The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-24
a NEW GERMAN RULER.
The Duke of Edinburgh Succeeds
Duke Ernst of Saxe-Coburg.l
VERY UNPOPULAR IN ENGLAND.

The Royal Airs of This Prince and His
Russian wife win Make Their Enforced
Residence in Germany Not Matter OF
Regret to Englishmen.
CoBuRG, Aug. 2i,-Duke Ernst n, OF
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, died Tuesday
midnight at his castle at Reinhardsbrun,
in Coburg.
Emperor William arrived at Reinhards-
brun yesterday, having Travelled from Ber.
lin on special train. The Duke of Edn-
burgh has been formally recognized as the
ruler OF the duchy. He has been spending
some time in Germany, and when the con
ditfon Of Duke Ernst became critical he
was notified and at once came TO this city.
He was at the Castle of Reinhardsbrun
when his uncle died, and there he took
the oath of allegiance to the constitution
in the presence of Emperor William and
all the minister's. Prime Minister Strenge
formally thanked Emperor William for
attending the ceremony. The emperor
went to Reinhardsbrun at the request of
the Duke Of Edinburgh. The diet will
meet on Saturday for the purpose of
swearing allegiance TO the new ruler of
the duchy. The body of Duke Ernst has
been embalmed and will lie in state in the
castle on Friday. On Monday it will be
removed to this city, where it will be in
tered.
Duke Ernst II was childless, and his
tttles and estates pass to his nephew, his
royal highness Prince Alfred Ernst Al
bert, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent
and Earl of Ulster in the peerage of the
United Kingdom.
The new German prince Is the second
son OF Queen Victoria and the late Prince
Gonsort, who was the only brother of
Duke Ernst II. He was born at Windsor
Castle on Aug o, 1874.
The duke has never been popular in
England since he attained mans estate,
and his enforced residence in Germany
will cause few regrets in his native coun-
try. Although his ability, industry and
professional requirements are unques.
toned, he has always been extremely un-
popular in naval circles. He has never
taken the trouble to sink the prince in the
sailor.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has been
sven more unpopular in England than the
duke. She has never been able to forget
shat she is the daughter of titular EN-
peror, while no other member OF the En-.
giish court could boast of more than
merely royal descent The barrier which
khe erected about herself on her first ap
ppbihnce III l1oDuon SHe mas never At'
tempted earnestly to remove, aud her hus
bands unpopularity has been largely in.
creased by her imperial airs. 1t was re
ported that the duke even quarreled with
his broker, the Prince OF Wales, at the
time Of the marriage of the latter's dnugh-
ter to the Duke of Fife. and went so far as
TO advocate the exclusion of the Fife chill.
dren from the line OF succession. The
Duchess OF Edinburgh for her part, was
opposed TO the match because the Duchess
q Fife had refused to listen to the ad
dresses Of the Russian Grand Duke
Michael. The Duchess of Edinburgh wa,
also, at first, strongly opposed to the mar
rihge of her daughter to the crown prince
Of Roumania. Shei is still sufficiently Rus
tiRn TO look upon the czar as the head OF
Aer house, and the car has a profound
dislike for the RoumaniRn Holenzollerns
u is said that she therefore declined to as.
tant to the marriage until the czar was
persuaded to withdraw his objections t.
khe alliance.
Although unpopular in England, the
Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have al
rays been in high favor with the Imperial
Eenrt OF Germany, and will be warmly
welcomed into the circle of German soy,
sroisns Whether they will be as warmly
welcomed by the people of Germany, and
especially by those Of the Duehy of Sake
coburg Gotha, is another matter.
The Duchess of Edinburgh and her son
Prince Alfred, arrived this morning. 1t Is
understood that the Duke of Edinburgh
nil abdicate in favor of Prince Alfred on
tho latter's reaching the age Of q. possibly
before