IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16564, 30 May 1914, Page 14

IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

PROMINENT PEOPLE OF THE PERIOD. Albanian chiefs may not, at first sight, appear to be personages sufficiently important to attract attention on this side of tho world, but Essad Pasha, who was responsible for the recent revolutionary movement in Albania, may yet cause trouble among the Powers interested in tho Balkans. Tho cablo massages indicated that Austria and Italy did not see eye to eyo in tho crisis at Durnzxo. and if one or the other enlists Essa.d s s help there will be small prospect of peace for Albania. Essad Pasha," it will' be recalled, was tho man who defended Scutari during the first Balkan war, and whatever may have been tho circumstances in which the town was ultimately surrendered, there is no doubt that ho gained in reputation by keeping the Turkish flag flying long after other fortresses had surrendered to the Allies. It was believed at the time that he surrendered on the understanding that he was to become the ruler of an independent Albania and lie marched out with all the honours of war and with a substantial army fully equipped.

Essad i;: an Albanian aristocrat, the richest and most important of all the chiefs. As tho head of the Toptani family, he controls lands that stretch for miles on. end, and lie commands tho devoted adherence of probably tho most capable section of tho Albanians. Win'o Essad Pasha war, shut tip in Scutari an Albanian government of sorts had been established at Avlona by Kcmal Bey. Essad was naturally incensed at tho usurpation of what he considered to be his rights, but he took no immediate action. He joined the provisional government, but obtained leave of absence and visited, Italy, where, doubtless, he discussed the position with the diplomatists;. Subsequently his friends put the Kemnl administration out of office and put him in power, pending the election of a Prinoe acceptable to tiie Powers. It was recognised from the beginning that the now Prince would have to secure Essad's goodwill, and it may bo taken for granted that William of Wied will have no easy task until he conciliates the Toptani chieftain.

Internationally, the most important development of the week has been the welcomo news of tho restoration to health of tho Emperor Francis Joseph. Coincident-ally, tho death of the younger Kossuth is announced. The Hungarian Party of Independence has shown a disposition in recent years to accept the Austrian union, its activities being concerned chiefly with the rruiintcnance of Hungarian national rights, but it is by no means certain that the death of the aged Emperor, when it occurs, will not be the signal for a revival of the movement for complete independence. There was an indication of tho temper of the Separatists when the Archduke Francis Ferdinand renounced all rights of succession for the children born of his marriago with Countess Sophie Chotek. The Countess is a Czech, and there is bitter enmTty between Czechs and Hungarians, hut that did not prevent the Separatists from protesting that under the Magyar Code it was not competent for a parent to renounce rights, prerogatives or possessions in the name o! his children. Tho object of the protest, no doubt, was to complicate the succession, the Hungarians arguing that a son of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand would be the rightful heir to the throneof Hungary, while another member of the Royal family would succeed m Austria. As the Archduke's son would never be accepted by tho Hungarians tho opportunity might occur for dissolving tho old alliance.

The renunciation was carried out in terms of the famous Hapsburg "Family Statutes," a secret code, disclosed only to members of the reigning family and to certain high officers of State. In virtuo of its provisions the Emperor deprived the Archduke John and the Archduko Leopold Salvator of their Imperial titles and prerogatives, reducing them from the status of princes of tho blood to that of mere commoners. In one case tho reasons for tho Emperor's action wero wellknown, but to this day there is a mystery attaching to the manner in which the' Archduke John became plain John Orth. It was under these "Family Statutes," too, that the ex-Crown Princess of Saxony was temporarily [ deprived of her rank and prerogatives. Tho code admits of no exceptions, for it was applied rigorously in the case of tho Emperor's grand-daughter, the Archduchess Elizabeth, when she married Princo Otto Windisch-Graetz, a marriage which was sanctioned by the Emperor.

By an odd coincidence two great yachtsmen have come into some prominence during the week, and both of them have been challengers for tho America Cup. Lord Dunraven is interested mainly in politics nowadays. Ho is credited with having been the real author of tho famous devolution scheme that got Mr Wyndham into difficulties during the last Unionist regime, and to-day he is urging the Unionists and tho Nationalists to get together for tho consideration of a new Homo Rule plan that would satisfy Ulster. At tlie moment the episodo in his career that it is interesting to recall is his quest of tho America Cup. His first challenge fell through, but in 1893 ho took across the Atlantic the famous Valkyrie If., tho best yacht that had ever left British waters. The Americans retained the Cup, but only by the skin of their teeth.

Throe years later Lord Dunraven made another voyage to America, this time with tho Valkyrie 111., the Ameri-! ean yacht l>eing the Defender. Unfortunately, tho series of races was spoilt by a disqualification and by the crowding of the excursion steamers. Tlio Defender won tho first rano by eight minutes. In the second race an excursion boat obstructed the course and a foul occurred, tho Valkyrie carrying away one of tho Defender's topmast shrouds. Tho British yacht came in first, but was disqualified, and in the absence of proper provisions for keeping the course clear Lord Dunraven declined to sail the third race. Tt is perhaps idle now to recall the controversies of that period, but rightly or wronuly it is from 3ROG that one dates the impression that the Americans pro nob pood sports. Sir Thomas Lipton's experiences have siervcd to confirm this idea, but it is worth remembering that the Americans want to keep the Cup, and that in oil tho disputes they have simply held to the letter ti the Cup conditions, under which all the advantages ace with the defenders.

Sir Thomas Linton came into the field in 1890, and' so far he hns made three attacks <m the Cup. In the r.ntumn of 'his year he is to mnko hh fourth attempt to win the trophy, and the challenging yacht has been launched during the week. Of eeerre the finalities "of the Shamrock IV. have still to he proved, find this ts net. the place for n discussion of technicalities. But there are personal and other considerations that appear to_ give Fir Thomas a jtood prospect, of winning the Cup this year. Sir Thomas has had plenty of experience, and since his last challenge he and his expert advisers have bnen studying every possible contingency connected with the rtcine.'. The one-sided conditions, of course, imnose special hardships on the challenger, but Sir Thomas Ims elected to take the risk of boisterous weather and to build fox weed.

Tho designer of tho new yacht, Mr Charles Nicholson, has como into prominence only during the last few years, but he is acknowledged to stand now at tho very head of his profession. He is young enough not to be bound by traditions. All through the last scries of races tho Americans were helped by the bold methods of the famous Horreshoffs, who did not hesitate to introduce innovations when established methods seemed weak. This year the Herreshoffs are again building the defender, and according to American reports the first model was incontinently "scrapped" when somo details of the Nicholson model were published. Mr Nicholson, of course, keeps his own counsel, but he found a weakness in the British rule of rating, and if the American rule can be turned to unexpected advantage he is the man most likely to discover tho way. The Shamrock IV. will bo sailed by Mr W. P. Burton, a great amateur, who has few equals in the world, and in this connection one may observe that Barr. the Scot who steered the last three defenders to victory, is dead. Parr, it used to bo said, was worth five minutes more than any of his contemporaries over a forty-mile course.