The age-herald., 1901-12-01
nY HENRY DEvEREAUx.

London, November 25.-The' laudation that is being poured out on the Duke of Cornwall on the completion of his trip around the world Is becoming nauseating. Take this paragraph from one of the society weeklies Tt has profted the Heir-Apparent to have seen the self-gov- erning nations which make up the British empire in both hemispheres. It is not less profitable than those nations should have seen their future king and queen. and have become directly cognizant in them of the keen political intelligence, the social tact, the graceful courtesy and the strong sense of duty which make light of fatigue in the public service" All that stuff is written with a single ob- ject in view, to curry favor with the Kings set and enable the proprietor and editor of the sheet to obtain driblets of court news which he may retail to his patrons. Talk about the social tact" of the Heir-Apparent.. Is that such a wonderful requirement., If he really pos
 sesses it, which I doubt. Where was the 'social tsct' in evidence when he replied III EuBlSn IO tue dQuI eSS Ol tne fTeIlCH Canadians? A erosser breach of etiquette for one in his position could not have been committed. It may be that he can not speak the language of the people who, ne hopes, will become his future subjects. If so, what kind of an eduea- ton has he had? Read that other gem, The strong sense of duty which makes light of fatigue in the public service" Now, 1t is safe to say that during the entire journey he did nor undergo as much fatigue ss he would in a single days shooting on the moois. or in an ordinary game of golf or cricket. Bored he may have been, but fatigued Hum buzz The truth is that no man, young or old, ever made such journey amid more luxurious surroundings. The ship that bore him was veritable floating palace, If there ever was one. Asfc he lived in equal splendoi while the trains on which he travelled were equipped and furnished in accordance with his royal rank. There was not a moment in the day from the time he left England to that of his return that his convenience and comfort were not objects of the greatest solicitude to retinue of ser wants and courtiers. In fact, the Duke had as good time as man could possi- bly, have at the expense of the people, and the less said about 1t the better. British royalty is becoming a very ex- pensiye luxury, and the masses do not care to be reminded of 1t too often.
 
 An effort is being made to induce King Edward to make a trip to Ireland as soon as possible He does not want to go, but the chances are that he will be compelled to make the sacrifice for pur- poses of state. Queen Victoria was ex- tremely reluctant to do so when she went, but the army needed recruits. and 1t was though that the business of the recruiting officers might be improved if she allowed Patrick to feast his eyes on royalty. A precisely similar situation ex- ists now. indeed, a worse one. Many of the regiments in Africa have half the number of their full strength, and no in- ducement thus far offered is sufficiently attractive to fill up the gap in the ranks
 King Edward has not been in Ireland in years. He dislikes 1t on many accounts