Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13

to NJ. Delcasse's return to the French
foreign Office before long.
The Duke of Westminster. the richest
ground landlord in London, is very
sick man. and his illness. I hear, is like
ly TO be long one. Apart from the diff
ticulty Of diagnosing the exact type OF
malarial fever to which the immediate
malady appears to belong. grave symp-
toms of chest trouble were discovered
by the surgeon on board ship on which
the reason why Sir Douglas Powell was
taken by the duchess to Southampton.
For a long while the young duke has
been making undue demands on his
strength. and because he has drawn too
actively on his physical reserves his
present weakness needs careful watching.
Had he been poor man it is doubtful
If he would now be alive. II Is stated
that for some years at least he will have
to reside In a warm climate during the
winter months. The duchess has installed
herself chief nurse at her husband
bedside. The correspondence is attended
to by her secretary, while she herself
cool and precise. makes an effective and
businesSlike substitute for her sick hus-
band.
Heavy Death Duties.
For second time in ten years the vast
Barnato fortune will pay large sum in
death duties. When Barney Barnato. the
South African millionaire, jumped over
board from Cape Town liner and his
money went to his nephew. the state got
nearly 81 100000, and now Mr.. Lloyd
George will calmly gather In from the
same fortune about esGo,OOO. 1t will be
the biggest windfall in the shape OF
death duties from an individual for
tune since the estate of the late Chicago
Smith paid toll few years ago. On a
vastly larger sum than G5.0OO.UO0 Chi
cago' Smiths executors We're reported to
have handed over for the relief of taxation
rather more than 81 100000. The Bar
nato fortune is estimated at G5, 600 900, but
legislation has recently increased the
amount of the tax from s per cent to 10
per cent on the first million and 10 per
cent on the remainder Legacy and sue
cession duties will bring the total due
the eXcheQuer between GSOOO0O and
3DOOO from the Barnatos.
Naturally. prices ruled high at the first
day of the sale of Lord Amherst of
HackneyS world famous library. They
would have been higher still had the fif-
teen Caxtons come under the hammer. but
they were sold by private treaty, it is
said. to Mr.. Pierpont Morgan. who al
ready has thirty Caxtons. AS it was, the
afternoons aggregate just about reached
10000. Most distinguished among all
Lord Amherst's rare books was his col
lection of Bfbles-forty-ei EIGHT in number.
One of these was the celebrated MaZarin
Bible. the first edition of the sacred book
in any language and the first important
book printed with movable metal types.
Its date was 1865. Mr.. Quaritch the ia
nous book dealer. who was prominent
figure at the sale, jumped the first bid
of G1oo for this to G6OO, and eventually
he secured the Bible for 92.0o0 Mr..
Quaritch was also the buyer Of many
of the other Bibles. and he paid E1,OOO
for King Charles the FirSt'S copy of the
Cambridge Bible.
Another rare volume contained several
very early printed books, and included
the "Apocalypis S. Johannis." the orig
inal block book OF the low countries. This
was sold for 22oOO, figure EI50O In ad-
vance of what the book realized when 1t
was last sold twenty years ago.
A pathetic figure at the sale was that
of Lord Amherst 1t is no secret that
through the misdeeds of others he has
been hard hit; indeed. 1t was mentioned
in the courts the other day that owing
to the defalcations of city solicitor he
had lost quarter of million of money.
Thus it is that this splendid collection
of books, which it took fortune to accu-
mulate, is being dispersed. The sale
should have taken place two or three
years ago, but it was postponed in order
that it might have the best chance pos
sble with photographers and dealers. who
all parts of the world. Lord Amherst was
one OF the earliest arrivals at Messrs.
Sotheby's rooms, and throughout the sale
he sat with Mr.. Justice Redley. who has
a keen eye for the rare and the beautiful
among books and manuscripts. Lord AM
herst's tapestry and enamels are also to
be sold at Christie's next week.