The record-union., 1896-01-23

LONDON, Jan. 22.-The "standard''
announces that Prince Henry of Bat
tenburg, who was taken i'll while ac-
companying the British expedition
against the Ashantees, died of coast
fever on the return voyage from Cape
Coast Castle to Sierra Leone.
A later dispatch says that he died on
the night of January Goth, on board
the British cruiser Blonde. 1t had been
his intention to recruit his health at
Madeira.
After Prince Henry died the news of
his death was Immediately cabled to
the Queen and Princess Beatrice, and
also to the Admiralty and the War Of
flee. The Queen was intensely agitated
and Princess Beatrice almost crazed.
The Queens review of the flying squad
ron off the Isle of Wight. which was
postponed yesterday on account of the
fog, has now been abandoned in conse-
quence of Prince Henry's death.
Prince Henry was a younger brother
of the present head Of the Battenburg
family. He was born at Milan, Octo-
Der 5, 1853, and was consequently not
quite SO years of age. He was mar
ried to Queen Victoria's youngest
| daughter, Beatrice, at Osborne, July
%, 1885, and four children have been
| born, Alexander Albert, Victoria Eu-
genie Julie Eve, Leopold Arthur Louis
and Maurice Victor Donald.
| Prince Henry has always been the
Queens favorite son-in-1aw, and, with
his wife, has accompanied her on most
of her travels and been present at many
of the social functions. When the war
| in Ashantee broke out Prince Henry de-
cided to accompany the expedition for
| the purpose of gaining military expe-
rience. The uncharitable limited that
the programme was for Prince Henry to
see enough actual experience to give
the Government an excuse for appoint
| ing him to some lucrative position in
the military service.
The parting between husband and
wife when he started for Africa was de-
scribed as very pathetic, the couple act
ing as if they were actually in love with
each other, and separating with evil
dent reluctance.
Prince Henry was stricken down with
fever before he had seen actual serv-
| ice, and was obliged to leave the un-
healthy coast. 1t was while on his way
back that he died.
| All the battle-ships in the Solent, the
royal yacht and the clubhouse of the
Royal Yacht Squadron are flying. flags
at half-mast as a mark of respect to the
memory of Prince Henry. and flags are
half-masted upon public and private
buildings in London, and in all of the
great towns the church bells were tolled
when the news of Prince Henry's death
was received.
At the desire of the Queen, George
Goschen First Lord of the Admiralty,
has cabled instructions to Commander
Henry G. Testing, commanding the
British cruiser Blonde, to bring the
body of Prince Henry TO England with
the least possible delay.
Manifestations of sorrow at the death
of Prince Henry are everywhere visible,
and expressions of sympathy with the
Queen and Princess Beatrice are heard
upon all sides.
Prince Henry Maurice of Battenberg
was a son of Prince Alexander of Bat
tenberg CHesse) and the Countess Won
Lauck, daughter of a former Polish
Minister of War, who was raised to the
rank of Princess on her morganatic
marriage with the ruler of Hesse. On
the day of his marriage he received the
rank of royal highness'' by letters
patent from the Queen. He was later
appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight
and of Carisbrooke Castle, and although
not really an officer of the regular army
of Great Britain, he was indicated as a
Colonel in the army list.
THE QUEEN DEEPLY AFFECTED.
LONDON, Jan. 22.--The court circular
referring to the death Of Prince Henry
of Battenberg says a terrible blow has
fallen upon her majesty and Princess
Beatrice Then follow brief details of
the Princes illness and death, after
which the circular says:
'"The Queen is very deeply affected by
seeing her beloved daughters happy
life crushed and by losing a most amia~
Bile and affectionate son-in-law, to
whom she was much devoted. Tho
Princess Beatrice is bearing the awful
shock with great fortitude and resigna-
ton"