PEOPLE WE REID ABOUT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1536, 7 August 1901, Page 22

PEOPLE WE REID ABOUT.

Of Esterhazy little has been heard of late. More will probably be heard beiore long, since he proposes to come to the suifacet after the manner of the torpedo -- and with its effects. He has just been visitin j London, and was seen entering the office of a French firm in Moorgate Station Chambers. He is said to be well provided with money, and willing to prove the innocence of Dreyfus. He proposes to re turn to France, and if the police refuse to arrest him, to give himself up. His backing is said to be most influential. Bui’ the worst of it is that most people wiF find it hard now to believe Esterhazy ever when speaking the truth. One cannot forget the "illicit process of the major."

Madame Dominguez, who has been unlucky enough to be robbed of her jewels in London, almost loses her American iden tity under the name of her husbaud, the member of a Foreign Legation. She was a Miss Murphy, of San Francisco. Hei father, a millionaire, gave a bar of siivei to Pius IX, and had from the Pope t» Marquisate. His widow, who settled in London, was known as the Marchesa Mur phy, but his eldest son got rather shy of the hereditary title of Marquis Murphy when he joined a club in Piccadilly. Onr of Madame Dominguez's sisters is Lady Wolseley—the wife, not of Lord Wolseley. but of Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart., the Field-Marshal's distant cousin. * * * #

The ex-QueenJßanava!ona 111. of Madagascar, whom President Lou bet is about to receive in Paris, on a visit from iiei compulsory stay in Algiers, is but the sixth monarch of the Hova dynasty, of whom only two were kings - and this pour cause. Radama I. was assassinated in 1828. His widow reigned as Ranavalon; I. until 1860. Her son, Radama 11. was murdered in 1863, and his widow reigned in his stead as Queen Kasoherina. She was succeeded in turn by two kinswomen, Ranavalona 11. and 111., both of whom married successively her husband and Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony. This statesman, whose name we shrink from repeating, was degraded and imprisoned by the French on their recent conquest. The Queen, who is a handsome woman jf thitrty-nine, was deported to Algiers, where she has resided ever since.

Prince Rupert of Bavaria, granuson of the Regent, Has just completed thirty_tvvo years. Prince Rupert was made nappy a few days ago by the birth of bis first-born, a son, ultimate heir to tffe kingdom. I‘iie Regent, therefore, is not only happy, uke our late Queen Victoria, m seeing her grandchild's heir, but, if w r e count the mad King Otto, the new born babe is actually fourth in the line of succession. Prince Rupert's mother is the heiress of the line of Stuart, and, but for a few Act* of Parliament, would be now Queen Mary 11. of Great Britain. Prince Rupert, whom the White League styles “Prince of Wales," attended her late Majesty’s Jubilee in 1897.

The Czar of Russia, who upon his thiriy-iourch year the other uuj, is cne heir of a sad crown, none ox nis preu.ece.isors of his own family, except ins gi anafather, Alexander il. iwho was UiO»n to pieces in the public streets;, having uvea beyond the fifties. He Has vne consolation, however, of knowing that tne inefate of his family is improving, tne first males since Peter the Great who uvea to be seventy having been sons of Nicholas 1., the Czar who waged the Crimean War with us.

Queen Victoria was a great lover of dogsIn the Royal kennels at Frogmore are some sixty or seventy collies, terriers, dachshunds, and pomexanians which belonged to the.late Queen. Many of the favourite dogs have been claimed by the Princesses, but the smooth coated collies are now being distributed to people in Windsor, as the King and Queen have a decided preference for pugs and terriers. # * * * #

Queen Helena has been much more popular with the Italian people since it became known that she was aoout to become a mother, and the event -which has brougnt hex mother andi sister from Montenegro is looked forward to with increasing interest. The Queen, at the tune of her marriage was coldly received, in spite of her beautv Her appearance did not pleas the ltalians. She is very dark, sallow almost to yellow-ness, and although tall and graceful, appears stiff and self-eon tained, with a melancholy expression of countenance. The people contrasted her unfavourably with Queen Marghenta. and were dissatisfied yith her rank. Moreover, she was spoken of as a childless mountain girl." Now that she is apparently no longer to be childless the feelings of the Italians have changed towards her, and the young Queen is regarded with considerable favour. They may find that a little genial sympathy on the *part of the people will make the Queen less stiff in public, and wreathe the melancholy face with smile®.

The life of ex-President Pretorius, who died in May 19th, is identified with the early history of the South African Republic. He was elected President in 1855 and again “in 1864, and during his

second term issued the famous proclamation defining the boundaries of the Republic, which included part of Delagoa Bay in the east and Lake Ngami in the north. The proclamation led to tween England and Portugal, which was decided in favour of Portugal by Marshal MacMahon. Pretorius was “elected for the last time in 1869, but resigned in 1871. When Paul Kruger was selected Pi evident after the “war of 1881 Pretorius was retired on a pension of JE6OO a year. Thereafter he exercised no official influence, though his personal prestige “always made his opinions carry weight with the more enlightened burghers. He surrendered to the British some months ago.

The Khedive has pardoned Arabi Pasha, and he will return to Egypt. It may be remembered “that Arabi Pasha came into prominent notice by assuming the dictatorship at the head of a military and popular revolt in “1881. After causing much trouble, Great Britain was obliged to steo in. with the result that Alexandria was bombarded and Arabi ajid his army defeated at Tel-el-Kebir. Directly afterwards Arabi fled to Cairo and to General Drury Lowe. At his trial, which lasted an unconscionable time, he pleaded guilty to rebellion, and was condemned to death. The sentence was afterwards commuted by the Khedive to perpetual exile. On January 16th, 1883, he landed in Ceylon, where he has been ever since. He is now reported “to be broken in health, and as he has been begging for years for pardon, and is incapable of causing further trouble, his return will bring to him immeasurable delight. * * * *

Pastor von Bodelschwing in Bielefeld is much esteemed by the Emperor for nis charitable works. At the time Lord Roberts was decorated the pastor wrote the Emperor a letter extolling the proBoer svmpathy of Germany. He was at once ordered to come to Berlin. He was not received by the Emperor, but was severely reprimanded by Herr von Lucanus. At the time of the Bremen incident Pastor von Bodelschwing wrote a letter seventy pages long to the Emperor, who resumed his friendship, but told the reverend gentleman that he (the Kaiser) was the best judge of his actions.