"I attended, as required, taking with me all necessary documents, andsuch as I conceived might be advisable to produce, if wanted.
"The Lord President informed me that the present meeting of the Councilwas specially summoned in obedience to the suggestion of the King, whohad been consulted as to his personal wishes on the subject--should hehave any. The President then proceeded to inform me officially that allProceedings of the Privy Council were altogether confidential, and werenot to be made public under any circumstances. He was gracious enough toadd:
"'The circumstances of this case, however, are unique; and as you act foranother, we have thought it advisable to enlarge your permission in thematter, so as to allow you to communicate freely with your principal. Asthat gentleman is settling himself in a part of the world which has beenin the past, and may be again, united to this nation by some commoninterest, His Majesty wishes Mr. Sent Leger to feel assured of thegood-will of Great Britain to the Land of the Blue Mountains, and even ofhis own personal satisfaction that a gentleman of so distinguished alineage and such approved personal character is about to be--within hisown scope--a connecting-link between the nations. To which end he hasgraciously announced that, should the Privy Council acquiesce in therequest of Denaturalization, he will himself sign the Patent therefor.
"'The Privy Council has therefore held private session, at which thematter has been discussed in its many bearings; and it is content thatthe change can do no harm, but may be of some service to the two nations.We have, therefore, agreed to grant the prayer of the Applicant; and theofficials of the Council have the matter of the form of Grant in hand.So you, sir, may rest satisfied that as soon as the formalities--whichwill, of course, require the formal signing of certain documents by theApplicant--can be complied with, the Grant and Patent will obtain.'"
Having made this statement in formal style, my old friend went on in morefamiliar way:
"And so, my dear Rupert, all is in hand; and before very long you willhave the freedom required under the Will, and will be at liberty to takewhatever steps may be necessary to be naturalized in your new country.
"I may tell you, by the way, that several members of the Council madevery complimentary remarks regarding you. I am forbidden to give names,but I may tell you facts. One old Field-Marshal, whose name is familiarto the whole world, said that he had served in many places with yourfather, who was a very valiant soldier, and that he was glad that GreatBritain was to have in the future the benefit of your father's son in afriendly land now beyond the outposts of our Empire, but which had beenone with her in the past, and might be again.
"So much for the Privy Council. We can do no more at present until yousign and have attested the documents which I have brought with me.
"We can now formally complete the settlement of the Vissarion estates,which must be done whilst you are a British citizen. So, too, with theWill, the more formal and complete document, which is to take the placeof that short one which you forwarded to me the day after your marriage.It may be, perhaps, necessary or advisable that, later on, when you arenaturalized here, you shall make a new Will in strictest accordance withlocal law."
TEUTA SENT LEGER'S DIARY.
_August_ 19, 1907.
We had a journey to-day that was simply glorious. We had been waiting totake it for more than a week. Rupert not only wanted the weathersuitable, but he had to wait till the new aeroplane came home. It ismore than twice as big as our biggest up to now. None of the otherscould take all the party which Rupert wanted to go. When he heard thatthe aero was coming from Whitby, where it was sent from Leeds, hedirected by cable that it should be unshipped at Otranto, whence he tookit here all by himself. I wanted to come with him, but he thought itbetter not. He says that Brindisi is too busy a place to keep anythingquiet--if not secret--and he wants to be very dark indeed about this, asit is worked by the new radium engine. Ever since they found radium inour own hills he has been obsessed by the idea of an aerial navy for ourprotection. And after to-day's experiences I think he is right. As hewanted to survey the whole country at a glimpse, so that the generalscheme of defence might be put in hand, we had to have an aero big enoughto take the party as well as fast enough to do it rapidly, and all atonce. We had, in addition to Rupert, my father, and myself, Sir Colinand Lord High Admiral Rooke (I do like to give that splendid old fellowhis full title!). The military and naval experts had with themscientific apparatus of various kinds, also cameras and range-finders, sothat they could mark their maps as they required. Rupert, of course,drove, and I acted as his assistant. Father, who has not yet becomeaccustomed to aerial travel, took a seat in the centre (which Rupert hadthoughtfully prepared for him), where there is very little motion. Imust say I was amazed to see the way that splendid old soldier Sir Colinbore himself. He had never been on an aeroplane before, but, all thesame, he was as calm as if he was on a rock. Height or motion did nottrouble him. Indeed, he seemed to _enjoy_ himself all the time. TheAdmiral is himself almost an expert, but in any case I am sure he wouldhave been unconcerned, just as he was in the _Crab_ as Rupert has toldme.
We left just after daylight, and ran down south. When we got to the eastof Ilsin, we kept slightly within the border-line, and went north or eastas it ran, making occasional loops inland over the mountains and backagain. When we got up to our farthest point north, we began to go muchslower. Sir Colin explained that for the rest all would be comparativelyplain-sailing in the way of defence; but that as any foreign Power otherthan the Turk must attack from seaward, he would like to examine theseaboard very carefully in conjunction with the Admiral, whose advice asto sea defence would be invaluable.
Rupert was fine. No one could help admiring him as he sat working hislever and making the great machine obey every touch. He was wrapped upin his work. I don't believe that whilst he was working he ever thoughtof even me. He _is_ splendid!
We got back just as the sun was dropping down over the CalabrianMountains. It is quite wonderful how the horizon changes when you aresailing away up high on an aeroplane. Rupert is going to teach me how tomanage one all by myself, and when I am fit he will give me one, which heis to have specially built for me.
