The sun., 1916-01-09

thoroughly twentieth CEN
tury story Of the recent capture of
Capt. Stanley Wilson. Member of
Parliament and Kings Messenger.
While he was on his way from the
Pirgus to Naples on the Spez.a, an
ordinary Greek passenger steamer. an
Austrian submarine came suddenly to
the surface within a hundred yards
Of the liner, forced II to stop
and then proceeded to remove
from IL Stanley wilson and his des
patches. also Col. II. ID. Napier of
the English army. who happened to be
N his company. As soon as they had
been transferred to the submarine the
latter eappeared beneath the surface
OF the waves quite as suddenly and
mysteriously as II had made ts ap-
pearauce. and the Spezia was allowed
60 proceed without further molestation
TO its destination.
Nothing more was heard Of the two
captives until the Austrian. Govern
ment commenced the publication at
Vienna and Berlin OF the dispatches
that had been confided to Wilson's
care and custody. They proved to be
OF q very confidential. character and
their disclosure has been somewhat
embarrassing to the British Govern
ment, since they seem To have con-
talned remarks OF a rather uncom-
plimentary nature regarding the civil
and military dignitaries Of Greece and
even on the subject Of her reigning
family In the handwriting OF British
officials at Athens and at Salonica.
1t IL said that Capt. Wilson attempted
at the last moment to hurl his sealed
bag of dispatches into the sea, but
that Il was fished up from the water
by one OF the sailors Of the Austrian
submarine. As to the fate of Wilson
and his companion nothing s known.
the presumption, however. being that
they are in custody somewhere In
Austria as prisoners OF war.
Only a few years ago il was an
nounced that the British Governmen.
had taken the resolution to dispense
with the services Of the silver Grey
hounds" or Kings messengers, on the
ground that their services had become
superfiuous. Edward Wis predllec-
ton for foreign travel, his stays at
Biarritz or on the Riviera in the
spring and at Marienbad in the fall.
his early summer cruises in the
Mediterranean and his frequent visits
20 foreign courts constituted heavy
strain on the services OF the corps.
since the monarch had while aboard TO
remain In full touch with his Ministers
at home and communications were
constantly passing between himself
and Downing street. King George.
however. does not care for foreign
travel and save for his Durbar voyage
t. India and brief visits to Paris and
10 Berlin IN the sprHg OF 1914 did not
leave the United Kingdom from the
time OF his accession until the begin
ming OF the present war Since then
he has made severa. short trips to
France for the purpose of inspecting
his troops n the field there.
Whatever the plans Of the Govern
ment at the time about the abolition
Of the stafr Of Kings Messengers the
project fortunately was not put into
execution. For since the outbreak OF
the present International confagraton
eighteen months ago they have be-
come absolutely Indispensable to the
maintenance OF Intercourse between
the Government at home and its diplo-
matte and consular representatives
abroad its military and naval officials
at the front and Its foreign allies.
Conventions among the Powers
providing for the inviolability OF the
malls have since August, l9l4, gone
by the board. in the wake Of most OF
the other rules and regulations oil
internationa law, as worthless AZ mere
scraps OF paper. TO use the words Oh
the Chancellor of the German Empire
Every foreign letter posted for trans
mission is not only liable but certain
10 be opened and read before II reaches
its destination. and is fortunate indeed
II It escapes confiscation and destruc-
ton. The various Governments are.
therefore, obliged to send all their
ofiicial and confidential correspon-
dence by means OF special and trusted
messengers.
II used to be said that the life and
duties OF "Silver Grey hounds IN
piping times of peace were Of the most
humdrum character, devoid OF the
slightest interest in fact, difficulties
were experienced in recruiting the
proper sort Of men for the service.
Since the outbreak of the war, how
ever they have had all the excitement
and adventure that they can want.
Tne lODk OF tOTtOOlu tudt
DISTINGUISHED their faces has dlsap-
peared. They give evidence Of being
tremendously keen and alert, and what
10 more their numbers have been
trebled and even quadrupled They
have suffered many hairbreadth es-
capes and numerous thrilling adven-
lures, winding up in the kidnapping
Of one OF their number, Capt, Stanley
Wilson, last month. from a Mediterra-
mean passenger steamer by an Aus
trian submarine.
The Kings Messengers owe their
name of silver Greyhounds' to the
fact that their badge of office con-
sists of a silver greyhound, sur
mounted by an imperial crown, PEN
dant from a red ribbon about their
neck The badge they always carry
with them. But the semi military uni
form which goes Herewith IL usually
dispensed with, owing TO the attention
which 1t attracts and the mark which
It makes of the mesSenge 10 designing
people and to foes. Indeed the uni
form Is seldom used except in war
time, and then only within the from
tiers of one or another OF the bel
Ngerents.
The uniform consists OF dark blue
cloth double breasted frock coat. a
blue. silver. single breasted wa!stcoat
buttoned up to the throat, with edg!ns