ROYAL ESPERANTISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81916, 16 January 1907, Page 4

ROYAL ESPERANTISTS.

NIYERSAL LANGUAGE A BOON TO l-'LT't'KE SOVEREIGNS. London, November 24. The announcement .that Prince Okif is to be taught Esperanto is expectetl to give a great impetus to the study of the universal language. An official of the British Esperanto Association told an "Express'' representative yesterday that Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain was the first royal personage to take, up Esperanto seriously. "Her Majesty," he'said, "has quite an Esperanto library, and has already interested King Alfonso in the study. ' "There is no reason why any person should know two or three languages before he can speak Esperanto In fact, a three-year-old child can learn it much faster than an adult. if properly instructed. Esperanto would be a great boon to future Sovereigns. At present kings are expected to know three languages. King Edward, for instance, speaks French and German perfectly, understands Italian, and has some knowledge of Russian. "Esperanto is making great strides. The < London County Council, which has already opened Esperanto classes at four of its schools, is prepared to open more if a sufficient number of students present themselves. "Esperanto <is now included in the -yllabus of the National Union of Teachers. The next international congress, which will bring together 7000 Esperantists, will be held at Cambridge in August."