Evening star., 1909-04-24

BILE. When the British burned 1t down,
less than hundred years ago. they did
not rid it Of its smells. These are thou
sands of years old.
King Alfonsos palace. Mramar. is
more like set of stables to an English
mansion than a monarch's seaside resi-
dence His Spanish majesty, however,
likes 1t. and drives about San Sebastian
IN the Shabbfest royal carriages you can
imagine He took the tram car to
cend to the summit of lila, the hill
which dominates the town on the land
ward side. where he went to inspect the
preparations made for the Easter pigeon
shooting.
King Edward did not initiate King
Alfonso and drive at breakneck speed
from BiarritZ. The latter often does the
forty-odd miles in fifty-odd minutes.
King Edward took an hour and a half.
The Spanish people attached great po-
litical Importance to the visit, but that
is absurd. The two monarchs discussed
nothing except food. shooting and their
families.
Money Sop to Ireland.
I am told that old-age pensions have
done more than anything else to kill
home rule. For how could Ireland finance
her own old-age pensions If she obtained
the control OF her own affairs and her
own finance? She could neither finance
the land bill nor old-age pensions, and In
treating Ireland literally the govern
men was well aware that the unwonted
prosperity which the pensonH would
bring to many Irish homes would do a
great deal to deaden the cry for home
rule.
This is the reason why greater fuss
has not been made about the waste of
money in granting pensions to people
who had no right TO them. Money is be-
ing poured into Ireland not only for pen
sions, but for land purchase. as the
Irish peasant who is at last getting his
own land, and can look forward to a
comfortable old-age-for 5s a week is a
small fortune for an old person in Ire
the benefits which he is receiving. as he
undoubtedly would have if there were
national parliament at Dublin.
The death of Lord Gwydyr at the great
age OF ninety-nine makes the Earl of
Wemyss the father of the house of lords
The earl Is in his ninety first year, but
in spite of his great age still takes an ac-
tive part in the work of the lords. With
the weight of ninety years upon him he
stands erect and unbent. and when he
speaks in the upper house he is better
heard than many men half his age. Lord
Gwydyr's death leaves the house with
out member who was living before the
battle of Waterloo. 1t is a good many
a
was born before Trafalgar. A more in
terestina link with the past was the
Earl of Leicester. who died a few weeks
ago. leaving son of fifteen Years old.
If that son should live he will be able to
say that his sixty-first birthday is sep
arated by exactly 200 years from the
birth in 1854 of his grandfather. the fa-
nous William Coke of Hokam, created
Earl of Leicester at the accession of
Queen Victoria
Still ;,to
past was the late Earl Of Lovelace, who
died in 1905. a few months before Ira
falgar. Lord. Lovelace could remember
talking in his boyhood to an old man
who In his boyhood had had described to
him by an eyewitness the execution of
Charles l at Whitehall in 1919.
Striking Pictures for Exhibition.
A survey of the studios has disclosed
some striking pictures for the coming ex-
hibition of the Royal Academy One of
the pictures certain to attract attention
is the three-quarter length portrait of Mr.
Lloyd-George, by Sir Luke Fildes The
artist considers the picture of the chan
cellor of the exchequer. which was COM
missioned by the Law Society. and will
hang ii in the society's hall. his best por-
trait. Mr.. Lloyd-George. clad in his i'm
posing black and gNid chancellors robes
Is seen sitting AT "A table The artist has
given him an air of Interrogation express
ed i'm the alert glance and slightly raised
eyebrows. Mr.. Sargent's portrait of Lord
Wemyss represents that wonderful mona
genarian with eyes and expression ap-
parently undimmed by age, wearing a
black frock coat and holding a silk hat
I'm his left hand. Sargents lady this year
is Mrs. Waldorf Astor and is very fine.
The president of the academy, Sir E.
Poynter, sends a portrait Of the Duke of
Northumberland. Mr.. Britton Riviere has
painted an excellent portrait of Lord Ten
nyson caressing a Great Dane. which
stand beside his knee.
The scenic aeroplane will be one Of the
novelties at the imperial international
exhibition which opens next month al
Shepherds Bush. This up-to-date form
of spectacular attraction will bring the
sightseer as high ninety feet in the air.
and the Alpine electric railway will reach
about the same altitude. which will only
be surpassed by the fiip-f1ap. Another
new feature is a light tramway which
runs around the grounds. and is about
three miles in length. The cars will be
driven by petrol engines. The Irish vii
lage will be remodeled. and there will
also be other villages devoted to Scotland,
Switzerland, Dahomey and Portugal.
IL