I think I, too, have done some good work--at least, I have got some goodideas--from our journey to-day. Mine are not of war, but of peace, and Ithink I see a way by which we shall be able to develop our country in awonderful way. I shall talk the idea over with Rupert to-night, when weare alone. In the meantime Sir Colin and Admiral Rooke will think theirplans over individually, and to-morrow morning together. Then the nextday they, too, are to go over their idea with Rupert and my father, andsomething may be decided then.
RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_.
_August_ 21, 1907.
Our meeting on the subject of National Defence, held this afternoon, wentoff well. We were five in all, for with permission of the Voivode andthe two fighting-men, naval and military, I brought Teuta with me. Shesat beside me quite quietly, and never made a remark of any kind till theDefence business had been gone through. Both Sir Colin and Admiral Rookewere in perfect agreement as to the immediate steps to be taken fordefence. In the first instance, the seaboard was to be properlyfortified in the necessary places, and the navy largely strengthened.When we had got thus far I asked Rooke to tell of the navy increasealready in hand. Whereupon he explained that, as we had found the smallbattleship _The Lady_ of an excellent type for coast defence, acting onlyin home waters, and of a size to take cover where necessary at manyplaces on our own shores, we had ordered nine others of the same pattern.Of these the first four were already in hand, and were proceeding withthe greatest expedition. The General then supplemented this by sayingthat big guns could be used from points judiciously chosen on theseaboard, which was in all so short a length that no very great quantityof armament would be required.
"We can have," he said, "the biggest guns of the most perfect kind yetaccomplished, and use them from land batteries of the most up-to-datepattern. The one serious proposition we have to deal with is the defenceof the harbour--as yet quite undeveloped--which is known as the 'BlueMouth.' Since our aerial journey I have been to it by sea with AdmiralRooke in _The Lady_, and then on land with the Vladika, who was born onits shores, and who knows every inch of it.
"It is worth fortifying--and fortifying well, for as a port it ispeerless in Mediterranean seas. The navies of the world might ride init, land-locked, and even hidden from view seawards. The mountains whichenclose it are in themselves absolute protection. In addition, these canonly be assailed from our own territory. Of course, Voivode, youunderstand when I say 'our' I mean the Land of the Blue Mountains, forwhose safety and well-being I am alone concerned. Any ship anchoring inthe roads of the Blue Mouth would have only one need--sufficient lengthof cable for its magnificent depth.
"When proper guns are properly placed on the steep cliffs to north andsouth of the entrance, and when the rock islet between has been armouredand armed as will be necessary, the Mouth will be impregnable. But weshould not depend on the aiming of the entrance alone. At certainsalient points--which I have marked upon this map--armour-plated sunkenforts within earthworks should be established. There should be coveringforts on the hillsides, and, of course, the final summits protected.Thus we could resist attack on any side or all sides--from sea or land.That port will yet mean the wealth as well as the strength of thisnation, so it will be well to have it properly protected. This should bedone soon, and the utmost secrecy observed in the doing of it, lest theso doing should become a matter of international concern."
Here Rooke smote the table hard.
"By God, that is true! It has been the dream of my own life for thismany a year."
In the silence which followed the sweet, gentle voice of Teuta came clearas a bell:
"May I say a word? I am emboldened to, as Sir Colin has spoken sosplendidly, and as the Lord High Admiral has not hesitated to mention hisdreaming. I, too, have had a dream--a day-dream--which came in a flash,but no less a dream, for all that. It was when we hung on the aeroplaneover the Blue Mouth. It seemed to me in an instant that I saw thatbeautiful spot as it will some time be--typical, as Sir Colin said, ofthe wealth as well as the strength of this nation; a mart for the worldwhence will come for barter some of the great wealth of the BlueMountains. That wealth is as yet undeveloped. But the day is at handwhen we may begin to use it, and through that very port. Our mountainsand their valleys are clad with trees of splendid growth, virgin forestsof priceless worth; hard woods of all kinds, which have no superiorthroughout the world. In the rocks, though hidden as yet, is vastmineral wealth of many kinds. I have been looking through the reports ofthe geological exports of the Commission of Investigation which myhusband organized soon after he came to live here, and, according tothem, our whole mountain ranges simply teem with vast quantities ofminerals, almost more precious for industry than gold and silver are forcommerce--though, indeed, gold is not altogether lacking as a mineral.When once our work on the harbour is done, and the place has been madesecure against any attempt at foreign aggression, we must try to find away to bring this wealth of woods and ores down to the sea.
"And then, perhaps, may begin the great prosperity of our Land, of whichwe have all dreamt."
She stopped, all vibrating, almost choked with emotion. We were allmoved. For myself, I was thrilled to the core. Her enthusiasm wasall-sweeping, and under its influence I found my own imaginationexpanding. Out of its experiences I spoke:
"And there is a way. I can see it. Whilst our dear Voivodin wasspeaking, the way seemed to clear. I saw at the back of the Blue Mouth,where it goes deepest into the heart of the cliffs, the opening of agreat tunnel, which ran upward over a steep slope till it debouched onthe first plateau beyond the range of the encompassing cliffs. Thithercame by various rails of steep gradient, by timber-shoots andcable-rails, by aerial cables and precipitating tubes, wealth from overground and under it; for as our Land is all mountains, and as these towerup to the clouds, transport to the sea shall be easy and of little costwhen once the machinery is established. As everything of much weightgoes downward, the cars of the main tunnel of the port shall returnupward without cost. We can have from the mountains a head of waterunder good control, which will allow of endless hydraulic power, so thatthe whole port and the mechanism of the town to which it will grow can beworked by it.
"This work can be put in hand at once. So soon as the place shall beperfectly surveyed and the engineering plans got ready, we can start onthe main tunnel, working from the sea-level up, so that the cost of thetransport of material will be almost nil. This work can go on whilst theforts are building; no time need be lost.