LONDON GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 210, 5 September 1893, Page 2

LONDON GOSSIP.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

London, July 21. NEW ZEALAND PETROLEUM AND IRON SYNDICATE.

The prospectus issued for the purpose of raising £I*o,ooo additional capital to re-start working the above ia principally remarkable for the airy fashion in which the disappearance of the £35,000 of original capital is accounted for. According to the directors " the syndicate procured expensive plant and pub down a bore. Oil was met with at 900 ft in small quantities. And then—well—funds ran short, and on the breakage of the plant work had to bo discontinued." I think, withoub beiDg accused -of undue curiosity, intending shareholders have a right to ask somewhat fuller particulars than this. The reports of Professor Boverton Redwood on samples of the petroleum, and of Mr Corkell on the property, are both " very fine and large." That there is monoy to be made at Taranaki by somebody 1 have not much doubb. Whether the shareholders of the syndicates will be the lucky parties is, however, another matter. I was almost omitting to mention that the board consists of G. R. Phillips, Esq., of Cheltenham ; Mr Joseph N. Filling, of Effingram House, Arundel-street, Strand ; and Sir Julius Vogel. R. S. SMYTHE: "HERE WE ARE AGAIN!" Ulysses Smytbe "cannot resb from travel" Although he left Melbourne last November when the financial storm was merely threatening ho only arrived in England a fortnight ago, three months of tho intervening time having been spent in the Dominion and tho United States. Tho much-travellod manager oi course saw the World's Fair and his itinerary included several places which he did nob see when he was in America in 1876, viz. British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, "the land of Evangeline." In theee dull times a man who can fold up hia tent at amomenb's notico and pitch it in another Continent is to be envied. R. S. Smythe is one of those lucky fellows. When bankß wore suspending cvory day in Australia, he was living comfortably in Chicago, expatiating to the inevitable, irrepressible interviewor on the causes of the crisis or the prospects of opening up a profitable trade between Australia and Canada. His son, Carlyle Smythe, was meanwhile managing" May O'Rell's tour in South Africa, having been armed with valuable letters of introduction there by SirG. Grey. Max attracted immense audiences, and youne Smythe is now running Santley over the same country equally triumphantly. For tho great baritone's first two concorts at Capo Town every seat was sold before he landed. Meanwhile the " imperator of improsarioa " is back again at his old quarters in Southampton Row, keeping his weathor eye — his particularly shrewd weathor eye—wide open, and doing his best to persuade the eratic Paddrewski to "name the glad day" for his departure. Two years havo elapsod since the ruddy haired " prince of pianists " signed and soaled for an Antipodean tour, and his reputation is now higher then ever. Yet, he looks sad and weary when not ab his beloved piano. The story goes (I read it somewhere) that before the young Polo's day dawned he had a wife ho adored, and that she died becauso he could nob raise .enough to carry her oIT to the milder climate her doctor ordered. R. S. Smytho is always close about hia plans till they are fixed up. It may, therefore bo true, as "Tay Pay "alleges, that ho has beon observed at Westminister casting speculative glunces in the direction of John Burns. Mr Smythe has also, tho same authority avow?, an inclination to run Michael Davitt through Australia. Personally, I should nob feel confident of either" drawing good audiences in Melbourne or Sydney. Mrs Bosant, who is marvellously eloquent, might do.

THE IMPERIAL FEDERATION

LEAGUE,

It ia not unlikely that before the end oj the present year of grace tho lmperia1 Federation League will have ceased to exist. A Committee is now considering the quostion of its future action, and'tis whiepored the majority of this Committee are in favour of dissolution, on the ground that no practical way seems to be open at present for further advancing the objects of the League. The leading supporters of the movement are credited with the feeling that further deputations to tho Governor would not lead to more than a renewal of the sympathetic assurances already received from tho head of both the lato and the present administration, also that ie is nob in the power of such a body as the League to bring into effective force the scheme of imperial combination in defonce of common interests which it has carefully prepared and earnestly recommended. On the other hand a large body of the minor members of tho League are opposed to dissolution and recommend rather a period of masterly inactivity. " Keep tho League in oxistenco and await developments which may present a now scope for action," is their cry. The report of the Committee will decide the matter. Meanwhile the city branch of the League has appointed a special Committee to endeavour co formulate some scheme for the commercial union of the Empire. Mr Perceval and Sir Edward Braddon were invited to join this body, and did so with a view to pointing out the weaknesses of the proposals made. They told the Committee ab the firsb meeting yesterday that however strong the desire for closer commercial union with the Mother Country might be in any single colony, the colonies could nob as yet afford to abandon tho revenues obtained by taxing British imports. But it is useless to worry you with the futile' discussions of League Conrmittee3. They all end in smoke. The most sensible proposition made on Wednesday was a resolution moved by one oE the gentlemen present that an attempt should be made to introduce frozen meat into Malta, and that a select Committee ehould be appointed to consider the best method to bring the introduction aboub. The chairman ruled the motion out of order, but ib was evident that several of those present were impressed with tho importance of the resolution and would have liked to go into the mattor straight away. But Now Zealand mutton will find its way to Malta without the aid of tho Imperial Federation League. When an army expert of the oxperienco and standing of Major Stackpoole declares so strongly in its favour as food for Tommy Atkins, even red tape and prejudice must soon give way.

