Part 7

Lord Dunraven's yachting may be said to date from his college days, since he generally spent the long vacation with his friend Lord Romney, voyaging in a small sloop he purchased from a Cardiff pilot. In this craft, with a man and boy for a crew, he used to cruise in all sorts of weather round the coasts of Scotland and Ireland. Very funny indeed are some of the yarns about the dangers and difficulties which the "Cripple"--as the yacht was named--and those on board met with from time to time. In this way he picked up some knowledge of navigation, learned how to manage a boat, and became well acquainted with the discomforts of seafaring life. From the days of the "Cripple" until 1887 Lord Dunraven took but little interest in yachting or yacht racing. But in August of that year he chanced to be at Cowes, and went for a sail in the "Irex." As usual with Mr. Jameson, the conversation turned on yacht building. In a very short time Lord Dunraven was persuaded to return to his old love, and before a month was over Mr. Richardson, of Liverpool, who designed the "Irex," had received instructions to build him a cutter. The result was the "Petronilla," but, in spite of several alterations, the yacht was a failure, although she was steered by Gomes, who during the last two seasons has had charge of "Meteor" (_nee_ "Thistle") for the German Emperor.

Disheartened, but not defeated, he gave a commission to Mr. Watson, of Glasgow, who designed the first "Valkyrie." She was a signal success, and was sailed by Thomas Diaper, better known as Tommy Dutch, and afterwards by William Cranfield, who had been so fortunate with the "Yarana," now the "Maid Marian," for Mr. Ralli. Like the present ship, she was built for the express purpose of racing for the America Cup. The challenge sent by the Royal Yacht Squadron was accepted by the New York Yacht Club. But as conditions, considered distasteful by the Squadron, were imposed as to the future holding of the cup, and the New York Yacht Club declined to yield in any way, the match was reluctantly abandoned. The following year the Watson cutter came out again and did as well as before. In the winter of 1891-92 Lord Dunraven took her to the Mediterranean, where, after winning every race she sailed in, she was sold to the Archduke Carl Stephan, and delivered at Pola.

The next order was given to Mr. Alfred Payne, of Southampton, who was bidden to design a yacht which should serve the twofold purpose of a fast cruiser and a reliable, seaworthy fishing boat. "L'Esperance" was built with that object in view, and fully realized the expectations of her owner, though, of course, she was not fast enough to hold her own with the first-class racers. During the two seasons the yacht was afloat she carried off several prizes in handicap matches.

Last year Lord Dunraven determined to have a second try to bring off a race for the America Cup, and gave an order to Mr. Watson to build him another cutter. The success of the Clyde designer's last venture was probably the reason for calling the new vessel "Valkyrie." The Royal Yacht Squadron again challenged in Lord Dunraven's behalf, and the challenge was duly accepted. Fortunately, no difficulties arose on this occasion, and the 5th of October is fixed for the first match.

The new ship was built by Messrs. Henderson, of Glasgow, side by side with the "Britannia," the Prince of Wales's yacht. It is a mistake, however, to suppose, as some do, that the two vessels are copies, one of the other. The "Valkyrie" was designed first, and her building begun, before Mr. Watson considered with Mr. Jameson the lines of the "Britannia." "Valkyrie's" registered tonnage is 106.55, and her length on the load water line 86.82 feet, which is 1.82 feet above the length of the load water line given in the challenge, but doubtless she will be altered to meet the conditions governing the race. Her length from the fore part of stem under the bowsprit to the aft side of the head of the stern-post is 97.75 feet, and her length over all 116.25. Her racing rating is 148, and her sail area 10,200 square feet, being 3,500 square feet more than the first "Valkyrie." She carries a crew of thirty hands all told, and her cabins are prettily fitted up in cedar and cretonne.

The second "Valkyrie" has been tried in all weathers and in various waters with the "Britannia," the "Satanita," the "Calluna," and the "Iverna." Therefore her capabilities against British yachts of her own class are pretty well known. Up to the time of writing, namely, the eve of the Royal Yacht Squadron regatta at Cowes--the regatta in which the schooner yacht "America" won the cup which Lord Dunraven hopes to bring back to England--the "Valkyrie" has sailed in twenty matches and won fourteen flags, eleven first and three second, representing a total value of L930. Her first match was in the Thames on May 25, when she had bad luck and only came in third, "Britannia" being first and "Iverna" second. In the middle of the race she broke her bowsprit off short in the stem, and in a few minutes was, for all sailing purposes, practically a wreck. In the second Royal Thames match it was doubtful whether "Britannia" or "Valkyrie" won. The Prince of Wales's yacht was first in, but according to some watches she only won by seven seconds, whereas the official timekeeper made it seventeen seconds, thus covering "Valkyrie's" time allowance. In the Royal Cinque Ports regatta several vessels collided, with the result that the "Britannia" did not race at all, and Lord Dunraven's yacht was detained at the start twelve and a half minutes, and so was not placed. During the Royal Ulster match one of "Valkyrie's" men fell overboard, and the time lost in picking up the man could not be recovered. It is, however, but fair to say that when "Valkyrie" won the second Royal Western match, "Britannia" came to grief, while in the second race on the Clyde the prince's yacht was disqualified.

