PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 63

PERSONAL NOTES.

— The Duchess of Albany is said to be the best whisfc player amongst the members of the Royal Family. It is not generally known, but, so far as cards are concerned, whist; is the favourite royal recreation.

— The thirty-sixth anniversary of Thackeray's death on Christmas Eve did not pass unnoticed in Westminster Abbey. Some flowers were placed on the bust of the author of "Vanity Fair" in the Poets' Corner, with a card bearing a suitable inscription.

— Lord Kitchener is a man of action rather than of words, and, like Sir Redvers Buller, belongs s,to that stern, grim school of soldiers t\ at believes in silence and hard work. As the late Mr G. W. Sleovens said of him, he is "marble to sit still and fire to ignite; steadfast, cold, and inflexible."

— The Prince of Wales is an inveterate smoker, and, though he is never seen in public with a pipe, this is, as a matter :>f fact, his Royal Highness's favourite form of smoking. He has a wonderful collection of pipes, whilst the Prince's stock of cigars is not to be equalled by any private individual in the world. His Royal Highness prefers a small cigar.

— The Dukt of Saxe-Coburg and G-otha hap the finest collection of model ships in the world. They are nearly all made of silver, and are perfect in every detail. As a boy the Duke took a keen delight in modelling vessels, a pastime which with him really became an art. His collection of "'silver ships" is constantly being added to, not only by private purchases, but by those who know what may be considered the Duke's hobby.

— Yiscounl Belgrave, who succeeds to the Dukedom of Westminster, was until recently A.D.C. to Sir Alfred Milner, but is now at the front. He was born in 1879, and is the eldest son of the late Earl Grosvenor and Sibell Mary (who married Mi George Wyndham, M.P.), daughter of the ninth Earl of Scarborough." The Viscount is therefore a grandson of the late Duke. — Lord Penzance was a remarkable instance of how an invalid's life can, with pedulous care, be protracted to an advanced age. So far back as 1865, when his lordship was at the Probate Court, he was quite an invalid, attended court with various precautions, and was by doctor's orders confined to a special dietary. He probably owed the prolongation of his life, as many other men Ime done, to the efforts of a deeply-dGvoted wife.

— The youthful King of Spain is very particular about the arrangement of flowers used to decorate his private sitting room. Hits Majesty prefers hothouse blooms from the royal greenhouse, and insists upon fresh flowers being brought in every morning, those displaced being banished to some other aparip. ment of the palace. Red flowers are his de-^ light, mixed with white ones and fronds of maidenhair fern ; perhaps scarlet tree-carna-tion- -uup, bo called hi? fpvaurite=.

— Mi I \ureiKo Im)'iii>. Sn llcpi\'j younger son, \i ho !■- ijir-cntly with him m In- American t< •>'„ 1 ,ih \- uU'jn an nr.llol a'Ut pn W drama of hi li 'K.il inlvi-o. 1. (U ' i<m v C'uhain of Olavei l . i' .—l</>'. — I</>'' -■ lmrioi ot ilv C'ovenanteis, 'oldiec, it. id 1 i- c n..r._ .ill in c^o. The period chosen la 16"v, V> r ith VaU di\ima Mr

Robprt Taber will begin his occupation of tbS' London Adelphi Theatre some time in March.

— Captain Cecil Macready, who has beeoma Major in the Gordon Highlanders, owing to the mauy changes in the personnel of the regiment at the front, is a son tof Macready, the actor, and was born in 1862. The only seivice he has seen was in Egypt in 1882. At present he is Adjutant to the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Gordons. Captain Macready is very keen on acting, and is a greai frequenter of the theatre. The only other actor's son in the army is Captain Bancroft of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

— Miss Fanny Davies, the celebrated pianist, does not believe in devoting too much of the day to practising. She says that more than four hours of this mokes a pianist a machine and not an artist. Neither does she make even this a daily institution, for' it is her Invariable habit to spend at least two months of the year in absolute idleness. This period she loved to spend in the Swiss mountains, and during this interval the pianoforte is absolutely silent and deserted. ,V — It may be said truly of the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa that if he enjoys the distinction of being the shortest general in the British Army, he can also laj r claim (outside royeliy) to -possessing the longest list of degrees. Officially. ''Bobs" is Baron Robe;t3 of Kandahar end Waterford, P. 0., K.P., G.C.8., G.C.5.1., G.CI.E., V.C., D.C.L., L.L.D. He became "Dr Roberts of Dublin" nsarly 20 years before Mr Chamberlain, who was "doctored" the other clay.

—Dr J. W. Gregory, who lias been appointed to the chair of geolopy in the University of Melbourne, is one of the best-known officials at the Naturay History Museum. 3fe is at this moment connected with the department of geology in that institution. He is a greatly travelled man, and has accompanied several expeditions on behalf of the Museum. His ascent of Mount Kenia is now a matterof history. The result of his book on the Great Rift Valley has been to secure him recognition as one of our authorities on the geology of Central Africa.

