Prince Fushimi of Japan.
In June, 1907, I received a letter from Sir Edward Grey, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, asking me if I could entertain at Bromborough Hall the Prince Fushimi of Japan, a royal prince, who was visiting England on a special mission from the Emperor. I replied that, while I should be delighted to do all I could to extend hospitality to the Prince, I could only place ten bedrooms at his disposal. Sir Edward Grey replied that as the suite comprised twenty-two he had asked Lord Derby to invite the Prince to Knowsley, but would be glad if I would make the necessary arrangements for his visit to Liverpool. This was followed by a letter from Lord Derby asking me to send to his comptroller a list of the guests I thought he ought to invite, intimating that he could put up thirty and dine forty all told. I made out a purely official list, and arranged for the Lord Mayor to give the Prince a luncheon at the Town Hall, and for the Dock Board to take him in their tender for a sail on the river, and afterwards to proceed to Knowsley.
The suite in attendance on the Prince was most distinguished, including the Grand Chamberlain to the Emperor, the Admiral who had been Minister of Marine during the Russo-Japanese war, the General who commanded the cavalry during the war, and many other men of eminence. They mostly spoke English, and were very interesting. They were charmed with the park at Knowsley, and were familiar with the history of many of the great personages whose portraits were displayed upon the walls of the Knowsley dining-room. They asked innumerable questions, and among other things wanted a plan of Knowsley. The only plan Lord Derby could produce was a plan made to show the drainage system. Strange to say, they were delighted with it.
The following morning, shortly before leaving, the Prince came downstairs, preceded by two of his suite, bearing a beautiful cabinet, which he placed at Lady Derby's feet, a present from the Emperor. Lady Derby was much gratified, and said she was more than repaid for all the trouble she had taken in opening the house and bringing all the servants, carriages, and horses from London, adding, "They are such perfect gentlemen."
Knowsley was in the hands of the painters, and, being in the middle of the London season, it was not an easy thing to arrange to entertain the Prince; but as the King had expressed a wish that Lord Derby should be his host, it had to be done. Liverpool had a good friend in the late Lord Derby, and no one will ever know the trouble he took to entertain royal and distinguished visitors to Liverpool, oftentimes at considerable personal inconvenience.
During the war between Russia and Japan, it was for long a question if the fleet of Japan would be strong enough to meet the Russian fleet. At the close of the war it came out for the first time that the most powerful ship in the Japanese fleet had in the early days of the war been blown up by a mine, with the loss of 800 lives. I ventured to ask the Minister of Marine how they managed to keep the secret so well. He simply replied, "Our people are very patriotic." I also asked the general who was in command of the cavalry how it was that their great strategical movements did not leak out. He answered with a twinkle in his eye, "The newspaper gentlemen were very pleasant, and we managed to interest and amuse them elsewhere."