The times., 1898-09-04

know his capabilities. save for music. For
lack OF better employment he serves as
A D. c. to his father, King George, and
during the late Greco-Turkish war he
served without distinction as captain
OF artillery. Everybo knows IT was his
grandmother, the Queen OF Denmark, who
thought out this match for him. and the
matter of religion could be easily settled,
as King George is still a Protestant, and
his son could quite excusably relapse into
the faith of his fathers.
AS Queen Wilhelmina will sit on one
of the very snuggest thrones in all Europe
and rule over loyal country, for its size
the richest in the world, there is no sur
prise to be felt that the downright impe-
cunious princes, such as Prince Alexander
of Teck, brother OF the Duchess OF York,
would gladly throw in his lot with the
Dutch sovereign. All this youthful prince
has to offer is an exceptionally handsome
presence and great good nature 1t is
no secret that both the Duchess of York
and Queen Victoria have done all they
could to put Prince Alexander well TO the
front rank of suitors, for this estimable
young man has only what MS sister and
father can spare TO live upon, and no
settled duties, even of a military charac-
ter.
But If beauty were all that the little
queen asked there is not a shadow of a
! doubt but that she could secure for the
asking the hand of Prince Maximihan OF
| Baden, the handsomeSt man in the Ger
man army Prince Max is turned OF
thirty-one and a very fair type of the
beauty soldier that figures in Ouida's 5
novels, and though his intimates say he
prefers TO live a bachelor, his merits as
a consort have certainly been laid before
| the Dutch court. Prince Max is a second
in of EsnuHrOr Il Profess
| tant prince, model of propriety as well
| as an exceedingly smart cavalry officer,
Prince Harold and Prince Bernard, who
| both justly entertain equally good hopes
| of securing Wilhelmina's hand. have re-
| Gently been fiu:tered and alarmed over
the pretensions of young Prince Alfred of
| SaXe-Coburg and Gotha. He is Queen
| Victoria's grandson, the heir 10 the duchy
| that the Duke of Edinburgh inherited,
| and one of the very best suitors now on
| the carpet. Whether or no he would be
| obliged TO resign his heirsihip TO his faith
| er's duchy in case of marrying the queen
| is a question to be settled, and it is
about the only difficulty 30 be got over.
| Prince Alfred is a splendid fellow, look
| ing very like his grandfather, possessing
| an independent fortune and truly Eng
! lish sense of duty and reverence for reli-
| gion. After all. and in spite of her in
4 utptIutHA uIltIdHSeS, TIE lUl4S queen
| viii in this matter of religion be obliged
| 10 bow TO her peoples wishes in this mat
| ter of religion. A Protestant prince, or
| one who will become Protestant is what
| the Dutch want. This is the only point
| the government would urge against the
| queen s marriage to that fine young man
| the Prince Luigi, Duke of AbruZzo, for
| whom she is known TO cherish a strong
| liking. The dark beauty, the very exem-
| plary behavior. and the daring explOra-
| tions OF Luigi have made a strong appeal
| to the queen. She is a woman, after all
| and loves masculine vigor just like any
eighteen-year-old girl.
| Luigi himself IS by no means indirer-
ent to the queens friendly telling Beyond
his duties in the Italian navy and his in
terest in exploring unknown parts Of the
world he has no chances of advancement
| He is a third son on a small allowance
and TO be king cOnSort of Holland would
| be a tremendous advancement. However
| he is not openly lobbying for the matri-
monial opportunity as are Prince Eugene
| of Sweden. Prince Frederick of Prussia
| or Count Bernhard of Schaumber-Lfppe
| Any one OF these would dearly love the
| chance of accepting WiIheImina's white
| little hand and green little land, though
| as cOrsOrt their power and precedence
would be rather limited.
| Among all these suitors her young mai
| esty should surely be able to find one
| whom she could love sincerely, and per-
| haps the only fellow sovereign who can
| not look on amiably at this matter of