People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 24 December 1908, Page 36

People We Hear About

The Rev. Henry Sebastian Bowden, who delivered the opening address to the Anglo-Italian Literary Society at .Burlington House, was in early manhood an officer in tin* Army, but for many years past he has been one of the best-known Fathers of the Brompton Oratory. He ha>s filled the office of Superior of- the Oratorian Community in bouth Kensington. He is the author of a work on Dante and another on the religion of Shakespeare, as well as a number of historical and biographical publications. The Dowager Marchioness of Bute, Gwendoline Mary £ nn J e _J ,ltzalan Howard, is the eldest daughter of the- first Lord Howard of Glossop by his first wife, who was the only daughter of the Hon. George Talbot, brother of the Earl of Shrewsbury. In 1872; she married thejate Marquis ofBute, the ceremony at the "Oratory bringing together an assembly such as perhaps had not till then been seen in a Catholic church since the Reformation. Cardinal Manning officiated, and Mr. Disraeli signed the register, along with a quartet of dukes. ' j Professor Rutherford, the winner of the Nobel Prize, who was banqueted at Stockholm last week/ is a native of New Zealand. He was born in 1871, and after a distinguished career in the New Zealand University he proceeded to Cambridge, where he obtained his M. A. degree- in 1893, with first-class honors in mathematics and physics. Obtaining a scholarship in connection with the last exhibitoin, he prosecuted research in the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. In 1898 he was appointed Macdonald Professor of Physics at the M'Gill University, Canada, and while there made important discoveries in the properties of radio active elements, his publications including Badio-activit i/ and liadio Active Transformations. In 1904 he. delivered the Bakerian lecture before the Royal Society, and last' year was appointed to Manchester. - The Rome correspondent of the Catholic Weekly tells of a strange adventure which befell the" late Cardinal Mathieu, of which he was fond of relating to his friends. He, had registered at a well-frequented Paris hotel, where he was unknown, and during his absence an attendant had the curiosity to look in his portmanteau, which Avas unfastened. There he saw several articles of church nlate, a jewelled stole and mitre, and other insignia of the Cardinal's office. Just at that period the depredations of a gang of church robbers was creating much stir in Paris and -the servant persuaded himself that he had made a happy discovery of one of the culprits. He instantly communicated his suspicions to the proprietor, who Avas already someAvlmt mystified about his guest. The commissary of police Avas sent for, and informed*that < a man, clean-shaven, and of mysterious manner, AA'as staying at the hotel, Avhose baggage Avas full of church plunder!' That official promptly arrested the Cardinal, despite all his protestations; and it Avas only Avhen the Prefect -of Police, M. Lepine, came upon the scene, that the unfortunate mistake Avas made- clear. Every apology Avas offered, but tide Cardinal took all in good part, and thoroughly enjoyed the humor of the situation. General Sir William Butler celebrated his seventieth birthday on October 31, and .received many congratulations on the occasion. Sir William Butler AA'as born at Suirville, Tipper ary. He Avas educated in Ireland and joined the 69th Regiment in 1858, just half a century ago The Red River revolt of 1870 gave him the opportunity of shoAving his daring as a scout, in penetrating to Fo-t Garry in advance of the Wolseley expedition. He also served in the Ashantee War of 1873, in the Zulu War, aiul in the Nile Expedition. He AA'as made a Brigadier-General in 1885, and was knighted the fohWing year. In 1890 he became Major-General, and held successive commands at Alexandria, Aldershot, Dover, and South Africa— the last a military office which he made memorable by his efforts to avert a racial Avar. -His warning to the British Government not to underestimate the fighting strength of tho Boers Avas unheeded, with the result that :iri the early days of the campaign the British troops suffered many defeats. Sir William Butler Avas married to Miss Elizabeth Thomp"-' son, the famous painter of the 'Roll Call,' . by Cardinal Manning in 1877. He is the author of several works dealing .with his travels in various parts of the world. Of recent years he has done much for religion and education by delivering lectures and presiding at functions in various parts of Ireland.