BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 15

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. CORONATION BONFIRES. London, March 21. One of (he most sinking features of the national Coronation celebrations will bo hosts of bonfires which will bls-.ze from over 2000 mountain and hill tops From Land's End to John O'Olroiits, and from Dublin to Conncmara, on I ho night of the Ri-ont cwomouy. The plan suggested is that bonfires shall bo lit simiiltaneously ut 10 p.m. in England, Ireland, and Wales 011 the Coronation night, and 10.M p.m. in Scotland, owing'to tho long light in the north. The committee recommend that for England, Ireland, ami Wales n detonating rocket should bo ;-ent from any principal height at 9.55 to call attention; that at ten o'clock a magnesium star rocket should bo fired, to bo followed by other rockets, the bonfires be lighted, and tho National Anthem sung. "Where possible, the hills should be specially illuminated at the same time with red, white, and blue coloured fires. At eleven o'clock, when all bonfires will bo alight, it is hoped that a bouquet of rockets will be sent up and the Nations! Anthem be again sung. ST. HELENA LACE. A consignment oE very fine lace has been received from St. Helena by die League of the Empire, containing tho first specimens made by this school from some old Italian patterns sent out six months ago. The Governor writes of the great earnestness shown by the workers in learning the difficult now stitches necessary for this lace. The best of tho workers chosen to make it live in the out lying parts of St. Helena, and the girls in question had to walk for three hours in coming to their lesson and three hours in going back to their homes. They hart also to bear some pecuniary loss, for the simpler patterns pay better for tho while, being much more quickly accompllsned. The piece- of Italian lacowhich has just arrived is the work of lour girls, ana it is made in sections, to which each girl's name is attached. ROYAL MEMORIAL. Tho Executive Committee of the King Edward National Memorial Fund has decided that tho memorial shall bo erected in St. James's Park, on a site facing Marlborough Gate. The memorial will consist of a large seated figure of "Peace," some 12ft. in height, and facing the Mall, with, behind, two processional croups Hβvancing towards a central figure. On the centre pedestal will bo a bronze statue of King Edward, 14ft. high, while at tho back of the pedestal and facing St. James's Park there will be a figure of "Britannia," to balance the figure of "Peace." The monument will tower to a height of 50ft. On cither side there will bo a paved terrace leading towards a new bridge ncross- tho lake. Mr. Bertram Mackennal, A.R.A., the famous Australian sculptor, is tho sculptor , suggested by the Executive Committee in undertake tho work on the memorial, and associated with him as architect of tho new bridge will be Sir. Edwin L. Lutyens. STRANGE WILL CASE. In tho Probate Division an application was made for revocation of a grant of probate on the will of Mrs. Mary Ogclen, on the ground that she was still alive. It appears that Airs. Ogtlen was married in 1898, and shortly afterwards executed a will in favour of her husband. In ISO? she separated from Mr. Ogdcn and went to New Zealand, where it is stated that sho still resides. In June, 1910, 'Mr. Ogden produced a certificate of her death from tho ."Registrar-General at Alfredton," New Zealand, and obtained a grant of probate of her will. The Dominion authorities have now written stating that there is not, and never has been, a registrar of deaths, at Alfredtou. Tho judge has revoked the grant of probate, and ordered the papers in the case to be sent to the Public Prosecutor. THE KING'S CIIILD .GUESTS. The following decisions with regard to th-3 100,000 children whom the King will entertain at the Crystal Palace have been come to. The children to be selected are to bo children who on Juno 22, 1911, shall have reached the age of 12 years. The party will consist of boys and girls in equal numbers. Every elementary school in the administrative area of the London County Council will be represented, provided that they contain children over tho age of 12. The directors of the Festival of Empire have intimated that ■ they will arrange for the performance of one of the most attractiv-s scenes from the Pageant of London. All amusements under, the control of the Festival of Empire directors at the Crystal Palace will be free to the children on the day of the King's fete. Many proprietors of amusements and side-shows, in addition, have expressed their intention also to make their shows free to the children on this day. BANKING SECURITY. By Major White's Bankers Bill, which has just been drafted, it is provided that any person or persons not being a limited company who shall hereafter commence to carry on the business of banking shall, before doing so, (a) deliver at the office of the Board of Trade a statement in writing containing tho came, address, and description of each person by whom such business is intended to bo carried on, and signed by each such person; and (b) deposit with the Board of Trade the sum of ,£20,000. Ilnles aro suggested ns to audit and reports to be observed by the bankers not incorporated. Among them is one which seeks to make compulsory an investigation by an independent qualified accountant every five years into the financial condition of those responsible for the business. For default in respect of any of those provisions the penalty proposed is a fine, not exceeding .