The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-12-09
Grand Duke Alexis.
A Sketch Of the Youth New York is
Running Crazy After,

rived IN New York, on Sunday morn
ing last, on a Russian frigate, is a
third son of the Emperor of all the
Russias, Alexander II, and the EN-
press Alexandrovna, formerly Princess
of Hesse. The Emperor has been
twice married, and has now large
family, all children of the present
Empress. The oldest is the Grand
Duke Alexander, the heir apparent,
who was born on the 10th of March,
le45, four years after the Emperor's
second marriage; the second, the
Grand Duke OF Aldimir, born April
20, I847; the tlIir the Grand Alexis,
born january 1850; the fourth,
the Grand Duchess Maria, born Octo-
Der, IL, 1853; the fifth, the Grand
Duke Sergia, born May IL, 1857; and
the youngest, the Grand Duke Paul,
born October 3, 1860. It is worth
relating that there was no little anx-
iety atteding the Grand Dukes birth.
The imperial family and the State
officials were at first overjoyed to
hear the tidings from the sick chamber
that the Grand Duchess was beyond
danger, and that a prince had been
born. The general delight and mu-
tual congratulations in the st. Peters
burg palace soon ceased, however, on
the news coming soon after that the
child was dead. An hour later a
third messenger came from the royal
sick chamber, saying that the court
physician had succeeded in bringing to
life what at the moment of birth
appeared to be a dead infant, and
when the Duke Alexander appeared
at the door of the saloon, his third
son in his arms, the rejoicing knew
no bounds, The child was christened
soon after at the magnificent cathedral
of st. Isaac in st. Petersburg, as Col
oiiel of the Ekatherninenbourg infan-
try regiment, an honor conferred thus
early only on the princes of the blood
imperial. Rarely had a more brilliant
or distinguished assembly gathered in
the cathedral The whole imperial
family, ineluding the Emperor and
Empress, and all the Grand Dukes,
We're present. Most of the foreign
courts were represented by Ministers
in their robes of state, and the officers
of the Imperial Life Guard were sta
toned at intervals in Earieus parts of
the vast building. For period of
several years after his birth, the
young prince was in very precarious
health. and it was scarcely hoped that
he would live till the years of matur-
ity, But his slender health has grown
more robust with each year. In 1856
he accompanied his parents to Mos
cow, and was then+~-at their corona
presented for the first time to
the assembled representatives of the
empire. Upon the return of the i'm
perial family to St. Petersburg, the
Grand Dukes education was immedi-
ately commenced. Madame de Bern
ard, French lady, and Fraulein Won
Inlithchoff, the daughter of a Cour-
land n0bleman, We're appointed his
governesses, since all the imperial
children of Russia are educated at
home. Alexis early showed great
taste for and application to study.
Few months passed before he was
able to read easily Russian, German
and French, and also speak them with
flueRcy- When farther
he was placed under the
tuition of Professor Farganoff, who
him in mathematics and
Professor Won Stein, who
taught him ancient and modern his
tory, and Mr.. Gordon, Scotchman,
from whom he learned English. In
1862 he accompanied his uncle, the
Grand Duke Constantine, Grand Ad-
miral of the Russian navy, on trip
to the fortress of Sweaborg. During
u terrific storm, which lasted eight
hours, the young Duke displayed
so much intrepidity. and daring that
Constantine, on his return to st.
Petersburg, urgently requested the.
Emperor to appoint him to some posi-.
ton in the navy. This the Emperor
reluctantly did, after delaying for
q long time, being fearful of the
delicate. constitution of the Prince.
Since then it has been his passion to
be on ship-board, and he has spent
all tho time that his duties would
permit him on the water. The Dukes
was Nicholas |, the reso-
lutte and war-like Gear, who over
awed the widespread rebellion Incl
dent on his accession, and who con-
Quoted the beginning of the famous
Crimean war against the allied pow
ers. The blood of Frederick the
Great, of Prussia, also flows in his
veins, SO that his disposition should
be worthy member of the imperial
family of Russia, whose characteristic
has been predilection for war and
pursuits. Moreover, the
Duke is said to inherit much of his
fathers intellectual culture and polite
tastes, SO that he comes naturally by
Ill the qualifications so laudable in i
General and a statesman. His official
positions are Captain and Aid<de-
camp of the Emperor. and chief of the
Ekatherinenbourg regiment of infan-
ny, and of the first suqadron of the
feet of Finland, of none of whichj he
- 81 ,NIn1d oS nf . ,,,o1al Of ha51or.