Monday, Jan. 31, 1927

Baby Code

As H. M. S. Renown steamed toward Australia, last week, bearing the Duke and Duchess of York (TIME, Jan. 17 et seq.), news came that the Duchess had devised a special code before leaving England in which radio messages are sent to her concerning the health of her baby, Princess Elizabeth, now under the personal care of the Queen-Empress Mary. Flower names were chosen by the Duchess as baby code words. Rose: well and happy. Dogwood: whooping cough. Lily: sleeps well. Snapdragon: colic. . . .

The Renown stopped at Kingston, Jamaica (British Colony) last week where the Duke tennissed and laid a cornerstone, and the Duchess reviewed Girl Guides. Together they attended the theatre amid an ovation. Thence the Renown steamed to Panama, where they were saluted by the Albion, yacht of Earl Fitzwilliam and the Four Winds, yacht of British Vice Admiral Sir Guy Gaunt, retired, who wanders eccentrically about the globe with a captain and crew who are Chinese.

As the Renown steamed toward Australia the Duke's Chief of Staff, the Earl of Cavan, sat down suddenly when the ship gave a lurch and refused to let details of his condition be radioed, though it was known that he took to his berth.