Evening star., 1928-12-21
KING CONTINUES !
TO GAIN STRENGTH
Has RestfuI Night, Raising
Optimism of Palace and $ !,
Among Public.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, December 21.-Todays.
bulletin from Buckingham Palace on
King George, one of the briefest yet is
sued, brought the satisfactory news that
he had passed a restful night calculated
to help building up his strength from
the extreme exhaustion caused by his
prolonged and grave Illness.
The bulletin. taken in the light OF
yesterdays lengthy and guardedly op-
timistic report by the Kings physicians,
was felt to indicate that there was
nothing appreciable to add to what. on
the whole, was considered a favorable
situation.
This mornings bulletin read:
THE King has had a restful night.
There is no appreciable change to be
| noted"
Council of State Meets.
The view taken in palace circles, it
was learned, conceded with the public
| impression from the bulletin that his
| majesty is continuing to gain slowly.
His physicians, it was indicated. are
| satisfied with the course that events are
| Illcy are cApCCISu W
any further statement on the Kings
| case until the usual hour for the night
bulletin.
While the physicians were attendiss
| his majesty in the sick chamber, the
council of state which was appointed to
act for the King during his Illness
| held a brief privy council in another
part of the palace.
| All of the six counselors were press
| ent, the Queen, the Prince of Wales,
| the Duke of York, Premier Baldwin,
| the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord
HailSham, the lord high chancellor
1t was understood that the Queen
| presided.
JoynsOn- Hicks Present.
| Others who attended the council meet
| ing were Sir William Joynson- Hicks,
| home secretary: Walter Guinness, min
| lister of agriculture; the Earl of Cromer.
| lord chamberlain, and Maurice Han
| key. the clerk of the council.
| The proceedings lasted less than half
an hour.
! The council transacted routine busi-
ness and a number of questions aris-
| ing out of the adjournment of Parlia-
ment were settled.
| 1t was learned that the Duke of
| Gloucester was expected to reach Eng
| land Monday morning. He will land at
| Southampton and in accordance with.
present arrangements will motor to
| Buckingham Palace. where he will stay.
| Announcement by five doctors at
| tending the King that his progress was
| now established on a firmer basis
brought immense relief today to the
! royal household and the public in
| general
The King was considered to have
| turned the corner The whole history
of his illness was regarded as remark
able testimony to his powers of re-
| SiStance.
Exhaustion Remains Profound.
| 1t seemed apparent, however. that a
| long period must elapse before the King
could be regarded as convalescent. This
! opinion apparently was implied in the
| doctors statement that healing Of the
! empyema with its severe local infection,
though satisfactory, must of necessity
| be lengthy process" ao.. a. O.
The Kings exhaustion, they stated,
remains profound" But against this
they found that the heart was slowly
gathering power and slight accession
of general strength was noticeable.
Their review of the Kings condition
| concluded with the statement:
1AAC AdtdAC OOu1oC VI IIIc IIluSI
from its nature be slow and not without
difficulties, but we are happy to state
that the Kings progress is now estah-
lished on a firmer basis"
The statement was signed by Sir
Stanley Hewett, Lord Dawson of Penn,
Sir Hugh Rigby. Sir Humphrey Roles
ton and Sir Z. Farquahar Buzzard.
The Lancet, an authoritative medical
weekly, today again emphasized the
extreme gravity OF the Kings illness.
but referred to the recent definite
progress as more than could be ex-
pected from the nature of the case.
There was confidence that the royal
family was yet to enjoy a happy
Christmas-happy at least in a release
from the worst of the anxiety of the
last four weeks.
Prince Appears Under Strain.
1t seems certain that the doctors re-
port would remove many Of the uncer-
tainties which have been bothering the
nation. This feeling was voiced bv
Lord Derby and Lord Lonsdale both
speaking at separate meetings, who said
they were sure that everybody would
feel relieved to learn of the improve
ment in the Kings condition.
Some persons who have seen the
Prince of Wales lately thought that he
bore signs of his hasty Journey from
Africa. or indications of general strain.
There was no reason to believe, however,
that apart from this, the prince was not
in excellent health. Although he has
not been undertaking public engage
ments, he has been going about quietly,
attending such functions as the squash
racquet championship.
The Duke of Gloucester, returning
from Cape Town, spent the day at Ma