WHAT THE "WORLD" SAYS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5018, 24 April 1877, Page 3

WHAT THE "WORLD" SAYS.

There has b>-en a mild sort of revolution at the Junior Athenaeum Club. It seems that a certain Japanese, by name M. A. Hachisaki, and calling himself " Prince of Awa," has put up for membership. If tho " heathen Chinee" himself had been proposed with three packs of cards stacked up his sleeves, there could not have been greater consternation. It was clear that a Japanese invasion was threatened; " Prince" Hachisaka would at once introduce Japanese manners and customs, and as many of his countrymen as he could collect, into the club. A grand remonstrance was drawn up, and signed by about forty members. For days there was no peace at the club, owing to this •confounded Japanese. Last week he was elected, and great was the indignation among the anti-Japs. But if I wore asked why a Japanese gentleman should not be' likely to prove as inoffensive a member of a club as a blathering stockbroker, I declare that I could conjure up no good reason. The proposed yachting voyage round tho world seems likely to be a success, the number of applications for berths in the Sumatra being already unexpectedly numerous. Probably less than 150 will be found sufficient to constitute a quorum. I hear that Sir G. Nares was asked to take the command of the Sumatra ; but, not unnaturally, he refused. I am sorry to learn that the Duke of Cambridge has been quite seriously ill of bronchitis during the past week, for a great part of which he has been confined to his bedroom in Gloucester House. His condition is now better, though ho mends but slowly. He caught cold when shooting the Windsor covers a fortnight ago. I am able to say, in contradiction to some statements which have appeared, that the Prince of Wales will not depart on his intended visit to tho Antipodes this year, the reason being that were he to do so, it would be impossible for him to sco all that ho wishes to see of our Australian colonies, and bo back in tirno for the opening of tho Paris Exhibi-

tion on May 1, 1878. His Royal Highness, who is President of the British Commission, is bestowing much time and attention on the work of furthering tho success of the British section, going even more into tho details of tho preparations, which already aro well advanced, than ho did in connection with tho Vienna Exhibition of 1873, to tho success of the English department of which his exertions so much contributed. I need not say that the programmes of the Prince'B tour which have appeared since last week I announced that it had been decided on aro wholly spurious. No details respecting tho journey, its character, or its cost have as yet been gone into. I understand that Mr. \V. H. Ruraell'» book on the Prince of Wales's Indian tour has been finished, and will bo pu.Mish.ed in the couree of a fortnight.

A member of the suite of the Prince Imperial, named Filon, who, in common with most exiled Frenchmen, appears to have been very hospitably received in England, has profited by his opportunities in a manner not usually considered in accordance with good taste. He has drawn some pictures of us which are not at all flattering, and which I would fain believe are not half true, in a volume recently published, more for the amusement than for the instruction of his countrymen. He was invited to a mem-dinner, and this is how he describes, or rather caricatures it, while scarcely taking the trouble to conceal the names and position of his entertainers : " The colonel who presided enjoyed a magnificent military reputation. Ho had never gone through a campaign ; but he had highly distinguished himself year by year at the autumn manoeuvres, and he had once had a horse killed under him with fatigue." When he rose to propose the first toast, you might have thought there was fury in his glare; but no : it was only his way of putting on a look of dignity. In the intervals between the toasts the band played the " Jiritish Grenadiers," " Puile, Britannia," and " the equally famous air, ' Britains never will be slaves.' " This, of course, fired the company with military enthusiasm. " A loi'd, who had been at Toulouse and at Waterloo, declared that the 21st Dragoons would never suffer England to be invaded. The words were loudly applauded, and his hearers swore to exterminate tho enemies of Great Britain in every part of the world." Afterwards they all went to the Casino. And thus history is written—for the boulevards.—Atlas.