New-York tribune., 1900-04-09
LONDON NOTES.
A BREAK IN THE AMERICAN EMR,svv
WATER COLORS IN PICCADurv
MIR. ALEXANDER'S NEW PART
SHAKESPEARE AND SHERIp,v

from the United States EMBASSY, g-..., aaS
regret OF a large circle OF friends in -.
He has the reputation of being one % ~. 'sa s-s
ing men Of the service and there iv sa
representative Of the gallant Yank.. -a-'
uniform. when the war with spain cam : =. =
found himself at anchor In victorias.
ne was anxious to be afioat. He applied -
edly for sea service. but he could not ba -
from his post at the Embassy. and was -
pelled to remain ashore as ship broker tn-s--
the war and to conduct a tremendous -
the purchase of munitions Of war and srr-,,
His accounts ran far into the millions. and ~.
bored Gay and night over the business q, =
Department. I do not believe that his -
and efficiency during the year OF the s,,...
war have been fully appreciated in Arner,c, :.
was largely through his experience and pr.e.,-H
sagacity that immense purchases OF rna,s-,.,
war and supplies fer the Army and Navv a, :,
philippines were made on REASONABLE Term,
The American Naval and Military atta.ba.
Foreign capitals ordinarily have light WORT -
acquire little experience as experts. I.ieuts-.-
Commander ColwelI has been one OF the 49,,
est men In the American Embassy here ana =
has acquired a unique experience by vir,,. .
his work in England and on the Continan, a.
ing critical period. He has visited every 49,
yard and gun factory and has formed r.s-
acquaintance with Admiralty officials nav,,.,
hcers. designers. engineers. manufactursr, .
war material and contractors. naval ar,..
with an experience and knowledge so exceu,..,.
as his cannot leave the Embassy without r,,
ening IL n working force. He has madA-,--
friends in London society. where Mrs Cos,..
has been a marked favorite as a singularlv s--
liant woman Their departure from London NV
be sincerely regretted by all who had known ,,s
admired them.
The spring exhibition Of the Royal Ins,,.r..
Of Painters in Water CoIors is remarkable a.
a high average Of merit rather than for rnasa,
pieces. tour of the three large rooms w,,
their six hundred drawings. discIoses much az
cellent workmanship. although the inspira,,o,
of genius in drawing and color is lacking NJ
f. j. Gregory has three admirable works. IN.
best being "Beggar Maid" a merry darnsel wh,
is awaiting the approach Of Cophetua in hi,
coach and six. His Guard Room Dandy" has
the brillIance of Messonier Mr. Au1nonier IA,
a beautiful study of a chalk pit under a rising
moon. with soft and tender effects OF light And
color. Mr.. Wimperis reaches a high level in
The Mill on the Downs; Mr.. George Wethsr-
bee has an "Ebb Tide with no shrinkage OF his
poetic talent; Mr.. PeppercOrn has a few slight
notes of color with exquisite. dainty charm and
Mime. Henriette Ronner has pair OF kittens
painted as she alone can do il. Mr. Lucisn
Davis in The Lancers' and Mr.. Byam Shaw
in The Outeast' have SNOWY ambitious pict-
ures which interest the spectator by their c!sv-
erness. yet leave an impression that effective
skill in composition has been misapplied The
Society of AIiniaturists has a large collection In
these galleries. but not more than a dozen works
out of three hundred show any real advance in
this beautiful branch of old fashioned art Ap-
England has not yet set in.
Mr.. George Alexander has returned N ths
part Of the midde-aged lover. roman
tic in spirit. flippant in manner good natured IN
motive Mr.. Pinero and Mrs. Craigie have En-
ahled him in The Princess and the Butterfly"
and in The Ambassador TO delight his audi
ences with the representation of the man Of the
world whose heart is still tender and true IN
middle life. and Mr.. Walter Firth IN The Man
OF Forty provides him with sentimental and
amOrous opportunities of similar range Mr.
Lee Fanshawe is perhaps the most finished por-
trait in Mr.. Alexander's gallery Of easy going
chivalrous and sentimental men of forty Ths
part is so admirably played at the ST. Jaues's
Theatre that the acting may save a crudsly
constructed and theatrical melodrama % the
West End drawing room from the reproach o.
plausibility. Mr.. Alexander is the best STAG.
lover In England. whatever may be the tings .,
the hair his temples or the cut OF his waist
coat and in this play there is fine variety In his
acting with single strong moment az the close
of the third act. when he denounces with concen-.
trated force OF passion the woman and the man
who have deceived him by a conspiracy Of 81
lence.
The central figure of this drama is a million
aire member OF Parliament. who after hard
work and poverty is plunging into fashionable
dissipatiOns like racing and betting and touch
ing the world on many sides The Man Of Forty
has daughter who has fallen out OF his scheme
OF life and is free to travel and amuse herself
with chaperon. He himself is in love with
Mrs Egerton. whom he has discovered as
waitress in tea shop. with two children de-
pendent upon her. He is eager 70 marry her.
and only awaits evidence that the husband VINO
has cast her OFF is dead. This husband. under
the name OF Montgomery. travels from South
Africa on the same ship with Mr.. Fanshaws's
daughter. and wins her heart by his fascinatiOns
He follows her to her fathers London house and
suddenly meets his own wife. He silences the
wife by threatening her with divorce proceedings
and deprivation OF her children hribes actress
to make q false deposition respecting his own
death. and, having facilitated bigamOus mar
riage. aims himself to carry OFF the millionsires
daughter, The conspiracy is laid bare by ths
actress; Mrs. EgertOn cOnfesses that her nus
band is living, and Mr.. Fanshawe. in an OUT
burst of passion. snatches engagement rihs
and letter from his daughters lovers hand
Montgomery suddenly falls dead from heart eis-
ease. and in the last act the Man Of Forty clasps
the fascinating widow 20 his heart in raptu'-
Gus embrace and gallant young soldier Wh'
has Won a Victoria Cross in South Africa. -
supplied as a substitute for the scOundrel IN 'ns
affections of the daughter.
AS melOdrama this piece is obviously artiHciS