Evening star., 1923-03-06
BY THE MARQUIsE DE FoNTENoY.


While the former Austrian empire has
been persistently portrayed in print and
in public utterances the most hopelessly
ruined of all the independent nations of
the old world. and as on the eve Of iden-
tifying herself in subordinate capacity
with Italy, with Czechoslovakia, with
Germany or even with Hungary in order
to save itself from national extinction
British and also American capital is
pouring into the country very quietly,
but at a great rate, for purposes of in
dustrial investment. Of course, these
investments are not being made with
out previous exhaustive information.
AS an illustration thereof, it may be
pointed out the once so gay and bril-
liant metropolis Of Austria. which has
been held up to the world during the
last two years as city of hopeless
paupers, doomed to destruction and
famine. without any prospect whatso-
ever Of recovery, and its population de-
pendent upon appeals to foreign charity,
Is, nevertheless. thanks to British and
American capital, in a fair way to be-
come the principal port of central Eu-
rope. Thus the former quays are being
extended so as to give the port OF
Vienna wharfage of more than twenty
s. 600 900 tons of freight year in the near
future, and a considerably larger amount
later on. The port is being equipped
with all the necessary and most up-to-
date contrivances for loading and un-
loading, and a number Of big concerns
are setting up oil and coal stations. All
this is being done in conjunction with
the absorption of nearly the entire stock
of the Danube Steel Navigation Com
pany by English and American capital.
the fleet of which has been extensively
increased and reorganized. Ships of
1000 tons are entirely navigable on the
Danube. even to points above Vienna,
and as long as the straits of the Darda-
nelleS remain open to the commerce of
the world Vienna will now become
new and prosperous center and port of
central European trade with the outer
world Indeed. the economic prospects
Of Vienna, and in consequence thereof
the political and national prospects of
Austria. are more promising today than
even during the most brilliant days of
the Hapsburg empire.
In this connection. it may be men,
toned as an indication OF the extent
to which the city is looking up the
fact that Vienna will hold toward
tional fair The exhibition will take
place in the Prater Park, in the Ro-
tunda, and its adjacent buildings,
most of the exhibits having already
arrived. They comprise machinery
iron and metal work, chemicals. cleo
tro technical developments. etc.
X X
Queen Mary's youngest brother
General the Earl of Athlone, with his
wife, Princess Alice. and their chill
dren, have given up the residence
which they have occupied since their
marriage nineteen years ago in the
Henry III tower of Windsor castle
which had been placed at their dis
posal by King Edward, and will from
henceforth make their home in Ken
sington palace in London in which
they will occupy the large and roomy
apartments that had been assigned
to the Princess Alice's mother, the
late Duchess of Albany.
Kensington palace, which looks out
onto the Kensington gardens portion
of Hyde Park. was the favorite home
Of King William III. and It was there