The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10

Theiv AGes asd Their H-trs-The latte
Zee Book That Tell. About The..

NEE BOOK Thne Tells About Thea-
There Is . fat little red book that comes into
every considerable reference library At about
this time every year with a bursting load OF In
formation regarding the nations of the earth
and their rulers. This book Is the -Almanach
de Gotha" In the diplomatic language Of the
world. and Der Gothaische Genealogischc
Hofkalender" In the LANGUAGE OF its native land.
Il contains any amount OF information that
may DO found In equally available form else
where: II contains also several hundred pages
of facts that never are collected lsewher In
such Trustworthy and convenient form-facts
relating to the crowned heads of all mona-ch!es,
great and small. their families. their ancestors
and children and children's children. and their
collateral relatives far and near.
Every year the editors OF the "Almanach do
Goths" send to the castles and palaces Of roy
atty. wherever accessible. the proof sheets OF
the pages concerning the ruling families. and
none Of these pages Is published without having
been corrected by some princely hand. Conse-
quently q man may usually rely on what he
nrds in the "Almanach" about the crowned
heads and their kind. although not always. for
crowned heads err occasionally, ss do un-
crowned heads. In matters Of family history.
On the whole. however. the "AlmanAch" Is
about as trustworthy As any book of 1880
pages could be.
The last "AlmanAch." received . few days
ago from Europe. shows that the oldest reign
ing prince next To the Pope. who Is so. Is the
Grand Duke OF little Luxembourg. who is so.
Denmark's king Is rs: the Grand Duke OF SAKE
weinar. IS; Queen Victoria and the Grand
Duke OF Mecklenb g-Strelitz. 80. Three ruling
princes have passed 20 In tho last year
the Duke OF sA1e-Molningen. the Duke
Of saIe-Altenburg. and the Grand Duke
OF Baden. Nine sovere!gns are between
80 and 20, seven Of them being over
IS. Eight sovercisns are in their Mites,
ak In their forties. three In their thirtie-. and
three In their twent'-s. As for several years.
W~ilhelminA OF the Netherlands and Alfonso OF
to length OF reign, Queen Victoria heads the
list with almost sixty years. She Is followed BY
Emperor Franz Josef Of Austria with forty
eight years. and the Grand Duke OF Baden.
also with forty.eight years. The Grand Duke
OF SAKE Weimar. the DIXIE Of Saxe- Altenburg,
and the Grand Duke OF Oldenburg have reigned
since 1853. seventeen OF the forty European
sovereigns have reigned more than twenty-five
years and thirteen lees than ten years. la 1894
there was but one change IN n throne: In 1898.
one: In 1890. none. or thirty-eight reiRning
houses in Europe. bat twenty-thre- have heirs
in the direct line OF succession. OF the heirs TO
thrones. the Prince of Wales. with his 80 years.
Denmark, SO years old: the Hereditary Grand
Duke OF Mecklenburg Strelitz, As: tho Heredi-
tary Price OF Meiuingcn. A.: the Hereditary
Grand duke. Of iLuxemburg and Oldenhirr,
~. or the whole numb Der OF heirs only twelve
are married: SIX Of these have 1rsndchildr-n
curious addition has been made TO the diplO-
matte and statistical part OF the little red book.
IL relates to the national HOLIDAYS OF the coun-
tries of tho CLIQUE. In only n few German States
Is there any holiday at the anniversary OF the
Enipcror's birth. In honor Of the ShAh's birth
day. however. tho Perslans celebrate eleven
holidays, and In one principally OF India the
birthday festivities last two weeks.