The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-18
Shall the Dutch Be Allowed
to Keep Holland?
TAST-LIVED FAMILY.
What The Marriage OF a Netherland Prince to
a Prussian Princess May Mean.
BISMARCK ALWAYS HAS A PLAN.
LONDON. May 8, 1878.

So much gossip has been going lately IN dpio-
matte and other circles respecting The marriage OF
Prince Henri of the Netherlands with the Princess
Mary Prussia, daughter OF Prince Frederic Charles,
that may be OF place specify some OF the
chief aspects Of tho question. The marriage is now
definitely arranged. 1t Is 10 be celebrated in Juno
next and may be considered next 10 an accomplished
TACT. Henri of Nassau, Prince OF the Netherlands,
brother OF the King OF Holland, widowcr, and the
father OF princess married TO the Prince OF WED, is
now aity-eight years old. Tho Princess Mary, MS
bcrothed. is only twcntythree. 1t must not be sup
posed, however, that the difference OF age alone
the worlds malice nnas employment
ABpcArioN UPON ALLEGATION.
II is rumored. IN connection with the approaching
fmarriagc that thero is aoat scheme for The abdca-
ton OF Crown OF the Netherlands by William H..
that eldest and heir, the Prince OF Orange,
having resolved marry, would at the same
time waive his rights the throne; that his second
ssoD, the Prince Alexander is in consequence Of bad
health. fitted for the royal dignity, and that it
would in consequence devolve upon the bridegroom,
Prince Henri The Princess Mary OF Prussia would
thus lnd tho Crown OF Holland 10 hor corbeite
PURSUITS.
At first sight the hypothesis has something absurd
in IL Why should King William abdicate? 1t may be
asked. Why should the Prince OF orange do the
same? Here the arguments brought to the front are
oil such be with difficulty even limited at
Sufficient is that the King OF Holland,
the world knows. has Tor several years been
habtual absentee from his capital and has Cultivated
with considerably more assduiiy the GcaatScenes of
The Bouacs Parisenncs and other places Of amuse-
mcni Paris rather than the Council Chamber
The Hague. Neither II BIO divulgng
State mention that the Prince OF Orange
(who occasionally allows his friends OF the
To call him Prince Lemon) has with 1lial reverence
followed IN the steps OF his royal father and exhibited
tho lie OF Partisan dcgIurTE
The consequences been a growing feeling OF dissa
isiaction the practical soul OF the Dutch people
unmisiakabie desire OF seeing iather aud son
give 10 forever the cares OF royalty aud TO take denn-
itively TO their layori,e pursuits
BOUGHT SOLD
Whether the King himself rightful heir look
upon the matter exactly IN The same night AZ their
liege subjects is doubtin, though II seems 10 be
taken Tor granted oy many. Al all events, II is al
legged that the pecunary enoarrassmcnts OF the pair
have now come to dreadful climax; that a lump OF
money, with large pension, would easily settle The
question, and even that II Is already settled IN prin
clpe such is the outward side Of the case, and it
must be admitted that If there were nothing else II
might deservcdly DO left aside, among other similar
pieces of European gossip Under The frivolous
pect, however, there Is a serious one
GGRMASy's FINGER.
The undoubtod the bottom of tho question is
that Prince bismarck. or rather tho whole German
people, want 10 annex Holland. This Is not only an
admitted truth. or Father one proclaimed in every
German university, aud which no German patriot
would ever deign To deny, next to historical
fatality. The Low Countries by their position well
MS by their wealth. have always been temptation To
powerful neighbors. they preserved their indepen-
deneo againsi&p hp IL. Louis XIV. ana stuarls
only through succession OF glorious deeds and they
were not able TO defend u against The French
Empire Napoleon 4, when he annexed Holland, mad
already NJ hand convenient gcogra phical theory.
