CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11956, 1 February 1901, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

While tho heart of the Empire is full of gratitude for the good which Queen Queen Victoria wrought her VlCTOltu's subjeots, it is fitting to bent in mother, mind the special debt of thankfulness which is also clue to the memory of the late Queen's mother. When the Duchcss of Kent died in 1861, Harriet Martineau (a shrewd, not to say caustic, critic of Royalty) declared that Ehe had been "the object of the hearty respect of the British nation as a high source of the virtues 01 their Sovereign,"—adding that the story of her educative work "must be told in history."- The career of the Duchess of Kent was not without its touch of romantio unexpectedness. The child of a dull and petty Gorman Court (Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld), she was married in 1803, at the age of 17, to the Prince Emich Charles, of Leiningen, who died 11 years later. Her brother Leopold (afterwards King of Belgium) became the husband of the Prince Regent's only child, Princess Charlotte, in 1816, and the calamity which befell the brother in the following year had a curiously inverse effect upon the fortunes of the sister. It is hardly too much to say that the death of the Princess Charlotte led to the birth of the Princess Victoria. The family outlook whs completely changed, and the unmarried sous of George 111 immediately began to seek for wives, x'he Dukes of Clarence, Kent, and Cambridge were all married within a space of six weeks in 1818. — the widowed Princess of Leiningen becoming Duchess of Kent,—and in each case an heir was forthcoming during the following year. The present Duke of Cambridge (who is now the only remaining grandchild of George III) was born two months before our late Queen, while the Duke of Clarence's daughter (who, as the child of an elder brother, would have taken precedence of the Princess Victoria) died the day after her birth. A year later tho Duke of Kent died, only six days before the cleatli of the old King. Victoria's eventual accession was by no means assured at this time. George IV wanted to get rid of his unhappy wife, with a view to marrying again. Ho did get rid of her in 1821,—not by the means which ho had devised, but by her death, —but ho remained a widower till his death. In 1820 another daughter born to tho Duke of Clarence, but. this child also died m infancy. In 1827 the Duke of York (the first heir) ciiod childless, followed throe years later by George IV, and the Duke of Clarence came to the throne. Still the prospect waa' not absolutely secure: Queen Adelaide might still bear children who would live, and so late as January 1835 wo find the omniscient Greville writing in his journal: "Jonathan Peel told me yesterday morning that Lady Alice Kennedy [who, one would think, might have been better employed] had sent word to his wife that the Queen is with child; if it be true, and a queer thing if it is, it will hardly come to anything at her age, and with her health; but what a difference it would make!" Yes, it might have made a great difference, but it did not "come to anything,"—any more than did the extraordinary Orange plot of the same year in favour of the Duke of Cumberland (fifth son of George 111, and after wards King of Hanover).

The uncertainty of the Princess Victoria's prospects made the task ol the a difficult Duchess of Kent a very diflipositiox. cult one. To quote Harriet Martinean: "If it is difficult in a case ov presumptive heirship in private life to decide how to educate a boy, whether for probable wealth or possible poverty, it is infinitely more so when the question is between the possession of a crown and the dull and aimless life of a subject Prince—and yet more, Princess. In the former case it may be said,' 'Educate your son thoroughly for the lower career, and he will do very well in the higher'; but to feign over a kingdom requires a training so special as to unfit the heir to enjoy tho private life of •princes." How did the Duchess of Kent succeed in her diflicult and delicate task? The answer-to that question is—the life of hor daughter. It is matter for national thanksgiving that the young Princess was not brought up " at court." William IV complained bitterly that he saw next to nothing of her, but the Duchess (between whom and the King there was no love lost) knew her maternal business and insisted on educating her daughter according to hor own design. Perhaps she was not alwayi as tactful as she might have been, —Grevillo blames hor severely,—but the King's conduct to her was monstrous. What is to be said of the following speech, delivered by King William at his birthday dinnerIlia laat—in the presence of the Duchess of Kent, the Princess Victoria, and a hundred other guests? (The report was furnished ta Greville by Adolphus Fitzclarcnce, son of thj King by Mrs Jordan). Responding to tna toast of hie health, his Majesty was pleased to observe: " I trust in God that my life may be spared for nine months longer [he hit it almost to a week!], after which period, in tho event of my death, no regency would take place. I should then have the satisfaction of leaving the Royal authority to the personal exercise of that young lady (point ing to the Princess), and not in the hands oi a person now near me [the Duchcss was sitting next to the King], who is surrounded by evil advisers, and who is herself incompetent to act with propriety in the station in which she would be placed. 1 have no hesitation in saying that I have been insulted —grossly and continually insulted—by that person, but I am determined to endure no longer a course of behaviour so disrespectful to me. I would have her know " —but we need quote no more: the rest is of the sam» pattern. Small wonder that the young Prii cess burst into tears and "the whole com pany were aghast"! It is charitable to sup pose that William IV's brain was softening, But the record is of value, as showing what the Duchess of Kent had to put up with Perhaps we should add, in justice to Kins William, that his references to the young Princess heraelf were always kindly and-soli-citous.

