Illustrated London Letter

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 139, 13 June 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

Illustrated London Letter

(FROM OtR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

London, April 11. To The Memory of Prince Leopold. A TOUCH of sadness has keen given to t!) 0 Queen's otherwise delightful visit to tha Riviera by the unveiling oE a memorial to the late Duke of Albany ab Cannes. Saturday, March 28th, was the anniversary of the death of "Leopold tho Good," and on that day the Queen paid a visit to the widowed Duchess of Albany at the Villa Nevada, whore tho Duke died.

The memorial has been erected in fronb of the villa, and is a white marble column surmounted by a statue of Sb. George, and having ab its foot a large central basin with four lions' heads spouting waber. In the garden also is a marble bench, wibh bhe inscripbion "Erected by Queen Yicboria bo

the memory of her dear son." The Duchess bears her widowhood with great fortitude, thouc-h her lot has been a sad one. Her marriage took place in 1882, and in 1884 she was bereaved of her husband with terrible suddenness. In 1888 sho had the additional misfortune to lose her mobher. Her sister is the widowed Queen of the JSTebherlands. H.R.H. is bhirby years of ,'ige, and receives a pension of £6,000 a year from the British Government;. The Prince and toe Prima Donna. " I understand," writes my Paris correspondent, " that Madame Melba has instructed her solicitors to take steps to trace the authors of the absurd story that was circulated last week with reference to herself and the young Due d'Orleans, who, it will be remembered, was represented as having entered Paris together with the prima donna, disguised as her valet de ehambre. There was nob.of course, a single word of truth in this canard. The Duke at that time was thousands of miles away from Paris; but, apart from that, it is libel of the grossest kind to connect the prima donna in any way with thab rather flighty young man. As such it may be hoped thab the authors of the story will be soon detected and brought bo jusbice. Madame Melba has been too successful to escape having numerous enemies. Ib is a greab briumph for an English girl bo hold the firsb place ab the Grand Opera in Paris, and this briumoh many of her less successful rivals cannob forgive her. Madame Melba's real name is Nellie Armstrong. She is the wife of Mr Armstrong, of Melbourne, and daughter of Mr D. Mitchell, of the same city. She began singing in public when she was a girl of sixteen, making her debut at a concert in Melbourne. So highly was her talent thought of that she v. aa recommended to come to Paris, advice

which five years ago she acted upon. In Paris she placed herself under the tuition of Madame Marchesi, and Bbudied one year wibh her, during which time she mastered ten roles. Her debut in Paris was ab a concert in bhe Salle Erard

under the patronage of Gounod himself, lb was on hearing her sing here bhab the directors of bhe Theatre de la Monnaie, ab Brussels, offered her her firsb engagement She _p_nb two years in Brussels, where she became a universal favourite. The Queen took special notice of her, and was very kind indeed to the young Australian diva. On bidding farewell to the Brussels public, Madame Melba came to Paris in 1389, and since then has been regularly attached to the Grand Opera House. She has since then sung in London on frequent occasions, whero the Princess of Wales shows her special favour. A few weeks ago she scored a brilliant triumph ab St. Petersburg, and it was on her return to Paris after that triumph that her enemies started the abominable libel that created so much scandal tho world over. Madame Melba is "thoroughly English in manner and way of j| living, and a most amiable and accomIplished lady. It may interest those who believe in all sorts of specialties for preserving and strengthening the voice to hear that Madame Melba, in her own words, " docs nothing ab all for her voice." " I do nob speak much on the days when I have to sing, dine ab four, raid eat nothing mora before singing. Bub I make up for that afterwards, and always have a jolly good supper as soon as I geb home." There is a good English ring, is bhere nob, about 1 bhese words ?" The Census Paul Pry. On Census Day an Englishman's home is no longer his castle, lb was on Sunday last that the Registrar-General, Sir Brydges Henniker, assumed the garb of Paul Pry, and, ab biie head of an army of übiquitous bu.ybodies, thrusb his nose into every domicile, without so much as an apologetic "hope I don'b intrude." Of course, Sir

Brydges was quite right, and had law, reason, and all the scientists, political economists, and other "ists" who delight to dabble in the curious vicissitudes of "general averages," on his sido. But I fancy that he .s hardly a first favourite with the fair sex just mow. If he had contrived his census tables so thab " age lasb birthday " and " relation to head of family " could have been eliminated from the columns, all would have been forgiven ; bub as the schedules stood our petticoat population swayed the whole of Sunday bebween Ananias and a£s penalty. Ladies rarely suffer from a plethora of £5 notes, so thab I am afraid bhab An—l mean bhab an animu3 againsb Sir Brydges will exisb for some time to como.

