New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.


stately ceremonies court scandal, royal chafit.
and practical diplomacy The ARRIVAL Oh ii
Duke of Connaught in India is sign that th'
ooronation eurbar of imperial magnificence Ii
close at hand. and the progress of Mr. Chah
ber,ain in Natal is proof that the most distin
s,,,sbad cbampion of the middle classes in Eng
land is received with fervid enthusiasm Ia his
l.ao-ious mission of inquiry which is essential
10 tbe pacifcafion and regeneration Of South
Africa The Queens Christmas dinner 70
widows and orphans was admirably arrahseO
in the well appointed buildings OF the Alex
andria Trust in the City Road There were
over two thousand recipients of the queen
bounty and the tables and walls were artisu-
caIly decorated A generous dinner OF hVe
courses was provided. and there were souvenir
cards and presents of sweetmeats for every
guest Each dining room had its own stage
and hundred OF more singers. variety artistS
and jugglers assisted in the entertainment
As a foil for these functions and the charities
of the crown and craftsmanship is the eH'raol-
binary scandal in the court of Saxony, which
stiu fills many columns of the public press The
sense tionaIisrn of the vulgar Hartopp case has
a,een ;surrassad bv the gilt edged yellow covered
serial in which the crown princess takes refuge
with the dismissed French tutor from the Tor
r,ali,v of court functions and the menace OF
Imprisonment for madness. and a sentimental
arcbduke renounces his rank in order TO marry
an actress Another sorrow has been adoed TO
the cup Of bitterness which the veteran EN-
peror Of Austria Hungary had been already
forced to drink to the dregs and the morals
and sanity of court life in two continental cap
itaIs have been publicly challenged Scanoais
like these are a fresh proof-oT the services rem
dered to nlonarchical institutions by Queen VIC
toria in making royalty reputable, honorable
and pre-efainently useful to courtly function,
and the royal scandal is an added pathos.
The great primate's funeral services in Cam
terbury Cathedral to-day were simple and state
ly The episcopal bench was fully represented
by the bishops mourning the loss Of the natural
leader of the English Church and there was
great company of reverent spectators from the
court universities army, navy and civil service
The wife Of Archbishop Benson and the two
daughters of Archbishop TAFT were among the
rnourners The service was arranged by Dean
Farrar himself overcome with grief and i'll
health and the wishes of Mrs. Temple were
closely considered in the choice of the music
There were simultaneous services in Westmin-
ster Abbey and st. Pauls. with a note of
thanksgiving for the noble example of the
Archbishop's life. The publication of hundreds
OF anecdotes illustrating the Archbishop's dry
the secrets of his influence and popularity. A
singular coincidence has also been pointed out
and an appeal been made to superstition The
Archbishop's military brother died thirty-six
wears ago in a boating accident at Madras, two
DAYS before Christmas. II is also related that
when the Archbishop preached his last sermon
IN Canterbury white pigeon fiuttered from
one side TO the other of the triforium, and was
recognized by the superstitious spectators as
harbinger of death. -
Apert from these strangely contrasted themes,
there are few incidents of exceptional interest
The Prime Minister'S Illness does not appear
serious and is the result Of oyerwork during the
exhausting session of Parliament The head
masters conference has discussed two questions
Of considerable Importance to educators one
is the question Of making Greek compulsory in
the entrance examinations at Oxford and Cam
bridge and the solution recommended by large
majority is TO leave the university courses an
open matter and TO hold a consultation with the
representatives of the leading schools respecting
the ultimate decision. The recent vote at Ok
ford on the question of making Greek compul-
sorry does not appear to have discouraged the
party Of innovation. The other question re-
lated 10 army examinations. and was dealt with
in a conservative spirit.
Clifford luD the last OF me ten inns OF
Gerry is again in danger of invasion by jerry
builders The decision OF the courts that ii is
trust and not the property of the benchers
has impaired insecurity TO its shadowy exist
ence The Ancient Buildings Preservation So
ciety is seeking TO rescue the ancient landmark,
with it's beautiful medieval hall
The death Of Mrs. Agnes Lewes. at the age OF
eighty-one, is recorded in provincial newspapers.
She was the wife OF George Henry Lewes, whose
place was taken by Marian Evans George
Eliot) in defiance Of law and conventions Mrs
Lewes was probably the last survivor Of the
brilliant group Of literary celebrities among
whom her lot was In the early ffties she
Mr.. Lewes, when he was tutor in her
fathers family and she subsequently sup
ported with her children with assistance from
George Eliot's pen.
The chief scientific event Of the week. the
of MarcoErs transatlantic mes
sages has not been neglected by the press,
which has assumed at once that ''Marconi-
grams" will be in use across all before the
end of another decade. The Importance Of the
new system has been overrated, If anything. by
enthusiasts, who fall TO produce evidence OF the
revolutionary character of the wireless teles-
raphy invention The cotton gin and the steam
l,aat a hundred years ago were not appreciated
at their fun value by the contemporaries OF
Whitney and Fulton. Signor Marconi's achieve
ments are received with something like an ex-
cess OF credulity and Imagination j. y. F.