It now remains to see how she acquits herself in contest with the American vessels which have been built to meet her. The long notice required gives a distinct advantage to the other side; although only one boat can sail against the challenger, there is nothing to prevent any number of boats being designed by the party challenged. The Americans have built four cutters to select from, hence the chances against the "Valkyrie" may be roughly calculated at four to one.

There is no doubt that Lord Dunraven's ship is a great improvement on anything hitherto built in England, and, given her time allowance, is the fastest vessel afloat on British waters. She has gone much better since she had her top-mast clipped and topsails cut. Her strong point is going to windward, and her best chance is in light weather. She leaves England on or about August 20, in charge of William Cranfield, than whom it would be difficult to find a more experienced skipper on either side of the Atlantic. He has sailed her all through her trial matches and will steer her in the races for the cup.

But it must not be supposed that Lord Dunraven is always racing in large yachts. On the contrary, he is perhaps even more interested in small boat sailing, and has, since 1889, built four "fives," all of which have given a very good account of themselves. This year he brought out a twenty-rater, but so far she has not proved a success, and has succumbed to "Dragon" on almost every occasion. He is commodore of the Castle Yacht Club, a sporting little racing club on the South Coast, where races take place every Saturday and often twice a week. The commodore generally enters his boat for these matches, and always steers himself. Besides belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Castle Yacht Club, Lord Dunraven is a member of the Austrian Imperial Yacht Squadron; the Royal Cork, London, Southern, Southampton, Clyde, Western, and Victoria; the New Thames, Bristol Channel, Portsmouth, Corinthian and many other yachting clubs.

The same year that he returned to yachting he took up racing again, and started a stable in partnership with Lord Randolph Churchill, having Mr. R. W. Sherwood as trainer, and "Morny" Cannon and Woodburn as jockeys. On the whole his horses have been fairly successful. L'Abbesse de Jouarre won the Oaks in 1889, and Inverness has secured some good stakes. Strange to say, on the day the mare won at Epsom, Lord Randolph was in Norway, and Lord Dunraven was sailing in his five-rater at Calshot Castle. Under these circumstances it is quite permissible to draw the conclusion that he prefers yachting to horse racing. After four years of partnership racing, Lord Dunraven bought Lord Randolph's share of the stud and now races entirely on his own account. He is a good fisherman, and as equally at home with his salmon rod as with a deep-sea line. He knows nearly every fishing ground round the coast, and, after the regattas are over, generally goes trawling. His favorite places are off Plymouth, the Scilly and the Channel Islands. Both with rifle and gun he is a first-rate shot, and although he always shoots in spectacles, seldom misses his game.

Lord Dunraven took his seat in the House of Lords as a supporter of Mr. Gladstone, who subsequently offered him a minor post in the government. But at that time the young traveler took but little part in politics, and so declined the flattering invitation. His real entry into public life, and, in fact, the foundation of his subsequent career as a politician, are due to an article which he wrote in the "New York World" on Mr. Gladstone's famous attack on Lord Beaconsfield. The article obtained much attention at the time, and attracted the notice of the Conservative chief, who was much struck at the clever criticism of the young Liberal peer. An acquaintance sprang up between Lord Beaconsfield and the writer, which later on ripened into friendship, and probably had something to do with Lord Dunraven joining the Conservative party.

His early speeches were chiefly on foreign policy, and the intimate knowledge he showed respecting treaties of all kinds was an additional link between him and the leader of his new party. His favorite theme was Egypt, and he rarely missed an opportunity of condemning Mr. Gladstone's policy in respect to that country. Later on he interested himself more especially in colonial affairs. Here his personal acquaintance with the North American colonies stood him in good stead, and gained him the ear of the House of Lords. Thus it was scarcely surprising that when Lord Salisbury came into office he chose him as Under Secretary of State for the colonies, a post he again filled on the return of the Conservatives to power in 1886.

