People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 13 August 1914, Page 41

People We Hear About

Ex-Queen Natalie is spending her days in retirement in a Paris convent. It is in the guest house of ‘ The Solitude ’ that the Queen of Servia now lives. Here, with a small suite for company, she devotes her time to different charitable works brought to the notice of the nuns. Her Majesty turned Catholic several years ago. In the person of Paul Mauser there passed away recently one of the best known inventors of modern times. According to Mr. Erzberger, a member of the German Parliament, Mauser was a noble and modest personality, a self-made man, who rose from simple conditions to the highest rung on the ladder of fame. In spite of many disappointments and reverses, the persevering Suabian inventor patiently improved his gun inventions until success crowned his efforts, and the Mauser rifle was introduced in most armies of the world. But success did not make him proud. Though his biography spells a history of modern industry in Germany, Mauser remained the modest, light-hearted son of the Black Forest. For over sixty years he belonged to the choir in his native parish, contributing in various ways to the progress of Church music after the heart of Pope Pius X. Catholics have more than an ordinary interest in the death of the late Duke of Argyll (says the Universe), for , in the collateral succession to the title,and jmsition of chief of the Campbell clan, stands Campbell of Lochxxell, descended in the male line from John, second son of Colin, third Earl of Argyll. He is a Catholic, and should he ever succeed to the dukedom, Catholicism in Scotland will receive a great impetus, particularly in the clan Campbell, who regard the MacCailean More with a reverence and a loyalty of which we Southrons have but a small conception. Still, we need not fash ourselves about that, for in the ordinary course of things it seems a very x-emote contingency. There are still four persons in the direct line of the succession, in addition to Mr. Niall Campbell, who now becomes the tenth duke, and is unmarried. There is the only son of the late Eord Walter Campbell, now heir-presump-tive, and he has a son ; and there is Lord George Campbell, third brother of the late duke, and a partner in Coutts’s bank, who also has a son. The memorial which is to bo inaugurated -in Valparaiso this year in honor of Patrick Lynch, who was ‘ soldier and sailor, too,’ will be another reminder of the far-flung activities of the Irish race. Lynch, who had the unique distinction of serving both as admiral and general in the South American Service, was born at Santiago de Chile in 1824, and one of his biographers adds the almost superfluous information that he was ‘of Irish descent on the paternal side,’ his father being Senor Estaxxislao Lynch. His life was crowded with incident. When a youthful cadet in the infant navy of the land of his birth, he was sent by the Chilian Government to the British Navy for training purposes. He served for seven years, and took part in the ‘opium’ war against China in 1841. Returning home, he served on various ships, and when the war with Peru and Bolivia broke out he was given command of a naval expedition. For four years he was in the thick of the struggle, which ended so disastrously for Peru. As Governor of Lima, he showed great administrative powers, and in 1884, when he was 60 years of age. Admiral Lynch was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Spain. After a sojourn of about 18 months in Madrid his health broke down, and he set sail for Chile, but died on the voyage in May, 1886.

Palmerston North (From our own correspondent.) At all the Masses on Sunday last it was announced that it was the wish of the St. Vincent d© Paul Society that the Tablet be placed in every Catholic home in the district, and with this object in view an energetic canvass is to be made by members. The town presents a very lively aspect at the present time, patriotic demonstrations taking place every evening. The band paraded on Friday and Saturday evenings, playing patriotic airs, and the news offices are besieged night and day for the latest news regarding the European struggle. The military forces of the Wellington District are to mobilise at the local racecourse.