PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XXIII, 3 December 1904, Page 51

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, October 21. Miss Susie Graham, daughter of the late Major George Graham, R.E., M.H.R., of Auckland, was married last Wednesday at Christ Church, Woburn Square, to Mr Ernest Payne, of Hatchlands, Cnekfield, Sussex. The Rev. J. J. Glendinning Nash performed the ceremony.

Mr Spelman Gleeson, of Auckland, has completed a twelve months’ course of instruction at Russell’s Gravesend Brewery, and is now taking a course in the ecience of brewing under Dr. E. R. Moritz, of London. Afterwards he will enter one of the large Condon breweries to complete his training.

The number of applications for tickets of admission to the opening meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on November 7, when Captain Scott will give an account of the work of the National Antarctic Expedition, has been so great that it has been decided to hold the meeting in the Albert Hall. During the coming session of the Society lectures will also be given by Dr. Wilson, Mr Ferrar, Mr Hodgson, and Mr Bernaeehi on the scientific work of the Expedition.

Mrs Hellaby and her two sons are at present, touring the Continent. They started in Belgium, and afterwards journey through Erance and Italy. Mr E. W. M. Alison, also of Auckland, has joined them for their Continental tour.

Miss Ivy Ainslcy is, I hear, making very satisfactory progress with her vocal studies.

The Earl of Ranfurly, who since his return from New Zealand, has been living at his home at Dungannon, County Tyrone, took part the other day in a special children’s service at St. Anne’s Church in that town, and read the lesson from the Bible used by the Irish House of Commons, a large, handsomelybound book, dated 1782. The volume has been in the possession of Lord Ranfurly s family for a long time.

New Zealand papers are asked to Chronicle the death of the widow of the late Dr. John Stewart Kilgour, which occurred on Monday last at Cheltenham. Mrs Kilgour, who was in her 79th year, was the daughter of the late Mr Thomas Archer, of Woolmers, Tasmania.

The Shaw Savill steamer Gothic left London yesterday, and sails from Plymouth to-morrow, for New Zealand, via Capetown and Hobart. The following are booked for Auckland: Mr W H Anderson, Hr and Mrs E.C. Brown’and Master H. Brown. Mr J. S. Colton-Fox, Miss Montcath, Mr T. Whitehead

The crew of the Morning, which returned from the Antarctic, via Lyttelton, the other day, included the following New Zealanders on the voyage Home: Air J. Marsh (Timaru), second engineer; Mr H. C. Hatfield' (Coker’s Hovel, Christchurch), clerk; and A. Beaumont and 1. Alaelntvre, able seamen. The other New Zealanders connected with the vessel left her before she started from Lyttelton for England. The Morning will be sold at Devonport after paying off. She was inspected last Saturday by Admiral Sir Edward Seymour-,. G.C.8., who congratulated the officers on their work and safe return.

Callers at the Agent-General's this week:—Mr Thomas F. Miller (Invcrcar* giil), Air John Arthur. Air Wm. Elmer (Dunedin), Air F. Ernest Murray (Christchurch). Airs J.- J. Fletcher, Misses D. and R. Fletcher (Christchrtrch), Air Duncan Seott (Timaru), Airs A. A. Green (Wellington), Mr A. C. Depree (Timaru), Airs G. Hendry (Wellington), Air and Airs John Wiseman (Auckland), Air Dennis W. Hursthouse (New Plymouth), Mish A. B. and K. C. Hoadley (Napier), Air A. G. Freeman (Wellington), Mr Alex, Anderson (Alethven), Air A. P. Alatihews (Christchurch), Air Brownlow Horrocks (New Plymouth), Mi;s Flesher (Christchurch), Mr A. L. Barker (Winchester), Mr Wm. Murray (Dunedin), Captain- G. N. Luaeelles (Napier).

Mr William Redmond, M.P., is about to undertake a journey to Australia for the benefit of his health. The standing committee of the United Irish League has adopted a resolution hoping that during his stay in Australia Mr Redmond will take advantage of his visit to thank their fellow-countrymen for their unstinted and loyal support to the Irish movement during the past quarter of a century, and for the moral sympathy they have so powerfully given to Ireland in her battle for national self-government.

