TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 7277, 30 July 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

# [Fkom Our London Correspondent.] London, June 15. The announcement that the much-talked-of and long-anticipated Jubliee procession would after all only be the semi-State affair usually associated with the opening of Parliament, caused so much grumbling and disappointment that strong representations were made to the Queen on the point, and it was yesterday announced that—nominally at least full State will be observed. Instead of six cream colored ponies eight are now to draw the Royal coach, and on arrival at Westminster Her Majesty has graciously promised to don crown and regal robes within full view of the assembled thousands. These concessions are much appreciated, and will materially increase the heartiness of the popular congratulations, which might otherwise have been more jubilant than joyful. One thing more, however, is still wanted. People aro on all sides asking with what act of charitable munificence does the Queen herself mean to mark the Jubilee. Surely, where all sorts and conditions of her subjects are doing so much, the first lady in the land will not be found wanting. THE ILLUMINATIONS. The illuminations on Jubilee night will be the most complete and brilliant ever known in this or any other metropolis. A spirit of emulation is abroad it the West End, and the leading noblemen, clubs, and tradesfolk are spending thousands of pounds outdoing one another in transparencies and electric light. The great houses of the Rothschilds, Cavendishes, and Coutts, in Piccadilly, and of other great magnates in Belgrave square, will simply blaze with brightness, and so in a lesser degree will smaller thoroughfares, if the suggestion is carried out that householders place a candle in every window-pane. SEATS TO VIEW THE PROCESSION—JUBILEE PRICES. Tradesmen and householders with windows to let on the line of the Jubilee procession are making a rich harvest out of the popular furore. A single seat iu Piccadilly costs from two guineas to three guineas, according to position ; whilst for rooins on first floors fifty guineas is the current quotation. The old National Liberal Club, which commands a splendid view of both Charing Cross and Northumberland avenue, is letting its windows at so many pounds per foot. One room has been taken at L 65, another at L 55, several at twenty guineas, and so on. I THE EDITORIAL CHAIR OF THE * DAILY NEWS.' ' Mr H. W. Lucy having failed to revivify the declining fortunes of the • Daily News,' has. after rather more than twelve months' trial, been politely requested to evacuate the editorial chair. He will be succeeded by Mr J. R. Robinson, for many years general manager of the same, paper. Mr

Robinson is a very clover man ; indeed, it was to his acumen the ' Daily New 3' owed its big hit during the Franco-Prussian War. He not merely engaged Archibald Forbes, but authorised the substitution of telegraphic for written correspondence—a tremendous revolution. The great Sala lias quarrelled with Mr Ingram, of the 'lllustrated London News.' and transferee! his " Echoes of the Week " to a new and not specially brilliant periodical called 'The Entertainment Gazette.' Financial difficulties caused the rupture. THE NEW COINAGE. Though the new coinage is nominally to be issued next month, the amount sent out by the Bank of England will be so small that for some time the Jubilee dollars, etc., should be valuable curios. In connection with the gold five-pound piece, it may be stated that it was never intended for circulation, and will only be obtainable under certain, restrictions. THE QUEEN'S PRESENTS. At Windsor just now no less than four secretaries are kept busily employed acknowledging in set terms the Jubilee presents forwarded to Her Majesty. Some of these are both beautiful and valuable, others mere indications of the senders' vanity. What, for example, is one to think of the Mayor of a certain up-country town in New South Wales, whose Jubilee gift to the Queen has taken the form of an album containing portraits of himself, his wife, and his brother councillors ! THE QUEEN'S GARDEN PARTV. The most elaborate preparations are in progress at Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Garden Party. Upwards of S,OOO invitations have been issued, so that the crowd will be prodigious ; and if by any chance it should be wet—well, imagination fails to picture the scene. To-night the Reform Club will for the first time for half-a-century open its stately portals to London society. The Prince and Princess of Wales, with a host of foreign potentates, and most members of Her Majesty's (Conservative) Government, are to be present, and a card of invitation is worth its weight in gold.

