Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-16

r The Grand Duke Alexis.

Notwithstanding the unaccountable de-
lay of the Russian squadron, the metro
polItan papers publish something every
day about the expected visitor In a late
account Of his life, We extract the follow
| ing: r-- r-r -.. fff-
:" The Duke himself is the third son of
the Emperor Alexander H., and the EN-
press Maria AleXandrovna, formerly Prin-
cess of Hessee. The Emperor has been
twice married and has now a large family,
all the children of the present Empress.
The eldest is the Grand Duke Alexander,
heir apparent, who was born on the 10th
of March, 1915, four years after the Empe-
ror's second marriage the second, the
Grand Duke Vladimir, born April 20, 1917;
the third, the Grand Duke AIexis,-born
January H., 1850; the fourth, the Grand
Duchess Maria, born October II, 1858; the
fifth, the Grand Duke Sergia, born May
II, 1867 and the youngest the Grand
Duke Paul, born October 8, 1861 1t is
worth relating that there was no little
anxiety attending 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; and when the Duke
Alexander appeared at the door of the sa
Ion, his third son in his arms, the rejoic-
llSS kDeH ITO DOuuuS. F-. .9..- .-...
1.-The child was christened soon after at
the magnificent cathedral of ST. Isaac, in
st. Petersburg, as Colonel of the Ekathe-
luxembourg Infantry Regiment, an honor
conferred thus early only on princes of the,
blood imperial. Rarely had q more bril-
liant-oP distinguished assembly gathered
in the cathedral The whole Imperial fam
lily, including the Emperor and Empress
and all the Grand Dukes, were present.
Most of the foreign courts were represent
ed by ministers in their robes of state, and
the officers of the Imperial Life Guard
were stationed at regular interyales in va
riOus parts of the vast building.
LIN 1856 he accompanied his parents to
Moscow and was then-at their coronation
presented for the first time to the as
sembled representatives of the empire.
Upon the return of the Imperial family to
st. Petersburg, the Grand Dukes educa-
ton was Immediately commenced.
"In the year 1852 he accompanied his
uncle the Grand Duke Constantine, Grand
Admiral of the Russian navy, on trip to
the fortress of Sweaborg. During a terrif-
lie storm, which lasted eight hours, the
young Duke displayed so much intrepid
ty and daring that Constantine, Oil his re-
turn to st. Petersburg, urgently requested
the Emperor to appoint him to some posi-
ton in the navy. This the Emperor re-
Iuctantly did, after delaying for a long
time, being fearful OF the delicate cOnsti-
tuition of the Prince. Since then it has
been his passion to be on shipboard, and
he has spentali the time that his duties
would permit him on the water. The
Dukes grandfather was Nicholas l., the
Tesolute and warlike Gar who oyerawed
the widespread rebellion incident to his
succession, and who conducted the begin
ming of the famous Crimean war against
the allied powers. The blood of Frederick
the Great ofPrussia also flows in his veins,
so that his disposition should be worthy
member of the imperial family of Russia,
whose characteristic has ever been pre-
objection for war and military pursuits.