CURRRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 257, 20 March 1913, Page 4

CURRRENT TOPICS.

THE KING OF GREECE. The iShakesperian adage, ''Uneasy lies the head that wears a Crown," has been once more exemplified by the pitiable assassination of King George 1., of Greece, which is reported in our cables to-day. King George —Cliristiau William Ferdinand Adolphus George was his full name—was a brother of Queen Alexandra and of the Dowager Empress of Russia. He was born in 184u and was chosen King of Greece in ISG3, in succession to Otho I. In 1807 King George married Princess Olga, daughter of the Russian Grand Duke Constantine, and leaves live sons and one daughter. An attempt was made to assassinate him in 18!)S, but this happily failed. The late King was a quiet and unassuming Monarch, who was generally beloved by his subjects. He was of' Lutheran faith, but by the constitution his heirs and successors must he members of the Greek Orthodox Church. His income was about £52.000 and included grants of £4OOO each from the Governments of Great Britain, France and Russia. The new King is King Constantine, Duke of Sparta, who was born in ISOS, and who married the Princess Sophia of Prussia, sister of the Emperor William IL, in 1889. A WEALTHY COUNTRY. There were over 100 motor ears at the Opunake race meeting on .Monday. They varied in quality from the reason-ably-priced two-seater to the majestic five'-seater touring car. Taking the .average price at £4OO, which is probably below the mark, the cars present represented a value of £40,000. Js there any other country in the world where a little country racecourse can show £40,000 worth of motor cars? Xot had for a country where 20 years of Liberal legislation is supposed* in some quarters, to have brought the Dominion to the verge of-financial ruin!—Eltham Argus.

THE BRITISH NAVAL PROGRAMME. The eight light armored cruisers which the Admiralty has ordered are to he called the Arethusa, the Aurora, the Galatea, the Inconstant, the Royalist, the Undaunted, the Penelope, and the Phaeton. All these names are old ones hearing honorable records of service in the British Navy. The first Arethusa, a frigate which was launched at one of the Government dockyards in 1781, took part in no fewer than thirteen big actions, and, together with the Anson, in 1806 sunk the Spanish ship Pomona and destroyed twelve large gunboats under the guns of Moro Castle. There used to he a popular song relating to the deeds of the "Saucy Arethusa." Eleven successful actions were to the credit of the original Phaeton, which was launched in 1782. It was an Undaunted that carried Napoleon to Elba in 1814. The new ships are of a special design, not previously introduced. They are comparatively small, very fast, moderately armed and protected with light side armor. Probably they are intended to serve as scouts in waters infested by an enemy's cruisers and destroyers.