INDIVIDUALITIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 9

INDIVIDUALITIES

■'All the -world's a stage, 4nd all Uia men and women merely players.” It is not generally known that Genoral George Washington received a portion of his training in coming to tho aid of people and communities and rescuing them from danger through service °as a volunteer fireman. It probably takes a long stretch of the imagination to picture the Father of his Country” garbed in a red flannel shirt and inverted coal-scuttle hat, and a long pair of boots valiantly pushing his way through smoko and flame to save the family portraits from the devouring elements, and yet exact history (says “Popular mechanics ) will show that he did this very thing. Bo enrolled as a member of the vel untoer fire department of Alexandria, V'i., as early as 1750—some twentyfive years before the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Tho Gorman Emperor appears in a new role in the latest issue of Herr Kudo If Martin’s year book, “rho Fortunes and Incomes of the Millionaires of Berlin." His Majesty is shown as the richest man in the city. He is also given as the person of tho greatest income—though not the largest fortune —in the Kingdom of Prussia. I‘rau Bertha Krupp, Prince Henckol of Dnrtnorsmarck, and Princo Christian of Hohenlohe-Ouhriugen are regarded as holding property of greater value, hut they have smaller incomes. With a civil list of £885,900, the Kaiser is also able to draw large sums from his landed and house properties. Of forest lauds he possesses 181,000 acres, and of agricultural land 118,000 acrei. Both bring in Approximately equal incomes—about £85,000. As for castles and country houses, the Emperor owns three castles in Berlin, no fewer than thirteen in Potsdam and the neighbourhood, and some forty odd castle and country seats elsewhere. In Berlin he also owns considerable house property, including houses in the Wilhelmstrasse, and several blocks in the immediate neighbourhood of the Royal residence in Berlin. On December 26th the Berlin papers announced that Princess August Wilhelm had given birth to a son- Prince August Wilhelm, the fourth son of the Kaiser, in 1908 married Alexandra Victoria, Princess of Schleswig-Hol-stein. The little Princo is their first child. By the recent death in England of Sir Henry Mervin Vavasour, the oldest baronet in the United Kingdom has been removed. Sir Henry was born almost exactly a year before Waterloo, on June 17th, 1814. He had lived, therefore, in sis reigns, and was present at the Coronation of William IV. Sir Henry was the third baronet, and succeeded his father seventy-four years ago. He was twice married, first in 1853 to Louisa Axme, daughter of the third Lord Bfaybrooke, and—she dying in 1889—second in 1891 to Alice Emily Georgina Olivia, eldest daughter of Sir'Christopher William Codrington ond Lady Georgina, daughter of the seventh Duke of Beaufort. He leaves a daughter, but no son, and tho title becomes extinct. *, Lieutenant-General H. EL Lyster, V.C., C. 8., who celebrated his 82nd birthday in England on December 24th, had the experience of acting as a special constable during the Chartist riots of 1847-8. A. year later ho obtained his commission in the East India Company’s Army, and gained his V.C. during the Indian Mutiny for his gallant conduct in'charging single-handed and breaking a skirmishing square of the rebels at Calpee. General Lyster served as second in command of the 3rd Gurkhas during tho Afghan War, 187880, and was awarded the C.B. for his excellent services there. He afterwards commanded the regiment mentioned. In 1884 General Lyster was gcaartod a Distinguished Service Reward. Mr Robert Colo, of Croydon, Eng., on Christinas Eve entered upon his 105th year. The old soldier was bom in 1808, at Canterbury. His early life was one of hardship. He was left fatherless at tho age of fourteen, when he ran away from home. Subsequently he joined the 68th Foot Regiment, and spent some time in Canada. Ho was soldiering in Ireland when the then Duke of Cambridge was promoted from colonel to lieutenant-general. In 1854 Colo was ordered to the Crimea, when* he acted as servant to an officer on tho Duke of Cambridge’s staff. Ho •was orderly to seven officers in succession, six either dying from disease or wounds, or being killed outright in battle. Cole returned to England in 1856 and entered the service of a sister of General Gordon, afterwards 'working at a steel foundry. His army pension is 4d a day. Cole and his wife, who is ninety-two, are old-age pensioners. It is the boast of this centarian that he has never smoked. For an hour and a quarter the Czar and Czarina talked with us, delighting ns all with their friendly conversation (says a writer in 1 ‘The Cornhill Magaaine”), and when the homely little ceremony was over we were ushered into the dining-room, where we were provided with a sumptuous repast worthy of the best traditions of Russian hospitality. But before wo adjourned a pleasing incident occurred. One of the party happened to ask the Empress after her children. She thereupon motioned to tho black attendant, who still stood posted at tho door, and whispered some orders which he made haste to fulfil. In a few minutes he returned, bringing with him the Czarevitch and his sisters. The Czarevitch is a handsome, sturdy-looking youth. He was attired in a sailor suit, which became him well. He favours his Slav ancestors in appearance. Ho has the dark, swarthy complexion characteristic of his race—the intense brown eyes and regular features. He seemed somewhat shv, and stood at one end of the room surrounded by his sisters, handsome young ladies, simply but neatly dressed. They seemed quite at their ease, and their manners were the frank, unaffected manners' of ordinary well-brought-up children. Tho moment they entered a smile of motherly pride spread over tho features of the Empress, and she advanced towards them, placing hoi arm lovingly round her son’s neck. The Czar joined her. and this was tho last that wo saw of the rulers of Russia, forming an affectionate family group surrounded by their children.