Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-26

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He does not waste words and cannot
easily be persuaded to speak for given
time
London's Traf11c King.
Sir Edgar Speyer will possess an in
disputable claim to the title of London's
traffic king when the underground rail-
ways, OF which he Is financial chairman.
take over the vast fleet OF vehicles own
ed by the London General Omnibus Com
pany. The railway omnibus group which
Sir Edgar is to control will cover go
miles of London transit. and its total
capital will be about E4O,OO0. 900.
Apart from his connection with the un-
derground'' Sir Edgar Speyer Is man
of varied interests and attachments. As
head of the long established firm OF
financiers. Speyer Brothers. he juggles
with millions of money daily in London,
New York and Frankfort. Few important
deals are carried through in England,
America or Germany in which he does
not participate.
He is famous, too, as a philanthropist,
society host and patron of the arts
He has given as much as E25,OOO at a
time to King Edwards hospital fund,
and he is still gratefully remembered Tor
his princely generosity to the sufferers
in the .Seedham Savings Bank failure
In the domain of art his expert opinion Is
highly valued. His collection of paint
ings is one of the best i'm the country;
There have recently been innumciable
rumors of legislative efforts to reform
once more the local government of Lon
don. Even now, in spite or the anon
ton of the old vestries and the creation
of the borough councils, London has ia
different local governing bodies. Some
of these are, of course. very small ana
unknown to the mass of the people. Sir
John Benn, leader of the progressive
party, has tabled a. resolution at the
London county council urging the council
to take into consideration the condition
of London government and appoint spe-
cial committee with instructions to report
fully on the present conditions In reia-
ton to the rise in and the Inequalities OF
rates. and as to reforms recommended by
royal commission. select committee OF
parliament or bills introduced by min
listers of the crown.
One great step toward unification is
that the county council has recently
voted for a equalized poor rate. The
parties in the council are divided about
the maintenance of the borough councis'
but there is a general belief that the
extension of the boundaries Of London so
as to bring in all the big outer suburbs
would be welcomed by both municipal
parties. Incidentally, the extension would
enable London to regain its prestige as
the most populous city in the world.
Great Theologian's Writings.
Considerable interest will be felt in all
religious circles in Cardinal Newman's
Life" based upon the great theologian's
private journals and correspondence. to
be published in two volumes fortnight
hence, and something of this will attach
to the author as well as to his subject.
Mr.. rid Ward, who throughout his
life, ZEN an active Roman Catholic,
is Ideal Ward of the ok
foIO r. - llhent," one Of the earliest of
the Gist stream Of converts to Rome
biots &ll3f is editor Of the Dublin Re-
view. ~ If his work is at all COM
plete u ould throw much light upon
the PEI Tof the ecumenical council
when Newman and w. G. Ward were at
There might also be explained the cir
cumstances in which Dupanloup. the elo-
quent Bishop of Orleans, proposed to
take Newman with him to the council as
his theologian. before he entered into
controversy with Archbishop (atterward
CardinaD Manning, wherein Newman's
sympathies did not lie with his fellow-ex-
Anglican. The personal relations be-
.verts," indeed, would form very piquant
reading if fully detailed. for Newman.
under most gentle exterior, possessed
a faculty for plain speech In private let
terS which cut deep.
The opinions entertained toward him
by Plus TX, which kept him out of the
cardinalate until he was close upon
eighty when the distinction was CONFER
red by Leo XIII, likewise would throw
period. II Mr. Wards life" be "a frank
~ told tale. it will be one of the most
striking religious biographies of recent
times. ~
Fine Old Priory Sold.
Burford Priory, in Oxfordshire, has
been sold. This fine old house, of which
there is an illustration in Skeletons An
tiquities of Oxfordshire," has seen many
vicissitudes of fortune since Henry Wits
barber-surgeon owned it. From 1879 until
the last few years the old house was
tenantless and fell into shocking oecas.
and visitors to Burford would wander
through the deserted, melancholy rooms
with dismay. The decorative ceilings,
the oak staircase, the chimney pieces.
the pillars and carvings were all in proc
ess OF becoming a ruin. and on the walls
the terrible tourist had everywhere lett
his lead pencil trail. The house as 1t
now stands is what one might call the
nucleus of the original mansion built Dy
Sir l.. Tanfield. The center is left, with
the carved figures above the entrance,
which have always been associated with
the Hartman ownership
There are wainscoted walls and Won
derfui pendant plaster ceilings, beautfful
carved mantelpieces and elaborate win
dow tracery A stone terrace leads to
the chapel from the first floor, and IN
the chapel Is the singular carving OF
the burning bush below the old FAMILY
pew. There is story, of course, at
tached to the place-a man. john Prior.
murdered In the fruit garden and hidden
away there His body was found. and
now lies in front OF the Beckett Chapei
in the church, where 1t was placed three
DAYS after the discovery in 1871
Another Sale Scheduled.
The next bit of eighteenth century
Whitehall to go will be the area bounded
by the banqueting hall, the Duke OF
Buccleuc1s house. the Victoria embank-
ment. and Horse Guards avenue the
department over which Lord Beauchamp
now presides having given notice that
parliamentary powers will be sought 70
acquire the site for government omces
This site was almost in the very center
Of the Whitehall Palace of the Tudofs
and Stuarts, the only remnant OF Whicn
today is lingo Jones banqueting nail
The first commissioner of pubic WORKS
would never dare, of course. 10 touch
that precious relic. but Gwydir House.
which adjoins it. will probably CO. Inc
threatened buildings are more OF Tess
already devoted to government purposes.
No. Whitehall gardens Is occupied ps
the board of trade. At the PACK, anu
extending to the embankmen., Is spa
cious garden, whene Mr.. and MRS. Siuney
oN3 hi Garden Darty last