AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE: V-1899 331 



of court carriages which took us to the palace, the houses 

 on each side throughout the entire distance being dec 

 orated with flags and banners, and the streets crowded 

 with men, women, and children. We were indeed a brave 

 show, since all of us, except the members of our American 

 delegation, wore gorgeous uniforms with no end of rib 

 bons, stars, and insignia of various offices and orders. 



On reaching our destination, we were received by the 

 Queen and Queen-mother, and shortly afterward went in 

 to dinner. With the possible exception of a lord mayor s 

 feast at the Guildhall, it was the most imposing thing 

 of the kind that I have ever seen. The great banqueting- 

 hall, dating from the glorious days of the Dutch Republic, 

 is probably the largest and most sumptuous in continental 

 Europe, and the table furniture, decorations, and dinner 

 were worthy of it. About two hundred and fifty persons, 

 including all the members of the conference and the 

 higher officials of the kingdom, sat down, the Queen and 

 Queen-mother at the head of the table, and about them 

 the ambassadors and presidents of delegations. My own 

 place, being very near the Majesties, gave me an ex 

 cellent opportunity to see and hear everything. Toward 

 the close of the banquet the young Queen arose and ad 

 dressed us, so easily and naturally that I should have 

 supposed her speech extemporaneous had I not seen her 

 consulting her manuscript just before rising. Her man 

 ner was perfect, and her voice so clear as to be heard 

 by every one in the hall. Everything considered, it was 

 a remarkable effort for a young lady of seventeen. At 

 its close an excellent reply was made by our president, 

 M. de Staal; and soon afterward, when we had passed 

 into the great gallery, there came an even more strik 

 ing exhibition of the powers of her youthful Majesty, 

 for she conversed with every member of the conference, 

 and with the utmost ease and simplicity. To me she re 

 turned thanks for the Grotius tribute, and in very cor 

 dial terms, as did later also the Queen-mother; and I 

 cannot but believe that they were sincere, since, three 