Soon after he had taken office the second time, the Newfoundland Government passed an act prohibiting the French fishermen from purchasing bait in the colony. This act the imperial government at first declined to ratify. Lord Dunraven sided with the local legislators, on the ground that Newfoundland was a self-governing colony. He pressed this view of the case at Downing Street, and, as the government declined to yield, resigned his Under Secretaryship. Some say he resigned merely to support his friend, Lord Randolph Churchill, who had just given up the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader of the House of Commons, but, although the two resignations may have had some connection, the immediate cause of Lord Dunraven's leaving the Colonial Office was as I have stated. Being out of office and out of favor with his chief, Lord Dunraven turned his attention to social questions, and, when Mr. Burnett's report on the Sweating System at the East End of London was presented to Parliament, he moved the House of Lords for a select committee to inquire into the subject. The request was granted, and he was appointed chairman. For more than two years the committee sat, and during all that time Lord Dunraven worked most energetically, examining and cross-examining the various witnesses sent up from all parts of the United Kingdom, for he was not long in discovering that the system was practised quite as much in the provincial cities as in the East End of London, and quickly took steps to have the reference extended. With much care he drafted an exhaustive report, giving, as the chief causes of the existence of sweating, unrestricted foreign immigration and over-competition. Lord Derby and Lord Thring declined to accept this view, and Lord Dunraven, finding himself in a minority, retired from the chairmanship. Subsequent events have shown that Lord Dunraven was not so far out in his diagnosis as his colleagues supposed. The evil effects of foreign immigration upon the unskilled labor market so impressed him that, on his own initiative and at his own expense, he formed a society for the express purpose of making these effects known to the public, and of forcing them upon the attention of Parliament.

The working-man may have good reason to thank Lord Dunraven, but it is doubtful whether the capitalist will regard his efforts in the same light. The Sweating Committee brought Mr. Alderman Ben Tillett to the front, and Mr. Alderman Ben Tillett, in conjunction with Mr. John Burns, M.P., were the promoters of the dock strike. The dock strike started "new unionism," and new unionism gave an impetus to the eight-hour-day movement. Lord Dunraven and Lord Randolph Churchill were the first prominent politicians to openly advocate an eight-hour day for miners, and Lord Dunraven's speech on the eight-hours' case generally, before the members of the Chamber of Commerce at Liverpool, attracted much comment at the time. The Factories and Workshops act was really an extension of the very able bill which Lord Dunraven introduced into the House of Lords, in order to carry into force certain amendments in the law which he had suggested in his draft on the sweating inquiry. Together with Lord Sandhurst, the present Under Secretary for War, he championed the cause of the laundresses. Indeed, there is scarcely a question affecting the interests of the working classes in which he has not taken an active part, and when a separate state department for labor is established, as it must be eventually, Lord Dunraven, supposing the Conservatives to be in power, will probably be invited to act as its first minister.

There is scarcely a subject on which he is not well informed. His difficulty seems to be in making a choice. In matters of sport he has thrown his heart and soul into yachting, and, as a consequence, on that subject he is naturally considered the first authority. What he has done in yachting he must do in politics, if he is ever to reach the position to which his abilities entitle him.

The rough-and-tumble work of the House of Commons would have been a far better school for him than the Upper House of Parliament, and had he not been a peer he would probably by this time have reached a far higher rung on the political ladder than he has done. Although nervous, he is a good speaker, and never misses his points. He seldom addresses the House without a thorough knowledge of his subject, and as a consequence is generally listened to and considered. Naturally quick, he soon masters his facts. He has great power of concentration, but, like most Irishmen, lacks application. Unlike his race, however, he is not impulsive, and seldom speaks without thinking. He has more the memory of a barrister than that of a permanent official, and should he forget the details, always remembers the line of argument. With a little more patience he would make a good judge, as he knows well how to sift evidence, and is just in dealing with the opinions of others. Thorough himself, he expects thoroughness in those about him. Cant and hypocrisy he will have none of. Nor does he believe in employing second-rate intellect. The best man and the best price is Lord Dunraven's motto. There is no niggardliness about him, yet at the same time he intends to get his money's worth. Mistakes are not overlooked, but forgiven. As a result he is much liked by all who have any dealings with him.

The principal family estates are in Ireland and Wales. Adare Manor, the Irish home where the present peer was born, is situated in one of the prettiest parts of County Limerick. The house, which had fallen into decay during the last century, was entirely rebuilt by Lord Dunraven's grandfather. It is of gray stone and in the style of the Tudor period. The most imposing apartment is the gallery, which is panelled in old oak and has a beautifully carved ceiling. This room is approached from the hall by means of a stone stair-case let into the wall, and is entered through richly carved double doors brought from an old church at Antwerp. It is one hundred and thirty-two feet long and twenty-one feet wide. Along the sides hang the family pictures, and a few choice paintings by old masters. The hall is lofty, and lighted by colored windows, which, together with the organ, hidden away in a recess, gives the place more the appearance of a cathedral than the entrance to a private house. The river Maigne flows past the manor on the south side, and, when at home, the subject of our sketch may often be seen fishing for a salmon or shooting a weir in his canoe, after the manner of Canadian log men down the rapids. Not far from the manor house, on the banks of the river, are the ruins of a Franciscan abbey, built in 1464 for the Observant Brothers by a former Earl of Kildare, while adjoining lie the ruins of Desmond Castle, so celebrated in Irish history.

