LONDON LETTER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 July 1925, Page 3

LONDON LETTER

THE PRINCESS ROYAL

fLi'orn our own Cot rosoondr/i't

LONDON. May 7

Kveryono is sorry to hear of ilu* id ness ot i In* princess Koval. In their vouthiiil davs Kiiiu l ieorge nicknamed hi;; oldest sister. Her Koval Shyness Vet tlie Princess showed grant strength i f character even to the extent of delving Queen Victoria, when that determined old Indy, her august grandmother wanted to wed her to a foreign Princeling. The Princes hn ,] formed a

genuine attachment with the Duke of L'ifo, with whom she exchanged symbolic while heather timing a Highland holiday, and, in spite of the hut that ::(■ was serctitcr-n years her senior, married that handsome Scottish nobleman. Her Royal Highness is perhaps ihe most highly cultured of her family, with a real Hair for the ails. She has her tegular box al the opera, seldom misses a play, and .<■•'■-. all the best art shows. She went round the- Royal Academy the day before Iter illness when only the critics were there, and one could sec Lhii pictures. SIR WILLIAM TYRRKLL Sir William Tyrroil, whir becomes Permanent I'lider-Seeretary al the L'orcign Office m succession to Sir |\\ re Crow, is exactly the opposite type to his predecessor, and it was for this reason perhaps that (he two worked io get her so well. Sir Kyre Crowe hated the social life, an.l was an "office man/' a complete master of detail and the technique of diplomacy. Sir William is much more the diplomatist ol fiction -always perfectly charming to everyone, a great diner out. and a witty conversationalist. He married the daiigh ter of one of the greatest benefactors to middle aged men. David Urquhart, who firm brought the Turkish bath to Km.', land. Although Sir William is the "society man. ' he also has very clear id.-as. on foreign policy which no civil .■et'vant can. in theory, have and his appointment will pleus.it hotli Franc*and Germany the foi-miu because he ha' been a firm believer in the Lnti-nte, and the lattot because he believes in a mutual Part, with Or/many a s.ubrcribev. FAT LINO OFF HAYSTACKS It would be interesting to learn what Mr Philip Snowden thinks of "Mr lurk-wood'.-s panacea for all the evils of our bod'- politic. It is as easy as falling off a haystack—and about as uncomfortable. 'Mr Kirkwood advo-ates the total repudiation of our war debt. He points out amiablv that this would effect ii saving of .about £1,000,000 per day. It is so simple thai it is surprising no one has thought of it before! What would happen tho pound sterling in that ease Mr Kirkwood does not stop to explain. But it really would be interesting to know what his constituents think who patriotically invested nil their little capital in ■.l savings certificates and "scraps oi paper" of that ilk. A COMING BOMBSHEL

Speeches of the kind delivered by Mr Kirkwood in the House of Commons, however, really do servo a. useful purpose in revealing the latent peril that is m our midst. What Mr Kirkwood says publicly in '.he House is being repeated with far more emphasis by some (if his Clydeside colleagues, though they do not dare lo propound their revolutionary aims from the fribune. All these signs and portents arc not being ignored by the authorities;. The I lonic Secretary, with I lie assistance of Scot la mi Yard, is understood lo be conducting a very thorough investigation into the Bolshevik propaganda that is going on. The information already gleaned is extremely illuminating, and before very long the Red agent 'of Moscow who are working here may find a bombshell exploded in their midst. THE PICTURE OF THE YEAH Orpen's picture, "Man Versus Beast;-" is apparently destine,! to take its place as "llie picture of the year." It is nut the critics, but the public who have placed it in this proud position. The critics indeed were inclined io award the pajm to another of Orpen's works—the wondei'iur, rotund, complacent, and scarlet figure of Sir Thomas IS'olony. But it was "Man Versus Beast" that, attracted all the crowd when Burlington House uas opened to the public, it is :i .rude r.nusr.al tvpe of canvas of the H .garthian type, 'hi a wretched booth t'how a man is shown on the platform overthrown by a bear with a chain through its nose held by a showman in H can-coloured tights. The drunken audience is \':iv too. much concerned with its own libidinous affairs To take note. the only thing really agitated by the downfall" of the man is—a frenzied little monkey. "OLD LADY" AS FLAPPER One interesting Royal Academy exhibit is an impeding model of the newBank of England as it will appear aftoi the present extensions have been effected. This is London's lirs"t real chance to visualise a vital revolution, right in the heart of the < -Id city, of its most famous building. The new Hank of England, when the dedicate task is completed ui smpei imposing towering new storeys upon its historic low edifice, will be a truly mass've structure, not linking in architectural grace as well as majesty, worthy ot its Lraililiun and situation. But the low, dark grey slate roof somehow looks inappropriate. It contorts oddly with the line coriuthian columns and tall white facades below. In fact it rather gives the impression that the old lady of Threadnecdle Street has been shingled ! WHAT NEXT?

