COST OF ROYAL TRAINS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21065, 17 June 1938, Page 7

COST OF ROYAL TRAINS

London’s Most Famous House Mystery of Art Thefts (Specially written for " The Tim ar a Herald ” by Charles Martin/ LONDON. May 8. Lord Clarendon, former GovernorGeneral of South Africa, is busy gaining an insight into the routine of Court duties in readiness for July 1. when he takes over as Lord Chamberlain. This Court appointment is no mere concession to tradition. The Lord Chamberlain is Chief of Staff at the Palace; he is the authority on precedence, which means that he may often be confronted with an awkward problem requiring delicacy and tact for its solution; he is the one who commandthe presence of His Majesty’s guests 'it courts, garden parties and official functions; and he it is who has the unpleasant task of refusing presentations when these are considered undesirable. In addition he is the theatrical censor. The new Lord Chamberlain is looking forward to his association with the theatre. Though revues bore him. Lord Clarendon is fond of a good thrill?.. like. l } historical plays, and is a great admirer of Bernard Shaw. He declared recently that he would not prove “an unduly censorious censor.’’ A Private Train. When Mr Neville Chamberlain ended his fishing holiday in Scotland * bv travelling part of the way to Inverness, in the Duke of Sutherlands locomotive, many people were surprised to hear that there was still a privately owned train running on one of Britain's biggest railways. The last time this vehicle wasvused was 10 years ago when it was driven by ex-King Alfonso. Before the war it was run more frequently. nearly every monarch n Europe having travelled in the cab at one time or another. There are, of course, a numbei ol unusual trains seldom seen by the public. Foremost among these are the Royal “specials." Tn a Buckinghamshire siding is the train, complete with bedrooms, bathrooms, and a smok ’g room, which was much used by King George V during the war. When Royally Travels. Elaborate precautions are talom before a Royal train journey. Every inch of the track is inspected; tunnel ventilation shafts are guarded; shunting tstopped; and gates at level crossings arc locked. It is recorded that on one occasion Queen Victoria had a man stationed every 200 yards along the lint 1 from London to Balmoral. That journey cost her £2.500 King George VI. who pays first class fare for all his passengers, plus 13 4 per mile for i special train, does the journey for abo it £450. Back To No. 10. After being in the hands of the ' builders for many months, No. 10 ( Downing Street is now occupied by Mr Neville Chamberlain for the first time since he became Prime Minister. n?arly a year ago. In the course of its Ion", | history, many thousands of pounds have been spent on redecorating, modernising and reconstructing this famous building. As long ago as 1873 Pitt complained of the high cost to the country of repairs to No. 10. The figure at which he protested was £ll.OOO. This time the cost has amounted to £lB,OOO. but Mr Chamberlain is not expected to complain! The town house of England’s Prime Minister h?..s become one» of the most comfortable homes in the country. Visitors to London frequently express surprise at the insignificant appearance of the Prime Minister’s residence, but the unimposing facade is I deceptive. The house extends to twice the width of the street frontage, and its depth is even greater than that. Deaths But No Births. Sir Robert Walpole was the first Premier to live at No. 10 in 1732. Many of his successors in office, until the last 50 years, did not exercise their right and the house was frequently occupied I by Chancellors of the Exchequer. Government Ministers have died in this h'storic house, notably Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Spencer Perceval, the Prime Minister who was assassinated in the House of Comr. ons, in 1812, was buried from No. 10. Downing Street. No births have been

I recorded there, but In 1354 a son was I born to Mrs Gladstone at No. 11. 1 When Ohl Masters Vanish. | What happens to old masters when I they are stolen? The theft of five pictures. valued at £lOO.OOO. from the collection of Sir Edmund Davies, the Australian who became a captain of Soutn African mining industry, is one of many such robberies in recent years, and it is always a mystery what the thieves do with the booty. Art thieves usually confine their I efforts to removing lesser-known works | which can more easily be disposed* oi in America. But the paintings taken i from Chilham Castle are known to every art dealer and connoisseur in the world, and it is difficult to imagine how they could be sold. Is there somewhere I an unscrupulous collector who is will- ' ing buy stolen pictures for his own I secret enjoyment? ; The pictures may be held to ransom. In 1876 a Gainsborough was stolen from | a London art gallery soon after it had I been bought at Christie’s for £10,505. Nothing was heard of the missing masI terpiece for 25 years, when it was i found in New York, having reposed r ;ll I that time at the bottom of a trunk. The i receiver revealed the whereabouts of ! the picture for a promise of £l,OOO and i no prosecution. I In some instances pictures are re- ' turned by the thiefes. as happened in i 1926 when four Constables were stolen from Burlington House. Many others have still to come to light. Bird-Scaring In The Army. A new air menace arose recently ‘it | Windsor Castle. It has been dispelled i by prompt action on the part of the military authorities. Intruders, swoop- ; ing down from above, turned the ceremonious changing of the guard into a ■ comedy. The dignity of the soldiers i was at stake. How were the guardsmen ’ to observe the King’s Regulations with i decorum when subjected to the sallies of curious pigeons? I Following the escapade of one disi respectful bird which, descending from the battlements, alighted cn a guards- { man s bearskin and though chased by ' an indignant sergeant-major, refused to ’’ depart until it had investigated several I more bearskins, much to the amuse- , ment of the onlookers, the soldier has taken a tip from the farmer and eml • ‘ ’’ed a bird-scarer. I The changing of the guard at Wind- ; sor Castle is now preceded by much . clapping, not by an appreciative audience. but by a man with clappers who ' is secreted in the quadrangle. He whirls , his instrumc"' vigorously every time a pigeon draws near. This enables the ceremony to be performed without in- ' terruption from hovering birds, and the i danger of the sergeant-major succumbing to heart attack has been removed.