LONDON CHAT.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 15, 18 July 1905, Page 5

LONDON CHAT.

DERBY DAY AND ITS INCIDENTS, •s A GALLANT SOVEREIGN. THE ALLIANCE OF BRITAIN AND JAPAN. (From Our Own Correspondent,) 2nd June. May of 1905 Las well sustained its proverbial character as the "merrie monthe," l at any rate in respect of bright sunshine. In fact, the past month nan constituted another of those "records" of which the public sseins so curiously fond. It was the sunniest May ever known, the automatically-registered hours of bright sunshine being the largest ever yet recorded in London. Derby Day proved entirely perfection, so far as weather went, and ihe customary saturnalia duly occurred. As for the race itself, that is a mere detail of the day. But as a, matter of fact, as the cable has already reported, it was won, for the third time, by Lord Rosebery, and (for that time only) by his horse Cicero. Now, a man who wins the Derby thrice is ii> British eyes rnoia than mortal. If a general election had taken place next day, Lord Rosebery might have commanded an overwhelming majority in the country. But it waa not the fact of the Derby having been won for the third time by the same owner that rendered this year's Derby a record. The record element consisted ia 'the race being run in the quickest tims ever made by a Derby winner — viz., 2min 36sec. ' Sharp work for a mile and a half! It was another curious and interesting feature of the 1905 Derby that the three "placers" were run respectively by iiaiglibh, French, and ' Italian owners in the order set down Thus Lord Rosebery's chestuftt colt, Cicero— by Cyllene — Gasridden by Muher, came in first; Monsieur E. Blanc's bay colt Jardy, riddea by Stern, second; Chev. E. GinistreUi'n bay colt, Signorino, ridden by Cannon,, third. This is yet one more record, I may add that the previous best time for the Derby was accomplished 'foul yeans ago by Volodyoski-'-viz., 2min 40J s>ec. The King, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, and Prince A*thur were amongst th? spectators of the r.iee. For some unknown reason the attendance was far smaller than usual, although the weather was so specially fine. Next week tho King of Spain will be here, and of course will have a most cordial reception, none the less bo on account of the gratification which everyone feels that the gallant young sovereign has just escaped m Paris the das^ tardly attempt of a rascally would-bfc murderer. Evidently the' young man is gallant — with the accent on the second syllable — as 'well as gallant — accent on the first — if one may judge from a rather prettly little incident which' ornamented one of his progresses through Pans. Tha story is thus told by an eye-witness : — "The King drove at noon to the markets, where a. pretty girl ' in grey, who had been raised to the strangely named dignity of 'The Muse of Nourishment'— that is, the representative of the butchera, bakers, fruiterers, etc., of Paris, and who is appropriately called Mdlle. Bouche — presented a huge nosegay of white lilies and red roses to the young Sovereign, and, with a face blushing aa her roses, recited to him a little speech as pretty as herself. The King shook hand with her, and slipped a gold bracelet on her wrist. Much too shy bo thank him, she stood on the /step of the carriage looking round her as if there were moie to come. And so there was, for, after a few seconds' hesitation,, the young King kissed her soundly oa both cheeks, and she retired redder than ever. 'What a dear he is!' cried ths portly matrons of the markets in a motherly, chorus, and the picturesq.ua 'strong men of the halles 1 , in long smocks and immense soft hats, and carrying staves, roared applause. But fresh blufehing honours still awaited the Muse, for the President (M. Lonbet), not to be behind-hand with the boyish King, called up Mdlle. Bouche once more and im« printed a paternal salute on her brow, qfter Alfonso XIII's. two hearty kissed "on hep cheeks. At this all the market* went wild with delight, and dames and strong ineii rent (he air with cheers and shook the ground with stamping. Nothing could satisfy them then but that the young King should shake the massive hands of all the matrons of the markets, which Ec did with charming boyisli grace." So many a time and oft we have besij. informed that the great naval battle in isn Far East was either proceeding or impending, that wheu on Monday last n«ws arrived that the mighty struggle had actually taken place, and resulted in the -"annihilation of the Russian Fleet/," iH created no excitement, because nobody be« liered it. I don't mean that we disbelieved it. That is quite a different state of mind. But "wolf" has been cried so often that we felt simply apathetic, and preferred to wait and see. But when ai last the authentic intelligence came tha* Togo really had met Rohzdestvensky, and had not only defeated, but crushed him and hjs mighty fleet, then a feeling of profound satisfaction spread itself over the whole land. It was not that we bore Russia any grudge — in spite of tho Dogger Bank — yet there was a, certain sense of gratification that the Admiral who had so ruthlessly attacked and slain unarmod Bri tish fishermen should have to be con* tent with that as his sole naval success) aifd should also have had to submit to defeat at the hands of a less powerful foe. As one result of the victory the alliance between England and Japan will bs tightened and widened. Both political parties are now agreed that this must and shall be. And that means that the victorious navy of J*pan and the unequalled navy of England, will squarely face all the rest of the world if need be. No other nation or association of nations i 6 likely to view with equanimity tho prospect of having to fight such a naval combination, and so it cannot fail to mako for peace. Exactly how Togo managed to win hk unparalleled triumph with such compara. tive case and at so friffiflg a cost, we do not yet know..