LORD BRASSEY INTERVIE WED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7788, 6 November 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

LORD BRASSEY INTERVIE WED.

Loud Bbasset, more generally known ob Sir Thomas Brassey, Mr. Gladstone's devoted friend and admirer, arrived in New York on September 15. An American paper says :—Lord Braasey and his accomplished wife, the authoress of " The Cruise of the Sunbeam," are prominent in London society. Lady Brassey is probably the most widely known yachtswoman in the world, while the fame of genial " Tom Brassey," the wealthy landowner and large employer of labour, is not confined to the British Isles. In appearance Lord Brassey is a typical Englishman. He is of medium height, strongly built, courteous, yet not demonstrative in manner, a capital host and a thorough business man. He is respected by all who know him. A Herald reporter called upon Lord Brassey at the Brevoort House, and was received in a moat affable manner. " I understand you are not a stranger in this country," said the reporter. " No, sir," was the reply. "I am renewing a most pleasant acquaintance. I mad® s a long yachting trip around the United States coast and up several of the magnificent rivers in 1872. I was then accompanied by Lady Brassey, and we greatly enjoyed ourselves." "Is your present trip on business?" "Purely business. I have large interests in Michigan, but have not, up to the present time, been able to visit that section of the country, though I naturally take great interest in it. I am sorry to say, however, that my stay will necessarily be a very brief one. I expeot to return to England in about ten days. Another reason for my visit to this country at the present time is that my son has recently taken a good degree at Oxford, and I am anxious that he should travel and have the same grateful regard for the people of the United States as I have." "Many people will be disappointed because you are not accompanied by Lady Brassey," " I very deeply regret that she could not come with me. Bat Lady Brassey has not been in very good health lately, and we are preparing for a very long voyage this winter. In November we intend to visit India, and from there go to Australia, in order to push the cause of Imperial federation." " Will you attend the yacht race on Tuesday ?" " Certainly, I would not miss what promises to be a gallant struggle between two splendid boats. "It is understood that you enjoy Mr. Gladstone's intimate friendship ?" " Yes, I think that I may say that lam so honoured. You know he was my guest on our recent yachting trip to Norway. If I could have brought the Sunbeam over here it would have pleased me greatly, for then I should have entered into cordial social relations with my brother yachtsmen." "In your opinion, will Ireland eventually get Home Rule?" "Certainly. I think that the present Government will soon make very large concessions in the direction of Home Rule, not so large as those Mr. Gladstone proposes to make, but on a liberal basis." "Is the Eastern question attracting much attention in England?'' "Yea. The Bulgarian troubles have again reopened that vexing question. The key of the situation is in the hands of Prince Bismarck. He has power to form a combination with Austria and Turkey, backed by England, capable of completely upsetting Russia's pretensions. Bat if he does not take the initiative the other Powers will not interfere, and Russia will have matters all her own way." " That is practically admiting that Prince Bismarck rales Europe.' "He is decidedly master of the affairs of Continental Europe." "What is your opinion of Mr. Parnell ?" " I have met Mr. Parnell in the House of Commons. My impressions of him were decidedly favourable. It was absolutely necessary that somebody should stand forward as the champion of Ireland's rights. I hardly know how he could have presented Ireland's cause in a more favourable manner. He understood the work to be done, and has carried it out with sagacity. His policy is certainly not a reokless policy. You can rest assured that he is not the Radical some people try to make the world believe him to be." Lord Brasaey was then shown the following extract from a number of social and other items recently cabled to the Herald:— JohnCorlett, in the "Piftk 'Un," or Sporting Times, furnished this, among his facetiae, about Lord Brassey, very soon to arrive in New York :—'< When Lord Tom Brassey was in the Bahamas, in order to ascertain which way the Gulf Stream was built, he threw overboard a couple of hermetically sealed soda water bottles, with a little flag and button on top. Each bottle contained a notice that the finder would receive £5 on forwarding it to Lord Tom ; and, in order to facilitate the task of identification, Lady Brassey inserted a facsimile etching of the two bottles in her new book. About a week after its publication the fun began. Soda water bottles came pouring in by rail, van, and parcel post, until the back yard at Normanhurst became impassable, and bottle racks at a premium. The lot are now to be had cheap. Soda water manufacturers, take notice I" Lord Brassey laughed heartily as he read the item and said : — " It's a very good joke. I think we did throw a bottle or bottles overboard, bat no claim baa yet been made for rewards," - I