The Dowager Countess of Seafield, who has joined the Auxiliary League of the Salvation Army, refutes the statements recently made in some of the London papers that her late husband had been a bailiff in New Zealand. She points out, however, that he was not afraid of hard work, and when hard times were upon him lie took odd jobs with the pick and shovel, fencing, golddigging, and other wholesome colonial vocations. But he had been a poundkeeper, so no doubt this has given rise to the bailiff idea. In 1885, while he was yet Viscount Reidhaven, he tried for a seat in I lie New Zealand House of Representatives, and might have won it but for his title. The democratic electors were in favour of his policy and the party he supported, but they objected to having a "lord"’ foisted on them. Three years later this wayward and amiable Scottish gentleman came in for the earldom, but he died a few months afterwards, his elder son—a colonial-born boy of 12 —inheriting the title.

Sir Frederick Pollock, whose contribution to the subject of Imperial Organisation has attracted-a good deal of attention, belongs to a family which has given more notable men to the profession of the law than any other in England. The present baronet’s grandfather was Lord Chief Baron to the Court of Exchequer for over twenty years; one of his uncles was ‘'the last of the Barons”; two others were Alasters; his father was Queen’s Remembrancer and Senior Afaster., The present baronet has also gained distinction in the law, but in his ease it has been by his pen rather than in the actual practice of the advocate's art. He is the author of several legal works which have firmly established themselves as classics, and are so regarded both in this country and in the United States. LONDON, October 29. To those who know Admiral Rojestvensky, one of the most inexplicable features of what one journal has euphemistically called ihe “egregious blunder’’ of the Baltic Fleet is that it should have occurred in connection with his name. The Admiral has the reputation of being one of the most cool-headed and scientific naval officers in the Russian service—a man of iron nerve, not in the least likely to lose his head in an emergency, and one whose proved personal courage and coolness are utterly out of harmony’ with the perpetration of such a cowardly outrage as the bombardment of the North Sea fishing fleet undoubtedly was. That ships under Rojestvensky’s command should have got completely out of hand seems to be the most inexplicable feature in an inexplicable incident. That under the command of an officer trained in the scientific methods of his profession, and one who has had actual experience of naval warfare, and, personally a man of proved coolheadedness in the face of danger, such a disaster should have occurred is no doubt a bitter blow to his countrymen. Born in 1848,' Rojestvensky made gunnery his special study. His first chance of distinguishing himself came in the Russo-Turkish war in 1877. when his attack, under Baronoff, on the Turkish ironclads in his gunboat Vesta made him a popular hero, and laid the foundation of his career. Promoted to •the rank of Commander in 1885, he was appoointed Naval Attache to the Russi:yi Embassy in this country, and spent several years in London as a student of our naval affairs. Later he was promoted to the command of the battleship Peresviet, and during the ChinoJapanese war he was Alcxieff's second in command of the Russian squadron in the Far East. Promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, he was in 1902 in command of the Russian squadron at the meeting of the Russian Emperor with the Kaiser at Revel, and his brilliant handling of his ships was recognised by his appointment as aide-de-camp a la suite to the Tsar. On the death of

Admiral Tyntoff, Rojestvcn>-ky succeeded Admiral Avellan as chief of the naval headquarters staff, and in this capacity he was head of the Intelligence Department. Consequently the equipment of the Baltic Fleet, such as it is, was mainly his work.

Afr and Mrs H. Reimers, of Auckland, who arrived by the lonic last month, returned last week to London from a motoring tour through Devonshire and Cornwall. They left again on Saturday for Berlin, with the intention of going up the Rhine and visiting South Germany, the Swiss and Italian lakes, the Riviera and Paris. Thence to Marseilles, where they take steamer for Cairo, changing there to a vessel which runs down the East Coast of Africa to Durban. They will visit Johannesburg and other places in South Africa before finally taking ship at Capetown for Australia and New Zealand.

Mr and Airs John Wiseman, of Auckland, who are on a visit to England, are at present in London. A<r Wiseman is combining pleasure with business, and has visited various parts of the kingdom. The date of his return to Auckland is not yet settled.

