New-York tribune., 1890-04-13
PERSONALITIES.
ruE PRINCE OF WALES-THE GERMAN EN-
PEROR-THE FRENCH-SOCIAL NEWS
PRINCE BISMARCK AND Mr.. GLAD
STONE.

London, April =
There arc people so unreasonable as 10 remain
upsatisHed by the smooth excuses 1or 'he ie"'
loss of life in the building of the Forth Bridge
More than fifty men were killed. II Is iess per
centaee than ever known before, say 'he eng
neers. in any large and difficult work, ana NJ
FiHel has made a calculation that one workman
life is due for every million francs expended
As the Forth Bridge cost nearly hundred mill
ions the contractors were entitled 10 XIII hf"iS
twice as many men as they did. Scichuinc views
~ this kind are more scientific than popular, ana
the Prince OF Wales has once more been pu' LOT
ward to speak in behalf OF the Dfdge anu us
builders letter appeared lately slsned py hiS
seeretary. Sir Francis Knoys, written by dlIec-
ton Of the Prince, but based entirely on oilciai
statement. of the precautions taken against accl-
dcnt The precautions were, l believe, unusual,
and this o.,cial account of them is interesting
1t does net appear why the engineers and othcr
rcr.on, concerned should not Themselves have
made and signed and published the narrative
which they have given to the world under cover
OF tie Prince.
This is hswever, @ good example OF the Klhu
of function the Prince so frequently performs
lie is o public servant and hard-worked puohc
servant II has often been remarked mat he
laws foundation stones and opens hospitals ana
presdes over public enterprises, all III great mum
Der. Perhap. rather less often has 1t been no'eu
that when thing is to be brought 10 the a'teh-
lion OF tho public 10 one can do 1t so ehcien.y
a. the Prince Of Wales lie has tie ear of the
public what he says is sure TO De hs'ehcu 10
nar,ly because he is the Prince of Wales. partly
bccame lie is always brief and always speaks 10
the point. and always, or almost always, WIN
Judgment and good sense and with good feeling
The latter quality this last letter shows III
striking way. The Prince is not content TO DC
merely the apoogist of the builders lie eA-
presses his sympathy with those VINO nave los'
husbands and brothers and sons ana frichds'
kympathy which has every mark OF genulnehess'
The Prince has not only talent for speaking
but talent for silence at times; not less val
uahlc 10 him perhaps than lis more snowy eits'
H. is one OF the secrets OF social rs well as OF
political success to know what not to say, ana
when not to say it. This too, he has dlsooV-
ercl and this talent for silence has never stINcu
lir, better than the other day at Berlin Ills
astonishing young nephew the German Emperor
thought it well TO repeat in his own Palace what
he said last August at Osborne about uni"o
british Fleet and German Army which was TO
keen The rcace Of Europe. il was not considered
iuiicous observation then it IS perh'ps even less
50 now when favored with a too spicy refer
cnca 10 the Joint action of German and Brlush
tyoops at Waterloo. The French are furious; ana
not without reason, IL ever there be reason IN
fury They are angry, however. not only with
the German Emperor for saying these things. but
with the Prince Of Wales for being present when
they were said. There is no reason IN That
The Prince listened. and when his turn came 20
reply made no reference TO the joint acron OF
IRE British Fleet and the German Army, nor any
to Waterloo. The French at first sand he Ought 70
have repudiated his nephew's words, but they
have since had time to cool. and TO perceive that
il was irnnossible for the Prince TO do more than
he did They never will understand, however.
Tint the functions of the Heir Apparent 10 the
English Throne not political but social lie
takes no sides in home politics HIS duty
is done when he has been equally civil 70 Doth
sides: and he Is not only equally but scrupuonsly
civil 70 both sides TO take sides in foreign
affairs would be an indiscrction OF grave khd
NOR could he do it eYectually il he wished TO do H.
~ ..+ NJ his would alter so much as the wording
NJ . d.n.tch from the Foreign Office lie Is nou
consulted by Lord Salisbury; his opinion IS not
soucht and il certainly is not volunteered lc
has no part to play in the conduct ot ansIs'
unless IL be as member OF the House OF L"rus'
and oa some such question as Marriage WIN
Deceased Wifes Sister; momcntous, no Gn"ot'
but cot vital In the Constitution OF thls hlhS-
dom the Sovereign has place which Is sun
a great one The Heir Apparent has none. ~
has
Of the day to 60 into Opposition. That was be-
o,r.c tb. Kins made and unulade Ministers, led
rortic. and governed as well as regDed. Inc
Kin, was 4 great force in politics, ana as ne ana
Iii. .on csntrived as rule 10 be on bad terms, The
son found 10 easy TO express his dlslNc OF his
father by getting up cabals against iAS i"tAet
Ministers All that Is long since at an ehu' ii
the French would but tako the trouble 10 nies'ei
these rudimentary facts, they would save 'ieih-
sclve. some anxiety, and leave unsaid sucn oi
tber criticisms on the Prince Of Wales as proceed
ON the theory that he is on emlssary ci'n0i ''o"'
Downing Street or from Windsor
Whatever relates TO the Prince of wales ana
70 the Queen and 10 the Court has lons pecn
recornizcd even by the sobcrest ana mos' oie-
,;ced or1,ns Of public opinion, as news that the
public wishes 10 read; and has been suPp"cu
accordingly For long time, however these
.oh.,... and most dgniied organs of public
opinion stopped there they did not recognize The
extst.nee socially speaking, Of anything pui
rovalty II may be worth noting that the
appettc for other social news has at last been
admitted By The Times itself to be one which
il is prudent 10 satisfy. There appeared on Moh-
0ay in this journal for the first time quarter
Of a column OF items relating 10 the movements OF
DISTINGUISHED persons This follows Immediately
after the news of Court, which has always been
headed Court Circular and does, III 1act,
emapatc directly from the Court The new So
oial department is done in much the same way as
the Court CircuAr-is bare recital OF facts,
without as vet any Of those emotional Court
outbursts which sometimes astonish the world.
They are known TO come direct from Her Majesty
the Queen But in these new paragraphs you
will hardly find anything more exciting than the
announcement that Lord Salisbury accompanied
by Lady Gwendelen Cecil left town On Saturday
"a join the Marciioncss Of Salisbury on the
Riviera; that Lord Cadsgan left Chelsea House
for Culfsrd, Bury st. Edmunds, on Saturday. for
the Easter recess; and that Mr.. Balfour has ar
ranxed 70 spend the first part Of the Easter recess
AZ Wilton with the Earl and Countess Of Penn