SULLIVAN V. BUBEAR,

There was a rare mustor of acquatic celebrities at tho White Lion, Putney, on Thursday evening lust, when, aftor the usual futile newspaper corrospondonce.Tom Sullivan, of Now Zealand, and George Bubear, the English Sculling Champion, meb to arrange for their long-talked of match over tho full Thames course, i.e., from Putney Bridgo to the ship at Mortlake. There was roally only one point to be settled beforo tho signing of articles, and that was the matter of the date of the contest. Bubear, as you know, ia under an engagement with Capt. Boynton to exhibit daily at the Water Show ab Earl's Court, and ho found it impossible to agree to an earlier date than September 25th. Sullivan explained thab the 11th of thab monbb would suit him much better, and said that business demanded his departure from England a few days later. A lengthy discussion followed, and for a time ib Beemed likely thai; the proposed match would come to naught. Bubear indeed eaid

he was not ab all anxious to row, and having a lucrative engagement with considerate employers ho certainly did nob intend to put them to any inconvenience. The date must be September 25th, or later. Sullivan considered in Bilencefor a space, and finally, amid applause, agreed to Bubear's terms. Articles were ab once drawn up for the pair to row the full Thames course for £200 a-Bide and the "Sportsman" Challenge Cup, and each maa deposited £50 to bind tho match, A second £50 each is due on August lObh. and the final £100 on September 21st.

A TIMELY GIFT.

There is a great rush jusb now to the Imperial Institute to see the Royal wedding presents. I wrote the other day to Sir Walter Buller to ask him the best time to go, and whether one could by any possibility get in on a Fellows' night. After kindly explaining whab course I oughb to pursue, Sir Walter replying, went on: " When you take your lady friends to the Institute to see the presents, be sure nob to overlook the upper gallery containing the pictures and engravings. Several are extremely valuable and interesting. Note specially a grand Landseer presented by Lord Rothschild to the young couple. The subjecb is a Buperb Newfoundland dog sitting up with a pieca of biscuit on hi 3 nose, and the baby Duchess of Teck standing begide him just about to cry 'Now.' The portraiture and general effecb are matchless. I was going through this gallery with Walter Rothschild tbe other day, and remarked whab a grand work of art this was. He then told me its history. Ib seems that when the Duke of Teck was hard pressed several years ago he sold some of his family pictures, this being one of them. Lord Rothschild, who placed it in his own collection, seized this very favourable opportunity of returning ib to tho family. iVas ib not a timely and delicate compliment to tbe bride ?" Mr Colnaghi (the arb publisher) also did the same thing with two valuable family portraits in his possession.

PERSONAL AND GENERAL.

Since Dr. Julius sailed, someone, who, I should imagine, ho must have " roughedup " tho wrong way, has been sending the press seemingly friendly "pars" about him, which, nevertheless, contain nasty stings in their tails. Thus the " Sun "on Wednesday evening talks of the Bishop's unconventionality : —" He has no carriage, but drives about in a cart. He goes oub ab night in Bohemian fashion, drops into the bars of public houses, fraternises with the loungers, and between drinks gives them homilios on practical Christianity. He has been known to administer personal chastisement to wife-beaters, and to assist the police in the execution of their duty." This romancjst winds up with the legend of the laying of tho topmost brick of Christchurch Cathedral, a story told ad nauseam in the London and provincial papers this summer, and often surprisingly embroidered upon. I imagine when Dr. Julius indulged in thab daring escapade he scarcely contemplated its dogging him all tho resb of his days and constantly cropping up in a mangled and unrecognisable form. It reminds me of the sad fato which befell a staid and highlyrespectable Alderman in Liverpool some years ago at a city council meeting. One of the speakers kept dragging the word ratepayers into his discourse every other minute. It was the ratepayers this, the ratepayers thab and the ratepayers the other. Ab last Alderman X. murmured to himself, solto vice, "Oh ! d n bho ratepuyors." He was quite unconscious of having been overheard till be saw the posters of the evening papers and read, to iiis horror,

Alderman X. Damns the Ratepayers.' In vain that poor man wrote to tlio papers and explained elaborately he meant no disrespect to anybody, nob even to the speaker whqse tiresomo reiteration of a word had caused him to anathematise it. It was no good. At public meetings ever since someone surely criea out, " Who d d the ratepayers !" Probably this slight faux pas willcling to him through public lite. The Earl of Stamford, better knoivn to you as tho Rev. Willin Grey, made an excellent speech in tho House oF Lords last week, protesting againßfc the erection of workmen's dwellings on the site of Millbank, which was always considered a moat unhealthy spot. He spoke for twenty minutes, creating a capital impression, and recoiving many congratulations afterwards. Latest news of Mr J. B. Russell is, I'm glad to learn, distinctly favourable. He left Fitzroy House on Tuesday and is now ab Heathfiold, Mordan, Surrey.

Miss Kate Marsden has betaken herself to Chicago, where there is no Charity Organisation Society and whoro sho can collect dollars for "my lepers" witboub being worried for "accounts." She has a stall at tho World's Fair on which she displays photos and other souvenirs of her travels, including a modol of tho future leper colony. Miss Marsden is "already a greaC favourite in Amurrican society."