OUR LONDON LETTER.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6546, 15 September 1886, Page 3

OUR LONDON LETTER.

THE KEW ItINISTBT.

COLONIAL JUNKETINGS.

MOEE CADDISHNESS

fj—SO—' OUB cobbbspondbut/J

LONDO-, July 80th, 1886.

For the last few days the public, the press, aad, in fact aU hands, have been busily at work constructing tbe Conservative Cabinet. The result of Lord Salisbury's efforts is now cf course very old news to you, so I will content myself with merely indicating what is the general opinion entertained here by moderate men. They hold that, as a whole, the new Prime Minister has succeeded in getting together the best team available, though they all feel a little nervous about the capacity of Lord Iddesleigh to grapple with the difficulties of tho Foreign I _ice. There are so many complications looming ahead in the East in connection with the barely veiled ■ designs of Busßia, that a firm and discreet policy is felt to be more than usually necessary in our diplomatic dealings with European nations. Lord Iddesleigh will, without the slightest doubt, be discreet; bnt will be also be firm ? Even the papers favorable to the Government are divided in opinion on this point. Some of themdecl—re tiiat the noble lord will be content to be guided by Lord Salisbury; others affirm that he is too old to be impressed by the opinions of a states--man who but latterly was almost on a footing of political equality with himself. Bnt none of the papers venture to assert that Lord Iddesleigh is cspable of much' firmnees on hie own account. Who knowß but that the new Secretary for Foreign Affairs may not throw out shoots in bis green fold age ss vigorous sb those of a young gum tree. Aa for the refusal of the Unionists to join in a Coalition Ministry, everybody must be supposed to know his own business best. If any earthly infiuenco could have moved Lord Harrington, no doubt it would have been the autograph letter from the Queen on the subject, but the noble lord and his followers have not only the present but the future to look to. Mr Gladstone is in the singular position of a man whcaa prolonged existence is the principal bar to tbe dominance of the party for whish he has done more than any other living man. But when Mr Gladstone dies or retires from the House, the Unionist party, containing, as it does, the bulk of the Liberal talent, will come prominently forward. In the eyes of the majority of Libera— it would be a fatal objection to the coming into power of Lord Hartington if he had ever taken part in a Coalition Administration. Lord Hartington has certainly just refused the Premiership, but be no doubt prefers the prospect of future power with his own friends at his back to the present leadership of a mixed crew. Even from a purely patriotic point of view there would have been many drawbacks to Conservatives and Unionists sitting in tbe same Cabinet. As matters stand, if tbe latter stay by their pledges, Lord Salisbury's Government will be secure as long as Mr Gladstone lives. The Unionists have promised to support the new Administration in all questions affecting Ireland, for which Lord Salisbury has engaged to introduce a comprehensive measure of self-government, while, although Lord Hartington and his following have reserved their freedom on other questions, it must be remembered that the very raison d'etre of their exister&e as a party is a determination to keep Mr Glad-, stone out of power: The course the new Government propose to take is, when the House meets on the sth of next month, to confine themselves to procuring supplies, although there will, of course, have to be a Queen's speech. All al solutely necessary business will, they hope, be got through in about a month, and then Parliament will separate until February next, leaving the vacation for the elaboration by the Ministers of a scheme for the proper government of Ireland. _._1 the way of sight-seenig, banquet—ngs, garden and evening parties, —c., &0., the colonial representatives and visitors have nearly worked out the Metropolitan area. Seeing the pace at which they have been going' for several months this is not to be wonoered at, although, of course, the fact that Parliament is not sitting re_ders London duller than it usually is at this' time of the year. But, no doubt, onr friends from the Antipodes have had about enough of the Metropolis. " One can pour several measures ot oil into a barrel full of nuts," said an old rabbi of the first century, whioh may be taken to mean, amongst other tilings, that, by a careful manipulation of time, One may cram a large number of extra entertainments into an already crowded programme. Still, an ordinary visitor likes a—tile time to himself, if it is only to write up hiß diary and post his accounts, and New Zealand—— "on the tramp at Home "will welcome a breathing spice after their superhuman exertions. Not that there will not be plenty to do in August, but what has to be done will be in the provinces, where life runs in quieter channels than on the banks of the Thames. For there has been organised a series of expeditions by means of which our viaitora will be enabled to tee much that is interesting in all parts of the United Kingdom. Next month they will have an opportunity of visiting Edinburgh, Dublin, aad other historical snots under, the most pleasant auspices. The canny Scot and the vivacious Irishman are prepared to receive them with open arms, while in the provinces " the pith and sinew of the country" are only waiting to clasp them in a warm embrace—metaphorically speaking, of course.

Bnt now as to what has been seen and done during the past fortnight. A day or two after the despatch ot my last letter the Duke of Northumberland gave a large garden party at Syon House, Islewortb, to the colonial and Indian visitors. This place is of peculiar historical interest, seeing tbat it was the residence of Lady Jane Grey, that she went from thence to be crowned, and subsequently to be executed. It also boasts of the wonderful Btatue of the lion with the horiEont—l tail, whioh used to be tbe wonder and admiration of Londoners as it stood aloft, before Northumberland House was pulled down, guarding the ducal Lares and Penates. The guests the other day, who numbered more than 1000, had their refreshments under the enormous marquee made for Hugh, Duke of Northumberland, when he received William IV. and Queen Adelaide at Syon. New Zealand was represented by Sir F. Dillon Bell and Lady Bell, Sir Julius and Lady yon Haast, Sir John and Lady Hall and Miss Hall, Mr and Mrs R. Pharazyn, Dr. and Mrs Buller, Mr and Mrs Cowl—haw, Mr F. W. Pennefather, Mr G Clifford, and some others.

