The Lusitania.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVIII, Issue 288, 14 May 1915, Page 8

The Lusitania.

CANCELLATION* OF SATURDAY'S SAILINU. NO BOAT TO R I'II'LACE THE LUSITANIA. London, May 12. The Cunard Company's cancellation of Saturday's sailings is entirely dne to tlifi inability to replace the Lusitania, The Transylvania will re-sail on the 22nd as usual. MERCHANTMEN TO BE AHMED. Itcccievd May 1-1, 12.5 a.m. ■London, May 13. Shipping men declare that since the sinking of the Lusitania they must seek self-protection. It is unofficially declared that merchantmen arc to lie armed as fast as guns can be mounted. A LIFEBOAT PICKED UP. • London, May 12. A lifeboat from the Lusitania, bottom up, containing the bodies of four women and two children, has been picked up oil' Fastnet Light.

SOME PROMINENT PASSENGERS. The 'American company which went to America last October to play "A '.Pair of Silk Stockings," was led by the author of the comedy, Mr. Cyril Harcourt, who achieved distinction as a novelist before he became a playwright. 'He wrote among other novels, "The World's Daughter," and recently he published "First Cousin to a- Dream." The comedy which he took to America was the most noted of his works. It was a big success both in London and New York. The leading man of the cast was Mr. Kenneth Douglas (Savory), one of the leading light comedians of the British stage. Ilis stage career dated from 1893, when ho appeared in "The New Boy," and his record consisted of a long line of sucesses. He was the original Lieutenant Boyne in "Beauty and the Barge," and in 1012 he was the original in London of Stephen Baird in "Ready Money." In 1!)13 he went into management, but last year he accepted an engagement for "A Pair of Silk Stockings," Miss Sybil Carlisle was another noted figure on the British stage. She was borne in (Jape Colony, and made her first appearance in 1891, and her career in leading roles was divided between London and New York. She was so prominent on the American stage that it is quite possible she remained behind in New Y'ork when the company sailed on the Lusitania

It is probable that few figures in American life were more widely known than Mr. Hubbard, the editor of "The Philistine" anil "The Fra." Mr. Hubbard was the most prominent man in the settlement at East Aurora, which was a repetition, with a wider scope and better organisation, of the famous settlement which was established in London by William Morris. The Royeroft publications, and manufactures in furniture and fancy goods have a distinctive quality wliicli makes them popular the world over, and Mr. llubbard was mainly responsible in making them known. In his writings, Mr. Hubbard was recognised as tho wielder of a bold and illuminating pen, and bis literary style was as unconventional and as forceful as the ideas lie uttered. Apart from his "Little Journeys," ft series of brilliant biographical sketches, Mr. Hubbard was probably most widely known Jn Ilia famous "A Message to Garcia" and "The Cigarettist," two characteristic pamphlets. He was a popular lecturer in the United States, and a figure well known at Chautauqua meetings. Mrs. Elbert Hubbard was also a distinguished writer and lecturer, "W'hite Hyacinths" being probably her best known work ig tvftlasia. A fred Gwynne Vanderbilt was tlie second son of the late Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famous American millionaire. Mr. Vanderbilt was one of the most distinguished members of the great Coaching Club of New York, and frequently he took famous coaching teams across the Atlantic to take part in the Olympia Horse Show. Justus Miles Forman, F.R.G.S., was a prominent American novelist and dramatist, and a great traveller. He was educated at Yale and at the Ecole .Tulien

in Paris, and studied painting. but in 1D&0 took up writing. Anion" his beatknown novels were: "The Garden of Lies," "Tommy Cartaret," "Buchanan's Wife," "The Quest," "The Opening Door," and "The Blind Spot." With the late Sydney Grundy he dramatised "The Garden of Lies." Sir Hugh Percy Lane is the hon. director of the Municipal Art Gallery, Dublin, and director of the National Art Gallery, Ireland, since 1314. He has taken a leading part ill the revival of Irish art by organising winter exhibitions at the Royal Jflbftrrilaii .Academy and at Belfasti,, alsii 1 by the exhibition of Irish ■ paintings in London. Sir Hugh presented a collection of' modern art to the city of Dublin and formed a collection of modern art for' tlx 1 Johannesburg Municipal Gallery. Charles Klein, a leading draMatiktj was usually regarded as an American, because most of his plays were written in 'America, but he was born in London in IRB7. For many years he was reader of plays to Charles Froliman, the great theatrical magnate. A few years ago lie left America, and settled iii Britain, announcing that he had ceased to be an American. Mr. Klein wrote many plays, and two of bis most successful dramas have been seen in Now Zealand. "The I'on and the Mouse" and "The Third Degiee, and another may be produced in Australasia before long, his dramatisation of "Potash and Perlinutter." The most prominent, of his other plays were: "The Music Master," "The Gamblers;" "The Ne'e,- Do Weil," "The Auctioneer" and ''Maggie IPepper." David Alfred Thomas is the senior member of Thomas and Davey, the <n-eat coal, sale a«ent«. Tie was born in Aberdare in ISofi. He was educated at Cambridge. and in lSD.'i was chairman of the Oardifl Chamber of Commerce Mr Thomas was president of th« South' Wales Liberal Federation, 1803-07, and represented Merthyr llurgs from 1888 to Iii!!!' VVIIS returi »«' for Cardiff in iniO. He w the managing director of tee. '( auiorian Combine and other bif South AAales collieries. Lndv Margaret Mackworth, the wife of Sir Humphrey Mackwortli. of the lioynl I'-ngineers, was the only child of Mr. D. A. Thomas. ■Mr. ,T. Foster Stnckhouae, FRGS was the organiser of the British 'Antarctic. l'A'pedition of lf>l4, which was designed to determine the coast line of

King Edward VI I. Land. The expedition, however, (lid not leave tho Old Country owing to the departure of the Shackleton enterprise. The Rev. Father Basil William Maturin was a famous theologian. He was horn in Ireland ill 1847 and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, whence lie entered the 'Anglican Church and was curate of Peterslow, and in 1873 lie went to St. John under Father Benson. In 1870 he was sent to take charge of St. Clement's 'parish in Philadelphia. In 1 S!)3 lie became a Roman Catholic and was ordained by Cardinal Vaughan in the following year. He wrote many works on theology, including "Laws of the Spiritual Life" and "The Price of Unity, 11)12."

Charles Frohmann for a long time has been regarded as the biggest and most daring of tile American theatrical managers. He was born in Ohio in 1800, and commenced life in journalism, being on tlie New York Tribune and later on the New York Graphic. Beginning his theatrical career as a box office clerk at Tloolev's Theatre in Brooklyn, he subsequently became manager of Haverley's Minstrels and went to London. In IS7A he became assistant manager of the Madison Square Theatre, New York, and by ISRG was a manager in a .small way, being lessee of the New York Comedy Theatre. Ilis first success was "Shenandoah." in ISBB, one of the first American Oivil War plays written in the States. It laid the foundation of his fortune. Later be produced "The Girl I Left Behind Me." With the money made from these plays Mr. Frohmann extended his enterprises rapidly and wa.s recognised as a leading manager in London nnd Xew York. Frequently he transported entire productions across the At'antie. Miss Maud Adams, Miss Billie Burke. Miss Alia Nazimova, Mr. John Drew, Mr. William Gillette and Mr. W. 11. Crane were among the many great stars who appeared under Mr. Frolimann's direction. This controller of the biggest theatrical business in the world was also linked up by an arrangement witl. J. C. Williamson in Australia for some years, and he controlled and owned ■many theatres.