People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 1 December 1910, Page 1983

People We Hear About

It seems a remarkable coincidence, in view of the past history of Portugal, that Marshal Hermes De Fonseea, President-Elect or Brazil, who dined with King Manuel on the night of the insurrection, was a witness twenty-one years ago of the revolution engineered by his father in Brazil, as the result of which Dom Pedro was sent to Europe. It can have been given only to few men to be present at the dethronement of two monarchs.

Sir Maurice O'Rorke has been elected a vice-president of the Historical Society of Dublin, established in 1745. He is the only colonial vice-president of this Irish learned society of distinction. Sir Maurice is the third son of the late Rev. John O'llorke, of Moylough, Galway. v He is now in his eightieth year, and it is nearly sixty years since he graduated B.A. at Trinity College, Dublin. He settled in Auckland in 1854, and was called to the Bar in 1868. He was for many years Speaker of the House of Representatives.

As a boy Mr. Marconi is said to have shown little sign of cleverness. In fact, one of his teachers once said he could never learn anything by heart. He began working on his wonderful invention when he was seventeen, and at twenty-one he startled the world with his demonstrations of the power of wireless telegraphy. He is now only thirty-five years of age, and is by no means content to rest upon the fame he has won. Indeed, lie still works twelve, fourteen, and sometimes sixteen hours a day. ' Wireless telegraphy,' he says, ' is still in its infancy, and in the near future I hope to be able to circle the globe with wireless messages.'

The following interesting statistics concerning the correspondence of ±Jie various sovereigns and heads of Spates, supplied by Le Men Public, of Gand, serve to show that in spite of the loss of the temporal power it is the Pope who receives the most letters. ' Each day from 22,000 to 25,000 letters and journals are delivered at the Vatican, and to cope with this enormous correspondence his Holiness employs thirty-five secretaries. The President of the United States receives nearly 1000 letters and 4000 papers per day. The Emperor of Germany receives 4000 letters and from 3000 to 4000 journals or volumes; the King of England, 1000 letters and from 2000 to 3000 journals or books. The correspondence of the Czar is much less voluminous, 650 letters per day is the average. The King .of Spain and the King of Italy receive approximately 300; the Queen of Holland, 150. As to M. Fallieres, he receives very few letters and scarcely any books.'

King Manuel fled from Lisbon with nothing but the clothes he was wearing and hardly any money, but he procured handkerchiefs, tobacco, and a few other necessaries at Mafia before starting. Queen Amelia had only a plain tin trunk. The escort consisted of a squadron of cavalry. On arriving at Ericeira the Royal party left their motor-cars and walked down to the beach. Their entire baggage consisted of three trunks. Only some forty persons witnessed the departure, the cavalry forming a guard of honor and keeping back the public. Of these only one woman kissed her hand to Queen Amelia, who, on observing the indifference of the bystanders, exclaimed, 'How horrible! I never imagined that the Portuguese would treat me like this.' She displayed great nervousness, and as she got into the small boat which was to take the party off to the yacht fell backwards, while Queen Maria Pia was almost in a fainting condition. The King found his uncle, the Duke of Oporto, already on board the yacht, which left immediately the party reached the deck.

The disturbed state of Mexico at the present time directs attention to the career of President Diaz, who is now nearly an octogenarian, although he does not look more than sixty. General Porforio Diaz, who has been twenty-nine years President and Dictator of Mexico, has ruled that country with a strong hand. As a soldier he has quelled war and established peace. As a ruler he has made a country—formerly insecure even to its own inhabit—safe for all. As a diplomat he is at peace with the woiil. He has paid enormous debts, and created solvency—now developing into wealth—in Mexico. He has done these things sternly, it may be, and not always with justice to the individual, but with the national well-being as his justification. He found Mexico ravaged by revolution and lawlessness, and under his rule she is becoming great and prosperous after only thirty-three years of Governmental tranquility. General Diaz's position is unique in tl;<- world's history, for, although President of a Republic, he has reigned continuously for twenty-nine years. Pis will is all-powerful, for his authority is as great as that of the Czar. Diaz is a monarchal yet democratic ruler. _He controls his 15,000,000 people with a hand of iron : still they love him. He is a beneficent despot, and leads the unassuming life of a country gentleman. He walks alone in the streets, cares nothing for pomp or society, and plays the role of a simple, home-loving citizen to perfection. "