New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-18
UNIONS OF EAST AND WEST.
SOME STRANGE MATCHES MADE BY
EUROPEAN ARISTOCRACY.
PRINCE VICTOR DHULEEP SINGH AND HIS
ENGLISH BRIDE ELECT-IIIS FAMILY HIS
TORY-OTHER FAMOUS ANGLO
INDIAN MARRIAGES.

FIFTY years ago the marriage oil the lONeiy
Mary Anne Jervis, daughter Of Lord st. Vincent
and one of the reigning beauties of London, tc
Mr. Dyce- Sombre the millionaire of a Scotch
soldier Of fortune and of an Indian princess eX-
cited such a storm of indignation in English So
ciety of every class that it even found express
sion in the columns of the metropolitan press
The London Times in particular devotng
lengthy leader to a scathing condemnation of
such unnatural and unholy matrimonial al
liances" To-day however the infinitely
more Objectionable match between Prince
Victor Dhuleep Singh and Lady Ann Gov
entry Youngest daughter Of the Earl and
Countess of Coventry, is made subject
If general congratulatOn in English society
and has called forth many expressions of ap-
proval In the daily and weekly newspapers OF the
United Kingdom. Yet Dyce-Sombre had MKT
ire of good Scotch and princely Indian blood In
his veins. whereas Prince Victor is, save for
slight German strain. wholly an Oriental and rs
of a lineage that the most eminent Indian au-
thorties unite in describing as pebei&n
Prince Victor is the eldest son of the late
Maharaiah Dhuleep Singh, who fer a time was a
conspicuous figure at the Court Of St James,
but who died in France thoroughly discTedted.
disgraced and insovent The late Maharajah
was not the real but only the adopted son OF the
famous Runjeet Singh, King Of the Punjab. The
latter on his DEATH in 1899, succeeded by
his legitimate heir, Shere Singh, who reigned un-
iii he was assassinated four years later by
band of conspirators, headed by the PunJabee
Prime Minister of the day. and who placed on
the throne in his stead the ten-year-old Dhuleep.
According to Sir Lepel Griffin and other equally
recognized authorities on Indian AFFAIRS Dhuiecp
Singh was the offspring Of a slave in Runjeets
Of
his adoption by Runjeet is open to question: ana
if he was placed upon the throne after the MUIR
der of Shere Singh by the atter's assassins II
was merely because they considered That the Cd
scure rank of his mother and his own youth
would render HIN an easy instrument through
which TO tyrannize and despoil the kingdom dur
ing his minority.
DuULEEP'S FEEBLE REIGN.
For six wears DhuleeI reiSned, but did not rule
tbe history of the Punjab during that brief
period being one uninterrupted succession OF
acts of hostility against the British Government,
until finally the British authorities made up their
minds to annex the kingdom and to incorporate
it with Queen Victories Indian Empire Brit
ish Governor of the Punjab was appointed the
contents Of the Lahore treasury being trans
ferred to Calcutta, while the famous DIAMOND
known as the KOhinoor, which had been the
chief crown jewel and most highly priced pos
resson Of Runjeet, was assigned by virtue OF
special treaty with the Punjab chieftalns to
Queen Victoria who wore it brooch during !
the recent Jubilee festivities in London and at
Windsor Instead of refusing to recognize the |
very questionable right Of Dhueep to the throne !
Of the Punjab, the British Government treated
him as if he had been the legitimate sovereign Of
that country and accorded to him an allowance |
of 5000 600 per annum the condition of his |
living in England and behaving properly
Agreeably surprised and more than satisfied by |
this arrangement. Dhuleep sailed for England !
via Egypt, and while at Cairo contracted accord /
ing 10 Christian rights marriage with Miss |
Ramba Muller daughter of a German missionary |
and of a woman o. the Coptc race, which latter /
is by long odds the least agreeable, well the
most seryile. Of all the peoples in Egypt.
PRINCE VICTORs BRINGING UP.
Prince Victor to whom Queen Victoria stood |
eodmother is the eldest of the union. and his !
loyhood and youth passed amid surround |
ings that were hardly calculated To fit him for |
the responsibilities of modern English life. For .
his father added to Oriental extravaganza the /
ingenious devices of modern European people of .
fashion for getting the best Of creditors and for
evading pecuniary liabilities. The financial
tanglos in which the Maharajah became in
voved were unondng. Time and again the Brit
ish Government came to his rescue and helped /
him out of his difficulties. until finally he was
Informed that ~ more assistance could he given.
He thereupon renowned his allegiance to Eng
land resigned his membership of the London
clubs to which he belonged transferred his abode
io Paris and thence wrote an exceedingly in
s,!lting letter to Queen Victoria, demanding the
no L oh a nd at he |