— Mr Conan Doyle's deci-ion to volunteer foi service in South Africa and to find his own chaigar is spirited and pclmirablc. Not many lilorary men have the phj-sique or means to make s'milf\r offers. We wish they had. But physique aud means are not ail that Mr Doyle may be asked to provide. The Cape authorities are understood to desiro the services of first-class detectives capable of unmasking Boer spies. Probably in their wildest dreams they never hosed for so distinguished an a>lly as Sherlock Holme*. Whether as a specialist in detection or r man of might in action. Mr Conan t»oy)e is equally a welcomo recruit. — Academy. — The Kaiser is probably the last personajre to inscribe his name in the Queen's autograph book. This book has been carefully preserved by her Majesty, during the 61 yoars of her long reign, and contain^ a remarkably rich collect ion of autographs, including thusa of a Pope, tour Czars, and several German Kings r.n'i Etnpeior?. Amongst French autographs in the royal album are these of King Louis Philippe "and Napoleon JIT. The' late Shah and the Sultan Abdul Aziz also inscribed their names on the historic roll.

— Than Colonel Long, through v.-ho.-c want of caution so many guns were lost in Buller's engagement at Colenso, there is no officer who had a higher reputation, or who had proved by his past services greater fitness for •.•o:umanr!. From his youth upwards, as a young subaltern, aud afterwards as captain and major of a battery, he always won golden opinions. He was a first-class drill, and i = especially noted for the care and attention he devoted to his men and horses. Th,; s.nna character went with him to Egypt, where ha commanded the Sirdar's artillery, and distinguished himself greatly at Omtiurman.

— President Loubet, whose fondness for shooting is fully equal to that of his predecessor, is a cooler and more successful sportsman. M. Faure, during the official "shoots" at Marly and Rambouillet, used to bla'^e away his cartridges at an alarming rale. This ia not the Gase with the present occupr-nl of the Elj'oee, who fire? deliberately and with greatei effect. To his early tiaining at Mcn^elimar, wh'oh is near the sporting county of the Cevennes, i-i doubtless due his skill with the shot gun. He cannot be reproached, as was M. Carnot, ivich emptying the contents of hi« barrel iino a neighbour's legs !

— The Duke of Norfolk, who hr-s volunteered to go to the front, and thus forsake the Postmaster-generalship, cared nothing whatever about clothes. He is one of the most liberal aud ki'.d-hearted men in England, as woll as our of the leat-fc proud, and hia tenants call him "Uncle Henry." One day, while on his 3'acht. he invited the crew o£ another vessel to attend Mass. One of them, on boarding the vessel, was met by the Duke of Norfolk himself. "Is the Duke himself on board?" asked the sailor. "I am he," was the reply. "That I'm sure you're not," answered the sailor, looking angrily at the insignificant little man in front of him. On another occasion it is said that the Duke was engaged to distribute the prizes at a convent. Instead of driving to the place, he walked up quietly, and was met in the grounds by the portress. "My good man," she said, "you ought to know that we do not distribute relief on a day such as this. 1 ' "Quite so. sister," said the Duke; '[but you do distribute prizes, and I have come to distribute them for you." — Prince Chiislian Victor, who is engaged in active service in South Africa, is a plucky, gal'ant. and popular officer. Born two-and-thirty years ago, lie was the first member of the Royal Family who went honestly through a public school education. That is to say, he did not go home on half holidays, and he was not perpetually petted for being royal, . but took his share of public school life as i< came. At Wellington he was not only extremely popular, but became captain of the school eleven. Indeed, he is the best wicketkeeper that school has ever produced, and h< had bad luck in not getting a place in the Oxford Eleven. But the presence of so ab< normal a stumper as Punch Phillipson de-_ stioyed his chance. He has, however, played in the Scarboroug Week, and in lessei cricket has made a great fame foi himself. Fond gi hunting, he is a keen sportsman, and a fine shot. When Christian Victor entered the Service he plainly told his brother officers in the King's Royal Rifles that he meant to make his way, and he has done so. No more conscientious officer can be found. He is not a genius, and has no desire to be one, but he is among the best soldiers in his Grandmother's Army. He was mentioned in dispatches in the Ilazarai Expedition, and received a brevet for his share in the Ashanti War, while he has served in Egyptian campaigns. Personally he is immensely popular, and he shows a Teutonic tendency to embonpoint. He bears a striking resomblance to his uncle, the Duke of Connaught, though he weighs several stone, morej and is quite bald on the temples. A fine soldierly fellow ; there is no non'ense in him, but plenty of soori. sound common sensed

— Fully 800,000 domestic animals, valued •) 'at £1,200,000, .ire annually devoured by the evolves in Russia. — Several members of the crew of a sugar- ' lacten ship were afflicted with blindness in the moonlight and starlight when in the tropics, though they could see quite clearly as soon as -the sun rose. They attributed it to fumes from ithe .-flujjar.

\ —An npparatas hue; been de»i»ed for r.uiojvat ca'lj' proloqraphhig people i'= tin-y outer shojjs a.id oLi.e. plac.-. ' — A railwaj ofilcbl in a iccont lociirc slated that il ooei his PDinp.iUv each j<ar aVoi.l £2^o foi pii'i. .CJOOO for )v,hbav IjtJi.d-, £1000 for ml:, £1403 fcr Iran iitoN; ?No, that it cost nearly a, much lor hUtiojn.ry to carry on the business as lor iron.