New-York tribune., 1901-07-28

4
Joseph, whose boyhood friend he had been. and
the present and twelfth Viscount Taane has
Just as little intention Of surrendering his Aus
tflan nationality in order to take out letters of
British naturalization as had any of his ances-
tors This. however, in no way impairs the legal
possession Of his Irish hereditary honors and the
only drawback from which he suffers as a for
eign citizen is that of not being able to take
part il the elections which are held from time
to time in order TO choose the representatives Of
the Irish peerase in the House of Lords at West
minister.
YOUNG BURKE ROCFE'S CASE.
Young Edmund Burke Roche. who makes his
home with his American born mother in New
York. and who is grandson Of Frank Work of
this city, is being educated entirely in this coun-
try as an American citizen. In due course he
Will become Lord Fermoy in the peerage of Ire
land, the present Lord Fermoy his uncle, being
without male issue, and the next heir the
barony being the lattor's brother James. mem
ber Of Parliament for East Kerry father of
young Edmund Burke Roche. When the young
man through the successive deaths Of his uncle
and Of his father becomes Lord Fcrmoy. there
viii be nothing TO prevent him remaining
American citizen, if he cares to do SO; and
should he select citizenship Of the United States
in preference TO becoming a subject Of KinE
Edward, he would lose nothing but the right of
voting for the election of representatives Of the
Irish peerage in the British House of Lords
The late Lord Reay. although a Scotch peer,
died as Prime Minister to the King of the Meth
erlands, and the present Lord Reay, his son,
was a Dutch citizen, a member OF the Dutch
diplomatic service. ana chamberlain Of the
late Queen of Holland until his clever English
wife persuaded him to take out letters of British
naturalization as to enjoy the full preroga-
tives of his British peeraee. He has had
casion to regret this advice, having h IA q num-
Der Of lucrative Offices under the British Crown
since then. including The Goveruorsh;p Of Bonn
hay and the Under secretaryship Of State for
India. Lord NewIureh likewise thought it poll
tic though not legally necessary. to secure nat
uTaizaton as a British citizen succeeding tc
his British honors although he i ii Italian birth
and parentage and makes his home in Italy.
where his family have been established for near
two hundred years. He is likewise Prince Gius-
tnani BanGini. and Duke of Moudragone. in
Italy, besides holding the Scotch titles Of Wis
count Kynnaird ana Baron Levirgstone.
40 PEERAGE CONFERRED on ALIENS
Although the British Crown cannot prevent an
alien from inheriting British title. matter
whether il be a duke dom mere baronetcy,
even if n becomes naturazed. This is owing
TO an act Of Parliament passed in the reign If
King George II. That monarch, did his
father King George /. and King William III,
had excited popular resentment in England by
lavishing British peerages upon their moro OF
less unworthy but always unpopular Dutch and
German favorites This act OF Parliament is
still in existence and the consequence is that
King Edward would be obliged to secure the
sanction Of both houses of Parliament in the
event of his wishing confer peerage on any
Of his friends and acquaintance who happen to
be of foreign birth, no matter whether they had
taken out English letters of naturalization or
not.
II NAV he as well to state this in order to set
at rest the stories which continually being
cans who have taken out letters Of English nat
uraliZatfon have done 50 with the object Of
eventually getting into the British House Of
Lords 1t was this law, indeed. that prevented
Queen Victoria from giving any English title
20 her favorite son-in-Iaw, the late Prince Henry
of Battenberg, upon whom she would gladly
have conferred British dukedom had there
been no legal obstacle in the way.
The necessity Of explaining the fact that the
possession Of i British peerage does not neces-
sariIy involve allegiance TO the British monarch
is rendered apparent by the pretension put for
ward at the trial Of Earl Russell in the House
of Lords last week to the effect that King Ed