HOW THE KING WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1366, 17 February 1912, Page 12

HOW THE KING WORKS.

t DEALING WITH THE ROYAL CURI'ESPONDE.N'CE. I The exceedingly interesting series of intimate sketches concerning (lie life nf tin; Royal Family. written by an official ol' tho loyal household. which began in last month's "Strand .Magazine,'' is continued in the current iuiihl.it liy an account of "How the King Works." From the article, which is illustrated with photographs of personages connected with the royal household, wo take the following extracts — "His Majesty's 'office,' as ho smilingly calls it, is situated on the first iloor of Buckingham Palace on what is known as tile 'garden front' of the palace, ami was formerly used by the late King Edward, beni;; in close proximity to the room in which ho died. "it is a light and airy apartment, and is very simply furnished. A few years ago, when Kins Edward found that the duties of the .State wore becoming more than he could conveniently undertake, a large roll-top desk was placcd hero for tho use of the then Prince of Wales. This, it is of rather pathetic interest to note, is still used b,v his Majesty, and the large knee-hole writing-table where the late King passed so many of his working hours is still in much the same condition as when ho left it. . . . "King George is an extremely early riser, and his secretaries often find, when they arrive to commence their daily duties, that he has been hard at work for several hours. All letters addressed to the King and Qucvn are sent direct to whichever of the ro.val residences they are occupying from the General Post Office in Loudon in specially-sealed bags. In the case of Buckingham Palace, this tag arrives, as a rule, just as his Majesty is finishing dinner, and is taken charge of by t.ho secretary on duty, who opens it and proceeds to sort out the contents. THE/ROYAL POST-BAG. "Such letters as will ultimately demand the personal attention of King George are placed before him the same night, but it is not often that he deals with tlieni at the moment, save in matters that will not brook delay. Ho glances through them, makes a tew brief notes upon them, and they are then placed under lock and key until lie is ready for them on the following morning. "He has barely , had time to deal with these before the royal breakfast is served, and almost simultaneously an even larger bag of correspondence arrives. Only those who have been called upon to liandle them can rcaliso the vi.stness of the royal postbags, tho contontK of which often range from a private communication from the Kaiser or tho Czar-to a letter from some amiable lunatic who considers that his claim to the British throne is superior to that of King George. . . ." When the correspondence has been sorted by the King's private secretary "there is. ft small but highly important little pilo left. This is -composed of lettors from the rulers of other States, personal reports from cur Ambassadors abroad, or communications from Ministers at home. These never for one instant leave the custody of whoever is entrusted with the task of opening them. THE SPECIAL BOX. • "The>re is a special box standing on tho table with a slit in the top of it wide enough to take any paper. It is fastened with a patent lock, of which only the King, Lord Knollys, and Lord Stamfordham have the 'kevs; so that anything dropped in,'; even Ly accident, can only be taken out by one of these three. "These are. the first letters that are presented to the King every morning, together. with a memorandum reminding him of the duties he has to perform that day. In many case.? the King elects to writo letters, in reply with his own hand. . .' V . "The King is, as already mentioned, an extremely .early riser, and likes to get his State affairs of the day completed, so far as possible, before noon. About this hour ho gives audiences to such of his Ministers, representatives of foreign Powers, and others as desire to see liiin, and ho then takes a brief rest before lunch. 'Tart of this time ho devotes to a visit to tho Queen and such of tho_ royal children as niro in residence. This latter is a duty that his Majesty never neglects, and ha always contrives to givo the young Princes half an hour or so of his time, either -in the open air or, should tho weather bo unfavourable, in the royal nursariea. ..."