Mention of William the Fourth reminds us of the somewhat pedantic obkino jection which has been raised edward. to the new King's title in the interests of Scottish sensitiveness. It is urged that as the King is the first reigning Edward since the Union—the first, that is, to reign over Scotland—he =hou'd be known as Edward the First. ,We veglure

to suggest that the idea comes 71 years too late: it should have been raised when William IV (who was the first William after the Union) oame.to the throne. Considered on its merits, the objection is trivial, and may be promptly dismissed. We may take occasion to note the favourable impression which tne new Sovereign has already made. King Edward used a happy discretion in eschewing stereotyped formality and speaking extemporaneously, straight from the heart, on the occasion of the first kingly utterances, and it is evident that his mind is more engaged just now with the thought of his Royal mother's virtues than with his own august prominence. He lias been received with a true Imperial welcome,—none tho less impressive because necessarily blended with the note of sadness and regrot. The ill-bred cantankerousness of a few London Radicals and Irish extremists only serves to make tho general acclamation more conspicuous, and it is noteworthy that one of the latest cablegrams announces that " an immense crowd at Dublin sang ' God savo the King' amid great enthusiasm." If the King keeps His Royal word,—if he follows his mother's example, adopts her constitutional methods, and studies with single-hearted zeal to promote the good of tho people committed to his charge,—he will leave a great and glorious name when the time comes for him, too, to put aside his crown. And Hint he will indeed keep his word, why should we doubt? *' Wall street iB watching a man who has his office in the Empire building in A wizard lower Broadway. His nnmo ■OF Finance, iB William H. Moore," With these sentences a, New York paper recently introduced a lengthy eulogy upon the career of one of the latest additions to New York's colony of Chicago millionaires. The merit of William H. Moore—who, it is necessary to mention, not being a colonel, is a ju3ge— consists in his having engineered the formation of several trusts. It was due to his knowledge of the corporation laws of many States that lie was able to coalesce millions of dollars of the capital of great industries into great trade and manufacturing combinations. Added to his knowledge of corporation law he possesses the merchant's sense to a marvellous degree. He juggles with millions of dollars as other men do with thousands. AH his undertakings have reachcd into the millions, and his profits are numbered in like sums. Like other jugglers in coin this American wizard of finance has realised that he who would work a " boom " runs the risk of a "burst." He failed on one 'occasion, but it was a glittering failure. Thoro was merit even in that. It is placed to his credit equally with a lucky coup. "He had the rare distinction "—so the New York Herald put it—" of failing for 5,000,000 dollars." But he was capable of a still more praiseworthy achievement. For thus ths Herald continues: " But that was nothing to this wizard of money, for before four years |iad passed he was out of debt- and 10,000,000 dollars ahead of the game. It takes a financier to. do that. And through it all not a smirch has been put upon his good name." It 1 is all part of the game—win or lose—but if you are going to fail in America let it be a failure that will bo remembered—" a- rare distinction," or, •to use another expression from tho Herald, a "spectacular" failure. "The failure of the Moorcs was one of the most spectacular that has occurred in this country in many years, and the financial survival of the brothers is quite as remarkable, and is considered by financiers as the greatest recovery ever known in that length of time." It was the Diamond Match Trust that brought William H. Moore to grief, if that is the term to use in respect-of a spectacular failure, and it was the Bryan panic preceding the Presidential election of 1806 that was responsible. The stock tumbled down and down Moore's frantic endeavours to keep it up, and he had to givo in. But, besides the Diamond Match Company, he has succeeded in organising what was known as the Crackcr Tinist, or tlie New York Biscuit Company, tho American Strawboard Company, and thy National Steel Company. The "latter, his greatest achievement, was completed in 1899, and Moore netted a fortune over it. From the position of a corporation lawyer, the New York Herald ecstatically declares, be has " in ton years risen to be one of the greatest promoters the country has ever seen. He has weathered in four of these years a failure so •disastrous that few men would even have attempted to recoup, and in the meantime .doubled, the fortune lost, besides paying debts of appnlling magnitude." The dollar is still ftlmighty in America.

