KING ALFRED THE GREAT CELEBRATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 217, 21 September 1901, Page 2

KING ALFRED THE GREAT CELEBRATIONS.

In connection with the celebrations reported in our cables the following items will be of interest to our readers:— King Alfred died in October, 901 A.d , and it bas been decided tqgjiold at Winchester, during this past we«S—the 1000 th anniversary of his deith—a national commemoration of tbe King, to whom the Anglo-Saxon race owes so much i □ many various ways. His ideal character was without parallel in Europe, and the traditions which have githered round his name are those of religion, learning, defence, seamanship, Jaw, and culture. King Edward VII. is the pi'run of the great commemoration, and there is an influential and representative* committee. The commemoration is being held, and a permanent memorial erected,in the ancient City of Winishisste?, "which was the capital of his kingdom, tbe scene of a great portion of his life,and where his cjjiet >jtill ; . The, memorial will consist of a statue of the King, and, if funds permit, a hall to be used as an educational musaum of early English history. The work of the s'atue has been entrusted to Mr. Hamo Thornycroft, R.A., and is nbw-net ring completion. It is of heroic siz", and will rest on a bise consisting.- of two r,ough hewn grani'e blocks, one weighing 40 and the other 35 tons. Tre Admiralty J authorities hava also decided to name an ironclad, which will shortly bc< launched, the "King Alfrei," as a tribute to his having been the originator of the Eng'ish navy. The Mayor of Winchester, in a circular letter, copy of which has retched us,says: —" I feel sure tbat there will be mauy among your very numerous readers who, if they had tbe opportunity, would wish to in some way participate in this interesting, historical, aDd roteworthy celebration of one who, more than any o'her, may be regarded as our greatest common ancestor, and, in times past, the most perfect hero of the whole English-spetkitg race. Some £2OOO is still needed to complete tho colonial statue."