LONDON CHAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1993, 31 January 1907, Page 1

LONDON CHAT.

LONDON, Doc. 15. Our illustrious Norwegian visitors King Haakon and Queen Maud and their son, Prince Olaf—“took their departure” yesterday morning, leaving Victoria by special train at halfpast nine. Our King saw them off at Victoria, and various other Loyalties and notable persons accompanied them to Dover, where they embarked in the new turbine steamer Onward lor Calais. Thonco they will proceed by special train on the French Northern Railway to Joumont, on the Belgian frontier, going on by the Belgian State Kailwav, via Liege, to the German frontier town Horhesthal and then hy Cologne to Berlin to stay with the German Emporor and Empress. THE PRINCESS ROYAL. '

My lntost information regarding the Princess Royal is tlmt slio is “no worse” after Jior second severe operation. From all I can learn there is only too much reason to fear that at no distant date there may he some very sad nows about her condition. It is freely stated that the Princess is .suffering from that hereditary scourge of the British Royal family —cancel —and that all those operations although for a time they may prolong her life, will be powerless to effect a definite and permanent euro. It is not etiquette to talk about such things in connection with Royalty in this country, even from the standpoint of sincere sympathy, but although people say little they feel a good deal. Our Royal family is very popular, deservedly so, and a strong feeling of sympathetic regret is widespread that this charming and popular —albeit latlior shy—lady should apparently have been marked out for the same sad fate as her aunt, the Empress Frederick. AN ACTOR-MANAGER’S JOKE. While I am talking about Royalties —although my change of tone from grave to gay may seem rather abrupt —I must mention two little incidents which have not yet become public property, but which are keenly relished topics of club gossip. A short time back a very eminent actor-man-ager took down by “command” a theatrical company to Windsor Castle. The particular piece chosen required a numerically strong company, which necessitated the employment of a good many “supers.” Now tins suggested to the eminent actor-man-ager, who is personally very popular and who greatly enjoys his popularity, the idea of giving a real spree—a Royal entertainment —to a number of id's gay masculine friends on the Stock Exchange. So he arranged privately to enlist them in Ins corps and give them sufficient drilling to enable them to pass muster as “supprs.” They duly accompanied him and his troupe to Windsor, performed their not very arduous roles with fair efficiency. 1 believe, and made the whole affair a sort of “we-won t-go-liome-till-morning” function, finally starting for town about two a.m. next day. . All seem to have greatly enjoyed their visit to a Royal home and the hospitality royally extended to them. But, unfortunately, the story leaked cut. Whether any of the displaced “supers” smelt a rat, saw it floating in the air, but being unable to nip it in the bud—as the famous Irish baronet promised to do —thought the next best tiling was to “give it away,” or whether one of the festive stockbrokers could not contain so gorgeous a secret and blabbed it to a friend, I do not know. But the thing did get out. And, what was worse, it came to the knowledge of His Majesty. Now King Edward, although one" of the kindest-hearted and most generous of men, lias the strongest possible objection to impudent intrusion. The headmaster in Rudyard Kipling’s “Stalky” remarked just before . caning the whole upper school that he “could condone immorality but could stand no cheek.” Probably King Edward felt somewhat in this wav for he promptly decided that that' eminent actor-manager should have no other opportunity of repeatin this particular performance—in other words, that he should liever again receive a -cornnra-nd’’ to Windsor Castle. The officers of the King’s household, moreover, received strict orders to remind His Majesty in case he should inadvertently authorise a “command” to the offender. The emi- | nent actor-manager is understood to be devoutly wishing now that he had been less amenable to Stock Exchange influence. Let us liope that liis stock- 0 broking friends have made it up to him!

PUTTING HIS FOOT IN IT. Another distinguished actor-man-ager he granted an audience, with the object of thanking him and of expressing tlie gratifica.tion that he and the Queen had derived from the plav. Unfortunately, Ihe £ ctor-managers wife held very strong views as to the sacredness of the marriage f ie- She had read in Holy AVrit and had heard in church that husband and wife “are one flesh.” Consequently it seemed to follow as a matter of course that she should share with her husband the Royal conversation and do her part in acknowledging the Royal compliments. His Majesty listened with his usual gracious courtesy and did not oven impliedly rebuke her for her breach of etiquette—to put it mildly. Unhappily, the lady could not rest content with the quasi-triumpli she had achieved so far. After the King had reiterated his satisfaction and pleasure she broke in effusively with : “Oh. but Your Majesty really ought to come and see it at OUR theatre, for of course we have so many conveniences there that you have not got here!” Unfortunately the story stops at this point. The club-tellers Of it are always taken at this point with a sort of gasp and seem unable to imagine the sequel. I hear, however, that, strange to say, the King did not at all appreciate the lady’s gratuitous criticism of his domestic conveniences, and was not mollified by her gracious invitation to him to “come to OUR theatre.” And now 1 learn that neither will this distinguished actor-manager receive any future Royal “command” —or hi a wife either! , A GILBERT-SULLIVAN REVIVAL. Perhaps tlio most welcome revival iu all tlie history of tlie musical stage has been that pf the Gilbert-Sullivaii series of comic operas, which lias just begun at tlie Savoy Theatre, with the promise of tremendous success. For the opening performance “The Yeomen of the Guard' 'was chosen, possibly with doubtful wisdom, for it is undeniable that, delightful as it is. this opera lias never held the place of first favorite among tire GilbertSullivan works in this country, any more than in New Zealand. One. reason doubtless is that the music is t.f a more earnest character and more approximating to the style, of grand opera than in any of the others. Uut I think that a more cogent reason 11-ay be found in the relative weakness of the plot and in.the less sparkling character of tlie dialogue —b rigid and lively ns the latter undoubtedly often is. Anyhow, it was prodyiced first in this instance, and mot vith a reception so enthusiastic as to leave little doubt of the heartiness of the welcome which will bo extended to the other operas as they come on in suecession.

