Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-12
The Latest Turn Of British
Politics.
THE HILDA DISASTER
NEW APARTMENT HOUSE ERECT
ED IN LONDON.
Sale of the Late Sir Henry Irving's
Effects-Statue Of Sir John
Millais Unveiled.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star
LONDON. November 30 1908.
A situation OF great party difficulty has
undoubtedly been created by the action of
Mr.. Chamberlain and his friends but Il is
still questioned in the best-informed union-
list circles whether this action is OF the
great significance which appears TO be at
tached to 1t.
There remains the question Of Mr. Bal
tours personal relation to his party Dur
ing the last few days there has been
rally to his side, but as some OF those I'm.
fiuences which have today thrown their
weight in his favor have been among The
most active supporters of Mr.. Chamberisiu
the motives of the vote face may be sought
in the belief that Chamberlainism. despite
its successes In capturing the organizations
of the party, is hopeless cause in the
country. But, as between Mr.. Balfour and
Mr.. Chamberlain, IL Is clear that all theory
of the consummate players at whist must
be modified. Up to q certain point there
was a colusive compact but beyond that
everything and everybody-Mr. Chamberlain
included-were baffied by the Balfourian
fog.
The real explanation of all the unedify-
ing shifts of the last two years is that each
distrusted the other, but also feared him:
and the long farce has now broken down
only because Mr.. Chamberlain, taking his
courage In both hands and emboldened by
the Newcastle resolution, saw that 1t was
better to try conclusions with Mr.. Balfour
and see which was master than tc 40 on
living in FOOLS paradise.
And the irony of ironies of the whole sit
uaton is that Mr.. Balfour's political future
now largely depends upon the free trade
unionists whom he allowed to leave his cab
met and for whom he has not lifted little
finger as a protection from the assaults of
Mr.. Chamberlain. But we shall hear
more of retaliation. 1t is buried I'm the
ruins of the fallen temple of conservatism
and what energies out of the dust and
ashes of opposition will depend on many
things. But Mr. Balfour is now face TO
face with the fate which was Inevitable
he has 10 jump over the precipice to save
himself from the evil genius OF English po-
lticai parties.
Dwellers in the suburbs of London feel a
keener sympathy with the French victims
of the Hilda disaster than those who live
i'll the city proper For to them the pic
turesque Breton ''onionmen" were familiar
as part of the domestic round in the autumn
season. Clad In their cloth tam o. shauteres
loose smocks and trousers of pale blue the
sturdy peasants, far-haired and blue-eyed
like the men of their coast, somehow man.
aged to find their way from the port OF
debarkation to the suburbs of London
though they rarely passed beyond the con-
fines of the metropolitan county.
With the end of summer the 'ononmen.'
Hilda, leave their native land and come
to England with their stores which they
keep In their lodgings, wherever these may
be- Then, with a pole from each end of
which bangles a net of fine onions, each
man sallfes forth to sell his wares. though
it Is the rarest thing, in spite OF these days
of Fentente cordiale, for one OF them 10
speak more than very few words of Eng.
lish. His picturesque dress and polite beaf-
ing always made the Breton 'onionman'' a
favorite with the English housewife. who
often enough supplemented the price OF her
purchases with a square meal for the ped
dier. 1t Is a pity, then, to have 10 admit
that the onion seller is growing less ia
miliar spectacle in London and the south OF
England than he used to be, and there is
some danger of his decorative presence
passing from our vision completely as
that of another exotic-the small italian
boy with the white mice.
1t is little more than a year and a half
since the Duke of Cambridge died, but al
ready there are rising on the site of his
house at the corner of Pccadilly and Ham
ilton place great pile of fats, of which
the attractions are now being advertised
for possible occupiers. They are described
as 'one-fioor palaces and, as the rents are
$4,000 year, the provision for comfort
and luxury should certainly be on pala-
tial scale. The prevailing complaint against
flats among those who live in them is that
they hardly afford room for free movement
while entertaining in their compressed area
Is altogether out OF the question.
But In this new block. which will prob
ably be named 1.-THE Duke OF Cambridge
Mansions" there will be no room for com
plant. for each fat will contain not only
many bathrooms, but billiard room and a
large ballroom, in which a hostess will be
able to set half regiment pirouetting The
living rooms will also be on the scale of a
country manor house, while the accessories
viii be designed to make living as effortiess
as possible to the sybaritic inhabitants
One will only have to press a button and
speak into a house telephone of the new
hygienlc type to have all the resources of
very exquisite civilization at ones COM
mand in a moment.
According to Henry Irving's will his ef-
fects are to be dispersed at auction and
Messrs Christie will offer them about the
middle Of December Catalogues will not.
be obtainable till toward the end of next
week Meanwhile, however, information is
forthcoming as to the general character of