to duty
A nobleman drove up to the crossing
some minutes before the royal train was
due and demanded that he be allowed 10
pr IS. The gatekeeper declined to open
the gates, whereupon the noble lord
waNed hot and asked the woman whether
she was aware Of his identity. She con-
fessed that she knew that he was Lord
So-and-so," but added that she cared not
near as much for his nobility as for the
safety of the royal train. In a few min
Utes Queen Vlctoria's train flashed past
and the gates were thrown open. The
incident came to the notice OF the railway
directors. and the woman was rewarded
for her attention to duty.
For - use Of the King IN England
there are reserved three nagnihcant
trains. The London and Northwestern
Railway Company's royal train, built hS
the cost OF f60OOo. is perhaps the finest OF
these The one built by the Great NortiS
ern Company also is composed of mags
nifcent coaches and the Great Western
Company's would be hard to beat fot
elegance and comfort The most mag
nihcent royal train Is the Gar of Rus.
sia's. which also is armor-pIated. Tia
simplest fitted up Is the German
Kaisers, and the princes of his houssz
travel like Ordinary mortalse in regd-
lation trains.
Bermuda, at present causing Some anx-
iety to the American government as a
possible British naval station near the
Panama Canal enjoys the distinction OF
being the only British colony mentioned
in Shakespeare. And his way OF spelling
1.-THE ''Bermoothes'-is more correct
and grammatical than ours. Bermuda Is
plural. not singular. It is really a clus-
ter of 800 small islands-very smalI-see-
ing that, all told, they do not aggregate
more than nineteen square miles.
Bermuda is less than 800 miles from the
coast Of the United States. The excep-
tonal mildness and salUbrity Of its cIf-
mate have made it during recent years
a favorite winter resort with weIl-to-do
Americans. According to statistics, these
visitors number some 5000 a year, and
they circulate a good deal of money
among the Bermuda folks. PalatiaI no.
tels have sprung up for their accommo-
dation, FLANEUR.