Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-21
.LONDONERS LOSE
FEAR OF AIR RAIDS
They Will Be Disappointed if
Zeppelins Fail to
Come.
PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN
Courts Abandoned, Lest Palace
Furnish Target for Bombs
of Aviators.
PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN

Especial Cable to The Times Dis7atch.I
LONDON. February @0-f.ondoncrs
are no more afraid OF Xcppelins than
are the Parisians, less than ever now
that last raid has shown us how COM
parativcly powerlcss are these much
advertised German machines. If we
think Of them at all, it is rather with
fear that. after all. We may not be
allowed to see them. which would Ger
tainly be disappointment after these
many months OF enforced darkness
In official circles. however. an air
raid IL still considered almost certain.
and especially does Lord Kitchener
firmly believe that one Of these nights
we shall wake up to find them drop
ping their missiles of death upon Just
and unjust alike.
AS result Of this conviction on tho
part of our military dictator. there viii
be no courts held at buckingham Palace
this spring, for tho Germans would bc
almost certain to use such an oppor-
tunity to present themselves to royalty.
London trad"Smcn are consequently
very much disappointed. the more 50
as IL was said not long ago that King
George was quite determined at least
two courts should be held
QUEEN MARY IN DEspAIR,
SHE IS GROWING STOUTEI,
1t Is becoming quite evident that in
spite OF the war, Queen Mary continues
to grow stouter to the despair OF her
self and her physicians alike. The lat
ter have repeatedly advocated physical
exercise and sport. but 1t seems i'm
possible to find any form of cxcrcisc
which appeals to the Queen. Golf is
out of the question. for she cannot
bear walking: she has absolutely re-
fused to take TO horseback riding. and
Immediately put her foot down when
1t was suggested that she might row
dummy boat In the privacy of her
own apartments.
trip to Maricnbad or Earlsbau
would undoubtedly do the Queen "A
world or good. and, in ordinary cir
| cumstances, She would probably CON
sent 10 go. though she hates Continental
visits. But the war, Of course. makes
| any German or Austrian health resort
| appear as remote our neighboring
planets.
Among the comparatively few things
which this war compcls us to do with
OUT liz the annual exhibition Mt tho
Academy OF Arts. AS matter of rac;
practically all our young artists are
away mt the front. and an officer said
| rather wickedly the other day that
| most OF them are proving better lighters
than artists.
While German illustrated papers are
iull OF sketches sent home by artists
serving with the colors, we have NOT
seen II single sketch of this kind In
London. fact which is unquestionably
due to Lord Kitchcncr's dislike of LET
ting us lay eyes on anything which too
closely resembles the real thing
KING AND QUEEN WILL
PAY VISIT TO IRELAND
II is now quite settled that the King
and Queen will visit ireland mex,
month. and they will probably stay
some time at Dublin. The principal
object OF the visit is TO give King
George an opportunity TO thank the
| people OF the Emerald Isle for their
unswervinE loyalty during this crisis.
and the splendid manner in which they
have resented German attempts to per-
! suade them to abstain from answering
the countrys call for men
From Dublin the royal couple will
start on an extended tour throurhout
Ireland. terminating with a visit TO
Belfast. 1t is expected that the royal
visit will do great deal TO heal tho
still existing breach between the va
Iious parties.
The idea of the visit is said to have
orininated with Queen Mary, who has
always been exceedingly popular in
ireland. and when she was Duchess
OF York 1t was said in Nationalist cir
cles that She was the only royal per-
sonaSe who under all circumstances
had remained II stanch friend to Ire
larG
After his return from Sandringham.
~ h. sfa ,-,I
short 10 witness the first Zeppelin raid
on this country. King George is work
ing harder than ever
Ii is no eXagEcration to say that from
the moment the King appears as a
rule dressed in khaki at the breakfast
table at In the morning, he has not
Il single moment he may call his own
He insists on being kept Informed on
everything which is going on He
anNiouSly awaits the Intervention of a
number Of other European countries in
the war. Vaccinations on the part or
G'Emans in all parts OF the world. OF
which the public never hears. are con-
stantiy reported to the King by secret
agents. Spain is being watched very
closely. as are also the Scandinavian
countries
The strange errand which took the
on visit to the german ' Emprsss
would amaze the world were il to be-
come known.
King George is fully aware OF ths
reasons which stayed Roumania's hand
and kept her from achieving her long
cherished ambition in Pennsylvania.
and these are entirely different from
any reasons given in the press.
In nothing more. however has king
George taken greater interest than
In Lord kitchener's brilliant plan. by
which 1t is hoped TO bring Germany to-
her knees; or at least drive her out ot
Belgium before three months have
passed. But OF this nothing can bs
VA Id at present.
ENGLAND IL FARING
Bt,wCE,R TuAy Cpp~.~v