Ii is actually difficult nowadays to keep pace with social movements, .lust twelve months ago, apropos of the openin',' of the Hoynl Academy, every - one was commenting on tile fact that l'i r file first tune a woman witli shingled hair appeared on the walls of Hurling! on House. Those who went to tin' private view found shingled heads everywhere. Hut for the first time there is a portrait on the wall shewing a woman with painted linger tips. I wonder what- the Academy ot 19i6 will have in store for us? Possibly we shall see a lady puffing rpiictlv away at a log cigar. Quite a number of them are ahea.lv doing it at the little Bohemian r. stain an! in Soho. KXCI. AMD's FX AMFFF '‘Your election:; last year saved Mill ope.' Thai was the opinion ex presse.l bv King Alfonso of Spain to a friend < f mine who visited .Madrid a short lime ago. The opinion expressed by His Majesty may be a little sweep big. but it throws an interesting light oi. the extent to widen ether countries watch political developments here in 1. rnlori. I hidotibte.ilv there wore many on lbe Continent who were aghast at seeing a 1 .ahour (lc<,eminent in office at \\ e?‘minster. They looked upon it as the t.hiii i ml of i tie l omniums! wedge. F.veti King Alfonso, who knows lot belter than most foreignei s. seems to have misunderstood the situation in England. TJ.LDEN* AT HOLLYWOOD The reason that Tildett is hesitating about coming to England this year and

»]) i 1 time ill !;i w:i : t !; :i in pit .>ii| at Vvimiiii .ii ii, has leak,.! i.:u at lasi. i!a lias lu an "t apt to*. ' ii'“ makers. mi l expo; !s in bo n imsy making "|)i"l ii;-i s' that In' v -a! ; be V.I.V;, ,;s . : , r' . ;. ; ' - A' ]n • ‘ • /Vii-.t .. . - ; ••i -.-a.;.'? . I hoar that l as in'.. m '.I a ymve. lii.'iniiiii lie jii'm'l Isas "ii t lit- ! * i"i 'a.l ail In'll!- I’.' so employing li’ t ' ll" lint two fairly heavy drivers. Apart lawi the fill that this totals t" strengthen the mustins of Ills mi:!-', he uiaintaus tjiat twi'-hl'tig 1 I’ I m* rlt’.’n afterwar.lk s', ■. mr- •un nu : ly :-_::uf--Ie arnl t::?y after t!ie eft’ it of playing with 1w... clubs ;• mother. I-.l M F.T I I.ori ago I p!a dieted Limit, wit!) tile foi mai" ei'iticilaent of ivhnt I'afiiaiiu-nt in its ci mi, wisdom calls ' i-uial ii y, v.c I’M ->■ • wo.in aas a wlioh . an,l mi! in.stly a lev. li'-nlts, .dressing like min. Ali Hi,- amt [,< ; tents anorit eiinvuicuit! supp.nt " ; that dule--1 111 I.inl. v.it. Artist: :.:i\ mill sceni-.mdly lh(> cl'lcet would have *" *‘ll ever so math liaiul:...nn r, in ims <ilii ul ihi;irum ago. had liit* |invoss tain I'.vumed, and mah fiisliidiis a|)|irt:N’-.aal e:i t 11 -niiniin•. ifie daring s|iii-;ts lia\ e t ri< o t*« set it ;:| ■ I lull VU\ . i'llt Iha . ■ Xior,l tY- a;: ivs and I'rigntlv enh.i.irui sicks and

juillpeis oi tlrr U'iMj ri:i|lilu>S IHHKC IK) i, ;i| imadwav. \\ iu.il as the ladles ;iri' niw most of iln'in wearing close-crop pal hair, thmh disguised ncwler hats, ami in uses uoep i btruding. At'ti rnoon tea pyjamas arc the vigtio in .May. fair. IImhi;: L>n ilis i'.-.-hiin;ii<- the Row. Fasnionaidc bridesmaids ui re unveiled knickers liul week. Ami a hospital buttonhole-seller outside the Law ( ot'.rts ada-yted the same habit. i ifK STUKNT DTK ft The Duke uf Sutherland, who has lit en condemned Id s.i. me l.y the doe for? after an a.ttacl; .a' larvngitis. is out" uf tiie live vviri-s of tl.o Peerage, lie takes an immense into: est in aviation and acted a: I iidei Secretary for Air in the first Baldwin Umistrv One of the largest land. .Vr.oi:: in the country, In person ally supervises the managemem of hir." estate:: K< ir ■ specially interested in las Cafiuai.m much, and it was he who plav-.l a ; >it-at part in persuading tin. I'liuee ol Wales to buy a ranch also Tin; two have much in r.iinii.'.i tiie Piinc-P being a frequent vuitoi both to Fiaiuobin Castle and to Hampden Ueur.f\ the Duke's Condon l esidenee. WHO TOLD YOU THAT? I don'l know where he goi it front, and 1 hope it has no; appeared in prior before, hut a friend nas put this conundrum to me yesterday: "Can you," he asked, "const i net a sentence containing five consecutive amis":'" 1 "gave it up," ami lie demonstrated how it could bo done. A publican who owned an inn rejoicing in the name of "Pig and Whistle." had a new sign painted. When the job was finished, he pointed out to the itinerant artist that iie had joined all three words together. "What do von mean?" asked the painter. "Why," explained the publican, ''you need a space between l.'ig and and, and and and Whistle." So That's that. A BIGG Eli BUMP In a West End club smokcrboni the other day a group of middle-aged members discussed with sententious importance the question of our insular position as affected by modern aviation, and the prospects of British flight supremacy being asserted us definitely as our naval

superim tly in i'nrnici' limes. One elderly pessimist o.ypiesscd Strang . views about the failure. <n private enterprise as shown in the lukewarm support for flying clubs in this country. Incidentally J mil by no means sure the facts jusfify this view, bul that is by the way. We shall know more about it when Liie Utopians for Stare assistance to hying clubs have matured. Finally ihe pessimist, declaring he did not know what was coining lo oi:r young men of to-day, tinned in a younger member, a- wellknown living ..Ace of 'he war. and asked pompously what he thought was the relative da tiger of (lying as compared willi hunting. The scarred war Ace looked up from his paper, thoughtfully rcgarded his questioner's bald head and double chin, and said: "You fall farther'" I