The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-14
BY LA MARouIsE DE FoNTESoY.

La hHR&t lsE DE FONTESOS.
n DMIRAL LORD CHARLES
~ BEREsFoRD is so frequent a
visitor to the United states and
so familiar a hgure on this side OF
the Atlantic that his arrival in New
York Tomorrow night on board the
Olympic. would excite but little atten-
ton. were II not for the fact that he
is accompanied by Lady Charles.
known among her relatives and
friends. indeed. by half OF English So
ciety. as Dot" She has been a grea
beauty. and is brilliant. gifted wo-
man
But II her gallant husband is re.
nowned for MS breezy frankness.
which has frequently involved him in
controversy and has rendered him "A
subject OF apprehension TO the bureau
Gratis at the admiralty. what is to be
said about Lady Charles? She has
never had the slightest scruple about
speaking out her mind, especially in
defense OF her husband. and. possessed
OF that thorough independence of char
acter which may be regarded as war
ranted from birth. wealth, beauty and
c!everness she has been even more
frank than the admiral. Possessed OF
Keen sense of ridicule and with a
Sif, OF the most pointed satire IL Is
not astonishing that remarks. and
even pamphlets. holding UP to de-
rision. and sometimes obloquy. person
ages most highly placed, should be as
cribed to her tongue and pen: and II
she has escaped demands for legal re-
paration. II is because most of her
criticisms and her satires have boen
SO true that the people concerned We're
AFRAID to face the music II they had
moved in the matter
Lady Charles had some voice in the
origin OF the feud between her hus-
band and Admiral Sir John Fisher.
which reached such national propor-
tons. Ten or eleven years ago Fisher
was at the head of the Mediterranean
squadron, and Beresford was his sec
ond In command. The headquarters of
the Mediterranean fleet are at Malta.
and there both Lady Fisher and Lady
Dot took up their residence Now,
Malta. besides being. like all garrison
stations. perfect hotbed OF mis-
chievous gossip. is a very small place
far too small to hold both Lady Fish
er and Lady Charles, especially with
the latter In secondary position. Of
hcially subordinate to Lady Fisher
The respective salons Soon became
rival camps. and Lady Charles, with
beauty. wealth. elegance and possess
ed of all sorts of talents. In particular
a perfect genius for music. carried the
day in social sense. This was bit
terly resented by Lady Fisher and in
course of time she communicated her
sentiments to her husband. Mischief
makers promoted the feud by repeat
Ing to the two women remarks. satir-
ical and critical. heard in the salons
of the one about the other and to-
wards the end the situation had be-
come SO intolerable that the two adj
mirals. namely, Lord Fisher and
Lord Charles were scarcely on speak
ing terms with one another. OF course.
the fact that Lord Charles on two me-
morable occasions during the sham
managed not only to inflict signal de-
feat upon Lord Fisher, but likewise by
his clovor "'-"tngy placed him in n
somewhat ridiculous position, did not
tend 10 mend matters between them.
Lady Charles, who. with the Mar
chioness of Ripon and Henry Higgins.
may be said to have founded the Gov
ent Garden Opera in London as 1t now
exists. has besides her town house a
beautiful suburban place near West
Ham whore shc is plwavs surrounded
by q large circle of admiring and very
devoted friends. Its situation is ideal,
lying as 1t does just outside one of
the entrances to Richmond Park. Tho
house Is reached through a long arch
of trees, forming a shady avenue. and
is characteristic of its master and mis-
tress. being thoroughly unconven-
tional, and withal most interesting.
artistic and in perfect taste. The eX-
traordinary number of Chinese idols.
some OF which Lady Dot insists arc
speaking likenesses OF her husband,
are mingled with presentation photo
graphs. with inscriptions of devotion
to Lady Charles, which sh6w the great
range of her friends. including the
great Prince Bismarck. the three Ger
man Emperors, Kitchener. King Ed
ward, lord Beaconsfield. King George.
Field Marshal Won Moltke, General
Gordon. of Khartoum. Cardinal