Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-08
Sketch Of Duke Ala xis.

The Dake himself 10 the third son OF tn,
Emperor Alexander ii. and the Empires,
Maria AleKsndrosInA, formerly princess OF
Hesse. The Emperor has tssa twice mar
ried aud has nov large family, oil thu
children Of the pre,sat Empress The
eldest 10 the grand duke Alexander, heif
apparent who Was born on the l0,h Of
March ls4j, four years after the Emperor,
second marriage the second, the grauu
duke Vladimir. born April 20, lsi1 Vi,
third, tbs grsad doko Alexis, born January
10, 1885, TIE fourth the grand duchess
Mara, born October II, 1858; the hf.t,
the grand duke SsrviA, bora MAY IL, 1856 /;
aud the youngest. the grand duke Paul
born October 3, 1860. IL 10 worth relAiInl
thai there vas no listie anxiety attend me
the grand dukes birIh. The impsria
family and the state officials we're At first
overj0ysd 10 hear the tdIugs from The sIck
cham Der that the grand duchess was beyond
danger, aud that prince had been born
The general delight and mutual congrRlu
lauons in the ST. Petersburg palace soor
ceased, however, on the news coming 500,
after that the child was dead. An houi
later . third messenger came from the sict
ehAmber, saying that the court physician
had succeeded 10 bringing TO life What bad
81 the moment Of birth appeared 10 be
infant, and when the duke Alexander Ap.
psared At che door Of the saloon, his thirc
500 10 his Arms, the rejoicing knew nU
bounds The child was chrisiened soon
after at the magnificent cathedral Of ST
Isaac, in ST. Petersburg, as Coionr
Of the EkAIherinenb ourg infantry regiment
an booor conferred thus only on princes o.
the blood imperial. Rarely mad q more
brilliant or distinguished assembly gathered
10 the cathedral The who'll imperial fam
ly, including the emperor and empress, suc
oil the grand dukes, we're present Most OF
the foreign courts were represented by min
isters IN their robes OF state, and officers o.
the i'm periAl life guard were stationed a
regular intervals IN various parts OF thu
vast building. For q period OF severa
yeArs ,fter his birth the young prtDee wa
IN precArious health, and 1t was scarcely
hoped that he would live till the years OF
maturity but his slender health has grown
more robust with each year. In 1896 he
accompanied his parents 10 Moscow, ano
was then-At their coronation-presentec
for the frat time to the assembled repre-
aentA,ives Of the empire. Upon the return
Of the i'm periAl family to 81. Petersburg
the grand dukes education was immediately
commenced. Madame De Bernard, French
LADY, and Fraulein Won 1nlithchoh, III,
daughter Of q Courdland nobleman, were Ap
pointed as his governesses, since ell The
imperial children OF Russia are educated a
nome. Alexis early showed great taste tor
and application 90 study. Few months pas
ssd before he was able 10 read easily Rus
sian, German and French, and speak then
with considerable Auenoy When fsrthei
advanced, no was placed under the tuition
of Prof. FargAnof, who instructed him II
mathematics and geographyj Prot No.
Stein, who taught HIN ancient aud mode'r
history, aud Mr.. Gordon. Scotohmsn
from whom he learned English. ln th'
year 1862 he accompanied his uncle, tn,
grand duke Constantine, grand admiral Of
Of the Russian navy, on trip to the fort
russ Of Sweuborg. During terrific storm
which lasted eight hours, the young duke
. displayed so much inlrepIdlty and daring
that Constantine, on his return to st. Pet
srsburg, urgently requested the emperor to
appoint him some position 10 the navy The
the En- ,sror Reluctantly did, after delaying
for q long time, being fearful Of the dehcAl'
constitution Of the Prince. Since then !
has bssn his passion to be on shipboArd
and he has spent oil the time that his duties
would permit him on the water. The Duke
grandfather was Nicholas l., the resolutr
aud wArlike Gear who overaved the wide.
spread rebellion incident on his accession
and who conducted the beginning Of the
famous Crimeau war against the allied pow
ers. The blood Of Frederick the great oil
Prussia also flows ia his veins, 81 that hi.
disposition should be worthy mem Der OF
the imported family Of Russia, whose char
Aoteristic has ever beer prediction for
war aud IN ltAry pursui $. Moreover, tn,
Duke il said 10 inherit much Of hls father
intellectual culture and polite tastes, 20 tha
he comes naturally by al the qualities &C
laudable ia . general aud statesman. HI,
olEioial positions are Captain and Aide-de
camp Of the emperor aud chief Of the Elk
atheriueu bourg regiment Of infantry, and o
tho 6rst squadron Of the feet o. Finland, o
nons Of which be IL so proud ~ Of media
Of honor given him for rescuing young
lady from drowning at the im nioeut peril o
his own life. Snch incidents revealing hi
Generous disposition, sho~ h ~ veil deserve,
I. ma universal popularity among the Rus
n@n people. HIS oihc ial title il Hi. lmperi
aAVhnes1 the Graod Dute Alexis Alex
poV'ch, and his ra the imports
NaSn navy IL that Of frat lieutenant