The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-12-25
GEORGE IS FRIENDLY
WITH WILHELM|NA
Rumors of Ill Feeling Are I'm
founded
BALFoUR rs TO RETIRE
Leader of Tory Party Is Compared to
Bryan Because He Has Met With
So Many Defeats-Statue
Discovered
By PHILLIP EVERETT

BY PHILLIP EVERETT
London, December 24-(Special. 1.-THE
announcement of a coming visit of the
King and Queen of England to Holland
cannot very wen be Interpreted except
as an effort to put an end to the rumols
that Great Britain feels very much hurt
because OF Hollands intention of fortify-
ing her river mouths and particularly OF
building strong Notifications at Flushing
Like his late father. King George is very
much interested in the preservation rf
European peace, and his visit to Queen
Wilhelminas court is to be a visible sign
that England is not the slightest af-
fected by French and especially Belgian
attempts to create Ill feeling between
England and Holland by accusing the
Dutch government of having been CO.
creed by personal letter from the
Kaiser wilhelm to Queen Wilhelmina
warning her that If the Dutch coast towns
were not fortified against England, Ger
many might eventually be compelled to
occupy them in self defense.
That the little country in Holland will
be in great danger in case of war is
evident. and it is nc mole than natural
that she should endeavor to put herself
in shape to defend the neutrality on
which her national existence depends and
King Georges visit will tend to show
that the English government is far from
resenting Hollands plans. which are so
plainly meant for defense only.
| With every day the rumor grows
stronger. that after the disappointment
of the recent elections. when the conser-
vative used every dodge and trick to
! catch votes and failed. Mr. Balfour, who
is now being compared with William
Jennings Bryan in tactics and lack OF
success, will permanently retire from the
leadership. of the tory party. Three times
ne has led his party to the polls. and
three times they have been defeated.
No British statesman. since popular
repT esentation was established, has such
a record as this.
Mr.. Gladstone was once or twice Sc
verely beaten. but always at the sue
ceeding election the people again gave
him their confidence. He was defeated
in 1874, but he triumphed in 1880. He was
beaten in 1856. but he was made prime
minister in 1892, when the country next
had an opportunity OF recording its opin-
/ ion.
! IN 1906 Mr.. Balfour was thrust out by
the greatest and most overwhelming
majority known in British history. In
January, 1910. after four years OF LIB
eral rule. the country again would place
no confidence in him, and now in Decem-
/ Der, 1910, 1t has been clear that the coull-
try will not vote to place him in office.
The Stars of Africa" as the two larg-
est portions of the Cullinan diamond are
/ called. will he used for the first time in
ceremonial when King George is
crowned in Westminster abbey next
June.
No monarch has ever worn two Jewels
SO valuable. King Edward decided that
the large pear-shaped diamond should be
placed in the sceptre and the smaller one
in the crown. Further, he indicated
where they should be placed. The scep-
tire is that of Charles II. as is also the
crown. King Edward was anxious that
no part of the sceptre should be removed
and assigned to the jewelers. the difficult
| task of finding space for the great dia-
| lnond, which is Of the enormous weight
of 5lOHkarats, in the sceptre and retain
| Ing at the same time the distinctive
workmanship and material of the veneer.
/ aDlt HyfuDOl u hlHBlg POWcI.
This has been successfully done, an6
the smaller Star of Africa" has beer
placed in the crown Immediately under
the ruby of the Black Prince.
Evidently in the hope of returning to
| Portugal an absolutely free man agains
whom the people may find nothing Il
say. Don Alfonso Henriques, Duke O.
| Oporto. who Is at present here In Eng
1 fa1 4,,aA fa1 1.,er anf 4,
the Lisbon papers, notifying that he de
| sires to pay all his debts in Portugal
| and has appointed a representative t
collect and pay his bills.
/ This notice has caused great surprise
Don Alfonso having no fortune, and hi
debts being estimated at over 1900. 900.
| It is reported that the King of Italy
| at the request Of his sister, Queen Maria
Pia, recently exfled from Portugal has
advanced money to save the duke from
being prosecuted IN the courts for hi
| debts.
News comes from Madrid that a new
mineral has been discovered which pro
duces aluminium and pure sulphate o
soda. AS the vein is large one 1t Il
believed that It contains several million
| tons
| It is thought that this discovery ma,
bring about revolution in the sulphat'
OF soda market. which has up to th'
present been monopolized by the Ger
mans. An American firm has alread,
made an offered to purchase 5000 toni
Of the new mineral annually; but SO ia
no decision has been arrived at.
A discovery Of ancient Greek bronz
statuettes has been made somewhere II
Egypt by tho peasants. but the sign i
known only 10 them.
A splendid figure of Bacchus. OF II,
youthful Dionysus, IL In private hands Il
Cairo, In excellent preservation. One o
the hands il slightly larger than the cor
rect proportion, but otherwise IL is I'M
work A dealer there has obtained I
male bust with floral coronet and sym
male bust with floral coronet and sym
or draped statuette of Aphrodite, o
which the arms from below the elbow
are unfortunately missing.