Lord Dunraven is much attached to Ireland and the Irish. He devotes large sums of money annually towards improving and keeping up Adare, and spends all the income derived from the estate in giving employment to the people of the district. This fact alone, seeing that he has only a life interest in the place, shows his large-mindedness. His property is probably the only one in the south of Ireland on which no outrage has ever been committed, and it speaks well for his popularity that when he came amongst his own tenants a few months ago to deliver a speech against Mr. Gladstone's Home Rule bill, not only was he listened to, but, for the time, received the support of many Home Rulers in the district. At Adare, Lord Dunraven entertained Lord Spencer and the vice-regal court in state, and subsequently received Lord Londonderry and Lord Houghton.

Dunraven Castle, in Glamorganshire, is built on the edge of a cliff, and overlooks the Bristol Channel. The coast is very dangerous, and many a ship has struck and gone to pieces on the treacherous rocks in sight of the castle. There is no safe anchorage anywhere near, so Lord Dunraven is in the peculiar position of having a home by the sea, but is unable to approach it in his yacht. Lately the castle has been enlarged, and a new wing and courtyard added. During the last few years, owing probably to the unsettled state of Ireland, Lord and Lady Dunraven have done most of their entertaining here. Not long ago the Duke and Duchess of Teck and the Princess May (Duchess of York) made a long stay at the castle. The gardens are well kept, but the want of shelter prevents the shrubs and coverts from growing, and gives the more exposed part of the estate rather a barren appearance. The shooting is fairly good, and the park well stocked with deer.

Kenry House, in the vale of Putney, was until recently used as the town residence, but when Lord Dunraven's daughters grew up it was necessary to take a house in London. Still Kenry is a favorite Saturday to Monday resort of Lord Dunraven during the parliamentary session.

Few men in like position have led so varied a life as the owner of "Valkyrie," and as a consequence he has come into contact with most men and women worth knowing. In social circles he is very popular, and no smart entertainment is complete without him. In clubland he is always welcome, and is as equally at home at the Beefsteak or the Savage as at the Marlborough or the Turf. While Parliament is sitting he is often found at the Carlton, discussing with his party the latest move on the political chess-board, or talking science and literature with his friends at the Athenaeum. His energy is boundless. He will work all the morning, legislate in the afternoon, dine out, and then spend the evening in amusement. Travelling to him is nothing. He never tires. He is an early riser, and no matter what time he goes to bed is always up and attending to his correspondence at the usual hour the next morning. In this way he gets through a great amount of work, and is able to find time for the same amount of pleasure. He is very generous, and as a result is often imposed upon. Not only is he called upon to give money toward the charities in his own neighborhoods, but people write to him from all parts of the United Kingdom to help them in their distress. Often he yields, and many a home has been made happy by a gift of money or money's worth. Scarcely a church or chapel on his Welsh estate is self-supporting. All expect, and many get, grants from Lord Dunraven. In Ireland, too, he is equally liberal; and Father Flanagan, the priest at Adare, could tell many a tale of want relieved and assistance given to the Catholics on the estate.

LONDON, ENGLAND.

AT A DANCE.

My queen is tired and craves surcease Of twanging string and clamorous brass; I lean against the mantelpiece, And watch her in the glass.

One whom I see not where I stand Fans her, and talks in whispers low; Her loose locks flutter as his hand Moves lightly to and fro.

He begs a flower; her finger tips Stray round a rose half veiled in lace; She grants the boon with smiling lips, Her clear eyes read his face.

I cannot look--my sight grows dim-- While Fate allots, unequally, The living woman's self to him, The mirrored form to me.

DULCES AMARYLLIDIS IRAE.

I told my love a truth she liked not well; She spoke no word. I raised my eyes to watch Her cheek's red flush, her bosom's angry swell; She rose to go; her hand was on the latch; When some swift thought--of my fond love, maybe, Or ill-requited patience--bowed her head: She faltered, paused with foot half raised to flee, Then turned, and stole into my arms instead.

_Reproduced, by special arrangement, from_ "Under the Hawthorn, and Other Verse," by Augusta de Gruchy.

London: Edwin Matthews and John Lane, 1893.

A SPLENDID TIME--AHEAD.

BY WALTER BESANT.

I.

It was Sunday evening in July--an evening aglow with warmth and splendor; an evening when even the streets of London were glorious with the light of the splendid west; an evening when, if you are young (as I sincerely hope you are), only to wander hand-in-hand over the grass and under the trees with your sweetheart should be happiness enough. One ought to be ashamed to ask for more. Nay, a great many do not ask for more.