THE GERMAN CRISIS. Germany lias just fallen Into the most serious political crisis that has yet occurred since the foundation of the new Empire in 1871. Vast as are the issues and far-reaching the possibilities in the present c-jisis, the situation can be exhaustively described ir. a few words. The Reichstag strongly disapproves the Kaiser's scheme of “Welt-Politik,” or world policy, and, finding all remonstrance unavailing, determined to express its feeling in the most strenuous way possible, namely, by refusing supplies. So when the vote in aid of the Hottentot war was duly moved and advocated with all the eloquence and skill of which Prince Von Bulow is such a master it was rejected by a majority of 10. This, too. after it had been vehemently ,almost passionately, urged upon the House that the vote' was essential to Germany’s maintenance of her place among nations, and that, were Germany now to give way before a colored race, not only her own prestige would be irreparably injured in the East, but also that of all white people. The sequel to this defeat of the Government was prompt and dramatic. Directly the result of the voting was declared, the Chancellor drew from his pocket a rescript of the Kaiser dissolving the Reichstag. Naturally there followed a scene of wild excitement in the Chamber. There must also have followed a scene of equally wild excitement in the Imperial Palace, jut. ...1 g from the furious, not to say violent, telegram which the Kaiser despatched to his Chancellor immediately upon learning that the defeat which had been si “intelligently foreseen” had become an accomplished fact. His Majesty’s

language was most vigorous, going so far indeed as to announce the Emperor’s determination to drive his opponents to “ ” That blank seems a trifle suggestive, and many questions, mostly derisive, are being asked as to the “missing word.” Yet very few people seem to entertain serious doubts ns to what it is. It is rather refreshing to meet with such entirely human phi in-speaking from a crowned head. Hut isn’t it just a shade undignified? The plain fact is that tho whole issue of absolutism or constitutionalism has now to be fought out between the Kaiser and his subjects. The latter have little enough to say touching any mad “mailedlist” enterprise upon which their Soverign may choose to enter, or as to any wild-cat scheme of African military colonisation in which he may involve them. But in respect of “the power of the purse” they still have to somo extent a pull, and since they are not allowed to “a call tlio tune” they can, and do, refuse to “pay the piper.” Whether the country will support its Parliament in the stand which it has now made remains to he seen. It is quite certain that an enormous woight of official and political and personal influence will be brought to boar on behalf of the Government, and at the time I write the issuo of the coming gonoral election is very doubtful.

THE IvOEPENICK HOAX. Still dealing with n German .subject I may refer once more ■ o the famous .indeed historic, Kopoi ick hoax. Out of its evil good lias aire>_'y come. I do not mono merely that, it added to “the gaiety of nations” at a particularly dull time; there is a deeper, more serious side to the absurd affair. Now that all the facts are known one is constrained to come to the conclusion that the enterprising offender was more sinned against than sinning and that ho really would have persevered in an honest life if he had been allowed to do so, and had not been literally hounded into crime by tlic police. He has been freely doscribed as an ex-convict and as a member of the criminal class, hut with scant justice.' It appears to he true that, as a mere youth, for a relatively venial crime, afterwards earnestly repented of, ho was condemned to a long term of imprisonment, on emorging from which he found that ho had to carry a life-long stigma. He made persistent efforts to do honest work, hut everywhere ho went he was followed by the police, who practically compelled his dismissal. His last employer and otliois who knew him, and who were aware of his prison experiences ,spoke most highly of him and were quite satisfied that lie had reformed and was an entirely reputable member of society. It was only when finally the police intervened and compelled not onlv Ins dismissal from liis employ hut also his expulsion from the town that the unfortunate man became desperate and resolved upon the extraordinary undertaking which has become historic. Much pity and sympathy are widely felt for him, and I hear that even the Ivaiser himself has taken his case in hand with tlio view of ensuring that when he has completed the term oi imprisonment to which lie was justly sentenced for his Koopenick performance ho may receive a fair chance ol leading the honest life .which, it is entirely believed, lie desires to do. N.Z. Herald.