New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-05
SlXErORURG.

The intimation that Queen Victoria will ne
eotiate with the Emperor Wilhelm for the
transfer of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-
To the German Empire is simply the repetition
of an oft-repeated rumor. The Queens chief
object in her German journey Is undoubtedly
to revisit the Castle of Rosenau, Prince Albert's
early and delightful home, on the southern
slopes of the Tluringian Forest yet it is also
quite probable that matter which must be
settled sooner or later may receive considera-
ton now. The reigning Duke Of Saxe-Coburg-
Gotha, Ernst H., is 50 years OF age; his wife,
the sister of the Grand Duke of Baden, is
clildlcss, and the Duke of Edinburgh thus
becomes the presumptiye heir TO the little
principally. But there il no great temptation
in the prospect of being called upon TO
rule, with very limited powers, over
an extent of about go square miles
and population of 10000 souls.
Neither the Duke of Edinburgh nor his I'M
perial spouse could be- expected to exchange
the splendors Of London and st. Petersburg
for plain villa at Gotha, picturesque resi-
dence near Coburg, and two or three hunting
castles, in consideration of an additional in
come Coupled with many obligations) of less
deed. that the Duke of Edinburgh would nc
cept the crown with all its petty uneasinesses
rather than lose even half that amount but
he knows that Germany desires and looks for
ward to the absorption Of the small Saxon
municipalities, and he is too skillful trader
not TO take advantage of his position. He
doesn't want the inheritance, but he will not
give it away before exacting every iarthng II
will bring
1t is a bargain which cannot fail to be con-
summatcd very soon, If not this Summer !;
and with it the dynastic name of Saxe-COburg
will have completed its short and peculiar his
tory. Its luck, in fact, began only with the
father and uncles of the present Duke, after
the line had existed in a state of insigniiicance
for about "a hundred years. Ernst LII. of Co
burg, the eldest of three sons, became Ernst l..
of Coburg- Gotha in 1896 his next brother
married the Princess Kohary of Hungary, and
became the father Of Ferdinand, husband of
Donna Maria da Gloria, Queen OF PORTUGAL
of Augustus, who married Clementine, daugh-
ter of Louis Philippe, and of the present
Duchess of NemOurs. The third brother,
Leopold, married the Princess Charlotte, the
only child of George w., and, after re-
that of Belgium. Finally Prince Albert
second son of Ernst L., received the hand
of Queen Victoria. Thus, within the space of
two generations, the blood of the Coburgs has
allied itself with the imperial line of Germany
and Brazil, and the royal lines of England,
France and Portugal, with Russia and Den
mark as collaterals." The members of the
family are noted for brillancy and versatility,
rather than for stronger intellectual character
istics Duke Ernst III. at one time was the
most popular prince in Germany, but his pll-
dence did not keep pace with his ambition,
and his leaning toward Austria previous to
| 1866 brought about loss of prestige from
which he cannot again recover. The extinction
of his restricted sovereignty will occasion
neither loss nor anxiety to the inhabitants Of
the little dukcdom. 1t is simply part of a
process which all intelligent Germans recog-
nize ma inevitable