The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

A FATAL DUEL.

VIENNA, Feb. 23.
It has frequently been observed that an unsuc-
cessful campaign is generally followed by an un-
usual amount of duelling. The comments—fre-

qucntly severe—made upon the conduct of indivi-

duals often give rise to recriminations and disputes
which, according to the ideas prevalent on the
Continent, can only be arranged finally by an
appeal to arms.
The unfortunate termination of the late war has
been fruitful in such results. Au encounter between
Generals Benedek and Count Clam-Gallas was
prevented by the mediation of an exalted personage,
but duels between officers of a lesser grade have
been and are still frequent.
The most deplorable event of the kind which has
yet occurred was the unhappy event of last Satur-
day, which resulted so fatally to Prince Bernhard of
Solms.

As the Prince made it his last request to his
seconds before the duel that, whatever the result
might be, bis dispute with Count Wedel should be
considered finally arranged by their encounter, it
must suffice to say that the immediate cause of the
duel was a letter from Prince Salms to Count

Wedel, which left the latter no alternative but a
challenge.

The meeting took place at daybreak in the Prater ;

the adversaries were placed 35 paces apart, with
liberty to advance each 10 paces, the intermediate
space being marked by the sabres of the seconds.
On the word being given both opponents stepped
forward to the barrier, and Prince Solms stood at
" attention," presenting his full front to his oppo-

nent. He had before declared his intention to his
friend, Dr. Baron Mundy, who was present as
physician, to receive his adversary's fire and then
to fire his own weapon in the air. After a few
moments' hesitation Count Wedel drew the trigger
of his pistol. The weapons that had been selected
for the occasion were unfortunately more precise
than is usual with duelling pistols, and the ball
struck his adversary almost in the centre of the
chest, a little to the right. The Prince fell almost
senseless to the ground, but had still sufficient
strength when Count Wedel, overwhelmed at the
result of his aim, threw himself beside him to grant
the pardon he implored. That the wound was ab-
solutely mortal was evident from the first ; he was
carried to his home, and the care of the attending
physicians was confined to alleviating his intense
sufferings with opiates. Prince Solms lingered for
nearly twenty-four hours, and died the next morn-
ing at six o'clock.
The funeral solemnity took place on Tuesday, the
19th inst., and was attended by the King, the
Crown Prince, and the Princess of Hanover, the
Archduke William, the uncle and brothers of the
Prince, and a large concourse of generals, officers,
and members of the aristocracy. Prince Solrus was
born in the year 1839 ; he exchanged before the
war from the cavalry into an artillery regiment,
and commanded a battery during the campaign in
Bohemia with great distinction. His career, now
so suddenly cut short, promised to be a most
brilliant one. He was beloved by all who knew
him ; his untimely fate has made a most painful
impression, and is deplored and regretted by all
classes of the population.
There is a strong feeling against his adversary,
who is severely blamed by most people for the sure
aim he took ; but Count Wedel was probably not
aware of the precision of the weapon he carried,
and he certainly could not know that it was not the
intention of Prince Sohns to fire at him.
With an armed opponent before him a man must
be allowed to consider his own safety his first ob-
ject. It is not three weeks since an affair took
place between Count P- and Baron G--, in
which the Baron having discharged his weapon, the
Count stepped up to the barrier and, presenting his
pistol, called upon his adversary to retract a certain
letter which he had written. In this case a written
agreement had been made that the parties were not
to speak to each other on the ground, and the seconds
of course interfered, upon which the Count fired in
the air; but as long as duelling is not abolished it
will al ways be well to remember the French adage,
" On n'y va pos pour s'y faire du bien."