New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-14
MY LADY DOT"
Admiral Lord Charles Beres-
ford'S Brilliant Wife Due Here.

by Lady Charles. known among her rela-
tives and friends, indeed by half OF Eng
lish society. as Dot" She has been a
great beauty, and is a brilliantly gifted
woman.
But III her gallant husband Is renowned
for his breezy frankness, which has fire.
Quently involved him In controversy and
has rendered him a subject of apprehen-
sion to the bureaucr2ts a. the Admiralty
what Is to be said about Lady Charles?
She has never had the slightest scruple
about speaking out her mind especially in
defence OF her husband: and, possessed Of
that thorough independence OF character
which may be regarded as warranted
from birth, wealth, beauty and cleverness,
she has been even more frank than the
admiral.
Possessed OF "a keen's sense Of ridicule and
with a gift Of the most pointed satire. II
10 not astonishing that remarks. and even
pamphlets, holding UP TO derision and
sometimes ob,oquy personages most highly
placed should be ascribed to her tongue
and pen; and II she has escaped demands
for legal reparation II i5 because most Of
her criticisms and her satires have been
so true that the people concerned were
afraid to face the music II they hadf moved
in the matter.
Lady Charles had some voice in the
origin Of tho feud between her husband
and Admiral Lord Fisher. which reached
such national proportions. Ten or eleven
years ago Fisher was at the head Of the
Mediterranean squadron and Beresford was
his second in command. The headquarters
ali
and there both Lady Fisher and Lady
Dot took UP their residence.
Now Malta. besides being. like all gar
rison stations, a perfect hotbed Of mis-
chievous gossip, is a very small place. far
too small to hold both Lady Fisher and
Lady Charles. especially with the latter in
a secondary position. officially subordinate
to Lady Fisher. The respective salons
soon became rival camps, and Lady
Charles with beauty. wealth. elegance and
possessed Of all sorts Of talents. in partic-
ular a perfect genius for music, carried
the day in a social sense. This was BIT
terly resented by Lady Fisher and IN
course OF time she communicated her senu-
ments TO her husband.
Mischief makers promoted the feu6 by
repeating TO the two women remarks
satirical and critical. heard in the salons
Of the one about the other, and toward
the end the situation had become so intoi-
cradle that the two admirals-namely, LORD
Fisher and Lord Charles Beresford-were
scarcely on speaking terms with each
other Of course. the fact that Lord
Charles on two memorable occasions dur
ing the sham war operations in the Med
iterranean managed not only 10 infiicr
signal defeat upon Lord Fisher, but like
wise by his clever strategy placed him in
a somewhat ridiculous position, did not
tend 10 mend matters between them.
LADY Charles. who, with the MaTchiOness
Of Ripon and Henry Higgins, may be said
TO have founded the Covent Garden Opera
in London. as 1t now exists, has. besides
her town house, beautiful suburban place
near West Ham. where she is always sur
rounded by a large circle Of admiring and
verv devoted friends Its situation is ideal,
living as It does. just outside one Of the
entrances to Richmond Park.
THE house is reached through a long arch
OF trees. forming a shady avenue, and IS
characteristic Of its master and mistress,
being thoroughly unconventional and with
al most interesting, artistic and In per-
feet taste. The extraordinary number of
Chinese idols, some Of which Lady Dot
insists are speaking Nkenesses Of her hus-
band. are mingled with presentation photo
graphs. with inscriptions Of devotion TO
Lady Charles, which show the great
range Of her friends. including the great
Prince Bismarck. the three German En-
perors. Kitchener, King Edward, Lord
Beaconsfeld, King George, Field Marshal
Won Moltke. General Gordon Of Khartoum,
Cardinal Vaughan. Mr.. Gladstone, Gam
BETA and King Humbert.
Lady Charles. whose daughter, Miss
Kathleen Beresford. is already in this
country staying with Colonel and Mrs.
Robert NJ. Thompson. at Southampton.
Long Island, is indirectly responsible for
the fact that on the occasion Of the great
naval review the other day at Spithead, in
connection with the coronation, all the
ladies on board the various warships We're
ordered below and out OF sight while the
royal yacht was passing through the lines.
During the great review held in connec-
ton with Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee
three years before her death. Lord Charles
signaHed from his flagship a message 10
Lady Charles. who was a guest on board
one Of the other battleships. a message 20
the effect that he would - unable 10 join
her at dinner. as he. with the other flag
officers, had been commanded TO dine that
night with the queen.
This message. couched in his customary
breezy fashion, was wigwagged while the
Queen was passing along the lines. While
many naval naen both on board the royal
Yacht and the other shirs. saw Lord
Charles's signalling, some of them being
able. through their knowledge of the code,
10 read the message offhand Vet nothing
further would have been done about this
slight breach Of etiquette had II not been
for Lord A-ayo's brather, the Hon. "Algy'
Bourke. a member Of the Stock Exchange,
who for the occasion was representing THE
London Times" and on board the man-or-
war where Lady Charles Beresford was
guest.
From her ne heard Of the message which
abe had just received from her husband,
and very indiscreetly he related the matter
IN the account printed on the following
morning in The London Times. giving. II
nv memory serves me right, the message
lust IS sent. ard which was certainly never
intended for publication
r, this manner the affair was brought 10
The attention OF the Queen, who chose TO
see therein a gross piece OF disrespect 10
herself. expressing indignation that any adj
miral. especially one who had been in com
nand Of the royal yacht and a naval aide
de-camp OF the sovereign Ike Lord Charles.
should have so far forgotten himself as 10
g'anal from his flagship private messages
when the monarch was passing his snip IN
review