Dunedin people were treated to something unusual in the way of illumination last night. Evidently a serious electrical disturbance was taking place some miles off the coast beyond the Ocean Beach, and for ovei an hour (lash after flash of - lightnin a illuminated the southern sky in a remarkable manner, Numbers of people went out of doors to view the celestial fireworks, and the effect on the great white clouds lying in that direction was very beautiful. North Islanders, who are more accustomed to this natural phenomenon, say that it is an omen of good weather, and it is to be devoutly hoped that they are right, though past experience in the south has been rather in the opyosit.e direction. •The Otago Harbour Board's engineer suggested at yesterday's meeting that, in order to extend the existing accommodation at Dunedin for vessels, the Victoria wharf should be,lengthened and widened at a cost of £6500. The suggestion was referred to the Works Committee to report upon. As indicated recently in these columns, ft great deal of attention is being directed to mineral resources of the West Coast Sounds, which .are now known to be very extensive. In addition to the reef in Preser- • vation Inlet prospected by Mr ,T. M'Queen, of Dunedin, and which is now being floated into a company, Mr M'Queen has discovered two extensive, gold-bearing areas, one suitable for dredging and the other for sluicing. The samples of gold from those are so rich and the indications generally so promising that it is proposed by somo Dunedin gentle-, men to send Mr M'Queen and a party on a prospecting tour around the Sounds. The objects of tho trip will be to further nrospect these areas and to carefully explore ccrtain portio.-.s of tho Sounds that have as yet scarcely been visited. A vessel vail Do ohartered for the purpose, and the parly is likely to be away for several weeks. Tho prospeoting of the two gold-bearing areas referred to should alone justify the expedition ; but there is reason to believe that under the supervision of Mr M'Queen and another experienced prospector, valuable discoveries will be made. A lot of promiscuous exploring has been done by individual miners, but this will bo tho first time that a properly organised expedition has gone round the Sounds on . a carefully-planned, systematic tour. J More is likely to bo heard of it in a few days. | The Supreme Oourfc vacation ended yester- 'i day. To-day Mr Justice Williams will hold a Chambers sitting at 11 o'clock, and ylso deliver judgments in three cases—Searle v. Weavers, Russell v. the Leviathan Gold Dredging Compaliy, and Farrell v. Lyders. To-morrow the Supreme Court offices will be closed. i Our Wakiitipu correspondent wires that a mild thunderstorm, accompanied with several smart BhoWers of rain, passed over the district yesterday. There are now signs of the weather clearing, up. Tho creeks and rivers rose slightly, but the worst seems to he over. The vital statistics for the past month are: Births, 145; deaths, 53; marriages, 45. The statistics for the corresponding month of the previous year are : Births, 100; deaths, 75; marriages, 36. Before proceeding with the ordinary business of tho Land Board on Wednesday last, it was, on the motion of Mr John Duncan, seconded by Mr William Dallas, unanimously resolved—" (1) That an expression of sympathy be>sent to Mr J. P. Maitland, late Cliitf I Commissioner, on the death of Mrs Maitland; i (2) that tl e- members of the board also ex- ; press to Mr Maitland their sorrow and regret' that on account of failing health ho found it necessary to retire from a position he had : so long held with much acceptance to the I

i department and to all who came in contact with him in business, and their sincere wish that he may long be spared to enjoy the quiet of a well-earned rest." Tho annual meeting of the Law Society of the Otago and Southland district was held yesterday in the judge's chamber room. The following office-bearers were elected for the year:—President, Mr F. J. Stilling; vice- | president, Mr A. C. Hanlon; lion, treasurer, Mr E. Calvert; secretary, Mr W. H. M'Koay; members of council, Messrs H. Baron, S. Brent, F. Calvert, J. A. Cook, W. C. Macgregor, W. A. Sim, and J. F. Woodhouse. The Harbour Board yesterday placed on record their sympathy with the members of the Royal family in consequence of the death of Queen Victoria, and their expression of sorrow at the great loss the Empire lmd susi tained by her death. They also decided to suspend all traffic on the wharves on the day of the Queen's funeral. ' Mr A. C. Begg lias been granted leave of absence from the Otago Harbour Board for eight months, as he intends to. pay a visit to the old country. The man Elaherty, charged with a criminal assault on a child at