Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-01

tries which have created them, and our own Fourth of July is unique in this respect. For not only do the Ameri- cans who happen'to be travelling abroad when Independence day arrives cele- brate it with enthusiasm in all parts of the earth, but potentates and princes from India to Norway cooperate with them in these patriotic endeavors until nowadays these foreign festivities are almost matter of course. This year is likely to demonstrate the fact more emphatically than ever. Never were there more of our wealthy citizens abroad than now. Never have prepar- ations on their part been more elabor- ate in honor of the birthday of their native land.
 England and France divide the hon. ors of having more Americans within their borders than any other country, with Italy good third. In the first named nation our wealthy travellers are particularly numerous and great num- bers of them will visit that famed seat of Waldorf Astor, where the great land- owner has prepared quite celebration. Mir. Astor's well-known antipathy to fireworks is likely to limit the days observance to quiet festivity, but last year he set dinner of three hundred covers on the Thames bank and four teen members of parliament sat down to it and drank the health of the presi- dent of the United States.
 At Cliveden the preparations have been making for nearly two months
 4 z4 .4z will run into the hundreds, Henry La- bouchere himself predicting In re- cent number of Truth that the affair will undoubtedly prove the event of the summer season. The Vanderbilts have not yet announced any social event in commemoration of the day, in spite of the fact that their superb seat in England is about ready for occu- paEcy.
 The official celebration of the day in England will, of course, be that held in kthe American embassy in London, with
 mbassador Bayard as host. So fully recognized in England are the customs incident to this day that it is an under stood thing that no one connected with the embassy shall be asked to any af- fair that is timed to cover the Fourth of July. For thirty years the queen of England and the prince of Wales have been represented at the banquet given by the American minister on this day. MT. Bayard has had a novel position to sustain in view of his being the first American to hold so exalted diplo- matic post at the court of St. James, it has been an advantage in one re- spect, since he is the personal repre- sentative of the sovereignty of the United States and princes of the blood now personally attend such functions as the one in honor of the Fourth of July. The affair this year will be held in the dining-room of the quaint old building which has so long housed the American diplomatic representatives. The Stars and Stripes not only float from the roof as on ordinary days, but the building itself is draped. The toasts are always to the United States, the>president and the queen. The na-
 on will be spoken for by Mir. Bayard md the queen by member of the Brit iish cabinet. As long ago as May 15 Mr. Asquith was delegated to rep resent the ministry at the ban quet. MT. Roosevelt, in his capacity as secretary of embassy, will act as toast master. One unfortunate thing about affairs of this kind is that they must necessarily be at the expense of the ambassador himself since the govern ment does not make any allowance above the seventeen thousand five hun dred dollars year salary for occasions of this kind. However, our represen- tatives in,England do not fail to carry off the honors of the day, and last year Mir. Bayard had one hundred and fifty guests atuinner. This year the guests will include four ambassadors to Eng land fronI the European powers, and sentativesin parhament-a sufficiently cosmopolitan contrast.
 Ever since the days of the great fam inc, whenrthis country did so much for n suffering country, Ireland has grate- fully remembered our national holiday. In Dublin the American flag always floats from Trinity on the Fourth of July ands.the lord mayor invariably toasts thesStars and Stripes on that day at 8 banquet which is usually given by the consul from the United States. In Cork the rifles parade on that day or hold @ Epecial drill, but .he law for Dssids any-disrlay of our flag in the rsnifs. But the music is always the Star Spangled Banner" With the singlo exception of St. Patrick's day there is no holiday celebrated with moro enthusiasm in Cork than the Fourth of July. az there are numbers of Americans living there, not to speak of the hosts of Irishmen who have friends in the new world who are Cork cninu born.
 Tho Irish members of parliament arc