The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-22
WOMEN OF HIGH RANK
MANY BEAR MILITARY TITLES AND
NOT A FEW DESERVE THEM.
Marie of Naples and Dona Maria of
Spain Showed They Had the Blood
of Warriors I'm Their Veins.


any Importance in the old world who does
not figure on the roster OF some regiment
either as captain, major or colonel-in-chief.
Queen Victoria even--in her younger days
it is true-reviewed her troops in Alder
shot, arrayed in the scarlet and gold lace
tunic Of full general abstaining from the
regulation cooked hat and wearing instead
a sort Of Gainsborough. with long, way
ing plume.
Moreover she holds at the present mo-
ment the colonelcy of the First Prussian
Dragon Guards, and has occasionally. when
receiving her grandson, affixed the shout
der straps of that regiment TO her dress.
Three OF her daughters-in-law hold COM
missions as officers-the Princess of Wales
being colonel of Danish regiment OF cav
airy, the Duchess of SaXe-Coburg- Gotha
colonel of a Prussian regiment OF grena-
diers and of a Russian dragon regiment,
and the Duchess of Connaught commander
of the Sixty-fourth Regiment of Prussian
infantry, formerly under the orders of her
father, the famous cavalry general, Prince
Frederick Charles.
Only one of Queen Victoria's own daugh-
tiers possesses the right 10 array herself
in martial attire, and that is her eldest
child the widowed Empress Frederick of
Second Regiment of Prussian Hussars; and.
with wearing its busby and dolman, she
rode at the head Of her corps through the
streets of Berlin on the occasion OF the
triumphal entry Of the victorious army INTO
the metropolis at the close of the Franco
German
The Empress of Russia is colonel-in-chief
of no less than four regiments or Musco-
vite cavalry while her sister-in-law, the
Grand Duchess Vladimir. is forced 10 con-
tent herself with the command OF a mere
infantry regiment of the line
GRAND DUCHESS COLONEL.
The old and infirm Grand Duchess Con-
stantine, aunt of the Car (the lady who
was robbed of her jewels by her now exiled
eldest son for presentation to the Philadel-
phia adventures, Miss Hattie Blackboard,
alias Fannie Lear,'D is colonel of the
Sixteenth Regiment of dragons
Her daughter the widowed Grand Ouch
ess Vera, whose husband, Duke Eugene of
Wurtemberg. is generally reported to have
persisted much in the same way as the
late Crown Prince Rudolph OF austria, Is
commander Of the Nijin-Novgorod Infant
ry Regiment. Duke Eugene was ofhciaily
stated to have succumbed to an attack OF
cholera at Dusseldorf after a few hours
Illness, this being the pretext given for the
mystery observed in connection with ms de-
mise and his funeral. the latter taking
place in the dead of night.
According TO the story curreht IN Uhe
various German courts, he was killed by
a husband whose honor he had betrayed
Some say that he fell in duel others again
that ii was in ambush, while, according
TO third version, it was his assailant 5
wife herself who gave him his coup de
The Grand Duchess Vera's sister. the
Queen of Greece. enjoys the distinction OF
rope, having been appointed by her cousin,
the Car. From her earliest childhood,
Queen Olga has been accustomed to the
sea, a fact due in great measure TO her
father having been the Sailor Prince of
Russia and the high admiral of the en-
pire.
Like the late Lady Brassey, Countess
Andrassy and a number of other sea-loving
| ladies, she has passed the examination and
| ing master, and is able to navigate both
| sailing vessels and steamships as if she
| had done nothing else all her life.
She uses her yacht as constantly as other
| ladies do their carriages, and enjoys moth
| ing much a stiff breeze. Ii was not
| tribute to this taste. but also with a polit-
| ical object In view, that the Car appoint
| ed her admiral in his navy the other day.
the eastern portion of the Mediterranean
| where she can coal and provision her ships
| scent upon Constantinople. which is within
| striking distance of the Praeus.
AS admiral-in-chef of the Mediterranean
| squadron of Russia Queen Olga can scarce
| ly refuse hospitality TO what are practical
| ly her own, ships, flying her own pennant.
| ty compliment, really acquired Athens as
| convenient headquarters for his navy in
the eastern waters of the great inland sea-
QUEEN OLGA'S HONOR.
| Queen Olga's nomination is of quite re-
| cent date, and is as yet unique of its
| kind. and it remains to be seen whether
other sovereigns will follow the example
OF Alexander III in the matter.
Perhaps may yet live to see not
only admirals. but captains lieutena.lts
| and common sailors of the fair sex, with
| fat old boat women in the guise of boat
| SWANS.
! In that event it would be we'll to change
| the shape of the naval ensign and 10 sub
stitute in its place that flag hoisted on !.
a, flag to which all mankind owes a not
| always conscious alegiance-namelv n
| feminine petticoat.
there are only two who have ever been
unde: fire and won on the field of battle
than in an honorary capacity. one of
them is ex-Queen Marie of Naples the
manded the magnificent defense of that
last stronghold of the Bourbons in Italy
IN tion su of manner tanner as TO win the admira
msstteiy forced by famine, to surrender.
| She is likewise the only feminine knight
! of the highly priced Russian Order of st.
George, conferred exclusively for exec D.
The other princess is Princess Maria
3%fittthe-SSTn.ows, daughter of the late ex-
| SiiSuel VI 1OTIuSdl, VINO died in
| exile in Austria. and wife of Don AL
| phonse the younger brother of the Span
| lsh pretender Don Carlos.
/ Dona Maria took an active part in the
| last two Carlist risings in Spain. accom-
| panying her husband into the very thick
| OF the battle, giving directions for stratee ic
| movements and commanding large bodies
| of troops.
Her military record. however. unlike
mat OF the ex-Queen of Naples. is stained
| with innumera bic acts of cruelty for the
| penetration of which she Is rightly or
| wrongly held responsible, and these caused
| her to become at the close of the last
instruction an object of such popular
| eXecration, even in far off Austria. that
| on returning with her husband 10 her
home at Gratz the windows of her chateau
| were broken and her gardens laid waste
by a mob composed of townspeople and
| students
Even TO this day the mention of the
name Of Dona Maria de las Moves arouses
| a shudder OF horror i'm Spain: whereas
the mention of her sainted sister-in-aw
| the lamented Duchess Of Madrid who
| likewise accompanied her husband Dor
l Carlos. to the scene OF conflict is re.
veTed as that Of an angel OF mercy anc
| kindness.
| 81 SPY STRANGERS