The World

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2289, 12 March 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

The World

[This following paragraphs are extracted from the London society papers and oilier journals.] It is hoped that the Queen will consent to hold . a Chapter of "the most noble Order" of tho Garter at Windsor Castlo on the occasion of her Jubilee. Tliero has not been a Chapter since the Ia to Emperor of the Kivnc.h was at Windsor in 1555, and the Prince of Wales is most anxious that one should bo held. It would bo followed by a. State banquet to the Knights in St. GcorsruVhall. Tho King of the Belgians, tho Crown Prince of Germany, the Duke of Saxc-Coburpr-Gothn, the Grand Duke of Hesse, and the Grand Duke of Meoklenburg-Stelit/!, all of whom are '•extra" Knights nearly related to our Royal Family, are expected to be in England then ; so there would be an unprecedently large muster, and the Knights would have an opportunity of arraying themselves ill their quaint and splendid full dross, which most of them would wear for tho first time. It is highly probable that a marriage will take place, about three years hence, between the Princess Sophia of Prussia, the third daughter of the Gcrmau Crown Prince, and the Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, eldest son of Prince Louis, who is the eldest son of Prince Lnitpold, the Regent and do facto King of Bavaria. Prince Rupprecht. who is therefore heir to the Throne of Bavaria after his father and grandfather, was born in May, 1869, and the Priucess Sophia is thirteen months his junior. I hear from unexceptionable authority that the preliminaries of this marriage were settled during a recent visit of Prince Luitpold to Berlin. Prince Bismarck's last criticism on Lord Randolph Churchill is that he is " twopenny Cataline." I am told, and believe, that the late Fred Archer lost thirty thousand pounds in betting during the past racing season. I hear that Sir George Willis, who now commands the Portsmouth district, is to succeed Sir A. Herbert next month as Quartermaster - General, and Lord Chelmsford will then be appointed to Portsmouth. SornjD of the papers announce that Mr Goldvvin Smith contemplates a permanent return to England, with a view to again become Regius Professor of History at Oxford, in succession to Mr Freeman. There is no truth whatever in this story. Sigxor Mingiietti, the Italian statesman who has lately died, leaves a handsome widow, who, in her younger days, would have caused a more suspicious husband considerable disquietude. And that in Bologna, a city notorious for the freedom of its female aristocracy ! I hear of a small estate in Oxfordshire for which £18,000 was refused a few years,ago, and which was recently offered in vain for £7,000—a price which will not cover the mortgages. A farm in Staffordshire, which was mortgaged some years ago for £14,000, at a time when it was let at £SOO a year, now brings in about £300 a year, which is a pretty prospect for the mortgagees. There will shortly be some startling revelations concerning the horses supposed to belong to a notable turfit. It seems that the late Fred Archer was a partner in thorn all, and as under the Jockey Club rules all such partnerships must be registered at Wetherby's, the omission may occasion the disqualification of the winner of more than one important autumn handicap. The Daily Express of Dublin,, a Tory newspaper, has,"it seems, been publishing unpleasant remarks about Mr Williau O'Brien. It appears that the London correspondent of that journal has called this political fanatic " a swindler and an Invincible," two epithets which have greatly annoyed that sensitive gentleman; so he has taken an action for libel against Mr Robinson, the proprietor, laying damages at £f>,ooo. Som« of the papers are quite mistaken in imagining, or rather in picturing, the evicted in Ireland as "cast on the roadside," to perish of cold and hunger. Possession having been obtained, they are, as a matter of fact, in most cases readmitted as caretakers, and the law punishes severely any landlord who does not give ample legal notice of intended evictions to the Poor Law Guardians. Lord Tollemache, who has long been famous as a model landlord, has just given another proof of his desire to do his utmost for his tenantry, by representing each tenant who won a prize for cheese at the recent dairy shows with £')0 worth of bone-manure; while to those whose exhibits were commended he gave £2o worth of the some article. If there were a few more landlords like Lord Tollemache we should hear less about agrarian agitation and the ruin of farmers. During the first eleven months of the closing year, 10,706 horses, valued at £172,483, wero imported into Great Britain, agsinst 12,327 horses, valued at £190,734, during the corresponding months of 18S5. The number of horses exported during tho same period was 6,560, valued at £380,000, against 5,920. valued at £350,200, last year. We sent 1678 horses to Belgium, 1,552 to Canada, and 1,004 to the United States. Only 453 went to France. The Government has decided to purchase the Brenuan torpedo, which is now considered the best of all harbour defences. Mr Louis Brennan is an Irishman, who has been for many years resident in Australia, where the idea of this marvelous invention was first made practicable. Mr Brennan will, I understand, have sole controle of his invention, and though he has sold it to the Government, he will not be debarred from reserving to himself all rights in any further development of it. Invisible ink is a'fluicl out of which considerable amusement may be extracted. It ought, however, to be used in a decorous and discreet manner. Letters indited in the mysterous liquid should only be couched in the most harmless terms, and pass between those still of a harmless age. In ho case should an innocent piece of paper be used as a pill to light a cigarettte with, for with heat a certain form of fnvisible ink becomes plain and curiosity is aroused, and then the cigarette is not lighted, and what promised to be a most cheery and charming; Christinas party is suddenly broken up. It is well-known that Mr Parnell is the largest shareholder in United Ireland, which is edited by Mr W. O'Brien, and that he always insists on exercising a certain amount of controlling influence over its political programmes. As this is the organ of the present National League policy, it could not bo advocated by it unless it at least had been tacitly approved by the Irish leader. But, as Mr Parnell is anxious not to give umbrage to Mr Gladstone and his followers by any untoward conduct, he naturally has deemed it expedient to keep aloof from all interference with the sayings and doings of his lieutenant. One of the items in the Chapel Royal account was until recently a weekly bottle of tho lirnest Madeira in the Buckingham Palace cellars. Tho wine was intended for the refreshment of the oilieiatin« clcrtry. but it was always kept by ono ol'°the lay officials as his perquisite, and in course of years this individual accumulated quite a valuable stock of Madeira, the wine being genuine old East Indian, worth at least" fifteen shillings a bottle. This absurdity was very properly stopped by Lord Sydney, and the late Bishop of London (tho Dean of tho Chapel) and tho other clergy were greatly disgusted to find that, although they had been entitled to a Sunday bumper of Madeira, not a drop had they ever tasted, thanks to the "old custom" which stopped tho wino before it reached the vestry. The i? signation of Lord Randolph Churchill, and the manner in which jt was effected, will be remembered as one of the mostvemarkable political surprises.

