Evening star., 1896-12-26
Stir in London Over a Washington
Letter to the '.Chronicle."
AMBASSADOR SAID TO Be OBNOXIOUS
Holiday Day in the British Metrop-
oils the Best in Years.
FOGGY CHRISTMAS WEATHER

CcLJ righted, 1896 by the Associated Press)
LONDON, December 26.-Oficial and
diplomatic circles are in a fiutter over an
outspoken article on Mr.. Thomas F. Bay
ard, the United States ambassador, in the
chronicle of Thursday last. Hitherto it
has been the custom of the English press
TO Iavishly praise him. and he has been
everywhere hailed as the man who, single
handed, accomplished the Arglo-American
entente. The Chronicle, upon the occa-
sion referred to, gave great prominence to
q Washington letter, saying that instead
OF rendering either country service Mr..
Bayard, by minimizing the gravity Of Pres
ident Cleveland's Venezuelan message to
Congress, was a most dangerous repre-
sentative of the United States during a
great crisis, and, the Washington letter
adds, it was no thanks to him that the
situation did not lead to the most serious
consequences The Chronicles correspond
ent further claims to have the highest au-
thority for making the statement that
President Cleveland and Secretary Olney
were anxious. year ago. that Mr. Bayard
should resign; that all the negotiations
were taken out of his hands, and that he
has known nothing of what has transpired
between Washington and the foreign office
here, but mas been content to be pushed
asloe, without resentng 1t.
The Queens Christmnx.
The queens Christmas was celebrated
very quietly at Osborne, the death of
Prince Henry of Battenberg having made
all usual festivities unseemly. Only the
old traditional customs of the table were
uninterfered with, and the usual presents
were given today. The royal baron of
beef, which is the principal dish on the
queens sideboard. was cut this year from
Devon
majestys Flemish farm in Windsor Grea:
Park. Tine joint was roasted at Windsor
and was sent to Osborne Christmas eve
along with a boar's lead and woodcock
pie. They all duly appeared on the side
board yesterday.
Her majesty received from her grandson,
Emperor William of Germany, as usual
a genuine hure de sanglier from the ia
nous royal preserves at Syringe, Hanover,
and another from the Duke of Coburg
besides a quantity Of German cakes and
Sweetmeats.
An Important Papyrus.
The British Museum has obtained an i'm
portant papyrus manuscript Of the first
century b. c.. 1t was found in Egypt and
contains lost odes of the lyric poet Bacchy-
lides, the contemporary Of Pindar. The
manuscript is finely written, but is much
mutilated. But fifteen to twenty poems
are intact
n, H. "A.
man, the Oxford coach, in which he records
the progress made by Harvard and the
anxiety and Willingness of the crews to
learn the English style of rowing, COM
mented on it as follows:
Already we can see the grand challenge
cup sailing across the Atlantic
Jamaica is making great efforts TO get a
footing in the London fruit market. One
from that island on Monday and, if sue
cessful, the Jamaicans propose transferring
their present New York trade 10 London.
The government is busly engaged in
making inquiries into the systematic oil
vugence of confidential infoi imaIion by
persons employed in the department of
state and prosecutions will probably. fol-
low. II is stated that foreign governments
are better informed regarding secrets of the
British service than in the case of the
secrets Of any other power.
The Christmas Weather.
The Christmas weather has been of the
mildest description, foggy ami without
snow. But the holiday trade mas been the
best in years, especially in jewclry, fancy
articles, books and mechanical toys, which
formed the chief attractions OF the shop
pers. The receipts OF last Monday at one
big cooperative store alone were 24Ot
t$112,VsO. Ar average of 2O0.VW parcels
were handled daily 1T the main parcel
Office where 400 clerks have pecn work
ing night and day.
On the other hand, the distress amona
| the poor of London is equally marked
Over 700 persons were relieved nut of the
| funds of the poor box AT Bow street police
court in three days, some OF the cases be
| ing most pitiabIe.
The Cxar to Abyssinfa's King.
The czar has sent to King Menelek o
| Abyssinia a large collection OF musical in
strumcnts, including grand piano, an CIR
| gan, a complete set of wind instruments
as we'll as a band of musicians who accom-
| pany the imperial gifts.
DIR. Frederick Temple. the new archbish
op of Canterbury, and formerly bishop o
London, bid farewell to the clergy of tina
| diocese on Wednesday in st. Pauls Cathe
dral. The archbishop, in full robes, preach
ed an eloquent sermon. Mrs. Temple wa,
presented, in behalf Of the ladies of th'
| diocese, with set Of Chippendale furni
tire.
Mr. Gladstone in a letter just published
en- the subject of book collectors, says: g..
have been a purchaser in my time Of abou
30 600 books. A book collector ought Il
possess six Qualifications-an appetite, leis
ure wealth, knowledge, discrimination ant
perseverance. OF these / have only thu
| two first, and the last is restricted, as m.
visual power seriously disables 1t. Speak
| ing generally, l have retired from the lis
of purchasers and / am gradually trans
| ferring the bulk of my library to an insti
| tuition, St. Deniols, Hawarden. The bool
| longest In my possession is Sacred ORA
mas presented to me by the authoress
| Hannah More, inscribed AS you have JUS
| come into the world end 1 am just goint
| out of it, allow me- ETC."
Sir Henry Blake, who purchased the es
| tate Of Sir Walter Raleigh, Myrtle Grove
| Youghal, is restoring and beautifying tn
| interior Of the house. A great quantity o
| the old oak wainscoting was found t,
| have been painted or papered over. Thi
| has been scraped off and the oaken rafter
| exposed to view. Among the relics of 81
Walter that have been found is an old sea
] chest. which is supposed to have been uset
| by him on his voyages.
Coming of DR.. Nansen.
According to present arrangements. DIR
| Nansen will arrive at Hull, on his visit t.
! England, on Tuesday, February 2. ard will
come direct to London to deliver his prom
ised address before the Royal Geographical
Society. So great is the desire to hear hin
that the members of the society, who mum
| Der over 4,OOO, will not be allowed to invit
| friend The Prince of Wales will atten
| this meeting, and DIR. Nansen's six weeks
| lecture tour will begin Immediately there
| after.
w. s. Mills of Rochdale has signed tn
| agreement for a match to run Bredin 40
| yards at the Rcchdale Athletic Ground, o.