New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-01
THE ROYAL QUARREL

So IL seems that at the launching Thursday. at
Portsmouth. of the two new British war vessels,
Her Majesty Queen Victoria had n quarrel with
her son, the undutiful Albert Edward, Prince
of Wales This was not precisely the example
which Royalty should have set for the common
pcople but no doubt the provocation was great.
Indeed. it is the exact origin of the trouble
which is in dispute 1t appears that they were
standing beneath the bows Of one Of the ships. y
and we are told that they "quarrclled for several
minutes and that the Queen was "imperious
I'm her manner" and the Prince irritably on the
defensive" At the end Of the trouble they arc
both said TO have had an "apopcctic appearance"
so we NAV fairly assume that IL was lively while
il lasted and that if the war-ships which were
being named do rs we'll in proportion to their
SIZE they will I've the terror of the seas.
But as we intmaied. while the particulars oil
the quarrel itself are pretty fully given, nobody
seems 10 know exactly what IT was about. some
vague coniectures concerning trifiing breach OF
etiauette- on the Princes part are INDUCED In
By the correspondent. but nothing definite Is
stated Tie idea is put forward by some
that very likely IL may have grown out
Of the recent baccarat scandal with which
the playful Prince is said TO be connected.
the Queen embracing the opportunity while they
were alone and while the band was tuning up To
express her private opinion OF such carvings
on One word brought Oh another. rs ono word
will. and the Queen told the Prince plainly that
he must not in the future play anything stronger
than backgammon. Others suspect that MS they
are said 10 have been standing under the bows OF
one Of the ships the Queen may have become
nervous thinking that il was going TO fall on thc
ard TIE Prince rebukcd her fears in a mocking
spirit which resulted In moihcrly -Queenly
rcprimand which made him wish that he had
KENT still. or. say Others perhaps the Prince
tried to utilize the five minutes while they were
alone 10 smoke cigarette. and this was the
thrilling breach Of etiquette limited at Or Tue
Prince may have been in a muIth finding mood and
seized on the occasion 20 tell his mother that ne
didn't like her administration and that she had
taken the wrong ground on the lrish question.
Others hold that IL was more likely something OF
less moment. as the Queen may have seen mouse
and forgetting her sovereignty in her womanhood
mounted ncighborng capstan and screamed Tor a
detachment Of the Guards. The Prince argue
these theorists. rebuked his mother for this dis
,lay of weakness with the result Of bringing out
The Victorian views rs - the duty son owes ms
mother. Again words increased after their kind
and Her Majesty told Ills Iighness plainly that
what he needed was thorough maternal spank
ing. The Prince in turn intimated that he would
ike 70 sec her try il. and from this grew the
~apoplectic appearance spoken of in the dis
patches.
But these are all surmises, and there is nc
more ground for one than for the others. Per
haps there was quarrel at all As for the
imperiousness. the Queen OF Great Britain and Ire
land and Empress of India should be somewhat
mperious, especially when launching war-shps
and the irritability of the Prince may have come
from being got ont OF bed too early that morning
on account Of the naval ceremonies. And MS foI
the apoplcctic appearance. little weight can be
attached 10 it. as a good dinner or a dozen Other
things may have been responsible for il. Let Us
suppose. rs the easiest way ont of 1T. that !horc
WAS no ROYAL quarrel at all