The sketch herewith will give some idea of the interior of tho huge iron shed which has been erected in Charles-street, Whitehall, and which is now known as the Census Office. From bhis office bhere has recently been issued no less than 100 tons weight of stationery. Tho schedules alone weighed 60 tons ; 'besides which the office has sent out piles of " Enumeration Books," " Instructions," and the like. Tho householders' schedules amount in number to something like eight millions. The Cabbies' Strike. " Hansom is as hansom doe 3," might have been bhe business mobbo baken by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbob ab bhe time when he started "tho smartest " safety" cabs in London. However much this legend mic hb have pleased his lordship's pabrician patrons ab bhe Wesb End, ib is doubtful whether it would altogether have chimed in wibh the sentiments of the cabbios. According to these hard-working people, His Lordship, unlike bhe mettlesome cattle he gave them to drive, is a bib of a "screw" himself. And thoy have signified the samo in tha usual manner by going oub on sbrike ao'ainst 16s 3d per diem, the daily hire demandod by theS.T. cabs. This has brought about a deadlock in the S.T. business, and

bhis week bobh horses and cabs were adverbised for sale. There are symptoms of the strike spreading to other owners, and soon we may be reduced to a cabless community unless 'somebody or other,' to the number of ten bhousand or so, will como to the rescue. Why not the upper ton thousand themselves ? They all know how to handle tho ribbons, and as a full blue-blooded Earl has nob bhoughb ib infra dig. bo turn cab owner, why should the younger male members of the" aristocracy turn up their noses at mounting the driving seat and confounding the plobian Jehus who have "locked" the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot out? Italy and the Lynch Law. The immense excitement that prevailed at Washington when Baron de Fava presented his letters of recall, may now be said to have calmed down, at least among the northern family of"Uncle Sam." The

more mercurial subjects of King Humbert are, however, still, if not exactly on the boil, ab leasb on bhe simmer. America's prospective broubles, however, are to be dreaded more from within than from without-, lb is said that President Harrison and his Cabinet aro much t gratified ab the pacific tone of Italy's* latest message, and they are inclined bo bhink thab the Marquis di Rudini's note indicates a speedy settlement of the quarrel. Bub should the New Orleans lynchers be delivered over to justice, there are grave fears thab bhe old feud bebween bhe Norbh and South may bo revived, and that " State " law will form the wind to fan the flame. A demand has been made by Italy for reparation, but tho President has no power to interfere with the administration of justice in any State. And a3 the verdict of a Southern jury is a foregone conclusion, Italy's cry for punishment is a mosb awkward one for Washington to answer.

Many stories are told of King Humbert's sympathy and consideration for his people. Quite recently the gold medal " for civil valour" was conferred upon him, and the circumstances under which it was gained give an interesting example of his royal pluck. A house had fallen and four workmen were entombed in the ruins; their rescue could only be undertaken at considerable peril, bub His Majesbv, hearing of the accident, hastened to bhe "soot and was bhe firsb bo descend a rickebty" ladder leb down inbo bhe cellar, whence the muffled cries of tho buried men could bo heard. While the very difficult work of rescue went on His Majesty continually encouraged the unfortunate men with "assurance of coming help. One man, whose head and shoulders were above the heavy debris, bub whose legs were held fasb by heavy beams, which it took hours to remove, was especially sustained by tho King's steady courage. King Humbert held" his poor half-buried subjec. by tho hand, to put heart and hope into him, gave him wine with his own hand, and did nob leave bho spob bill all the men were brought out alive. The Third Earl Granville. Earl Granville's death creates a number of vacancies. Firsb of all comes the succession to tho Earldom, which has devolved on the late nobleman's eldest son by his second marriage, there being no issue by tho firsb wife. The present Earl, who unbil a few days ago was known as GranvilleGeorge Lord Leveson, is nob yeb oub of his teens, having been born in 1872. Then

there is the leadership of the Liberals in the Upper House to be filled up. This will probably go to Lord Rosebciy, who will shortly return to active political life. Nexb comes the vacant wardcnship of the Cinque Ports, involving the occupation of Walmer Castle. This much-coveted post will possibly go to Lord George Hamilton or Viscount Cross, despite the rumour thab her Majesty has her eve on it for the Duke of Connaughb. Finally, there ia the vacant Garter. The deaths of the Duke of Bedford and Lord Granville place a couple at tho disposal of the Sovereign. The" Duke of Rutland is mentioned as a hob favourite for one. Who will secure the other ?.