New-York tribune., 1901-08-18
THE HOUSE OF ORLEANS.
-,crcNrFICANT PLACES HELD BY THE
nrrKE OF ORLEANS AND THE LATE
PRINCE HENRY-OTHER DE-
sCENDANTS OF LOUIS
PHILIPPE.

ca much has been written concerning the
,uts Of Orleans and his cousin, Prince Henry,
-so died a few days ago in a hospital at Saigon.
=. oanital Of Cochin China that people are apt
= .orret that the late prince and his kinsman.
:, Royalist Pretender 10 the throne Of France,
s.ve been the most insignificant and least rep
..sb,e scions Of the only remaining Gallo
S,ch Of the historic house OF Bourbon, which
IN occupies the throne of Spain, and which in
,,uss gone by enjoyed the possession of the
.,,uns of France, Naples Etruria and other
s.tv States Of the Italian peninsula. The
,rse Of Orleans is so unfavorably known that
Au. IL is impossible to say anything in his
,.yor nothing can be added to the long record
!, toolish speeches and still more foolish acts
t,ch have won for him the undsguised con-
,nnt of both French people and foreigners.
,a rendered him an outcast since no country
.ssns desirous of having him establish his per-
lament abode within its borders. OF Prince
Henry the less said the better, more especially
.s his career has been cut short by death before
). had attained the age of thirty-five; and may
,ss record Of the dangers which he braved in
,hs interests Of geogra phical science serve TO
,Ascure the memory Of those unsavory indiscre-
,,ons which won for him unenViable notorety
!, his own country, Decessitating an application
Nc his father 10 the French courts for his sub
,s-,on 10 judicial control, and causing him 10
no sisinherited by his granduncle and godfather.
,he late Duke Of Aumale, who at time had
decided 10 bequeath TO him the greater part OF
his immense fortune
oss far different calibre is the father OF the
late prince the universally respected Duke OF
chartres who is well known in the United
States having served on the staff of General
Mcclellan IN the Civil War. A son OF that
brilliant Duke of Orleans who lost his life In
carriage accident at Paris shortly before his
father King Louis Philippe. driven into
exile By the revolution Of 1S4s he received his
military education in Italy, and IT was a
graduate Of the Military College Of Turin. and
as a subaltern Of the Sandman army. that he
took part in the war Of 1853 against Austria,
behaving with such conspicuous bravery that
he was decorated 10y King Victor Emmanuel on
the battlefield with the Cross of the Military
order Of Savoy. He would doubtless have re
oeived the Cross Of the Legion of Honor from the
Kings French ally had not Napoleon III had
some inkling of the identity Of the young soldier
who was fighting under the name OF Robert Le-
fort
On the outbreak Of the war with Germany in
1870 the duke hastened 10 France. and IL spite
Of the fact that he and his family had had their
property confiscated by the imperial government
and DEGREES Of exile issued against them, offered
his sword 10 Napoleon III, who, however, de-
cined TO accept the service Of the duke, and
caused him TO be expelled from the country.
Later on, after the battle Of Sedan and the
overthrow of the empire. he returned 20 France
this time under his old incognito Of Robert Le-
fort He made no attempt 10 secure a command.
but enlisted as a common soldier in an infantry
REGIMENT the captain of his company being a
young tanner named Felix Faure, who was sub
sequently 10 become President Of the French
Republic. So splendid was the galantry dis
played by Robert Lefort that before the war
had been brought TO an end he had not only Won
promotion 10 the rank OF major. but also the
Cross Of the Legion of Honor, with which he
was invested on the battlefield. After the resto-
ration Of peace, and the repeal of the decree OF
exile against his family. the government Of the
republic in recognition Of his services during the
war, gave him the active command Of a crack
cavalry regiment, which he held with satisfac-
ton 10 all concerned until the government was
led by the monarchcal agitation started against
the republic by his elder brother. the late Count
Of Paris, 70 drive that prince once more into ex-
le. and 10 deprive Of their commissions In the
French Army all those princes who formed part
OF families that at one time or another had
regned over France. This was a great blow to
the duke. But he bore Il with dignity and
silence, and has lived ever since quietly at Paris
and at his country place. at Chantilly. enjoying
the respect Of all who knew him. irrespective of
their political leanings.
Although he recognizes his nephew, the Duke
Of Orleans. head Of his house. yet he is not on
good terms with him. having expressed his
strong disapproval Of the insult offered by the
pretender TO the late Queen Victoria soon after
the outbreak OF the Boer war, and being. more
over, 10 forgive N fOrfyef
way in which his daughter, Marguerite, was
lifted by the Duke Of Orleans the very eve
OF the date set for the wedding. The princess
sansequently became the wife Of Colonel Mac
Aahon, commanding the 10Sth Infantry Regi-
,nent, and who since the death of his father,
.nefshal MacNahon. at ore time President OF
us french Republic. has borne the latters title
VI Duke of Magenta.
another daughter Of the Duke of Chartres is
welded 10 Prince Waldemar OF Denmark, the
salor son Of old King Christian, and is regarded
= hs various Europesn capitals as having
ueen The principal agent in bringing about the
rrlthoraWal by the late Car from the so-called
.hree Emperors' Alliance and his understanding
win Win France In the place thereof. Alexander
81 ~ was devoted 10 this French sister-in-law OF
IN ~ VINO is a woman OF great brilliancy and
cssht and during his annual summer stay at
sopshhagen he was wont 10 seek her compan-
,,.lship in his long daily walks. Indeed, If the
rrIshaship of Russia is OF any importance 10
r-se aaee the latter owes a proportionate debt OF
eeutOoe 10 the eldest daughter of the Duke or
ohartres The Duke has only one son left,
ni,hoe John, Duke Of Guise. who received his
. ....llary training in Denmark, holding a COM
pSsIoh OF captain in King Christians army.
- married his first cousin, Princess Isabella,
felneer sister Of the Duke Of Orleans, a very
bsuu1u bsa and fascinating girl. whom the press
go, ssn N This country and in Europe persisted In
rSaaIlhg was 70 become the second wife or
,peIor Francis Joseph Of Austria. monarch
M than half century her senior.
ne Duke OF Orleans, while he has several
80 has only one brother, the seventeen
haa eo Duke Of Montpensier. who is receiving
nss eG1ncatlon in Spain az the Naval Academy.
csSs, Cadiz lnasmuch his elder brother is
eonsas. young Montpenser is destined in