"CIDDY" SCOTT AGAIN. The interesting event of last week was the marriage of the fair heroine of the sensational Sebright nullity suit, Miss " Giddy " Scott, to the man of her heart, Mr Richard Russell. On this occasion a bishop officiated instead of a registrar, and it is not on record that the bride flung her wedding ring about when the ceremony came to an end. The decree nisi pronounced six months back was only made absolute three weeks ago, so that little time has been lost. Mr Russell must be a brave man, THE LANGWORTHY MARRIAGE. Mr Stead's " strange, true story " of the Langworthy marriage has been republished in brochure form, with a portrait of the much-injured heroine as frontispiece, and is selling in thousands. Judging her by this photo Mi' 3 Langworthy does not look a very likely person to have been what common folk call "put upon." She seems particularly alert and wideawake, and has a wild-cat kind of expression that bodes ill for her loving spouse when at last she gets the best of him. I may tell you, by-the-way, that outside Northumberland street those who know most about the Langworthy case aver it was a case of " diamond cut diamond" between husband and wife. They say that from the first the lady was iwfectly well aware that Langworthy did not intend to make her his lawful wife, but she had faith in her ability to circumvent his designs. At Brussels, when the ceremony was performed by the chaplain to the Consulate, she thought he had really married her, and no doubt the discovery in South America that she was only the man's mistress after all made her very mad. Langworthy himself of course avers she knew from first to last she was only his mistress, and says that he merely went throught the ceremonies abroad to satisfy her religious scruples.

EN ROUTE FOB THE COLONIES. ■ Miss Leonora Braham, who was for more than ten years the prima donna of D'Oyley Carte's comic opera company at the Savoy Theatre, has severed her connection with that gentleman, and sailed for Melbourne on the 11th inst., under a long engagement to Williamson and Garner. Miss Braham commenced her theatrical career as a member of German Reed's company. After acting at St. George's Hall for some time with considerable success, she married an organist named Barnes, and accompanied him to Canada. Two years later Barnes committed suicide, and Miss Braham had to return to the stage. She soon attracted the attention of Mr W. S. Gilbert, and in 1878 be engaged her for a leading part in "Patience. " Subsequently, Miss Braham created Phyllis in " lolanthe " ; ohe title r6le in "Princess Ida," Yum-Yum in the "Mikado," and Rose Maybird in "Ruddigore," Twelve months ago this clever lady married Mr Duncan Young, of German Reed's company, an able character actor, who accompanies her to Australia. Mrs Bernard-Beere has "struck oil" atthe Opera Comique with a dramatic version of " As in a Looking Glass," which you may remember was one of the successful novels of 1885. The play is " wordy " and in places dull, but Mrs Beere's representation of the " shady " woman of fashion, who has nevertheless a heart somewhere, the critics unanimously pronounce masterly. At the conclusion of her season at the Opera Comique Mrs Beere will make a short provincial tour and then proceed round the world a la Genevieve Ward.

" MANY A SLIP 'TWIXT CUP AND LIP." The Abington and Peck clique stood an enormous stake on Quilp for the Manchester Cup. Their winnings at Epsom over Merry Hampton were trifling (comparatively speaking), but here the money was well down. One of the last bets taken before the start was L 2.000 to LI.OOO by the cute Robert Peck himself. Considering the size and character of the field opposing the favorite, this wager spoke volumes, The race itself resulted in the closest finish of the season. A quarter of a mile from home Carlton and Quilp had it to themselves, and coming down the straight the head of first one and then the other popped in front. The pair passed the post locked together, and the excitement was intense until Carlton's number went up. With a stronger jockey on him Quilp would certainly have got home first. Tiny Tommy Loates rode like the five-stone Trojan he is, but was naturally no match in a close finish for George Barrett, and, according to Judge Clark, the latter just won on the post, Ala Archer. What the feelings of the Peck party were I shouldn't like to say. The Man ton stable is now as lucky as last autumn it was the reverse, and Taylor's judgment with regard to Carlton has been abundantly vindicated.

