Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-18
CLOSE OF THE GA|ETY
Famous London Theater Ends
Career in Blaze of Glory.
VISIT OF LoUBET
AUTO RACE IN IRELAND BOOMS
THE ISLANDS FINE SCENERY.
Great City Decidedly Behind United
States and the Continent in Latest
Makes of Public Mobiles.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

! of its Importance obscures everything else.
| is the visit of the French President. But
| to say that NJ. Loubet had an enthusiastic
| re ception would be to minimize the stolidi-
ty of the English character just as to speak
| of enthusiasm in connection with King Ed
wards visit to Paris was to ignore feelings
| born in the past which the better under
| standing of the present could not wholly
| eradicate. AS in Paris SO in London the
| visiting head of state received cordial
| rather than an enthusiastic welcome.
| All the same. the reception was one which
| pleases France. and will tend to strengthen
| those good relations whose growth has
| brought pleasure to statesmen on this side
| of the channel
For the two nights east has been flowing
| west in a continuous stream of chatterng
| humanity to view the Loubet decorations.
| The details of coronation time are not yet
| forgotten. and walking through the West
| End one is at times haunted by ghosts Of
| last summers decorations scheme. The
| French tricolor and the British Union Jack
| harmonze prettily. and there are thousands
of each. EVERYWHERE also ''R F. for Re
| publiaue Franchise and L." for "Loubet'
meet the eye.
| Most brilliant of all the buildings is the
| French embassy. the big house at Albert
| gate named Gibraltar. because it was said
that lit never would be taken" All round
| the sides of the house on each story hun
| dreds of electric lamps have been affixed,
| which when alight. and especially when
| viewed from Rotten Row present an as
pect of fairyland
State Ball to Loubet.
| Buckingham Palace will show what it
| can do on the occasion of the state ball in
| honor of President Loubet tonight. 1t will
| be the first state ball in the present reign.
During the late reign two or three. varied
| by state concerts. used to be given each
! season. King Edward. however. has decid-
/ ed that there shall be state balls only on
| state occasions. He and Queen Alexandra
| will give dances from time to time, but
| they are to be without state pOmp.
That was why the lord chamberlain is
sued an official statement the other day to
| the effect that the Ascot dance at Windsor
| Castle had been incorrectly described as a
! state ball. One Of the occasions Of a state
| ball has now arisen. and the full strength
of the state establishment will be put on
| to make it a success. Two thousand invi-
tatiOns have been issued.
The yeomen Of the guards. the gentle
| men-at-arms and the Life Guards will be
| put on duty in full panopy. There will be
| a state procession to and from the ball
| room. now used as the throne room. one of
| the most magnificent rooms in Europe for
| dancing. The king and queen will sup in a
| separate room with the President and other
| distinguished guests. For the remainder Il
| substantial supper will be provided which
| will have to be taken standing. simply
| from the impossbility of seating SO great
| a crowd.
Among the dainties one may expect the
famous Hook cup, which has for genera
tons figured at state balls and also mag
nificent masses of fruit from the royal
| gardens. They telling a delightful
| story In Paris in connection with NJ. Lou
bets visit to London. Several of the Presi-
dents suite have apparently been very
much perturbed at the prospect of having
! to appear in English court costume. but his
majesty has solved the difficulty by having
| the words ZEN pantalOn' printed on "A num-
Der of the invitations to the gala bali at
| buckingham palace. One of these cards.
! however. by some mistake. has been re-
! ceived by the wife of an amba ssador to
! the great amusement of all who have heard
| about it.
| Such Importance is alta ched in France to
| the presidents visit to London that 1t has
| been suggested that great historical
painting should be commissioned of one of
! the functions in England and acquired by
| the republic. 1t is quite on the cards that
! this may be done. and since several French
| artists have come to London it is also
| highly probable that the next Salon will
see a number of pictures dealing with the
| great event.
L hear also that an amazingly large num-
| Der of orders have been received for cine
matograph pictures for show in France
and d veritable host of photogra piers and
! operators have come over for the purpose
OF taking the records.
Heaton to Retire.
| l hear that Mr. Henniker Heaton will re-
tire from the representation of Canterbury
| in parliament at the next general election.
| There has been contest in Canterbury
since lsS5 1t goes without saying that the
member for postal reform will be sadly
missed in the house. In the cause of the
subject to which he devoted himself with
| such aSsiduity he is said to have visited
nearly civilized post office i'm the
| world.
He has done much good work. not only
for England but for the empire. The story
| Of how Mr.. Heaton came to take up postal
| reform may not be generally known and is
| worth telling AT the age of seventeen he
went to Australia to seek his fortune. and
| while far up country was very much
| touched by the eagerness with which let
| tiers from home were seized upon by the
| lucky few who received them
Some years later CHANGING to enter a
village post office in England, he heard a
| woman inquire the postage to Australia
| She could not afford the necessary sixpence,
and Mr.. Heaton paid it, and learned later
| that the woman received Is per return from
| her So impressed Mr.. Heaton by
| these incidents of the absolute necessity of
cheap postage that he determined to devote
| his life to secure it. Mr.. Heaton has been
| farmer and journalist in his time. is en-
| thusiastc chess player and no one will be
| surprised if he ends his busy and useful
| life in the house of lords.
Touring in Ireland.
One good result of the motor Derby is
the advertisement which it has given to
| ireland as tourist country. From this
| point of view a great international func-
| ton and gathering was the one thing
| needed by the green isle. for although it
has developed considerably holiday
| resort in the past few years, the increase
| of popularity has not been great as is
| desirable in the interests of the country.
The kings visit will of course, prove an
| other capital advertisement, and with the
| improvement in hotels and train and boat
services there should be steady progress to-
ward a recognition of the beauties OF the
| land such as it Enthusiastically deserves.
1t was only the other week that Mr.. Glib
son Bowles declared in the house of COM
mons that Ireland ought to be the fairest
gem in the British crown; and he is not
alone in that opinion. Those who have
| spent holiday there speak enthusiastically
of it's attractions, and the opening of light
| railways and the introduction of motor
services have made easy of access the
| many wild and romantic spots which until
lately ii was difficult task to reach
1t Is not a little curious that. although so
| much talked about the experiment with the
notorious should so far prove to be the
| -