Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-17
KING is PUNCTILIOUS
Insists on Court Set Barring Gaiety
for the Present.
IN MOURNING FOR LATE QUEEN
Society Takes the Tip and the
Town is Dull.
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| LONDON, June 5, 1901.
London is poisoning out suddenly into
it's summer season. Everybody to whom a
London season means anything is in town.
| and although this year will be much
quieter than usual, on account of royal
| mourning among the higher circles of So
| ciety, yet enough of gayety can be crowded
| into parties, opera going, high teas, races
| and river festivities to make things look
| lively at any rate.
An incident which has just transpired,
| and which is well authenticated, indicates
| that while the king has no desire to see
| court etiquette, as to the observance of
| mourning, initiated by the general public,
| his majesty at the same time is determined
| to permit no relaxation of custom in the
| case Of persons who move within the
| charmed circle.
| The wife of peer, who holds high posi-
| ton in the royal household. was indiscreet
| enough the other day to issue invitations
| for a ball. No sooner did the king hear of
| the contemplated festivity than he caused
! message to be conveyed to the lady, the
purport of which may be inferred from the
| fact that all the invitations have since
been Cancelled and the arrangements for
| the ball countermanded. AS the intention
to give the dance had become widely
known, it's sudden abandonment under the
veto of the king has naturally caused a
good deal of talk. Society realizes that for
the rest of the season it must eschew gay
cites on large scale and content itself
| with little after-dinner dances and quiet
card parties.
What this means to the West End trades
men may be imagined. One fashionable
caterer is deporing the loss of an order
valued at $500 in consequence Of the aban-
donment of similar plans of social enter
a lnlt
ment it became known that his majesty
in one case had expressed disapproval.
Length of London Season.
|. London season, in the most exclusive
sense of the term, lasts for little more than
six weeks. 1t begins about the first week
of June and expires gloriously in Good
wood week. Within that short period the
servants of fashion, whose great shops
have usually so prosperous an appearance
must earn sufficient profits to cover the
years expenses. They make calculations
In sums that would astonish the ordinary
tradeSman.
A glorified pastry cook estimates that
within the next few weeks owing to the
court mourning, he will lose 100000 worth
of business, compared with his last years
trade. Dressmakers, florists, decorators,
jewelers. and stablekeeperS, all are hit alike
and must get along as best they till
the great harvest of the coronation is ripe
What the tradesman will lose on his Eng
fish customers he must make up on the
American visitors, and judging from the
steady influx of these during the past
month part of his losses bid fair to be
made good to him.
have rarely seen more Americans in the
streets, shops and theaters. American
prosperity certainly is responsible for the
presence here of many more than usual.
The hotels are all full and the West End
boarding houses are doing very we'll
Last night representatives of both the
New York and the London chambers of
commerce attended an official reception at
the house of the United States ambassador;
tonight the London chamber will give a
! banquet to the New York chamber at the
Grocers' Hall. for which the guests on the
st. Paul and Teutonic are hurrying over;
on Thursday evening Lord Brassey will
give an evening reception at "a Park lane
to representatives of both chambers and
on Friday the lord mayor will receive them
at the Mansion House, after which the
London chamber will give their New York
confreres luncheon at Salters' Hall.
Americans Going to the Derby.
A great contingent of Americans are 60
ing down to EPSON Downs to see the great
derby run, and this morning the town is
simply filled in the neighborhood of the ho-
tells which Americans frequent with
coaches, drags, brakes and all manner of
conveyances, for journey by road Is still
the most popular way of going to the
derby.
Those who are familiar with the famous
race course will have an unusual sight to
greet them today. The Southeastern and
Chatham companies have just completed
new line to EPSON Downs The terminus
Is at the famous Tattenham Corner Two
circular stands have been constructed: one
of them will give the occupants a capital
view of the race from start to finish, while
the other will give it's occupants a good
view of the run home"
1t 1S to be lODed for the sake Of
and quietness and calm language, that the
ghosts of the fine old English gentlemen
who knew the EPSON race course and
downs long long ago, will not be allowed
to catch a glance at locomotive engines at
Tattenham Corner. The sight is nearly as
tncongruous as railway train running I'D
Snowdon.
The Alterations in the Strand
The alterations now going on in the
Strand are only at their commencement,
but already the change effected is the
greatest transformation that any part of
central London has undergone within liy-
ing memory. Buildings which were very
disappeared or are doomed, and for more
than half it's length the best known thor
oughfare in the world loses it's familiar as
pect Starting close by the law courts the
roadway to the north Of the Church of St
Clements Danes, one of the famous Strand
island churches, has been increased to more
than twice it's former width. This has been
effected by making considerable portion
Of the churchyard into the road and q
very great number Of human remains have
been removed to Working cemetery. Be
tween Holywell street and the Strand there
were formerly two rows of shops facing
to each Of the thoroughfares. respectively.
The one fronting the Strand has now en-
tirely disappeared. and though Holywell
street itself still remains practically intact
ultimately the whole Of the shops on its
south side will disappear.
Wych street, the fashionable thorough
fare Of 800 years ago. Is also doomed The
secondhand book shops, which have been
the characteristic feature of Holywell
street for many generations past, are al
ready beginning to disappear. From here
to Wellington street the whole of the
houses on the north side are to disappear.
Very extensive changes are also taking
place on the north side Of the Strand
nearer Charing Cross. The large new front
Of the Hotel Cecil Is rapidly approaching
completion: and just opposite to 1t the