THE JCBILEK PLUNGER. . By-the-way, I hear that the " Jubilee Plunger," as that distracted " Juggins," Mr Benzon, likes to be called, dropped L 12,000 over the Derby, and L 7.000 on the Manchester Cup. The Whitsuntide Plate, at Manchester, which was worth L 5.000, and is now the richest two-year-old stake of the season, fell to Mr Douglas Baird, with Briar-root (by Springfield Eglantine), a whole brother to the same gentleman's three-year-old Woodland, who, curiously enough, at the very same moment was winning the Electric Stakes of L.2,000 at Sandown Park. These two successes must, to some extent, have atoned for the collapse of Enterprise before, and the defeat of ■Salisbury at Epsom. WATERLOO AVENGED ONCE MORE. The ill-luck which attended the AbingtonPeck clique at Manchester accompanied them to Paris. Merry Hampton went to the post for the Grand Prix in the pink of condition. That the colt would have won, and won easily, there can hardly be a doubt, but just before the start a fractions French beast called Vanneau struck into and lamed him. From that moment the Derby winner's chance was extinguished. To the astonishment of those on the stands, the green-and-plum cap was never formidable at any period of the race, and, with The Baron settled 200 yards from home, M. Aumont's outsider Tenebreuse scored a very easy victory. The scenes thereupon enacted rivalled the notorious displays of 'B3, wfeen. Frontjin, beat St. Blaise. Excited Gauls embraced and wept over one another, •some crying in militant tones "A bos les Anglaises!" while others yelped like ma.d dogs.. Tenebreuse is a stable com-

panion of the Prjx du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Monarque. Early in the season ahe carried off the French Two rnousand, and bore a high reputation till defeated in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) by Bavarde. The filly's starting price was 14 to 1. THE JUBILEE COP, The once famous Minting, who hac not been seen in public since the memorable afternoon on which he succumbed to Ormonde in the Two Thousand Guineas, was pulled out at Ascot on Tuesday for the Jubi'ee Cup, a superb piece of plate, valued at 1,000 sovs, with 500 sovs added in cash. The race (run over the new mile) looked a real good thing for the mighty Bendigo (9.8), who, in addition to Minting (9.8), was opposed by St. Mirin (8.12), Aintree (7.10), and Forio (8.12). Backers tumbled over one another to lay 2 to 1 on Mr Barclay's champion, till Minting (who has grown into the most magnificent specimen of a thoroughbred conceivable) was paraded, when a slight reaction took place. The field ran well together to the distance, where, to everyone's astonishment, Bendigo compounded, and Mincing, shaking off the determined challenge of St. Mirin, won rather easily by nearly a length, Aintree and Bendigo running a dead heat for third place.

