Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-16
The Worst-Lighted Place.

Now for the first time the street lighting
of the metropolis is receiving much-needed
attention. London is probably the worst
lighted place of importance in the country,
and nothing astonishes the visitor from
the provinces or abroad more than the
darkness OF the streets after the shops have
been closed.
The Westminster council. since its incor-
poration, has made a great improvement
in ,tha area under its control, and that part
of London has now the best lighting system
in the county. II is not much more than
year ago that the electric light was laid
down in Piccadilly, and II cannot be said
to.rbe great success. as the street still
leaves much to be desired In the way of
light
Regent street at night is exceedingly
gloomy, its electric lights being of an old
and feeble pattern, while oxford street is
StiH lit by gas lamps and is almost as dark
as country lane. This is the result of the
government of London being parceled cut
among a number of local bodies some of
whom are enterprising, while others are
hopelesSly lethargic and immovable The
city. with the niggardlness it does not dis
play when giving feasts to its friends. is
still trfiing with improved gas standards.
the light, such il is, being obscured by
the thick glass of the lamps. London has
cause to lament that its lighting like its
drainage. has not been placed under the
control of the city council.
Breach of Promise Case
The Marquis of Townshend. now appear
ing As defendant in a breach of promise
case, came into his title in 1899. but il was
not until four years later that he took his
seat in the house Of lords This leisurey
way Of doing hngs is a Townshend char
acteristic. but has not prevented the family
becoming famous. one ancestor distin-
guishe1 himself in the Armada another
was one of the delegates who invited
charles II to return to England, another
commanded at Quebec after the death of
Wore. and, be 1T remarked, 10 another be-
longs the distinction of having introduced
the turnip into this country
The family seat in Norfolk boasts of a
ghost whose appearance heralds a death in
the family. This English banshee is the
ghost OF the second viscOunts wife who be-
came mad, and. living in the eighteenth
century was closely confined in the attics
the marquis is thirty eight but looks more
like twenty-five.
The question of railway refreshment ap-
peals to all for all travel more or less now
adays. Matters have improved little of
any, since Dickens so delightfully."- satirized
that forbidding institution, the railway re-
freshment room. with its fossilized bun and
siliceous sandwich and 1t still remains the
object of popular scorn and the butt of the
easy wit. When Improvement does come
however. IL should be recognized. The Lon
don. Chatham and Dover Railway Com
pany. which bears an unenviable reputation
for service generally, is one of those which
nave had their catering done by contractors.
\ ne" departure Is announced. The cater
ing will still be done by contractors but on
profit-sharing basis with the company
instead Of as formerly. al a fixed rental
The management will now be in fresh
hands, and the new broom, we are told is
going to sweep very clean
The restaurants. bars. and tea rooms are
10 be reformed on popular lines-''instead
OF the briar. shall spring up the fir tree
and those who require refreshing cup of
tea will not be scornfuIly reproached In
deed the tea shop element enters largely
into this new movement. and the firm which
who have already created a revolution in
leans can probably remember arriving at
Dover a stormy channel crossing and
wantin.. refreshment being greeted with
cold watery tea and stale buns This thank
goodness. will now be changed, and none
too soon.
The Whistler Exhibit.
The Whistler exhibition at the New Cal
lery has opened, attracting an immense
amount of attention. There are eighty or
so works in oil, to say nothing for the mo-
ment of the water colors. pastels, lltho-
graphs etchings- y special committee OF
three, including the vice president Mr.
John Lavery, and Mr.. Joseph PenneH are
responsible for the catalogue WHICH Is COW
cred with brown paper, and contains on its
224 pages concise descriptions of all ex-
hiDits, save etchings and Autographs dealt
with in existing catalogues raisonne.
The central hall hung with strained white
m KNCf H. 49,