s'HoAand. he put II through tho Monttear, lis In
reality only part OF France: may fairly defined
by saying that IL Is aluyion OF the Rhine, the Mas
ana the Scheldt-tbat 10 to say, OF great
ways OF the French Empire" Snch The Nnpoe-
theory. The learned professors who as tho
vanguard OF the Pomernian soldier have taken good
care to prepare the Bsmarckian pendant the above
ana accordingly 10 them Holland Is an undoubtedly
German land, or rather the coast itself OF
Germany German Ocean Arc IT'S
sous of German race! DO they nor speak a branch
OF the old Deutschc tongueY Is rot their GcImanic
slang closely akin to the patois spoken IN the
Rnenish provinces OF Prussay Has not the province
OF Limburg belonged 10 the German Confederation up
TO ls66S Then come the military reasons:-"An in
dependent Holland Is door open on the Father
iand;" tho maritime reasons German trade
and navy want their coast on the German
ocean, the financial reason, "Hoiland IS
OF the weaitniest countries in Europe;''
the colonial reason, "Holland possesses finest
colonies the word, next TO England, ana IL IS pity
that sach colonies should not belong the mother
German country" nuaily, tne moral reason Ger
many has the right leave that band of German
brothers--the Dutch people Of her patriarcna
philosophical and highly beneficial family circle
HOLLANDS POINT or VIEW
All that is very well IN the lecture ROOM but Hol
fact that the idea OF II makes the blood OF that
quiet ana lawaoidng people run quicker. We would
tour the Dutch museums to ven
tgre any aiusion 70 the possibility OF suen
injured nyu Aeer redhot at once, assume tho |
most offended Iook and exciaim :-'Sir, do you sup
pose we are unworthy OF our IathersY DO YOU tniuk
VIC caunot Gghts Don't you know We keep a stand
Ing army oil 90, 200 men, which might bring up
i've or six times more ~ The calling 40 OF Inc rc-
serves ana the Dan generalS DO you forget that we
have in the Zuyder sea four ifou-ciads, rams,
seventeen gun puats on our rivers twelve monitors
Ia our har6ors OF twelve cutters twenty /
three schooners ana lorty-onc steam saing trans
lortsg Do you forget The SPECIAL obstacles wncn our
country would oppose 10 the advance an invader,
aud especially the conveyance heavy gunsr
Have YOU moi visited our new limos OF for,sY DO YOU
g d eI
without previously sinking 1t under tue seaf Thus
would speak Tue Aaya heef, ana TIC unusual warmth
OF his utterance would testify 10 hts sincerity.
BsMARcKs PLANS
Now, Prince Bismarck knows All that, probably, US |
well as any living man and The special iault VI tho
German Foreign any than thai Of the German War
Office has never been 70 make impoasole or even /
doubtful attempts. The Berlin Chancellor knowE thai !
direct annexation oil Holland to the German Empire
wonid DO sure TO encounter resrstancs winch woud
assume desperate positively dangerous, ractor
mat u would 81 on growing, profit by any oppgr- /
tuhitY. and backed oy powerful rivals, IL would DO
Buro 10 be, become fountain OF never ending dicul-
tics. He has evidently desirc Of attaching Duten
Poland 10 the hank Of the German Empire. The prob
abny IS. consequently that ms special aim is rather
more 70 attain ~ an indirect process The advantages
OF annexation than TO impose u by brutal force.
supposing that Holland should DO ruled by prince /
OF German leanings and German cducaton, VINO I
would BE- Ht tho umo Graad Duke oi Luxem.
bourg IN bls own rght-thnt Is TO say. Oi GuCuy I
winch has been para Of The German Confederation /
from Tie foundation OF the latter N ISIS up to ts
dissolution VA lebS-supposing that such King OF /
holland should Ue tne husband OIL princess Of 1
hsc OF close union between Germany and the low |
Eountries Holland might DO admitted INTO the ZYi-
vcrein or commercial un.on VI German states aG-
ccpt, consequently, The lattcr--og slaton customs
duties, weights, measures ahd moneys. Would |
not the advantage DO manifest 10 the Dutch
tradcg Is not inc example OF Wurtembcrg,
Saxony aud Bavaria handY Thea why
not contract military convention, equally useful or
both countries, HOllsnd bindins itself uu certain
points OF vital Interest Tor Us powerful neighbour,
securing IN return the desirable protection Vt tho /
German arny9 lhoro would bo loss vi indepen- I
deuce, no annexation or conquest, only the close .
Of two brother peoples, Their mutual insurance
against risks association tor profits.
Such is, most probably, the isea which lies at the
bottom Of the intended match and II must DO admit
tea that The characorstic features VI the Dutch |
temper might, 10 some extent inspire confidence IA /
iis ultimate The people OF the low countries
un.nllL.LlN sLnAn hX n cir Ai.L.rL- /