Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1897-09-03 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

SOCIETY.) The rumour which is going the rounds to the effect that the Duke of York has asked for the command of a battleship is co obviously ridiculous as to carry its own refutation with it. The Duke, although a good seaman, and proud of hie profession, has had quite enough of a sailor's life, and shares a pardonable preference for life on shore with all the pleasures that it means for a man in his position. Besides, ' with all the ceremonial duties which now fall to him lot aa his father's locum tenens, it would be inipoesible for him to hoist his pennant, unless, indeed, like Sir Boyle Roche's famous bird, he could be in two places at once. The Prince of Wales is very naturally tired of the drudgery which, as the Queen's representative, he has discharged for thew, many years, and is pardonably desirous of shifting 801110 of the onus of these enforced labours on to the shoulders of his son. And the Duke, who is an excellent and affectionate son, is not averse to taking over some of the work. No, we may take it as fixed and certain that the Duke of York will not again go to sea as a commander of one of her Majesty's ships. What a deplorable custom that is so prevalent among our Royal folk of reading carefully typed answers in reply to addresses, instead of trusting to their natural faculty of speech and speaking out like men. The reading of these stereotyped answers is • cold, unmeaning way of returning thanks, and argues, what I hope is not the MSS, that Royal Personages are positively unable to deliver a twenty-line speech on the spur of the moment. I see that the Duke of York bus been "reading from copy over in Ireland, and the impression that this will make upon the glib, facile-spoken Irish will not be too favourable. The Duke is an intelligent man, who, if left alone and committed to his own resources, could turn a decent little reply as well as most of us. But some flunkey or other carefully draws up the reply beforehand, and thrusts it into his Royal Highness's hand, and the Duke has perforce to read it out, for all the world like us schoolboy reciting llifU lesson. I believe, as I have said, that the Duke is capable of making a speech, hut if in the unfortunate event he does not like to trust himself to the hazard of the impromptu, then why can he not learn his speech off previously and speak it out naturally? This tedious and idiotic trick of reading is absurd and unnaturally foinial. LordWolseley,our Commander-in-Chietis.'cloing'' the Western Isles of Scotland on board Sir Donald Currie's yacht, and has now quite got over hie recent Illness, being able not only to enjoy the magnificent scenery of Skye and the Hebrides, but likewise to go through a good deal of work in the way of correspondence. Surely the visit of our General will have this effect of interesting young Highlanders and bringing a number into the Highland regiments, Which at present are wofully in need of recruits.  Since the establishment of the Catteries at Hampstead some year and a half ago no less than 2,150 cats have been saved from the pangs of hunger. Within one month the Rev. Dr. Lowis, of Swansea, has baptised four ladies whose united ages amount to 315 years-74, 75, 82, and 84. A police constable named Caleb Card committed suicide at Thin;ley, near Goilahning, by hanging himself at his house. Dor:eased has been attached to the Surrey County Constabulary.  Mr. John Mead, from Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, co 1111 l iitted suicide near the Virginia Water Station on Saturday. He was seen sitting on gate, when, as the nine o'clock train from Wading approached, he suddenly left his seat, and running up the line in front of the train, he was cut to pieces. Ifo hitid placed his hut and umbrella beside the gate. At Manchester, on Saturday, the magistrates issued a summons against Dudley Sheridan and Fordyce Sheridan, managers of the " Financial Post," for conspiracy to obtain by threats and menaces a large sum of money from William Bowden & Company (Ijinitedi); Maneliestar, company promoters. Mr. C. F. WI has been retained fur the vrosecutlon.