St. Clair, will bo brought before the court this morning, fflien the police will apply for another remand, as the child is not yet out of danger, although the doctors havo hopes of saving her life. The Dunedin Horticultural Society's Committee met last evening in connection with the proposed conference of fruitgrowers, etc. A quantity of correspondence was brought before the committee. A circular was drafted, which will bo forwarded to all horticultural and other societies, inviting them to send delegates and exhibits, and also to provide papers on various subjects. A Schedulo Cominittco was appointed to prepare a list of classes whii'li may be computed for. It was resolved that in future committee meetings should be held on tho lust Tuesday in eaeli month. The evangelistic mission of Mr Win. Oatts was continued at tho Choral Hall yesterday. At midday lie gave an interesting address to business men; in the afternoon he conducted, a Bible reading; and in the evening ho preached to a large gathering of people from the words, "Remember Lot's wife." On tho last-mentioned occasion lie showed what a privileged person Lot's wife was in many ways, and yet in spite of all her privileges, how she perished. Ho then appealed to his hearers to beware lost, with all the privileges they now enjoyed, they should also perish. Mrs Oatts sang a couple of sacred solos during the evening meeting, and in the afternoon she conducted a Bible reading in the Y.W.C.A. Rooms, there being a. large number of ladies present. Three meetings will be held fo-day, as usual, and on Monday the mission will be continued at the Allmmbra • Theatre. The usual monthly meeting of the Kensington School Committoe, hold on Tuesday evening, was attended by Messrs Bridgman (chairman), ,T. Feil, J. Nioholls, J. H. Hanson, J. Whj'te, A, Hellyer, E. Puddy, and J. Roberts. Messrs Scott and Wilson's tender for furnishing the school with new blinds was accepted. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr 0. F. Ureenslado for the presentation of a blue ensign flag, and also to Mr J. Hanson for a mourning streamer. The committee expressed their sympathy with the Royal family in the loss Sustained by them through the death of her late Majesty the Quoen. Statements have been made recently (says the Christchurch Press) that Captain'. N. L. D. Smith, recently of the New Zealand Hotchkiss Battery in South Africa, is to be appointed officer commanding the Otago Volunteer district. Captain Smith states that be 1 knows nothing of the intentions of the Defence department in this respect, and all he knows is that he was recalled to the colony in connection with the reorganisation of the department. 110 goes to Wellington shortly to take up his duties a3 staff officer to Colonel Ponton. Somewhat singularly our cablegrams have failed to report the death on December 13 of Mr Michael G. Mulhall, the eminent statistician. Mr Mulhall was born in Roscommontown, County Roscommon, Ireland, in 1826, and was educated at the Irish College in Rome, For many years ho lived in the Argentine Republic, where he was engaged in journalism. The Buenos Ayres Standard, the first English daily paper printed in South America, was founded in 1651 by Mr Mulhall. He afterwards returned to Ireland. Since 1820 lie contributed articles on scientific and statistical subjects to various Irish, American, and English magazines and newspapers. Mulhall's first important work, published in 1860, was entitled "The Progress of the World." His greatest work, the "Dictionary of Statistics, was published in 1886, and has gone through many editions. I heard this week (says a writer in the British Weekly of December 20) a touching little story about tho Queen which I do not think has appeared in print. While visiting the wounded at Netley, Uei Majesty was greatly distressed by the appearance of one pool man, whose face had been terribly injured by the fragment of a shell. "Is there nothing, said the Queen, " that I can do for you'/" The soldier replied, speaking with difficulty owing to his injury, " Nothing, your Majesty, unless you would thank my nurse for her kindness to me." The Queen turned to the nurse, who was standing close by, and said, with tears in her eyes: "I do thank you with all my heart for your kindness to this poor wounded son of mine." ' It is reported at liotorua that one of the prettiest bits of scenic beauty in tho Lakes district is threatenedjwith destruction. This is tho beautiful stretch of native bush which extends from Lake Rotoiti to Rotoehu, and through which tho coach load runs. It is stated that tho Native owners of tho bush, which is about a, milo and a-half long, extending to tho sido of Mataivhaurn Mountain, aro leasing it to a firm of sawmillars for tho sake of the rimu and