Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/160

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90

��NOTES BY THE WAY.

��shamrock worn by the Irish Guards.

��ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

1901, Mar. 23. Twelve months ago, by Queen Victoria's command, all Irish St. Patrick's regiments and Irishmen serving in the army were permitted to Day : wear the shamrock ; and Sunday last being the first St. Patrick's Day parade of the Royal Irish Guards since their formation, both officers and men wore sprigs of shamrock on church parade. On their return from the service they found that Queen Alexandra had thoughtfully sent four boxes containing shamrock to be dis- tributed to the men. The men at once removed the sprigs they had in their coats, placing those received from the Queen in their stead. By command of the King a sprig was sent to him from Covent Garden. This was the four-leaved shamrock, which is supposed to have a special significance. A \vreath of shamrock, by special permission of the King, was placed on the sarcophagus of Queen Victoria at Frogmore by the Royal Munster Fusiliers. The deputation consisted of General J. W. Laurie, M.P., Col. Johnston, Capt. Macpherson, and Sergeant Cullilane.

��1901, Mar. 23.

��KING EDWARD VII.'S TITLE IN SCOTLAND.

King -k 1 the House of Commons on Monday last Mr. Black Vished to

Edward's title know whether, in view of the fact that no sovereign bearing the in Scotland, name of Edward had hitherto reigned in Scotland, instructions would be given to omit the words " the Seventh " in all documents running in the name of His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward relating to Scotland alone. Mr. J. A. Dewar called attention to the fact that the oath of allegiance taken by hon. members was to King Edward, and not to King Edward VII. ; and Mr. Pirie asked whether, if a rigorous rule were enforced as to the words " the Seventh," a precedent would not be created which had not been adhered to in the similar case of William IV. Mr. G. Murray the Lord Advocate in reply, stated that it had been decided, after full consideration, that His Majesty's title shall be given as Edward VII., and that writs passing the Signet and other documents running in the name of the Crown in Scotland shall bear that title. In the time of William IV. summonses always ran in the name of William IV., and the Lord Advocate candidly confessed that he had in vain endeavoured to find a Scottish grievance in the matter. His Majesty was proclaimed Edward VII., and it would be inconvenient to have statutes of Edward VII. cited in Scotland as statutes of Edward I.

This drew from Col. W. F. Prideaux the following : "A letter dated 11 March, which appeared in The Standard of the following day over the signature W. B., may perhaps be of interest in this connexion :

" ' I observe, in the notice of a question he intends to put to the Lord Advocate to-day, that Mr. Black says, " No sovereign bearing the

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