Sir Drummond Wolff, Sir John Gorst (just back from Egypt), and Mr Henry Matthews all became acquainted with the fact through the colums of The Times, and none of the Chancellor's chosen counsellors appear to have been taken into his confidence. The news was received at the Carlton with undisguised jubilation ; the "consternation" and "dejection" of the daily papers never existed for a moment; and amidst the universal cry of condemnation on Thursday morning Lord Randolph found a solitary defender in the person of Lord Henry Thydne. It is impossible to conceal the fact that Lord Randolph has made troops of enemies, who rejoice openly in what they believe to be his political extinction. Tho recent improvement in tho Emperor William's health is due to the fact that siuce his return to Berlin he has become much more amenable to the wishes of his physicians. The Emperor's great meal had "always been supper till autumn, and most of his recent illnesses have arisen from indiscretions at table. He delighted in lobsters in every shape and form, especially hot, with a rich sauce, and washed down by copious draughts ol Rhine wine. Another favourite dish was crayfish soup, and also Russian batwinia, >i cold fish soup, in which beer, cider, j rancid herrings, and salt cucumbers are I ingredients. The Emperor was also fond of veal stewed with cloves and cinnamon, and of pork stewed with nutmeg and marshmallow; while a frequent sweet was a large sponge-cake well steeped in rum. The physicians are of opinion that his Majesty may now live for some years longer," unless there should be very cold weather.