Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21
Elaborate Hotel Improvements-Beau'
the Coach-Drama and Antiques.
lal correspondence Of rhe Erening Star.

rare when 1t came to a hand-to-hand fight
ON the land. On sea their supremacy was
pretty well assured from the first, provided
that the other Russian fleets did not get
up In time to assist Admiral Makaroff.
But on the land the issue was more doubt
full and hence one effect of the victory
and not the least important one-will be
an immense increase of Japan's prestige.
But the tactical skill which was employed
in this first battle on land is of itself
thing to note.
Every incident in the progress Of the
conflict so far shows that Russia was un-
prepared for war, and that she Is lament
ably handicapped by lack of efficient or
ganization. Russia's hackers here-and
there are still many, though fewer than
when the war began-point to British early
experiences in the Boer war to justify their
belief in Russias final, if remote, triumph;
but the conditions are not analogous The
prevailing judgment in the parliamentary
lobby and the service clubs today was that
Russia has already SHOWN herself inferior
in everything but numbers and that she
cannot make effective use of that pre-
ponderance, but will soon moderate the
valiant tone in which she refuses even to
consider the question of mediation.
At the Royal Academy.
On Saturday last was the private view"
at the Royal Academy and the weather was
proverbially what it all but invariably is on
academy private view day-damp, unkind
to summer frocks. The crush of carriages
In Piccadilly, from the Circus to past Dover
street. betokened what was afoot onward
from about B. In Burlington House
itself there was the usual thing The nor
traits of Sargent formed the primary sub
ject of conversation, and there Is practical
unanimity-so far as one could gather-as
to his Mrs. Wertheimer'' being the ar
tistic success of the year The Duchess
ma cd 6of hoy ,n1 lie
cussed effigy at the height Of the after
noon. and her sister the Countess of War
wick (who had with her her little SOM, in
empire dress of sapphire blue velvet and
large black velvet hat with black feathers,
was widely observed as she passed quickly
through the gallery.
They have certain standards, of prejudices,
by which they test every picture. Now
would not that picture" asks the clergy
mans wife, pointing to a picture largely
Composed of sea-skirt rock Illuminated
by the rising sun. suit our staircase beau
tifully? 1t would go so well with the new
carpet" Il suppose, mamma, said one
of the daughters of the particular family
under mild observation, looking at De
Costa's Daughters of w. Glen Walker
of Texas group of four charming girls,
cheaper by having four girls at a time"
isn't he just like your father" said one
lady admiringly to her impressed young
hopeful as they stood in front of the por-
trait of Lord Londonderry belted and gar
tered, and arrayed in the robes in which
he appeared at the coronation. carrying
the sword Of state.
That's the Duchess of Sutherland. Isn't
she sweet? And L had frock Just that
shade of green only last summer"
NO 1872 The Dancing Lesson, by Ar
thur c. Cooke Never heard of him. Be
sides. who ever saw anybody dance like
that?"
So you may hear the familiar vox populi
INDUCING In familiar ACCIDENTAL discus
sions'' But in justice 1t must be said
some of the pictures get the criticism they
deserve.
Hotel Improvements.
The Strand has now been enriched by
an ornate extension OF the Savoy Hotel.
Since the erection Of Its huge neighbor. the
Cecil, this hotel has been rather over
Swallowed, but on the Strand side 1t Is
now undoubtedly the more conspicuous OF
the two. The Savoy has frontage to
the Strand of over $50 feet. and Is set
back by some twenty feet from the OLD
building line, the difference going to the
thoroughfare. Stone and red brick were
employed in the great facade of the Ho-
tel Cecil The Savoy sought material which
would better resist the sooty, corrosive
atmosphere of London and selected glazed
Doulton terra Gotta, called 'Carrara
ware, with results very pleasing to the eye.
The new extensions are in the early
Georgian style. the most prominent fea-
ture being an imposing approach, to be
known as Savoy Court. A "Carrara"
bridge with a span OF forty feet, crosses
between the hotel and the Savoy Theater,
and this is shortly to be surmounted by a
gilded bronze figure of Peter. Earl Of Rich
mond and Duke of Savoy.
1t was his grace who built the first Sa-
voy Palace in 124S and 1t Is on the site
of this palace and of old Worcester House
that the Savoy Hotel extension has been
erected. Almost every inch of the site
HE 40 md a
lions on the columns of the new building
attests. The extensions are said to have
cost Fl 100000
1t is a magnificent building. and neither
effort nor expense has been spared in Its
fitting up.
London Drives.
Hampton Court, SO easily accessible by
electric cars from Hammersmith and Rich
mond, is beginning to attract Its usual
crowds of early summer visitors. The
trees are in their first dainty freshness of
leaf and blossom, the flower beds gay with
the last of the daffodils, with auriculas
and primulas, and brilliant tulips.
The drive to and from Hampton Court
well known to Americans. through Twick-
enfnam, Strawberry Hill. Teddington and
Hampton Wick, adds greatly to the de-
light of the excursion just now, when the
many orchards and gardens on the route
are a mass of white and pink blossoms
The trail of the speculative builder how
ever, is over the lanu anu ali along the
route old-world houses. once secluded in
their walled gardens, have either given
place to colonies of red brick villas, or are
offered for sale purposes. the quiet-loving
owners having fed before the advance OF
the masses.
Time was when Q drive by coach to
Hampton Court and IT'S neighborhood form
ed one of London's recreations. But these
were the days when the veIocipede repre-
scented our bicycle, and the perambulator
was the nearest approach to motor car.
Now scarcely half a dozen public coaches
leave London for anywhere. Coaching has,
indeed, fallen on evil days.
1t Is the pastime of the millionaire who
tools his four-in-hand round the park
to Ranelagh or to birmingham, the BUST
ness of. say, some piilmaker, who adver-
tises his specific remedy on the coacf's
sides. or the recreation of the American
tourist
But the few coaches that remain are one
of the sights Of the summer. They are con-
nected with the big West End hotels, and
as spick and span as these institutions
The horsefiesh is of the best, and the horn
blower would have rejoiced the heart Of
Charles Dickens.
Summer Dramatic Attractions.
The new month Just begun win onsr