On the 22nd met. Belvoir Castle and the works of Messrs Hornsby and Son at Grantham, were visited, among the party being Dr. Buller and Met srs Cowl—haw and T. W. P_—rted. Grantham is in Leicestershire, aad must not be confounded with the town of the same name in Lincolnshire. The visitors were received by the Mayor and other officials, and the works of Hornsby and Sons, who are engineers, boiler-makers, and agricultural implement manufacturers, were at once inspected. About 1500 men are employed by the firm. After a lunch at the Guildhall, the guests drove to Belvoir Castle, forming a procession of about twenty carriage— Large crowds were collected at various vantage points, flags had been hung out, and the hells of the parish church were rung. Various objects of interest were pointed out, to wit, the old Grammar School, where Sir Isaac Newton was educated; the George Hotel, once a hospital of tbe Knights Templar, aad another hotel where Mr Squeers stayed on his way to Dothebojs HaU. The Duke of

Rutland was not at Inme,* but the honors of tbe establishment were done by his sister, aad after afternoon tea the party returned to London. . The main feature, however, in the fortnigbtfe fetes has been the naval review at Sp—he—d, which came off on the 23rd insIt Kay he mentioned that Mr Gladstone was last session asked in the House of Commons by Mr Baden-Powell whether the Government could not get np some sort of naval display at Portemouth in order to give the Colonial and Indian representatives some idea of the naval strength of England, and that the late Premier did not favour the suggestion, merely saying that our vi—tors would have ample opportunity of examining the dockyards whenever they pleased, j But the officers of the Navy and Marines j held different views from Mr Gladstone, and voluntarily undertook to bear the trouble and expenses of inviting the representatives and of showing them a naval review. A Committee was formed, of which the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Alexander Milne, G.C.8., was Chairman, and which included the names of the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince G aorge of Wales. Tbe guests, consisting of several hundred ladies and gentlemen, were conveyed by special train from town, and were first of all shown over her Majesty's ships Edinburgh, ColHngwood, Imperiense, and Sultan. Then the dockyards were seen, and by three o'clock a move was made in H.M. troopship Orontea for Spithead, where the mimic sea fight was to take place. This was divided into five sections. First came an attack of second-class torpedo boats on the Colossus, which had her torpedo nets out and her guns all ready for action. It was supposed to be a night attack, and from tops, decks, and turrets machine gunß and cannon biased fire at the torpedo boats as they approached. The latter were supposed to be repulsed, and then Bix first-el—3B torpedo "boats had their turn. They also were said to be worsted. Next two torpedo boashot Whitehead torpedos at the Colossus, but the missiles did not reach the ironclad. Then two submarine mines were exploded, and a line of countermines was laid down to clear a channel into a harbor; and, lastly, a number of spar-torpedo boacame on abreast towards the Orontes, and exploded their charges. The day was unfortunately wet, Bti— more unfortunately, the proceedings were marred by a most untoward accident. Some of the carriages of the dockyard train, which had just started to convey the visitors round the dockyard, ran off the line on turning a sharp curve, and one of them turned completely over. Ten of the visitors were conveyed to the Dockyard Infirmary, and were treated by the surgeons. Several of the sufferers were ladies. Sir W. jjobson, late Chief Justice of Tasmania, had his arm terribly bruised, and Mr H. Sewall had his arm broken. The most serious case, however, was that of Captain Blackshaw, one of the Australian rifle team, who was badly injured about the head. On tbe 26th inst. a large number of representatives went down to Plymouth, on the invitation of tbe Corporation of that town. The party halted for two hours at Salisbury, and saw the cathedral. Proceedings there were disagreeably varied by tbe conduct of an Australian gentleman of considerable standing, who has lately been residing in England, but -vho shall be nameless, -his individual, who had constituted himself spokesman of the party, took the Bishop and Chapter to task for having granted permission to their organist to be absent, saying that the entry of the visitors into the cathedral was utterly spoilt by tbe National air not having been played. It is needless to say that the party were greatly disgusted at the loudly expressed views of this too punctilious comrade, a feeling that wasnotlessened when he repeated his rudenees by abruptly interrupting the Mayor, who had risen to close the proceedings, by gruffly calling out tbat the excursionists must be off to the train, Arrived at Plymouth, the visitors were entertained at a reception in Guildhall, provided at the cost of the Mayor, and next day were shown over tbe dockyard and naval establishments; also witnessing some gunnery experiments. After the representatives visited the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe's beautiful .seat on the harbor, and wound up the day with a banquet given by the Corporation in the Guildhall. To-day the representatives are at Chatham to Bee the Royal Engineers work in the garrison and neighborhood, including the pontoon—ig camp at Wonldham, the earthworks at TTpnar, and the submarine mining establishment at Gillingham. Yesterday the more industrious among them spent the morning in visiting some guano works in the neighborhood of London, and part of the afternoon by a natural sequence in inspecting some soap' works.