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DENMARK.

DEATH OF KING CHRISTIAN.

Minister O'Brien to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

COPENHAGEN, January 29, 1906.

King Christian died this afternoon at 3.40; had worked until 1, feeling well; at luncheon felt weak, and shortly afterwards died without pain. Dowager Empress of Russia and crown prince of Denmark present when he died.

The Secretary of State to Minister O'Brien.

O'BRIEN.

[Telegram.]

DEPARTMENT of State, Washington, January 29, 1906.

Convey through appropriate channel the sincere condolences of the President and of your countrymen upon the death of His Majesty King Christian.

ROOT.

President Roosevelt to King of Denmark, Frederick VIII.

[Telegram.]

WASHINGTON, January 30, 1906.

I desire to express to you my profound sympathy in the grief that you and your people feel in the loss of the late King, who during his long reign has been in very truth a father to his people.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

Minister O'Brien to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

COPENHAGEN, January 30, 1906.

At noon late crown prince proclaimed King Frederick VIII by prime minister in presence of large concourse. Announcement re

ceived with enthusiasm.

O'BRIEN.

The Danish Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF DENMARK, Washington, January 29, 1906.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: By order of my Government, I have to perform the painful duty of advising your excellency that His Majesty the King, my august sovereign, died suddenly this afternoon

at 3.20.

I venture to beg your excellency to be so good as to convey this grievous intelligence to the President of the United States.

Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, etc.,

C. BRUN.

No. 68.1

Minister O'Brien to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Copenhagen, January 31, 1906. SIR: About 5 o'clock on the 29th instant I sent you the following

message:

King Christian died this afternoon at 3.40. Had worked until 1 feeling well. At luncheon felt weak and shortly afterwards died without pain. Dowager Empress of Russia and crown prince of Denmark present when he died.

The following morning I received from you this reply:

Convey through appropriate channel the sincere condolences of the President and of your country upon the death of His Majesty King Christian.

I am now able to give a little more accurately the exact conditions preceding the King's death.

He had been unusually well, and during the morning had transacted much business and gave audience to about 50 people.

He went to his luncheon soon after 1 in high spirits. Besides the officers of the court, his daughter, the Empress Dowager of Russia, and brother, Prince Hans, and perhaps some others were present. During luncheon he drank part of a glass of port wine. He got up from the table feeling a little distress in his throat and went to his The ill feeling continued, and he undressed, without aid, and

went to bed.

The Dowager Empress was in the adjoining room with an open door between. Thinking she heard heavy breathing, she stepped into the King's chamber and found him already dead. No one was present at the end except as above, but it was very apparent that his death was quite painless.

Doctors were summoned, but of course were of no assistance. The news spread rapidly in the city and provoked a good deal of interest and excitement. Great numbers of people thronged the streets and surrounded the palace, but everything was most orderly and quiet.

At 12 o'clock yesterday, the 30th instant, a great crowd assembled in the Amalienborg Square, the number being variously estimated at from 10,000 to 20,000, as it had been announced that at that time the succession would be proclaimed. The announcement was made

from the balcony of Amalienborg Palace by the prime minister, and the late crown prince made a short speech which was received with a good deal of enthusiasm.

I will send under separate cover a translation of the speech of the new King, and also of the open letter, or proclamation.

I beg to inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the minister of foreign affairs to me announcing the King's death, and also a copy of my reply of the 30th instant, making known your telegram and my own comments in connection therewith.

The arrangements for the funeral have not yet been made public and are probably not completed. It is given out, however, that the following will be present:

The King and Queen of England, Emperor of Germany, King George of Greece, the King and Queen of Norway, Grand Duke Michael of Russia, Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, and Duchess of Mechlenberg-Schwerin.

One or more of the ministers have already been designated by their Government as special representatives to attend the funeral.

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure 1.]

T. J. O'BRIEN.

Count Raben to Mr. O'Brien.

[Translation.]

COPENHAGEN, January 29, 1906.

MR. MINISTER: I am fulfilling the most painful duty which could have fallen to my lot, in transmitting to you the official news that God, in His impenetrable designs, has called to Himself his Majesty the King Christian IX. The King heaved the last sigh this afternoon at Amalienborg Palace at 3.20 o'clock, suddenly, and without suffering, in his eighty-eighth year and after a reign of more than forty-two years.

This death has been a cruel blow to the dearest affections of the royal family and plunges the whole country in the most profound and legitimate mourning. You have had the occasion a sufficient number of times, Mr. Minister, to note the invariable devotion which the august deceased bestowed on his people, and the sincere love and respect which they, on their side, vowed to him. You have been able to appreciate the high qualities which distinguished King Christian, and you will join me, I know, in our profound suffering.

