TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 180, 31 July 1889, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

(from our special correspondent.)

London, June 14. RENSHAWS DEFEATED. The Lawn Tennis world is in quite a ferment in consequence of the hitherto invin_ cible Ilenshaws having been decisivelybeaten by the Irish champion W. J. Hamilton. Hamilton beatsFio two brothers in consecutive days, and they were admittedly in their best form. The Wimbledon tournament will, in consequence, be of extraordinary interest this year, and attract experts from all parts of England. I understand the Renshaws profess themselves by no means confident of reversing the form. PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR. I hear that Prince Albert Victor, who has been in love with his pretty cousin, the Princess May of Teck, ever since he was a boy, vows solemnly that if he can't marry her he won't marry anyone. Both " father " and " grandmama " oppose the match on many grounds, but if Eddy's heart "remains true"to Poll" (to quote a popular song) ha will probably get his way in the end. The Queen has not so much to say against the marriage as the Empress of Germany, who has daughters of her own, and would gladly (first - cousinship notwithstanding) have bestowed one on her nephew. Unfortunately, they are fab, podgy '■ girl 3, and looked plain even. beside the young Princesses of Wale?. Princess' May, of course, is simply lovely. For ?a long time she hoped to marry the luqliy ." Jimuiy,' , and His Grace on dit fancied the idea. The Queen, however, imperatively forbade it. THE SHAH OF PERSIA. The royalties and noblemen ; who have been "commanded"- to thab dusky potentate Naisr-ed-dirf- during his stay in England, are by no means enchanted by the prospect. The truth is, the Shah's ways are eccentric. In appearance he leaves little to be desired (especially in his best clothes), but His Majesty's personal habits are said to bear startling affinity to those of that useful but malodorous domestic animal, the pig. _ Thiß peculiarity seems to have been painfully borne in upon the young Emperor of Germany the other day. Ceremony would nofc permit of his shortening by one half second the embrace of welcome the conveTiances obliged him to bestow on the wilyPersian, but after heroically kissing Hia Majesty on both cheeks he could not suppress the muttered groan " Lithe, Jlimmel t er s'-inkt." I remember that when the. Shah was here in 1873, the fact of hie smelling strong caused considerable inconvenience. Only Orientals with castiron noses could indeed be long _in His Majesty's presence without suffering nausea. Ladies, as a rule, found on©: whilfof the Royal Persian a sure emetic,' According to report, he has_ in no, way become Europeanised during the ■ last sixteen years. The Queen wanted; to get out of lending the Shah and his suite accommodation at Buckingham Palace and to billet them. aiTciaridges. Bub Lord Salisbury intimated that to the Palace they must go, .even though the Queen has (as in 1873) to . clean, retib and refurnish every chamber occupies.