Evening star., 1909-06-28
one, or perform two acts Of courtesy in

stone. or perform two acts Of courtesy In
one place.
That Nicholas II will set foot on the
Isle of Wight is not very probable, unless.
on the kings cup day and joins his
majesty at the annual dinner of the Royal
Yacht Squadron. of which he is sure to
be made an honorary member. seeing that
last year at Revel the king appointed him.
like the kaiser. to be honorary admiral OF
the British fleet.
The police authorities have already be-
gun to take the greatest precautions for
the personal safety of the imperial visitor,
who will also, as on the occasion OF the
first sovereign visit to Queen Victoria. in
1885, at Balmoral-be guarded by posse
of Russian detectives.
Houseboat for Vanderbilt.
Mr.. Alfred Vanderbilt. who intends to
entertain here this year. has had palatial
houseboat built for him at Oxford. 1t
will be moored at various places along
the Thames this summer whenever festiv-
tiles are going on The boat is 132 feet
long, 171z beam, and nearly 20 feet high.
It is stated on authority to be the finest
craft of it's kind yet constructed in Eng
land.
The main saloon is tf paneled polish
ed mahogany lit. heated. and ventilated
electrically. There are four bedrooms.
each with bathrooms fitted with the latest
novelties in sanitary engineering. The
dining and smoking rooms are on the
top deck with portable panenng Tor dis-
mantling when negotiating bridges. The
tender is equipped with most ingenious
French culinary requisites, ana an elapo-
rate hot-water system.
The boat is furnished layishly with gilt
furniture, but the bedrooms: like the ex-
terror are painted ivory white. All the
Ia1 NIT u
windows and lead lights. the roof trusses
being delicately fashioned in bent elm
teak and ornamental aluminium. The
main deck roof is in turn supported by
carved teak pillars and iron piiasters
bearing the Vanderbilt monogram.
Three mooring stations have been Sc
cured at great expense at Shiplake. Hen
lev and Cookham. and weekend party
is expected at the former this week The
boat has cost many thousands of pounds,
and is the wonder of all riverside people.
The successful fights made by Mr..
Herbert Latham at Mourmelon lie Grand.
which eclipsed all monoplane records and
all records for any flying machine save
the Wright biplane, have revived with
renewed vigor the controversy between
the rival factions of monoplane and bi.
or multiplane enthusiasts. 1t is indeed a
great triumph for the monoplane camp.
whose previous best performances flight
OF nine miles by Bleriot-had been COM
pletely put in the shade by Farman.
DeIagrange, the Wrights and their pupils.
The dificulty hitherto had been chiefly
with the engine. the monoplane type re-
auiring a much more powerful motor
than. is needed by machines of the BIZ
plane type. The high-power engine meant
corresponding increase Of weight and
rapid consumption of fuel. On the other
hand, a much greater speed was obtain
able. Bleriot having flown at velocity of
sixty miles an hour. However. the new
Antoinette motor seems to work very
satisfactorily. and we may reasonably ex-
pect to hear Of further records achieved
by Mr. Latham. since there can be little
doubt that q reliable type of engine hav-
ing been evolved. the great speed of the
monoplane will far outstrip anything yet
accomplished by the biplane.
L. H. MOORE.