Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-24

| himself as fond of London with its inces-
| SAINT activity as any cockney, it is never
theless great pleasure to him to retire at
| this season of the year to his quiet coun-
| try seat at Sandringham. Here he takes
the role OF the old-fashioned English
squire. lives simply and in homely fash
lon, surrounded by his near relatives and
his most intimate friends. Scandinavian is
| in fact. the home of the royal family, while
Windsor and Buckingham Palace are mere
official residences.
At Sandringham all the stfff formality
and elaborate ceremonial that surround
their majesties at other times are aban-
doned. The guests are made to feel at their
ease and amuse themselves with perfect
freedom. There is an air of gayety in the
household, for the king Is always careful
to surround himself in his home life with
congenial company, and one never meets
a bore in that charming circle. The queen
too, has her own friends, who share with
| her an interest in the poor Of the neigh
borhood. and at this time of the year
much of her majesty's time is taken up
| entertainment Of the tenants on the estate
The routine of the day is simple. Tea,
hook settler. coffee and chocolate are
served at o'clock to each guest in his or
her room. Breakfast starts at $50 and
| goes until IL. The king spends much of
the morning in the stables, while the queen
which is the most perfect of it's kind in
England. Frequently, indeed. the queen
dons an apron. and, taking bowl of corn,
feeds the chickens. The king has declared
| homely aspect than in all the splendor of
her robes of state
X
1t seems as though the next develop
ment in the building of battleships in this
country is to be the increase of gun power.
There are many naval men of the great
est experience who hold that of late years
the construction staff of the admiralty has
paid much attention to speed, and that
consequently some of the newest British
ships rather seriously undergunned
This is a mistake, If mistake it be, that
has not been made by the continental
navies, and though the latest ships of the
French and German navies are not so fast
as the British their armament Is consider
ably heavier. 1t is now stated that the two
new German battleships at present under
construction are to have no fewer than
seven turrets, each containing two guns,
| and so built that the whole fourteen guns
could be brought to bear on either broad
| side. The new Japanese battleshps, too.
are having no fewer than eight turrets.
| Since the sinking of the Victoria the
turret has been out of favor in the Brit
| ish navy, and the barbette Is now generally
employed: 1t is obvious. however. that Il
| this fashion of building turrets wholesale
on the decks OF the battleships Is to be
| continued by the continental powers Brit
| ain will have to modify her designs very
l. CONSIDERABLY, ana uuQ6fStdQQ That the
admiralty at the moment is giving very
careful consideration to this question.
though there Is a general opinion among
| the construction staff that SO many tur-
| top-heavy and generally unseaworthy
X
After considerable discussion 1t has been
| decided to establish an association Of dra-
| matte critics in London. Some twenty
| four recognized representatives Of the craft
attended the meeting over which Mr.. A. B.
! walkley Of the Times presided, and eventu-
ally selected a provisional committee to
draw up a definite scheme setting forth
the objects OF the organization. Until
/ these have been clearly embodied 1t Is not
quite obvious what the precise functions of
| the society will be. 1t was emphasized,
| however, by the chairman that defense and
| not aggression will be among the more
practical features In one direction, and the
Strengthening Of the craft by judicious
sitting in another. The constitution Of the
Paris association. which has existed for
| many years, was explained and may be
copied in some respects. though certainly
| not to any great extent.
| The scheme Is. of course. not without
| its drawbacks. 1t may, for instance, en-
courage the popular idea that critics put
| their heads together between the acts and
with one accord make UP their minds
whether to praise or condemn play, &C
| cording to the views held and expressed
by one or two individual critics OF in
| fuence. Though there Is not the least like
lihood Of such q thing happening. any
more than 1t always has done In London.
| the fact remains that the public will prob
ably think 80. On the other hand. much
! useful work might unquestionably be &C
complished with sympathetic editorial CO.
operation in protecting the rights Of the
press and the theater-going public IN cases
/ Of friction between theatrical managers
and critics such an have more than once
recently attracted a good deal Of the public
attention.