PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 70

PERSONAL NOTES.

— The Hon. John Scott Montagu is one of the men most deeply interested in motoring, and is proprietor and editor of a paper devoted to the pastime. He- has been a famous traveller- in his- day, having visited most of the countries of the world, and in Sonth Africa six years ago he was The Times's correspondent in Rhodesia, during the Matabele-war. He was 36 on- June 10.

— Professor Oliver Joseph Lodge; who has been principal of the University of 1 Birmingham einee 1900, was 51 on June- 12. Educated at University College, London, he was for a time assistant professor of physics there, but in 1881 he- wag appointed professor of that subject at University College, Liverpool, and' Ins life» was for the most part spent in that city until 1900, when* his prtvent appointment caused him to Kninove to Birmingham. — Mr Robert William Edis; colonel of the Artists' Volunteer Corps, which he has commanded for the last 20" years-, after the late Lord Leigfiton retired', is one of tlie most famous architects fn the kingdom. It was he. who designed the balltoom and made many additions at Saiidrinfyhanv for the King,, .while tho Inner Temple Library is one of the monument* of his- skill. Many of the clubs and- hotels in the kingdom, notably the Great Central Hotel, have been, built from his designs. Ho was 63 on June 13.

-i-- Major J. .B. Pond has a unique business, for lie manages and exploits the cel'ebiities of Hie world" who go to the United .States to lecture Among tlio»e who have bepn with him are Sir Henry 31. Stanley, Matthew Arnold, Sir Edwin Arnold, Lin XCaclareu, Anthony Hope, and Ccnan Doyle. Like so many Ajnerioans, ho has had' a varied career, for, beginning life as a typesetter and journeyman printer, he subsequently owned and edited newspaners, but gave up journalism in order to take up hr* present work. He was 64- on June 11. — The iTarquis of Bute, who attained, hie t-wenty-firit birthday on June 19; is- probably the wealthiest peor in Sbofcland. Cardiff is responsible- for this happy state of affairs, though he is a, large lautlowner in. Bute, m Dumfeief», and in Wigtownshire. Mouiit Stuart is Ins piincipal seat in Scotland". Tito itanquih is lieieditary k«pper of Rothe-<-ay- Castde-, an antiquated stronghold. whic'» the late peer restorwl— aJthough it is Cro»vn prappi-ty — at a pprsonaJ cost- of over £20.Q00. His LorcKhip, like his father, is a Roman Catholic ; but hi^ grandfather was Lord ffif*h CamniMioni'i 1 to th* Ghurok of Scotland in tlie Disruption year. IB£s. — Tiio Rew. Edj?ac Sheppard,, tlie^ popular sub-dean of the Chapels Royal and doyon of royal chaplains, is the beam ideal of a Cojirt clp"r>. Medinm-T-ized. -white-haired, with .-' cl(»an-=sliavp'i, handhome face; he- is one of the- nw'-t courtly of men. and preserre= a tcn-iT°r so h«?ren» that nothing has ever been knawn lo nrfflp' it He was on terms of very privileged' intimacy with O lp ea Victoiia, and is a persona grata in all royal firc'.^s. Dr Slieppard is a great music lover, «ith Icaningsr to scientific studies; awl Tier •> a firm bfiievor in the virtues of frc^h adr and walking, — Thera ia perhaus-uo sum, on th»- London

Metropolitan Police Bench more universally popular and respected than Mr Plowden, the magistrate at Marylebone. Tall, slight, aacf distinguished-looking, with grey eyes that can sparkle with merriment or flash, with righteous anger, he is an ideal dispenser of> justice. Even the- hardened, criminal on whom he passes a heavy sentence realises that he has had> a fair trial ; and to women and children he never fails to remember that mercy is a useful adjunct to justice. Mr Plowden is a great golf-player, a most amusing and entertaining raconteur, and, in the words of a fellow magistrate, "arfine fellow all round.''

