THE KING OF SAXONY.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11305, 21 June 1902, Page 8

THE KING OF SAXONY.

LORD ACTON. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Receives June 21st, 12.52 a.m.) LONDON, June 20. The death of the King of Saxony is announced. Lord Acton is dead. Albert, King of Saxony, K.G., was born in 1828, and succeeded his father in 1873. He received a military education and took part in the Danish war of 1848. He fought also on the side of the Austrians in the disastrous battle of Sadowa in 1866, and the Franco-German war in the operations before Metz, in those which resulted in the surrender of Napoleon at Sedan, and at the siege of Paris. For his services he was made Field Marshal and Inspector-General of the German army. He is succeeded by his brother, Prince" George, born 1832, whose own heir is his son, Prince Frederick, born in 1865. The Right Hon. John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton,, Baron Acton, X.C.V.0., D.C.L., LL.D., C.C., son of Sir Ferdinand Richard Edward Acton, Bart., by the only daughter of the Duke "of Dalberg (afterwards wife of the second Lord Granville), was born at Naples, in 1834, and when about three years of age succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father. For a few years he was a student in the Catholic College of St. Mary's, Oscott, at the time when Dr. (afterwards Cardinal) Wiseman) was at the head of that institution; but his education was mainly due to the renowned ecclesiastical historian, Dr. Dol-. linger, of Munich, with whom he lived for a considerable time. Sir John Acton represented Carlow in the House of Commons from 1609 to 1865. In 1869,,, on true recommendation of Mr Gladstone, he was created a peer, of the United Kingdom by the title of Baron Acton of Aldenham. In the same year he repaired to Rome, on the assembling of the CBcumenical Council, and while there rendered himself conspicuous by his hostility to the definition of. the doctrine of Papal Infallibility. Lord Acton was,-for many years regarded as the leader of the selfstyled "liberal Catholics," who are more or less out of accord with the traditions of tie Holy See. He was the editor of the "Home and, Foreign Review," a tximestral periodical, commenced in 1862, and carried oh till 1864, when it ceased to appear, owing to its having been condemned by the English Catholic hierarchy. In 1874 he rendered himself conspicuous by the prominent part he took in the fierce controversy which was raised by the publication of Mr Gladstone's pamphlet on the Vatican Decrees, and in a series of letters to "The Times," he brought grave charges against several of the Popes, although he took care to state that there was nothing in life which he valued more than com-munion-with the Roman Catholic Church. In 1890 Lord Acton was elected to a honorary fellowship at All Souls' College, Oxford—a' distinction shared only by Mr Gladstone. In 1895 he was appointed Professor, of Modern History at Cambridge, and he was also a Royal Commissioner on Historical MSS. MR THOMAs"sKELTON. The news of the death Of Mr Thomas Skelton," of the firm of Skelton, Frostick and Co., which was received by cable message from England yesterday, will be 'heard with regret all over the colony, as the deceased gentleman was very widely known. Mr Skelton was born at Leeds, and was apprenticed to the leather trade there. He came out to New Zealand in 1876, when he joined the firm of Lightband, Allan and Co., leather merchants and boot manufacturers. He was in the warehouse for two or three years, and then he was appointed one of the firm's travellers. He was one of the most popular commercial travellers on the road, and was known from one end of the colony to the other. He remained with Lightband, Allan and Co. until the reconstruction of the firm, when he became senior partner of the new firm of Skekon, Frostick and Co., and remained a partner till his death. Deceased hod made several trips to the Old Country in connection with his business. On account cf faifing health, he left again for England by the last trip of the Gothic, accompanaed by his niece, and arrived at Leeds about five weeks ago. The cold weather recently experienced in England ?' IJ BQ PP osed to have hastened his death. Mr Skelton was an enthusiastic bowler and cricketer. He was one of the original founders of the Canterbury Bowling Club, and was a past President. He also played in several of the teams taking part in the matches of the New Zealand Bowling Association. As a Yorkshireman, vMt Skelton was enthusiastic on the subject of cricket, and took a lively interest in the game, being an old member of the U.C.C. Mr Skelton took no active part in public affairs, but was most keenly concerned in a£ having anything in connection with the welfare of tJhristchurch, a place for which he cherished a very warm affection. He was forty-nine years of age last March. His death took place at Leeds, where his people resided.