£2O for each day during which tho default continues. ON FIRE IN THE THAMES. An extraordinary spectacle was witnessed in tho Thames olf Gravesend, when the largo steamer North Point, outward bound for Philadelphia, caught firo while proceeding down Long Reach. Flames appeared suddenly to burst out in every part of tho ship. It was early in the morning, and tho crew, numbering about 50, were immediately roused, and tho commander hailed the Goldfinch, a General Steam Navigation steamer, which was passing at the time. The captain ordered all the crew to gather on tho forecastle head, where, after issuing his final orders, ho afterwards joined them. Three tugs also steamed to the assistanceof the North Point. A firo lloat soon got to work on tho blazing steamer, but tho flames seemed to make headway. Tho cargo contained a quantity of creosote, which burned fiercely. The' tugs ultimately managed to put the steamer ashoro olf Stoncman's Point. One- of tho seamen afterwards stated that the ship was very quickly liko a floating furnace, the iron plates of her sides being almost red hot to tho water's edge. MILLIONS FOR CHARITY. Tho fifty-eighth report of the Charity Commissioners o£ England and Wales, just issued, states that tho new charities given i under trusts for investment of the capital which came to their notice during tho year 1910 amounted to .£903,751, and the aggregate amounts given by will without trusts for investment amounted to .£1,572,018, Of the million and a half given without .trust for investment, the amounts were for medical charities ■0.02,840, pensions ,£20,110, almhouses .£5835, general benefit of poor .£10,230, ccclesinstical charities in connection with the Church of England .£211,115, ecclesiastical charities other than for the Church of England .£119,532, public purposes ,£51,300, and miscellaneous ,£338,3GG. SHAKESPEARE BALL. One of tho most niemorablo events of the coming Coronation season will undoubtedly bo the Shakespeare ball, fixed for Juno 20 at tho Albert Hall. Every character in every play by Shakespeare will luivo its Hying representative, and in the setting of u stately Tudor garden they will dance. The success of the carnival is already nssured, lor the first 1500 tickets, issued 't 30s. each, to include supper, were almost all sold before any public intimation was made, and remarkable prices .have been offered for [boxes. Foar thousand tickets will be is-

fuel altogether, and tho prices will ho from -Inns, to j-rns., sillirr the first 1500 llavt! been sold. Evi-ry «uesl will have to wear a Shakespearean oiistmni?. The oh-» jeel of the ball is t;> draw the attention of the public to tne question of a national tlieatrc as a memorial to Shakespeare. ST. PATRICK'S DAY. Shamrock was extensively worn in London tin St. Patrick's l)a\~, and various functions took place, (.jiiceii Alexandra followed lier usual eustuin of providing shamrock for ill < men of (ho Irish Guards at Cliclxci Barracks. Tin; distribution ol shamnitl; took place at the church parade which with Ihe Irish Guards is customary on St. Patrick's Day. Bunches of "the green" wore handed-bv the commanding officer, (;:>lojiel Nugent, to the colour-sergeants, who in turn npportioned them out iu lii:U> biir.chos l> the niPii. The shamrock wks worn between the flu"rd and fourth buttons on the tunic. The famous mascot of the Irish Guards —th? Irish wolfhound—which subsequently marchol before the drums and fifes in the caro of a drummer boy, was, of course, remembered, her missive silver colla- being embellished with a special bunch of green. DEATH IX THE TUNG. The de.ith took place suddenly at .ihe National Sporting <;iub of a boxer named i. Dovey, of Hollowny. Ho had been cngnHed in the. middlp-woislit novices' eonipotitioii with an • opponent named Cooper, and showed no u'rii of sufferins any ill-effects from his exertion. He had exhibited a superiority over his opponent during the hvo rounds which he had already fought, and when time was called fur the third meeting he walked to the centre of the ring, appearing fresh and fit. Suddenly he staggered backwards, clutched at the ropes, and then sank to the floor. The merlicnl officer of the club immediately went to the man's assistance, but found that death had taken place. Death was due to heart disease. COKSTABLE OF THE TOWER. Field-Marshal Sir Henry Evelyn Wood, V.G.. has been appointed Constable of the Tower of London, in succession to the late General Sir ii\ C. A. Stephrns-on. Sir Evelyn Wood, who is 7:1 years of age, has had a remarkable caresr. He entered the Xavy in 1852-when ho was 1-1-aml served with tho Naval Brigade in the Crimea from October, 1851, until .Tune tho following year, when he was seriously wounded while carrying a scaling ladder. He joined tho 13th Light Dragoons tho same year, and three years later served 1 with the 17th Lancers in tho Indian Mutiny, being twice mentioned in dispatches. He gained the Victoria Cross in December. 185!). He siilisiHtiiently took part iu the Ashanti, Kaffir, Zulu, and Transvaal wars (1879-81), and in the expedition to Egypt (1632). He. raised the Egyptian Army (IST-:!), and served in tho Nile Expedition (ISUI-5). THE KING'S TENANTS. The King is taking a personal interest in tho reconstruction of the Kenniugton estate of tho Duchy of Cornwall, which is being done piecemeal as leases fall in. Tho general scheme approved by the King is to maintain the characterislics of the present, buildings'wherever those features are pleasant and popular, especially in Keiinington Park Boad, where large, oldfashioned houses may be found. The King does not approve flats, as ho thinks that they are not conducive to homo lifo for the working classes, and interspersed between the blocks of such dwellings that have been erected on the Kcnnington- estates thero will be placed, at his express wish, small houses at weekly rentals, or houses built for occupation by two families, with separate gardens. His Majesty is sacrificing an enormous amount of rovenuo in order to carry out his ideas, and has commanded that houses shall stand empty until those contiguous are. tennutlcss. Then when houses are empty in groups they will in some cases be demolished, and rebuilt as cottages of four or five room?, with all modern appliances, to be let to artisans at rentals of about 10s. a week.—"Standard of Empire.". : ~ ~.-,-,..,./,