— Sir David Gill, the astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope, an office he has held for about- 23 ■ years, completed his fifty-ninth year on June 12. As a yoxmg man he ' organised the then Lord Lindsey's expedi- , tion to Mauritius to view the transit of " Venus, and did a great deal of work in connection with the determination of the 'Solar Parallax by the observation of Mara in Ascension Island. It was he, too, who pointed out the desirability of employing photography for the complete cataloguing of stars to any required order of magnitude. Five sears ago ho- organised the Geodetic Survey of Rhodesia. — Thrft erudite lawyer Sir James Stirlingis a Scotchman. Abei-deen is his birthplace, and he first saw the- light in. 1836*. The sen* of a clergyman, Sir James was educated trip th« local' grammar sdroolj afterwards- proceeding- to the University of Aberdeen, andr tlienee" to Trinity College; Cambridge-. Always a brilliant man, hi? career at Cam-; bridge foreshadowed: a greafc .future,, fee.amongst ofiher.'-^distinctions gained hy himr h» came out as- Senior, Wrangler* Sic • James Stirling was appointed to • the- Con£ii>o£ Appeal two years ago. He is a man whose interests are, for the most part,, cetitred 1 in, the study, his pet subject being physical and natural sciencp.

— Much of tlie future ofi the new Cuban Republic now depends upon President Falma. He is quite one of the most remarkable men of his time : his history- reads moro like romance than sober biography. H« comes of a distinguished Castilian line, and was elected "President" by his compatriot* 1 nea-rly 30 year.i ago. His mother wa» starved to death early in that long-lasting, struggle. Tii© Spaniards confiscated; the estates of the President and. eventually captured him, and sent him, loaded- witbt chains, into captivity. He was- offered! as an alternative to the intense hardships- to which.'he was submitted 1 freedom affld 1 position i£ he would swear fealty to the Spanish Crown-. His reply was prophetic : "No ; you- may? shoot me if you wisli, but I will die a» President of the Cuban Republic:" — Sir Robert Romer has had a varietf career, for he was not always a; barrister. He is in his sixty-fecond' year, and is a> Cambridge- man. Like his colleague-, Sir James- Stirling, he is a Senior Wrangler. On leaving college Sir Robert became m professor of mathematics at Queen's College, Cork, but after a year spent with the> students, he was called to the bar. He has sought- parliamentary honours, without, however, beingj able- to gratify hie ambition, and has> been a. judge for. 11 years. Possessed of ' a> ready wit. Sir Roberts is one.' of the ,hest ofi com]janions, and is- in. his -elements when he is engaged in physical exercise, ot which he is a consistent advocate. He in an. excellent- oarsman, and excels, also, afr snooting and cycling. In his younger day* .h© was fond of cricket. He married & .dauglitej; of the"laic Mack Lemon, editor of Punch, and his father was a- composer o£ wide repute. — A scholar, perhaps unequalled in bis generation, passed away on June> 19 in. tha person o£ Lord Acton. The amazing range of his lenrning. no less than his superb mental gifts, gained for him the repulatioa of being, the most learned scholar- in. Europe. Certain it is, at anyrate-, that all with whom he was brought into contact were singularly impressed' with his scholarly attainments. Mr Gladstone, it is well known, spoke of him as an intellectual giant, which. wa« "praise from Sir Hubert" truly. Mention, of the Eberal statesman recalls the fact thaft Lord Acton was a convinced' Liberal in politics, and held the post 1 of Lor<l-in>-Waiting in tho last Liberal ©bvernment-. It is curious nowadays to remember that no college at Cambridge would admit Lord Acton in his youth because of his Roman CathoV views. The same university made amends in after years by appointing, his Lordship Regius Professor of History, » position for which ho possessed unique qualifications. Strong Roman Catholic though 'he wa», Lord Acton declined to follow hi* religious superiors blindly, and" his vigorous repudiation of tha- infallibility of the Fop^ brought him into ill-odour with the more orthodox heads of tlie Roman Communion. %