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12 July 1902 — 3 Savile Row | |
Saturday. 12th [July 1902]. Constance sent the man with the screens to hold the drawings for my sale. They are light wooden things wh hook together abt 8 ft long & 2 of them are set up in my drawing room. Mr Hamilton came at 12 to report progress as to the Venezia Murano Co. He has taken a shop in Bond St 125 to replace the old one in St James’ Street. Dacre Du Cane came in to invite me to go with him to see Genl Kitchener’s entrance into London. He had tickets for Constitution Hill stands. We walked there via Green Park & there was not too great a crowd. We got good places in the front row. Had about ½ hour to wait during wh time we amused ourselves looking at the Indian & other foreign troops who lined the route of the procession & are very picturesque. When the small procession did come by headed by the P. of Wales, it seemed a small affair. Kitchener being in a carriage with 3 other khaki dressed officers was not imposing & tho’ cheered did not evoke enthusiasm as did Lord Roberts riding at the head of his staff & coming after him. On leaving the stand we went down to have a nearer look at the troops & especially at the Fijians with their hair trained to stand straight on end—thick & long & forming a kind of helmet– I talked some time to a very civil policeman who told me what the different troops were—& was in great admiration of the Blues which he declared were the favorites of “the old Queen.” I praised to him our police & said what an opinion we had of their cleverness in managing London traffic & crowds. He said that the people were also to be praised for “unless they chose to obey us what could we do with them.” He said it required good humour & discretion in dealing with people—altho’ the police did not know how to speak to Lords & Dukes—they tried to be civil to all alike tho’ we have to be rough with some of those who are rough. I praised the management of the traffic & he said that the rules were very severe & if by disobedience a hack carriage detained the traffic when 3 mins. was a matter of great importance—then the policeman said nothing but noted the number of the cab—kept it in his head till he had a moment to write it down & to the surprise of cabby he was cited to appear before the police– If this happened 3 times his license was taken from him & he was removed from his business. | |
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