The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-14
THE GROWN OF RUSSIA.
Death of Grand Duke George Tends
to CompIicRte Matters.


From the New York Mail and Express.
With the death of Duke George, brother
of the Gear, and heir apparent to the
throne of all the Russias the question
who will succeed Nicholas the present
Gar, becomes OF great importance. The
question is not new one. Duke George
had long been an invalid, and fate seem
ed determined TO refuse the Gear a son.
| The Sale law in Russia is still operative,
and the crown cannot be transmitted 10
| female heirs.
There are many claimants 10 the throne
and unless son is born to the royal cou-
! PIE the outlook is oninOus. The law -ates
that the crown shall pass to the Cars
nearest male relative. but with the death
of George, he now has neither son, ne
phew nor brother There is not a court in
| Europe where it is not felt that the qucs-
! ton of succession should be settled at
once. 1t was not many years ago that the
Grand Duke Nicholas onstantmaVitch
caused stir by claiming 10 he the right
! fud heir to the throne. He was the nephew
of the late Car Alexander H., and oCher
ambitious Romanoffs may follow his eX-
ample. He is now in exile in Turkcstan.
There are other grand dukes equally
| dangerous to European peace should The
throne suddenly lie left vacant without
the succession being definitely settled.
! Grand Duke Michael MicuaLoVitch, son of
Grand Duke Field Marshal Michael
! N!kolanovitch, who offended the Gar by
his marriage 20 Countess Merenberg may
| be an aspirant likewise the political ad-
| venturer, Grand Duke Nicholas Michael,
now stationed with a grenadier regiment
at Tihis. Grand Duke NichOlajeV4tch,
eldest son of the late Field Marshal Mic
holas, and Duke Constantine van Olden-
| burg, are also possible claimants. Neither
of them are weH liked at ST. Petersburg.
Perhaps the most powerful claimant,
and one who has repeatedly proven his
| friendship to the reigning house, is Grand
| Duke Michael, grandunCle OF the present
| Car. He has served in inuumerable sue
| cessful campaigns, and has received the
Cross of ST. George for personal gailantry.
| In 1881 he was made President Of the
Council of the Empire, the highest Office
of the state. He is regarded with great
respect, both by the Car and the Rus
sian people.
His chief rivals are two other uncles
of the Gar, Grand Duke Sergius, Gov
ernor General of Moscow. and Grand
Duke Vladimir, the champion of liberal
ism. Sergius has a large following among
the reactonary or "Old russians"
The present Gar of Russia has three
children, but they are all daughters. The
youngest was born about week ago.
In the absence of sous born to the reign
| ing emperor. MS ClNtSl DiONLCI was INC
heir presumptive to the throne, and was
dignihed with the title of CzareWitch. The
Grand Duke George, who held this posi-
ton, was the second son or the late En-
peror Alexander III, and was born on
May 9, 1871.
For a long time past he has been an
invalid, and on several occasions his life
was despaired of. The beginning of his
illness dates back to 1891, the year in
which he started, with his brother, the
Czarowitch, and his cousin, Prince George
of Greece, on a tour around the world,
acting as the commander of the Russian
ironclad on which the party Travelled.
All three Princes were Of bright, jovial
disposition, and many stories are tod OF
the mad pranks with which they enitVened
their journey. Grand Duke George fell
from the maintop of his ship to the deck
and seriously injured his spine. The in
jury was so severe that the doctor ordered
him to discontinue his journey and to re-
turn home.
Then came an Illness which was al first
supposed to be typhoid fever, contracted
in the Red sea, but which proved to be
consumption. This malady IS Hereditary
in The family of the Romanoffs. Ii was Of
consumption that his uncle Nicholas died
at Nice, in 1865, while already engaged
to the present Dowager Czarina, whom,
in his last moments. he pathetically urged
to marry his younger brother Alexander,
the late Gar Everything possible was
done to cure the Grand Duke George, bui
without avail. For a while he stayed in
Athens; then, not improving, he went
to Algiers The Illness disconnected the
plans of the imperial family. A visit
which they had proposed to make to Cen
trail Asia was abandoned. and a summer
tour of the Crimea was also given up.
After spending a winter on the Riviera,
the Grand Duke finally went to the eau
casus, where he resided for two years.
The climate of St Petersburg was con-
sidered by his physicians absolutely I'M
suited to his complaint and his return
to his family in the fall of 1894 was one
OF the earliest as wei as most signlh-
cant indications 10 the outside world of
his fathers real condition. 1t was then
generally accepted that the Grand Duke
George would never regain his health,
and since then the only thing that could
be done was to make his remnant of life
as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
The late Car was always deeply attached
to his second son, and his later life was
greatly embittered by the knowledge of
his incurable illness,
Some years ago romantic story was
told about the young Prince, whose death
; is now announced. II was TO the effect
that the Grand Duke had fallen in love
with pretty telegraph girl whom he had
met with in the neighnoThood OF his quar-
tiers, and whom he was determined to mar
! ry, The girl In question was MlIe isch Of
Tifis, and she is said to possess marvel
Gus beauty. She is The last descendant
of one of the oldet noble families of the
province but she is poor and is Obliged &c
earn her living in the telegraph office al
| Tihis IL was there that the Grand Duke
met her, when he was sent to the eau
casus for the benefit of his heath. He
was first introduced TO Nile Isch at a bal
! at the house Of the provincial marshal OF
nobility. 1t Is sad that the late Car and
Czarina favored the marriage Of their sor
and the young woman, but the Crane
Dukes father did not live long enough &c
! witness such a marriage, IL he ever IA
vored II.
The Grand Duke Michael who now be-
: comes heir presumD:lye to the throne, Is
the third and youngest son Of Alexander
= Ill, and was born on Dec. 4, 1878. He is
described as a young man of strong char.