The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
LONDON SEASON
 ID BE VERY DULL Americans in Town Will Have
 to Furnish Gayeties JOHN SARGENT RELIEVES Permits Select Party of Friends to See His Academy Plctures-kitchener'
 Name Heard at Indian and
 Service Clubs.
BY PAUL LAMBETH.

special Cable to The Age-Herald. Copy
 right, 1907, by w. R. Hearst. London, April 27.-Socety people who are now returning to town do not at- tempt to disguise the fact that the com ing London season will be a very dull one and will depend entirely for gay cities or the Americans in town. 1ne Stock Exchange in some mysterious way always exerts an influence on all entertainments and not for many years have brokers and jobbers been so short of money.
 The liberal hosts and hostesses are few ana far between, and the conservative great ladies are too disgusted with the present government to help trade in any way.
 The result will be an American season headed by Mrs Whiteaw Reid. who will entertain magnificently at Dorchester House. Mrs Potter Palmer. Mrs. Har- old Barring, Consuelo Duchess of Man chester; Mrs. Ronalds Mrs. Quela liar court and Mrs. Walter Burns will be the chief American entertainers. Mir James Macdonald is back in town, but is still very i'll. and it is doubtful whether his wife will be able to continues her splendid Inequalities in Cadogan Square.
 Mir John Sargent, the great Anglo | just before the academy opened last year on account of the behavior of curious people who invaded it without invitation. relented a little this time and selected party of friends were allowed to inspect his academy pictures few days ago. Each of them was however, required to sho7 an invitation card before being ad- mitted
 The two most striking portraits by this great artist are one of Mrs. Balfour in characteristically "hoppy' position and wearing a rather shabby looking coat and the other is marvelously lifelike study of the Countess of Essex (nee Adele Grant)
 At the Indian and Service clubs the name of Lord Kitchener has cropped up constantly of late. It Is well known that the king has more than once ex- pressed a wish that Lord Kitchener could | come home and act on the army council, which is badly in need of a strong man and a great organizer, If any of MT. Hal | danes proposals are to be carried into | effect.
 | General Sir Ian Hamilton is again mentioned as the successor to Lord | Kitchener in India If that empire can be | prevailed upon to spare the commander in-chief There was never any thought | of making the Duke of Connaught, com mander -in-chief in India. his royal l hi,ynness is anxious to retire shortly al- l to :ether from active service. The Hon. Mrs. Frederick Guest (nee | Amy Phllips) Is one of the most popu- l lar Americans in this country, but she is not as yet an expert in politics and through her zeal for her husband she | has landed herself in a very unpleasant | tangle.
 when the Brigg bye-election was at its 1 height Mrs. Guest essayed one or two | speeches in which she rather unwsely went too far in Ter denunciation of her husbands political opponent, the unionist candidate Sir Berkeley Sheffield. Mrs. Guest remarked in one of her speeches that Sir Berkeley had treated his ten ants very badly and had even evicted some of them.
 liter the election was over and Captain Guest had been defeated for the third time Sir Berkeley called upon the captain for a complte apology and retraction of the statements made by Mrs. Guest in he speech. The captain, who has just returned from Biarritz, refused to apolo- gize and now captain and Mrs. Guest are face to face with libel action. unless of course they apologize at the last mo- ment
 me Brigg election will be responsible for another law case of a more unpleas- a.. nature Mr. c. T. Reckitt resigned his seat at Brigg on the plea of i'll health, but it is an open secret that his wife was bringing an action for divorce inst him. Mrs. Reckitt has now filed hc- petition against her husband and the case is likely to be sensational one.
 pinke rton's Guarantee corporation, England, is the title of company that has just been registered at Somerset | ,uSe, and the articles of association t. 6a fraa d rection. But the principal feature of the programme is 'to act as inquiry a -nts and carry on private investigation of every character" The capital is placed at s500000.
 There is behind it London solicitor. MT. Roberts. and an American, Dr. Wnitworth. who has recently arrived in England from New York
 he company intends to ally itself. if possible, with the famous American Pink ertons, and in any case to bring over number of Pinkerton men. They will be placed in responsible positions in the va- rious investigated departments.
 It is alleged by the promoters that Scotland Yards is neither energetic nor capable, and that there is great room for an organization here similar to that in the United States.
 Just before the King left Biarritz, His
 
 a Spanish general-to add to his already burdensome collection. King Alfonso, like other monarchs, is compelled to pay these compliments to King Edward, but this exchange of uniforms Is becoming a perfect nuisance to all the sovereigns of Europe.
 ring Edwards valet feels the nuisance more than any one else. for 1t is his duty to know how every button should go and just where the sash should be taken across the shoulder and how the straps should be buckled. On the average King Edward receives new uniform every month. The head valet engages in a long correspondence with the tailor who is re-. sponsible for 1t and makes himself thor oughly acquainted with every detail / of the dress.
 At Buckingham Palace whole room has lately been set aside for foreign uniforms. which are all carefully cata- logued with full instructions as to how to wear them. The head valet is now dreading the arrival of Servian and Rou- manian uniforms. which may be expected as the result of the Balkan States ex- hibition, shortly to be opened here. King Edward insists upon knowing all about the uniforms even if he does not wear them.
 A Warninu From Los AnueIes.