SECTION XIII. 49. _an Attaché's Chauffeur._

49. An Attaché's Chauffeur.

In November, 1908, the driver to the Military Attaché at the United States Embassy was summoned at Huntingdon for driving a motor-car at Little Stukeley at a speed dangerous to the public, and which was stated to be 36 miles an hour. The solicitor for the defendant, who did not appear, claimed that he was exempt from proceedings such as these, but admitted that he was not in a position to prove it. A letter of explanation was read, which stated that it was very embarrassing to have a servant charged with an offence against English law, and asking that the charge be withdrawn. The bench decided to go on with the case, and imposed a fine of £12 and costs.

50. In Quest of Balata.

The following notices appeared in the papers in the latter part of August, 1907, concerning a frontier incident between British Guiana and Venezuela:

"GEORGETOWN, Aug. 18.

"Captain Calder, with a small armed force, went down the Barima river and, crossing the boundary, invaded Venezuelan territory. He then demanded at the point of the revolver that 4,000 pounds of balata, said to have been won in a British forest, should be given up. The incident has been reported to President Castro. Excitement prevails at Morawhanna, the British frontier head-quarters, the people fearing measures of retaliation. Trouble has been experienced for the past few months in connexion with the balata trade, and British officers have been keenly alert to prevent illicit trading. The Governor is now at Lama, two days' journey from the capital. He is expected to arrive here on Tuesday."

"GEORGETOWN, BRITISH GUIANA, Aug. 28.

"The Governor has informed the Legislature that Captain Calder, who recently crossed the Venezuelan frontier and seized a quantity of balata which was alleged to have been collected in British Guiana, violated the frontier to the extent of 200 yards. The balata has been returned to its owner and regret has been expressed to President Castro."

"NEW YORK, Aug. 31.

"A message from Caracas states that the Venezuelan Government considers that the incident which arose out of the invasion of Venezuelan territory by Captain Calder, District Inspector of Police in British Guiana, and the seizure of a quantity of balata said to have been collected on British soil has been satisfactorily closed. President Castro has received a note of apology from the Governor of British Guiana with the announcement that Inspector Calder has been relieved of his post."

51. A "Sujet Mixte."

Felix Brown was born in London of German parents in 1875. He was brought up in English schools and considered himself an Englishman, although he knew that he was of German parentage and frequently went to Germany to see his grandparents. In 1900 he was a passenger on an English vessel destined for Riga. This vessel called on her way at Stettin. While in that harbour the German police boarded the vessel and arrested Brown for having evaded military service in Germany. Brown telegraphed to the English ambassador in Berlin and asked for his intervention.

52. Koreans at the Hague Peace Conference.

During the second Hague Peace Conference the Emperor of Korea, although he had signed in 1904 a treaty according to which Japan exercised a protectorate over his country, dispatched an envoy and two secretaries to the Hague for the purpose of bringing some complaints before the Congress. One of the secretaries had been in Holland two years previously, and had left the country without paying his debts. When his creditors heard of his return, they asked an advocate whether they could sue him, or whether he was exempted from Dutch jurisdiction, since he now appeared as the secretary of the Korean envoy.