BOVAL ASCOT. The Ascot Stakes on Tuesday fell to John Hammond with the erratic Eurasian (5 yrs, Bst 61b) after a desperate race with the favorite Exmoor (4 yrs, Bst 4lb) and Blauer (4 yrs, 7st 31b), the verdict being " a short head, a head between second and third." Eurasian started at Bto 1. The Prince of Wales Stakes for three-year-olds resulted in a fasco, as halfway up the straight the favorites, Reve d'Or and Phil, were much interfered with by a mounted policeman; and the outsider Claymore (a colt of Mr Manton's), escaping the melie, won by half a dozen lengths. Properly speaking, -though, this race should have gone to Phil, who, according to Tom Cannon, had the measure of everything when the catastrophe occurred. Wednesday proved a gala occasion for Mr " Manton," who carried off the Coronation Stakes, with Heloise (an own sister to Thebais and St. Marguerite), the Ascot Derby with Timothy, and the Hunt Cup -with Gay Hermit. The latter's victory gave the Ring a rare doing, as he started first favorite at 5 to 1 in a big field. Pearl Diver was second, and Candlemas (also much fancied) third. Wood rode Gay Hermit (a half brother by Hermit toMerry Hampton), and won by three-quarters of a length. The Gold Cup on Thursday resulted in a most tragic "turn-up," Bird o' Freedom, who was merely started by Mr Douglas Baird to make running for St. Michael, get ting such a lead that he was never caught, and won hands down from the Kingsclere three-yeai'-old Carrasco, wflo had Theßaron, St. Michael, Reve d'Or, and King Monmouth behind him. The biggest crowd of the week, however, assembled at Ascot on Friday to witness the meeting of Ormonde, Minting, and Bendigo in the Hardwicke Stakes. On the strength of Minting's splendid display in the Jubilee Cup there was plenty of fielding against the famous son of Bend Or and Lady Agnes. Nor were the adherents of Bendigo without hopes that the Irishman would reverse Tuesday's form. Betting at the start ruled 25 to 20 on Ormonde, 7 to' 4 Minting, Bto 1 Bendigo, and 20 to 1 Phil, the only other starter. AN HISTORIC CONTEST. Minting and Phil made the running to the turn for home, where the latter was beaten, and Ormonde and Bendigo drew np to the leader. For a few strides Bendigo flattered his supporters, but at the distance I he faltered, and Ormonde and Minting, locked together, drew right away by them- , selves. Fifty yards from home Minting f got his head in front, but Ormonde, ' answering gamely to Cannon's call, again i drew level, and, getting the best of a mag- ' niflcent finish, won by a neck, amidst a (scene of the greatest excitement I have ever witnessed on a racecourse. Bendigo was third, three lengths away, and Phil, beaten ', off, last. The time was 2min 44sec, and the course a severe mile and a-half. I LITERARY NOTES. . The ' Argosy' for June contains a further instalment of Mr Charles W. Wood's interesting memoir of his distinguished | mother. From it we learn, amongst other j things, that Mrs Henry Wood's chef d'ceuvre, ' East Lynne,' was refused by both Chapman and Hall and Smith, Elder, and Co. before being accepted by the more perspicuous Bentley. Mr Cnapman told Mrs i Wood he liked her story, and thought it ! might succeed. Unfortunately, however, ihis firm's reader didn't approve it, and as they made a point of always standing by the latter's decisions they most decline to 1 publish the tale. Whether this was fact or just a polite " tarradiddle " seems dubious. j1 can, however, quite believe that Mr Chapman meant what he said when he told Mrs Wood a year or two later that he bitterly regretted having said "No" to her. In all i probability that refnsal cost Chapman and ' Hall about L 20.000. This sum, at any rate, is the profit Bentley is estimated to have realised out of Mrs Wood's novels. I The ' Johnny Ludlow' stories were at first unanimously attributed byfriendsandexpsrts to Mr Charles Wood. He had consequently to J choose between the disagreeable alternative of betraying a secret his mother wished to keep and accepting a false position. The • situation, after a time, became unbearable, ' and Mrs Wood was persuaded to claim her work. Even then, however, over-clever f people persisted that Mr Wood most have I helped his mother, because the " tone of the tales was so distinctly masculine." As a matter of fact, the principal characters in the 'Johnny Ludlow' stories are all real people Worcestershire folk whom Mrs Wood knew in girlhood. Theeuccess of ' Johnny Ludlow' when published anonymously was very gratifying to Mrs Wood, It is, indeed, very seldom that an author succeeds in making two distinct reputations. Lord Ly tton did it with ' The ! Coming Race' (you may remember), and ' Mrs Oliphant has once or twice made hits with stories published anonymously. I can't for the moment think of anyone else. | At Mndie's just now the popular novel of the day is Mrs Campbell Praed's ' Miss Jacobsen's Chance,' which was very favorably reviewed in 'The Times.'" I also hear good accounts of Adeline Sergeant's j 'Jacobi's Wife' and Hawley Smart's * A False Start.'

The cheap edition of Mrs Praed and Mr Justin .McCarthy's capital Anglo-colonial ' novel ' The Bight Honorable,' just issued by Ghatto, should sell well throughout Australia, and so ought George R, Sims's skit' Mary Jane's Memoirs.' Amongst new ; two-shilling editions may be mentioned Christie Murray's ' First Person Singular,' Justin M'Carthy's 'Camiola,' Payne's • Talk of the Town,' Ouida's ' Othmar, and Clark Russell's'ln the Middle Watch.' If you have not already read the first three of these, let me advise you to order them at once, and likewise 'Love the Debt'"by Basil, almost immediately forthcoming in florin form: i Shilling "shockers" grow fewer and feebler every month. From a batch of fourteen I looked over in the railway yesterday, I need only mention Miss Middleman's. 'Girl in a Thousand' (a harmless littletale) and a short, rather feeble, detective story by Anna Katharene Green, entitled '7 to 12.* Vizetelly'a have added 'TheNameless Man' and ' Fernande's Choice 4 to their Boisgobey series, and published a cheap edition of ' Nana' at 2s. - They «Jse> announce a new novel by the notorious George Moore entitled ' A Mere Accident/ and Rider Haggard's sequel to * King Solo- . mon's Mines.'