Callers at the Agent-General’s office this week: Airs Cussens (Auckland). Dr. E. H. Pope (Wellington), Air Thus. Black (Opotiki), All- F. Pudney (Christchurch), Air Claude B. Welsby (Wellington). Air P. A. Quinn (Hawera), Air 11. C. Watson (Wellington), Miss Clarice Bain and Mrs Wm. Smyth (Christchurch), Mr G. G. Brown (Wellington), Air ,1. Drake (Wellington), Afr Birney Stevenson (Wellington), Afr G. F. Powell tTokomaru Bay).

Airs Dorothy Flesher, widow' of the late Afr W T . Flesher, of Christchurch, is revisiting the Old Country after an absence in the eolony of 40 years. She came here by the Suez route last Afay, and intends returning the same way nt the beginning of next year. Since Uniting Airs Flesher has visited Thirsk, her native place, and also the English lakes and many of the northern towns. She is now spending a month in London, whence she returns to her brother at Leeds, having still a number of friends to visit in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Airs Flesher has greatly enjoyed her visit.

Afr George F. Powell, of Tokomaru Bay-, who is making a brief visit to the Old Country, returns by the Ophir, joining the vessel at Marseilles on November 10. Since arriving here at the end of August, part of his time h:<e been spent with his brother, Dr. Powell, of Stoney- Stratford, where he had some good cub-hunting. Afterwards Air Powell stayed with friends in Yorkshire and paid a short visit to the South of Scotland, the shortness of his holiday preventing him from accepting an invitation to go further north for a week’s shooting. After two or three days with Major S. Powell, A.M.C., at Aidershot, Air Powell will remain with his family nt Tunbridge Wells until his departure for New Zealand.

Afr H. C. Watson, of Wellington, and Air F. A. Quin, of Hawera, have been touring America and the United Kingdom, and are at present in London. They left Auckland by the Sonoma at the end of April last, spent three weeks at St. Louis Exhibition, visited the leading cities of the United States and Canada, and then, crossing to Liverpool, toured through Scotland and Ireland extensively, returning to London via Birming ham, Oxford, and Stratford-on-Avon. About November 20 they will leave Loudop for the Continent, with the intention of visiting France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, and if time permits the Holy Land will also be included in their itinerary. They expect to reach New Zealand about the end of February next.

One. joWy old “sea-dog” who was unable to attend the Navy League's annual dinner last week sent a very breezy and unconventional apology. Admiral Farquhar—for he it was—telegraphed that “as his age wae nearly nine ty, and he had had three broken logs, ho was now unable to do much talking!”

Captain Lascelles, of Napier, who is an officer in the Third Dragoon Guards, is now stationed at Ballineollig, County,

Cork, whither his regiment has beca transferred from Barrismith (Orange River Colony). He was in London last week, attending a “Welcome Home” dinner given by the old officers of the regiment. Captain Lascelles hopes to have the pleasure of revisiting the eolony in about three years.

Air Gordon G. Brown, of Wellington, has come to London to study photography and photoengraving. He arrived by the Ortona on August 27. The length of his stay in this country is as yet indefinite.

I have to record the death of Mrs Annie Blacke, widow of Ihe late Mr David E. Blacke, of Dunedin, and mother of a well-known colonial artist, Aliss Annie Taylor Blacke. The deceased lady, who was living with her daughter at Cheyne-walk, Chelsea, had been in poor health of late. She died suddenly on the 19th inst.

Air A. P. Malthus, of Christchurch, arrived in London on September 5. He was a passenger by the Waimate on her recent eventful trip. Before clearing Auckland the steamer ran aground, but got off without damage; five days later she encountered a severe storm, which kept her company all the way to the Horn; before reaching the tropwa she struck another storm, and, finally, while waiting for the tide at Gravesend she was run into by a German boat and injured about the bows, luckily above wafer. Air Malthus says he was put down as the "Jonah” of the voyage, but as there was no attempt to make him share the prophet's fate his equanimity was probably undistuiVied at the allegation. Air Alalthus has epme to Eng'and to gain experience in engineering, and hopes to return to New Zealand in about four years’ time.