totara trees which it contains, and that a sawmill will shortly be crected.. It is a question whether tho Natives (the Ngatipikiao tribe) have the legal right to dispose'of tho timber, but it is considered by those who know and admire the piacc of bush that tho Government should pay them a fair sum as compensation and tako the kind and timber over as a forest and scenic reserve. A Wellington correspondent of the Press states that Mr C. Walker, who Was present at tho proclamation of King Edward VII at 1 almerston North on Monday, lias seen five monarehs on the British throne, having been born in 1311. Ho was made n magistrate of Yorkshire in 1849, more than half a century ago, and is still so halo that be was ablo to take an active interest ill the accession of the How King, by braving tho elements to be present at Monday's ceremony. " There is no death," says Longfellow, and the poet's pleasant fancy is confirmed by tho man of science. A doctor publishes in tho Revue Encyclopedique a learned, somewhat disturbing, and withal amusing article, the object of which is to prove that deatli is only a serious form of syncope. Life, it is argued, is merely n constant renewal of tho interior forces. Death, whijh is the opposite of life, is simply an interruption of this renewal. But sometimes circulation and respiration do not re-establish themselves, and tho man is said to bo dead. This is where we make the mistake. If we open tho breast and press tho heart the obstacle may bo removed, and tho circulation of blood will continue as be- 1 fore. The dead, in fact, becomes alive again, j though the sccond life cannot at present be 1 guaranteed beyond a few hours. After all, it i may bo asked, "Is the game worth, the candle?" 1 The pantomimo " The Babes in tho Wood " wns repeated at the Princess Theatre last evening by Dix's Company in tho presenco of a fairly numerous audicncc. As heretofore tho extravaganza was performed in a manner that loft little to be desired, and those taking the principal parts were rewarded with liberal applause. The bicycle act- of the Williams Sisters is undoubtedly a clever and interesting feature of the performance, and alone well wortli a visit to the theatre. To-night the pantomime will be played for tho last time, and on Monday night the company will appear in a variety entertainment; "

The Dunedin Woolbrokers' Association will hold a sale of bag wool at the Agricultural Hall Buildings on Monday afternoon. The Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will hold a sale of sheep at. Clinton on Thursday, February 7. Studies will be resumed at St. Domimcks College on Monday, 4th inst. The City Tramway Company advertise time table arrangements for to-day and Saturday. The cars will stand from 11.3U till noon on Saturday. The Mornington Tramway Company advertise time table arrangements foi to-day and Saturday. The cars will stand from 11.30 a.m. till noon on Saturday. The Otago Rowing Club purpose giving a concert in the Garrison Hall on February QG, a preliminary notice regarding which appears in this issue. Owing to alterations and improvements, the Union street School will not be reopened until the 11th inst. A numbei of pastrycooks and confectioners will close their premises to-morrow. Their names appear in our advertising columns. A proclamation by the Deputy-Governor vesting the control ot the Anderson's Bay bridge and the approaches thereto in the Portobello Road Board will be found elsewhere in this issue. There will be no play on the Otago Golf Club's links to-morrow, the special meeting of the club and the medal competition having been postponed till the 9th inst. A notice to creditors of the Waipori Gold Lead Dredging Company appears in our advertising columns. The result of the poll on the proposal of the St. Kilda Borough Council to raise a loan of £7000 appears in another column. The council invite tenders for the purchase of 70 debentures of JEIOO each, bearing interest at the rate of 4 per cent. All claims and accounts against the ship Auckland must be rendered in duplicate by 1 o'clock this afternoon. Those, interested in Christian work amongst young men are requested to meet Mr W. M. Oatts in the Y.W.C.A. Hall to-morrow evenin;. The Albany street School reopens on Monday, the 4th inst. Carter's Great Sale commences To-day. Tremendous Bargains in all kinds of Drapery and Clothing at lhinedin and Invercargill. Call early at Carter's Great Sale.—Advt. G. and T. Young, jewellers, Princes street, having enlarged their premises ore this year molting a specially laige display of goods suitable for Christmas and New Year presents. They guarantee excellent quality and good value.—Advt, Who is Peter Dick"—The most reliable Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.