The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-23

have been writing their views on the
matter to the papers.
All deplore the loss Of 30 magnificent
a painting to the nation. Some admit
that the picture Is worth f72,0 900. more
declare that the price liz excessive and
many lament that an attempt should
DO made to take 80 much money out OF
the public's pockets for the work OF
q dead artist at q time when living ar
lists. with few exceptions. are unable to
sell their work and no money Ia forth
coming for the encouragement OF young
painters.
A fresh turn has been given to the
discussion by the announcement yester-
day that the Duke Of Norfolk had pre-
sented the citizens OF Sheffield with a
park OF sixty-one acres. worth Ct 900
an acre. and therefore Just equivalent
in value to the price he obtained for the
Holbein from Messrs. Coluaghi-'coais
Of fire upon the head Of the Chancellor
OF the Exchequer," say some. But others
look the gift horse in the mouth very
c%urjously.
They point out that it was the Dukes
grandfather Who laid ont the park liz tsAi,
aver since which time it has been open to
the public. The only difference 1t makes
to the people OF Sheffield In that the
Duke having stipulated that the park
keepers and employees should be taken
over by the Municipality the cost OF the
upkeep OF the park, which has hitherto
been borne entirely by the Duke. wilAnow
be transferred to the ratspayers.
r-k..~ .~e.la x,tu nat aN-an admit that
tho Duke has beer unsslish in that he
might have cut up the park into building
lots for cottages. To have done this.
they say. would have deprecated the
value Of his adjacent property, and, any
way, he now avoids ths possibility
Of the threatened tax. Moreover. the
Duke ia AZ aud only has a lie interest in
the property. Meanwh lille the Duke says
nothing and goes on drawing his $500. 900
a year in rents from Sheffield.
The Duke OF Norfolk has a rent roll OF
81 ESQ. COO a year His London estate in
Norfolk street. Surrey street and Arundel
street, Strand, was erected on the site
Of his ancestors town house by specua-
tive builders after the great fire Of 1903.
The original leases expired in eighty
years, but those hoEses were still stand
ing in 1897.
in 1890 it was admitted that some OF
the property had increased in value 500
per cent, since 1855. The property has
nearly trebled in value since the making
Of the Thames embankment
A writer wonders whether the famous
blue Hope diamond has been exercising
it's evil influence again. II has a remark
able past, and the latest phase Of its his
tory seems TO give the superstitious
another argument.
The diamond was originally stolen from
the crown OF an Indian Ra;ah early in
the seventeenth century and brought to
France by Jean Raptiste Tarvernier
Baron d'Anboune. At the beginning of
the last century. after vssious vicissi-
tudes, Il was bought by Hope, the banker.
and il 10 said that all his heln Who by
turns owned the blue diamond met with
tragic ends.
Finally Lord Francis Hopes n~ecessi-
ties required that the diamond be sold
out Of the Hope family's possession 1t
then became the property OF an Ameri-
can. who sold It last year. Its next
possessor was none other than Abdul
Hamid. the deposed Sultan OF Turkey.
Whether he has taken it with him into