Evening star., 1900-12-15

trio railways In London is that all the lines
shall be brought into torreiation with ex-
listing lines and Ttth esch other. Stations
will be Joined when near together by means
of subways. so that the passengers can go
from one line to another
When this fs not possible branch lines
will be made for this purpose and it will
be possible to travel all over the system
without going above ground. This will be
boon which we do not now possess in re-
gard to ordinary railways. If it is neces-
cab must be taken across town.
Tubular railways seem to have caught
the public fancy, and captured the finan-
ciers.
The latest project th lat has come before
the railway world will be the line under
Spithead connecting the Isle of Wight with
the mainland at Portsmouth. This line
will be made on the tubular system, which
has been so successful on the London cleo
trio railways. and it will provide through
communication between London and the
Isle of Wight by the Southwestern rail-
way. 1t is hoped that by this route the
time spent in the journey to the island can
be reduced to two hours.
The bill is being promoted in parliament
end the project is being SO favorably re-
ceHed that the Southwestern shares have
already risen on the strength of it. The
utility Of the line will be mainly to meet
the convenience of invalids. to whom even
the four-mile ferry across Spithead is a
disturbance, and to enhance the prosperity
of the Isle Of Wight by making more avail
able it's unequaled advantages as a winter
resort for invalids. But the line will also
be of strategica1 Importance, and, SO far
from the military authorities opposing 1t,
/ gather that they will favor it. There are
important. forts in the Isle of Wight, and
to secure communication under water
would be of priceless value in time of war,
while if such a disaster as the enemy OBJ
tanning possession of the island occurred.
1t would be the easiest thing in the world
to blow up the tunnel at the Portsmouth
end. The objections that apply to the
channel do not come in here. because both
ends of the Spithead tunnel will be IN
British possession.
Grafton Gallery Exhibition.
The winter exhibition in the Grafton gal
leries is devoted to second collection of
the works of George Romney. 1t con-
tans many portraits of Lady Hamilton,
Nelson's love, in almost every character.
Romney has painted her as Cassandra. as
Racchante uwice) as 'Contempla tion,"
and in the act of reading one of Lord Nell
sens dispatches in the Gazette. What
ever the character, the face always pos
Sesses the same charm and witchery, and
into nearly all of these portraits Romney
has thrown his whole strength The eX-
hlbition contains the celebrated painting
Newton Discovering the Prism" The like
ness of the great philosopher was based on
a cast taken after his death, and as painted
by Romney 1t represents with dramatic
force the pleasure and the satisfaction of
Newton at his discovery on the walls Also,
there is the wellknown work Shakes
peare Nursed by Tragedy and Comedy
one of the nurses bearing the features of
Lady Hamilton.
There are altogether between seventy and
eighty of Romney's works in the exhlbi-
ton, and It Is therefore, very fair OPP
portunity of studying the style and art OF
the great portrait painter.
no. Wi
just opened the best is that at the Dutch
gallery, Book street, where with wise re-
serve, no more than twenty-seven works
are hung. Two examples by Matthew Mar
are of extreme interest. The hrSt, OF an
Italian girl, in red cap seated under tree,
proves that at even seventeen or eighteen
years of age he could paint as few can in
their maturity. The little group Of Corots
shows the Barbizon artist in many and de-
lightful manners and moods; Daumiers
weird and fascinating thing; and there are
good examples by Dupre-this a strong and
l1nexagrarated sunset at sea-Henry
Muram, Daubigny and the late William
Estall.
Alpine Club Exhibition.
The Alpine Club opened It's winter ex-
hibition today. The show comprises 100
odd examples In water color and oil OF
mountain scenery. Mr. Alfred East Is rep
resented by four good things-a view, from
the village of Pre- St. Dider, of Mont Blanc,
rising as a world of white pnnacles to the
right; "a Fete Day at Courmayeur and
two views of Lake Maggiore, one observed
from above Stressa. His delicacy of per-
ception has stood him in good stead.
L. II. MOORE.