Personalities.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 440, 15 September 1904, Page 2

Personalities.

PRINCE LOUIS JWPOLEON. THE soldier Prince Louis Napoleon, who is to command the Russian cavalry in Manchuria, has served in the armies of France and Italy, as well as Russia, but has not made as rapid progress as did his father- The latter commanded at the battles of Alma and Inkorman when he was thirty-two, Napoleon 111. was just being elected when he was Prince Louis' age. Two years later he was Emperor of Franco. Whether Prince Louis will ever occupy a like position is a point which worries some French statesmen. His elder brother, Victor, is tho head of his House, but is an unambitious man. Prince Louis is tho hope of the family. He was his father's favourite son. ' Plon Plon' could not tolerate Victor, but drove him from his death-bed. For Louis his cry went out, 'Will he arrive in time?' Apparently the Czar believes that the Prince will some day ' arrive '; for his greeting on Louis' birthday a year or so ago took this significant form : ' May each year bring you nearer to the highest period of your life, when you will be able to realise tho ' wishes of your friends, who are as numerous in France as in Russia.' The Prince is the grandson of Victor Emanuel, on the one sine, and of Jerome, King of Westphalia, on the other. SIR JOHN M'NEILL. The brilliant soldier, Sir John Carstairs M'Neill, who in his recent serious illness, has been visited by the King, was one of the heroes of the memorable Maori campaign. In one of the fiercest battles of that wild struggle among the Totaru forests, Colonel M'Neill, as he was then, stood with his trooper orderly watching tho enemy, when a band of fifty Maori warriors, in full war rig, tattooed and furious, fell upon them. There was only one line of retreat, and they took it, though it led through a track obliterated by the snakelike roots of giant creepers. The trooper's horse fell, and the orderly was thrown heavily. M'Neill turned back, in face of a withering fire, caught the horse, replaced the half-stunned trooper upon it, and bore him safely away. For that deed he received his V.C. Sir John has two other claims to fame. ' M'Neill's Zareba 'in the Eastern Soudan is one ; the other is the circumstance that he is the original of the soldier-hero in William Black's ' Adventures of a Houseboat.' He is seventythree, and the King's friendship with him dates back to the time when Sir John was Equerry to Queen Victoria, with whom he was a great favourite. His niece was the third wife of the late Duke of Argyll. PRINCESS EDWARD OF SAXEYYEIjYIAR. The Princess, a charming lady who is adored at Court, is sister to the Duke of Richmond, and she married the late Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar in 1851. For many years after her marriage, she bore the title of Countess Dornberg, and it was not until the Jubilee year of 1887 that the late Queen Victoria accorded her the rank and position of a Royal Princess, In appearance, the widowed Princess is tall and very stately. She has troops of friends ; and during her long married life at the big house in Portland Place, used to surround herself with a pleasant coterie, and give many' charming luncheons and dinners. A great amusement was found in looking over her unique collection of the signed photographs of Royalties, celebrities, and distinguished personages. Princess Edward, as well as her late husband, has a great liking for Scotland, and used to spend several months'of the year at North Berwick ; indeed, they may be said to have founded the fortunes of the place. Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar was a devoted wife, shared her husband's deep interest in the welfare of the Army, and warmly seconded his efforts to promote the benefit; of our soldiers, their wives, widows and orphans. COUNTESS OF CAYAN. Mary Countess of Cavan, who is about to dispose of her valuable and wonderful collection of old English pottery, is the queen of croquet. The six fine lawns at Wheathampstead House are in constant use during the season. At Wheathampstead, too, is the largest covered lawn tennis court in England. Lady Cavan is the mother of Frederick Rudolph Lambart, tenth Earl of Cavan, in the peerage of Ireland, and one of the best sportsmen in the country, for he hunts, fishes, shoots and yachts, is a keen deerstalker, cyclist and billiard-player and president of the Lawn Tennis Association. The Lambarts are a most original family, possessing very distinctive traits of character. The Dowager Countess is a confirmed smoker, and firmly believes in the soothing effects of a cigarette, while. Lady Mary Sladen, Lord Cavan's aunt, is the only instance of a woman of title who has joined the Salvation Army. She wears the uniform, with the letter ' S ' on the collar, and holds the rank of ser-geant-major. In connection with the Dowager Countess's smoking propensities there is an amusing story told. She one day paid a visit to one of her cottagers, and after sitting down for a chat asked her hostess for permission to smoke. This was of course granted, and then, to Lady Cavan's horrified amusement, the woman called to her daughter, ' Run and fetch your father's spittoon for her ladyship.' ADMIRAL JYIAKAROFFThe stalwart Russian sailor, Admiral Makaroff, who was killed at Port Arthur, was known in England, where his genial manners gained him many friends. Sfcepan Yosiphovitch Makaroff was born on the 29th December, 1848. He entered the Navy iu 18G4, and obtained nearly all his ranks of special merit. His promotion was singularly rapid. He was midshipman only two years, lieutenant six years, and was already commander of tho Grand Duke Constantino during the Russo-Turkish War, j when he made a number of daring on- j slaughts on the Turkish ports. The equipment of the Grand Duke Constantino with several torpedo-boats for sudden attack on the Turkish ports was due to his initiative. For his service in this war he was promoted to tho rank of captain. In 1881, Admiral Makaroff took part in Skobeleff's storming of Geok-Tepe. After being stationed in the Bosphorus he became chief of staff of the Baltic training squadron. In 1885-9 he made a cruise round the world as commander of tho frigate Prince Pojarsky, when he carried on important hydrographic researches, which were awarded a prize by the St. Petersburg Academy of Science. From 1891 to 1894 Stepau Yosiphovitch, then already Rear-Admiral Makaroff, occupied the post of Chief Inspector of Marine Artillery, in which capacity he introduced several improvements of his own in quickfiring guns. After being flagofficer to the Baltic fleet, Admiral Makaroff was transferred to the Mediterranean fleet, and when the war between Japan and China broke out he sailed to the Far East with a portion of his squadron.