“WAR OFFICE, PALL MALL, _26th February 1901_. “The King has been pleased to confer upon the undermentioned Regiments the honour of becoming their Colonel-in-Chief on his accession to the Throne:-- “10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars, of which Regiment he has been the Regimental Colonel since the year 1863. “Grenadier Guards. “Coldstream Guards. “Scots Guards. “Irish Guards.” This was felt by the whole Army to be a special honour, for the four regiments of Foot Guards had previously had only Colonels commanding, not Colonels-in-Chief. It will be remembered that the 10th Hussars was the regiment in which the late Duke of Clarence and Avondale served. The connection of His Majesty with the Army has, in accordance with precedent, been extremely close and long continued. Among the earliest recollections of his childhood is the Crimean War, which undoubtedly made a deep and lasting impression on his mind. On attaining the age of eighteen His Majesty was gazetted a Colonel in the Army. Four years later he was promoted to be a General; and in 1875 he was created a Field-Marshal. The mere catalogue of his Colonelcies and Honorary Colonelcies would be tedious; but it may be mentioned that he is Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards, and the Gordon Highlanders. His Majesty is also Colonel of a large number of distinguished foreign regiments. These latter, however, are naturally formal distinctions, which, in these days, are not of military so much as diplomatic significance. The interest which the King takes in military matters is undoubtedly chiefly centred in the British Army. The King’s military service at the Curragh has been described in an earlier chapter. His mind was also undoubtedly influenced by the companions whom his parents selected to be with him when he set up a separate establishment. Of these, two were soldiers of conspicuous bravery--Major Teesdale, afterwards Sir Christopher Teesdale, who had greatly distinguished himself at Kars; and Major Lindsay, V.C., afterwards Lord Wantage. King Edward’s keen interest in all that concerns the art of war is well exemplified by his careful survey of the battlefields of the Crimea, and by his visiting, during his tour in India, the places rendered for ever memorable by the Mutiny.