ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 303, 20 December 1913, Page 15

ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

lard Kelburne who is the eldest son of Tord GlMgow, and one of the few heirs j. O peerages who is in the Xavy, has accepted command of H.M.s. Pyramus.

gjr James Dewar, the first man to obtain liquid and solid hydrogen, recently celebrated his seventy-first birthjv. a He was also the co-inventor of cordite, the smokeless powder, and has taken a lifelong interest in chemical research.

• Pr. Sidney Guliek, who in a recent lecture on "The Xew Japan and the California Japanese Problems" declared fliat education is ousting militarism in Japan, is a professor in the Imperial tTniversity of Kyoto, and has lived in Japan for more than a quarter of a century-

An interesting fact about M. Daucourt, the aviator who has just failed in an attempt to fly from Paris to Cairo. He is the great-grandson of the celebrated Iferrorist Danton. a worthy descendant of the patriot whose motto was: "De l'andace, et encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace."

The engagement was recently announced of Lord and Lady Glasgow's third son, Mr. John Boyle, who is in the Eifie Brigade, and a member of the Royal Jiving Corps, and now it is stated that __. Alan Boyle, their youngest son, has received an appointment under the British South African Protectorate.

The Misses Gerda Pedersen, daughter 0 f the Danish Minister of Agriculture, and Keiser Nielsen, daughter of the Minister of Education, have engaged a3 housemaids in London, that they may learn the English language, customs and manners, and generally broaden their outlook. They expect to remain at their work for a yeaT.

The Rev. George <T. Raynolds, M.D., who went from America forty-flve years ago. and established in the City of Van, Turkey, a boys' school, which the American Board of Commissioners for foreign missions recently advanced to the grade of college, has 'been elected president of the institution. This is the tenth American college in Turkey.

Among the cheques received by Prince Arthur of Connaught in the way of wedding gifts, was one that the donor forgot to sign. Three days after the wedding the sender of the cheque apparently recollected that he had omitted to sign it, and telegraphd an apology to the Prince, and sent a signed cheque to His Eoyal Highness by next post.

General Carlo Caneva. on whom the Austrian Emperor recently conferred a high decoTation, commanded the first expedition of Italian troops in Tripoli, in 1911, and was the first governor of the new Italian colony on the northern coast of Africa. He holds the highest rank in the army after the king himself, that of "Oenerale d'Esercito."

Back in her native Sydney, Mrs. Holman (wife of the Premier of New South Wales) has been writing about her recent sojourn in the stately boudoirs oi England. The generally crumpled appearance of female members of the British peerage, and their tendency to munch the breakfast chop in any old blouse, hung with £18,000 worth of pearl necklace, is an outstanding feature of these remarks.

Four duchesses, two of them American, have taken up their residence at Roehampton, a one-time fashionable suburb of London, and still considered one of the most desirable residential districts. The duchesses are their graces of Marlboroagh and Roxburghe. both Americans; the Duchess of Westminster, who has left the more stately residence of her husband for a house in the district, and the recently widowed Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland.

Reports In imperial circles from Farnhorough show that the Empress Eugenic is plunged in the most profound melancholy, and her health is breaking up. She has completely retired from society, and refuses to permit anyone to talk to her about the time when, as Empress, she was the most beautiful women in Europe. Her fabulous wealth will go, on her death, to her kinsman, Prince Napoleon, whose style of living is already proverbial in Europe.

It was announced in October that a marriage had been arranged between Fraulein Marie Anne yon Friedlander Fuld, the sole heiress to a fortune estimated at £5.000.000, who is aged 21, and Mr John Freernan-Mitford. fourth son of Lord Redesdale, who is aged 29. Herr yon Friedlander Fuld. the father of the heiress, is known as the "coal king" of Berlin. He was the son of a Jewish coal merchant, and his wife was the daughter of a Jewish banker of Amsterdam. Both were converted to Christianity in H)O6. The heiress, who is an accomplished linguist and a good horsewoman, was reported a year ago to be betrothed to a cousin of the Czar. Prince Alexander Romanowsky. but the betrothal, it is said, was cancelled at the Czar's wish, as the parents of the heiress are of Jewish origin.

Count J. J. Tolstoi, the new Mayor of St. Petersburg, is one'of the most popular and respected members of society in the Russian capital, and while Minister of education distinguished himself hy the and broadmindedness of his tows. He is vice-president of the Imperial Archaeological Society, in the labours of which Emperor Nicholas takes so much interest; president of the Imperial Bibliographical Society, and rector of the University of St. Petersburg. For the last two years he has been acting as chairman of the commission formed for discovering means of combating and curing leprosy: while at court he holds the honorary office of master of the ceremonies. He is about fifty years old, and a nephew of the late Count Leo Tolstoi, the novelist.

There ore good Tgasons to believe, according to the "Daily Graphic." tbai Tery shortly Prince Arthur of Connaught will be c.illed upon to quit his position in the Royal Scots. Greys in order to take up a position at the War Office on the staff of Field-Marshal Sir John French. Chief of the Imperial General Staff and First Military 'Member of the Army Council. Now that His Royal Highness has received his -brevet as a fflajor, it is felt that more important •work should be given to him than is possible in his regiment, where there are several captains senior to -him who will, in the ordinary course, be called upon to take substantive rank before him. The War Office appointment will -mean that Prince and Princess Arthur of ConCaught will be called upon to pass almost the whole of their time in London during the next twelve months.