The evening times., 1895-10-03
KING GEORGE OF GREECE
An Enormously Wealthy Monarch VIE Is
Growing Feeble and Retiring.
Possible Succession Of Prince Con-
stantIne and Princess Sophia
Recalls Prophecy.

King George. of Greece, who has hitherto
been regarded as an exceptionally sound
man physically, is now discovered to he
an invalid in a very advanced stage. Pco-
pie who saw him at AixIessBains and at
Paris recently were shocked by the altera
ton of his features, aud by the signs OF
suffering OIL his face. They declare that
he seems to have aged almost ten years
during the last ten months. While at
Paris he remained unusually quiet, alb
from the ''soupers-fins'' in boulevard res
taurants, 10 which he was formerly so much
addicted. Indeed, he spent most of his
time with the same famous specialist who
kept the late Prince of Orange alive long
after he had been doomed to death by all
other physicians.
King Georges disappearance from the
scene will be far less lamented by his
subjects than most people will be willing
to suppose. though il may be regretted by
the foreign powers. For King George has
had but one ambition since he assembled the
throne of Greece as q mere young English
nidshipman-he was serving at the time in
navy-namely. to make as much money as
possible. He never for one moment ex-
pccted that his turbulent and unruly sub
jects would permit him to rule in peace
for the thirty years that his reign has
lasted. and he has always held himself
ready to depart at any moment when the
Greeks would show signs of desiring to
get rid of him.
With the exception of King Leopold, of
Belgium, and in a minor degree, King Oscar.
OF Sweden, there mas been no more persistent
speculator on the exchanges of Europe than
this King OF the Hellenes, the difference
between them being that whereas King
Leopold has been frightfully unlucky and
King Oscar far from fortunate, King
Georges ''coups de hourse" have been in
varably crowned with success. In fact
his operations have extended to this cuun-
try, notably at the time of the Turko-
Russian war in 1877, when he netted an
enormous fortune by speculation In Amer
lean wheat, which, 1t may be remembered,
rose greatly IN value owing to the inter-
ruption of the South Russian grain trade
by the war
King George thoroughly understood that
in order to be able To pursue his stock
iobbing enterprises with success il was
that he should abstain at all
cost from permitting Greece 10 become
involved in any foreign complications. So
accordingly he has kept a tight rein upon
the pan-Hellcnic aspirations of his people,
and has time and again stopped them from
becoming mixed up in foreign troubles.
Tue result has been that King Georges
presence at Athens has constituted guar
anty to the powers that Greece would keep
nut OF III ischief. Consequently certain
foreign governments, notably that of France,
have not hcstated to promote King Georges
speculdtjons to the extent OF recompensing
with the order of the Legion of Honor those
Partisan financiers who have been in the
ha bit of giving him valuable tips.
A case in. point was the late Baron de
Soubeyran, VITO, although a monarchist,
and an opponent of the government in favor.
was decorated by the republicans for help
ing King George in his operations on the
bourse.
To-day King George is one of the wealth
lest princes in Christendom. He has erect
I'd quietly and without attracting much at
tention a superb palace for himself abou:
fifteen miles out from Copenha gen, and il
is thither that for some time past he
has been quietly transferring all his
trea surcs and favorite belongings from
4 thens. 1t is ready for occupancy, and now
TIA. King George knows that he is doomed
man afflicted with an incurablc disease and
unable even under the most favorable of
to live very much longer his
q lbdication may be at any time expected.
His son, the duke of Sparta, is far more
popular with the Greeks. He belongs to
orthodox church. instead of being
a Lutheran, like King George. He does not
are for money. is full of military aspira-
ions, as fond of action as his father is the
ireams of the revival of all the former
grandeur and glory of Greece.
There is an ancient proverb in Greece to
he effect that during the reign of Con-
stantine and of a Sophia, the ancient
Greek empire shall be called into life
again and the cross restored to the dome of
ST. SOPHIA at IOitbtdntinOplP, Ill lieu Ol
he Mohammedan crescent by which that
enerable fame is now surmounted. Now,
strangely enough, the crown princes name
Is Constantine and his consOrt's name is
Sophia. By marriage he has become a
grandson of Queen Victoria, brother-in-
aw of the Emperor Of Germany, while not
,nly is his mother one of the most patri- |
,tic daughters of the imperial house of Ro-
nanoff, but he himself is, through his
'ather. a brother of the widowed Czarina,
1 first cousin of young Emperor Nicholas
II of Russia.
1t is not therefore so very improbable that
when the time comes for the Turk to be
bag and baggage out of Europe
he powers should pitch upon Constantine
If Greece as the most suitable person in
very respect to succeed the Sultan at Con-
which international jealousies
would prevent any of the reat powers from
in their own hands
Thereare many people at Washington who
nay remember young Nicholas O'Conor,
or several years secretary of legislation to |
Sir Edward Thornton, and who has just |
,een promoted from the rank of minister |
If Pekin 10 that of a full-fledged amlassa-