King Frederick VIII has mounted the throne. His Majesty has been pleased to instruct me, sir, to make known to you his accession and his sincere desire to maintain and tighten the good relations which exist between Denmark and the United States of America.

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EXCELLENCY: I have your esteemed favor of yesterday conveying the mournful intelligence of the sudden death of your nation's King, Christian IX. The information was at once conveyed to my Government, and I have by the way of response the following telegram from Mr. Elihu Root, Secretary of State:

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Convey through appropriate channel the sincere condolences of the President and of your country upon the death of His Majesty King Christian."

No additional words of mine will have greater force than will be found in the language of the telegram itself, and I beg it will be given its strongest meaning. The unexpected death of the King has come as a distinct shock, not only to the people of Denmark, but to the civilized world.

His Majesty, both personally and officially, was very dear to his people, while his pure life, his sweet nature, his unfaltering patriotism and honesty of purpose were well known to the people of my country, where he was both esteemed and loved.

He was a remarkable man and had a remarkable reign. It will well repay all those in whose charge are the destinies of the nations to consider at this time in what large measure human society has been blessed and elevated by his influence, and by what lofty ideals his life was governed and his actions determined. His service to the world has been beyond measure, while to his own people his life has been a benediction. My own admiration for the late King was very great, and by his death a distinct personal loss has been suffered.

Through the operation of the law and happily through the good will of the people of Denmark, the late crown prince has, by the death of his late Majesty become the King-Frederick VIII.

I read with the greatest pleasure your assurance of the desire of His Majesty to maintain with my Government the good relations which have heretofore existed between the two countries.

At a suitable opportunity I beg you will make known to His Majesty my thanks for this assurance, and that you will express to him my confidence that his hope in this direction will be fulfilled.

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

J. T. O'BRIEN.

The Secretary of State to the Danish Minister.

DEPARTMENT of State, Washington, February 1, 1906.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge with great regret the receipt of your note of the 29th ultimo, in which, by order of your Government, you convey to the Government of the United States the sad intelligence of the death of His Majesty King Christian IX.

I at once made known the fact to the President, and, by his direction, the minister of the United States at Copenhagen was, on the same day, instructed by telegraph to convey, through the appropriate channel, the sincere condolence of the President of the American 'people; and on the following day, upon learning of the proclamation of Frederick VIII as King, the President dispatched to him a telegram in the following language:

I desire to express to you my profound sympathy in the grief that you and your people feel in the loss of the late King, who during his long reign has been in very truth a father to his people.

Begging that you will be so good as to convey to the minister for foreign affairs of Denmark an expression of my own personal sorrow at the loss which has been sustained by the Danish people,

I avail, etc.,

ELIHU ROOT.

The Secretary of State to Minister O'Brien.

[Telegram.-Pharaphrase.]

(Mr. Root notifies Mr. O'Brien sentative at the King's funeral. office accordingly.)

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 8, 1906. that he is to be the President's repreInstructs him to notify the foreign

No. 77.]

DIPLOMATIC UNIFORMS.

Minister O'Brien to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Copenhagen, February 20, 1906.

SIR: Since coming here less than a year ago, there have been a number of functions taking place in the day at which gala dress was prescribed.

In my case, and in that of the secretary, this could mean nothing but the ordinary evening dress. As to all other representatives it meant uniforms.

It will no doubt be conceded that the limitation as to our dress is unfortunate, and that our appearance is peculiarly inappropriate.

Ex-officers of the civil and Spanish wars now in diplomatic positions may wear the uniform of rank they once held. The number in this class, however, is not large, and will not be, nor is the dress especially suitable.

Apart from this it would be best to have a regulation applicable alike to all of the same grade. I have not in mind a plan for display, but rather an official dress at once simple, comfortable, and appropriate.

Perhaps Congress at this time might be willing to repeal existing laws upon the subject, and give to the Secretary of State full power to prescribe what should be worn.

I have, etc.,

No. 23.]

J. T. O'BRIEN.

The Acting Secretary of State to Minister O'Brien.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 9, 1906. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 77, of the 20th ultimo, in regard to the dress of diplomatic representatives of the United States on official occasions.

I inclose for your information and in answer to your dispatch a copy of an instruction to the ambassador at St. Petersburg on this subject.

I am, sir, etc.,

[Inclosure.]

ROBERT BACON.

No. 87.]

The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Tower.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 15, 1899.

SIR: I have received your dispatch No. 83 of the 28th ultimo, in further relation to the subject of your No. 29 of the 22d of April last, wherein you reported upon an arrangement proposed to be established in connection with official ceremonies at the imperial court, whereby a special court costume is to be prescribed and worn by distinguished foreigners and by diplomatic representatives who have no uniform.

The department has always distinguished between a "uniform" and a court dress conforming to local custom. A uniform serves to show the branch of pub

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