Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06

would have been very different. and the
partition of China would have been an
immediate possibility. but nothing that
can now happen within She bounds of
probability will. I think, be Of interna-
tiona Importance
The defenses Of Portsmouth are about
TO be severely tested by the four newest
vessels in the fieet--the Dreadnought. In
iomitable, Lord Nelson and Agamemnon.
It Is desired TO see exactly how far
Rritain's premier naval arsenal is capable
Of defending itself against ships OF the
Dreadnought type. and the operations VIII
last for two or three days, attack being
made both by day and night The guns
mounted on the forts around Portsmouth
are held in various quarters to be now
too light TO contend with modern bat
tleships. and there IS little doubt that
they would be easily outranged by the
Pinch weapons mounted by the fleet. so
that heavier guns may have to be mount
ed almost Immediately. Those charged
with the defense OF Portsmouth, how
ever. pin their faith to the large number
of quick-fring wea pons a t their disposal,
and submit that. In order to rush the
harbor. The ships would have to come
well within range of these guns, and that
at such a distance a Dreadnought makes
a target it is almost Impossible to miss.
On the other hand, IL is urged thai.
under ordinary circumstances. battle
ships would never attempt to rush
with demolishing the land defenses. and
thus leaving the way open for torpedo
destrovers and other small craft to dash
in. and complete the work OF destruc-
ton. The operations now projected will
be watched by a large number of leading
sailors and soldiers.
a deal of interest attaches to the an
nouncement ITO Let which may be seen
in the windows OF A1eckienburg House.
buckingham Gate. The owner of this
fine Georgian mansion is the widowed
Grand Duchess OF Mecklenburg- Strelitz.
sister OF the late Duke of Cambridge. and
the last surviving grandchild OF George
III. Born in 1900, the duchess is the
oldest member of the British royal family.
At the age Of twenty-one she was married
in Buckingham Palace to the late Grand
Duke of ELECTROMAGNETIC, and her
| happy married life lasted for siXty-One
years. Throughout her long life the
grand duchess has preserved her early
intimacy with her royal relatives in Eng
| land. She and King Edward have al
ways been the best OF friends. Until
recently she. paid an annual visit TO
buckingham Gate where she has enter
tanned every adult member of British
royalty. The grand duchess, by the way,
is a notable instance OF the long life OF
pensioners. Upon her marriage in 1Si3
she was voted an annuity of s3,OO and
SHE las therefore drawn from the British
treasury close upon f2Ou.Oo0
Death of DR.. jeff.
The death Of DR.. jeff the master O: the
Char erhouse, recalls the sensitive atti-
tude taken up by many OF the public when
Beerbohm Tree recently produced dra-
matized rers!on of Thackeray's The
Newcomes' at His Maiesty's 1t was
argued that the poor brethren" as they
were officially classified. should be i'm
nune from stage eXploi alton. however
sympathet'ca!ly done. 1t is not qui, e
| clear why there should be any more deli
cacy in connection with tive gentlemen
/ % the Charterhous than, for instance,
! Of the recipients Of civil list pensions
since associa ion with either implies Moth
| ing If not honor. The foundation provides
for eighty pensioners who shall be gen
! tlemen by descent and in poverty-Sol-
diers who have borne arms by sea and
land, merchants decayed by piracy or
shipwreck, servants in household to
The king or queen $ majesty, and to be
fifty years of age Or upward a their adj
mission The position of master now
vacant is worth $500 a year and house.
! One % the side issues of the Turkish
revolution is that IL has raised hopes that
Byzantine research, as yet young
| branch OF archaeology, may have a clear
| er way before IL. Frederic Harrison
| spoke yesterday to the subscribers to the
| fund. He thought that there was some
| chance now of being able to adjust the
! difficulties of religion and sentiment
which have hitherto stood in the way of
excavation In Constantilople. He held
| that excavations carried on In the gar
den and open spaces of the SeraSl with
the care that is shown in the Forum of
Rome or at Pompeii would be void of
! offense to any sentiment. and Won d pro
d,ice incalculable treasures TO the student
of history and of art. Mr.. Harrison point
ed out how new Rome. as lie called il.
possesses remains of antiquity unsllr-
passed in the whole OF Euurope.
In the Church OF the Holy Wisdom IL
has he said, the most beautiful, the n'st
creative buildings .-.s4sed by man. In he
walls from the Horn to the Marmo.a 1t
has the most stuo"nd"us record OF TIC
arr of wal as beuEeGthtu by Rome III the
n! ldl. ages l.: the serpent column of
ia. f:,,rC ,l!ome it has a relic which Rome
itself cannot match in antiquity and sub
/ li'Ir memories.
Marvels Of Greek Art Buried.
Mr.. Harrison believes that there are
buried in the famous circus-the "Forlorn
| Atmeidan'' OF today-marvels of Greek
, art. bronzes, carvings. medals, enam"ls.
! iewels-eems that We're. worn by pui-
,r;ria or PIac; dia, by Justin;an or u
Basil But Mr.. Harrison would not liml,
research to any special age faith or
civilization. Ills dream would be to see
! ~. whole of the Seragio Thoroughly On
ulored as is the Forum aud dedicated as
= national museum. is the Coliseum.
/ 1t has been the heart of one historic city
for $50 years.
Al; interesting collection Of car!catureS
hv Mrs Leslie Ward. the we'll known
: Spy of Vanity Fair. IS the chef at
- u lf,ff I,ltl ..t