The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-16
BELMONT'S
PROPOSAL
II Has Been Declined by
the Government.
THE CONDITION HE MADE.
Wanted TO Command Torpedo Boat
He Had Offered to Donate.
COMES OF GOOD NAVAL STOCK.

making his offer of torpedo boat TO Uncle
Sam, which has been declined, at least for
the present, Oliver II. y. Belmont has
again brought himself prominently before
the public, and this Is something which he
has been doing ever since he was gradual
ed from the Naval academy in 1880.
Mr.. Belmont is now about 40. He Is
the youngest son of the late August Bel
mont, the banker and was left $4,000, 900
when the father died Though ne has put
his money out with great freedom, there
are no indications that the fortune has
shrunk any since, and there is certainly no
reason TO believe Uncle Sans declination
of a torpedo boat was based on the fear
that the would be donor could not afford
to give It. On the contrary, there are rea'
sons for supposing that the gift would
have been accepted with alacrity had IL not
been accompanied by the condition that
Mr.. Belmont should himself command the
ship. There is every reason to belieye,
however, judging from Mr.. Belmont'spast
career, that vessel given and commanded
by himself would have right lively and
checkered career.
In and Out of the Navy.
Oliver III. z. Belmont went into the
navy because his family is one with naval
traditions on the mothers side. He Is not
descended direct from the hero of Lake
Erie, as some have said, however, Oliver
Hazard Perry being only his greatuncle,
bat Matthew Calbrajth Perry, who opened
Japan to western commerce, was grand
father, and the Perrys were related to the
Rodgers family, which has furnished many
good men and true to our navy within
the past 80 or 40 years.
Admiral Christopher Perry Raymond
Rodgers was superintendent of the Naval
academy when Oliver was a cadet there,
and there are traditions that the admiral
used to be particularly severe in the mat
ter of discipline with his cadet relative.
Tho admiral Is reported to have been spe-
cially disheartened by the fact that the
young man seemed to be more engrossed
in violin playing than In his naval studies,
and the circumstance that his skill with
the fiddle bow was considered really re-
markable did not help matters bit.
1t was quite clear to many Of the cadets
fellow students long before his graduation
that he would never be satisfied with the
life Of naval officer, and there were bets
a-plenty that he would resign Immediate
ly, but ne didn't. He served some time in
the north Atlantic squadron and under
went the experience of n naval cruise in
the Mediterranean before he gave up the
life.
Then in 1883 he married the daughter
of Augustus Whiting, whose social stand
ing was Of the best and who was n great
friend of Mrs. Orme Wilson and Mrs. AS
tor the mother of the reigning John Jacob
This marriage was followed quickly by
divorce, and the entire episode seems to
have been forgotten by the public and all
The lady is now Mrs George
l.. Reeves. Mr.. Belmont's marriage to
the former wife of Willie X. Vanderbilt
and the social complications that ensued
are still fresh In the public mind.
The collie" Belmont of Today.
When he was q boy, Oliver H. p. Bel
mont was called "Ollie" by everybody,
and "Ollie' he remains to this day among
his friends. He is still rather youthful in
looks and appearance. He shaves his face
smooth and is fond of eccentricities in
dress
Some of these peculiarities of attire are
really extraordinary. His waistcoats, for
instance, are often gaudy beyond the
power of description. He has been known
to sport green alpine hats. At Newport
he has been seen to walk out upon the
casino floor wearing regulation evening
dress 80 far as the coat and trousers werc
concerned, but finished off with one Of his
justly celebrated waistcoats In colors and
one of the green alpine hats before men
toned. He still scrapes the fiddle on oc-
casion. Ho is a reckless and dashing cross
country rider and q skiilful driver Of four
in-hand teams. Naturally he belongs to
the Coaching club and to the Meadow
brook Hunt. Besides ne Is member of
nearly dozen other New York clubs, in
cluding the Oldest and most aristocratic of
them all, the Union. He is also mem
Der Of the New York Yacht club, but, un-
like many Of his fellow members owns no
steam yacht In manner and speech he Is
pleasant and courteous, and no makes
friends easily.
Menagerie and Newport House.
Mr.. Belmont has done an immense
amount of travelling, and on one OF his
globo trotting expeditions he decided It
would be n good thing TO get q menagerie.
So he spent n lot of money buying sacred
bulls in India and all sorts of queer beasts
In other parts Of the world, which he
brought forthwith TO America and cstab-
lished the outfit on place just outside of
Newport which no named Graycourt.
For some time this collection of animals
was great attraction TO his friends, be-
sides furnishing somo pretty good ma
terial for newspaper paragraphs. IL is my
impression, however, that tho whole thing
was abandoned some years ago.
OF course SO rich man as "Ollie" Bel
mont can have rs many houses as he likes,
and he likes TO have several. Tho most
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