New-York tribune., 1902-04-27

known yet whether he would accept the sue
cession to the Dutch throne, for 1t would in
volve the surrender Of his grand ducal throne OF
SAKE Weirnar since Article XXVI Of the ma
tional constitution Of the Netherlands explicitly
prohibits the occupancy of any foreign throne
Jointly with that Of Holland.
Possessed of colossal wealth. disposed toward
indolence and accustomed to take his duties as
sovereign easily, it is regarded as extremely
probable that the fat young grand duke may
prefer the comparatively facile position of ruler
of Sake Weimar to the infinitely more arduous
md responsible position of monarch Of the
Netherlands. AS the grand duke has lost his
younger brother. the rights of succession to the
Dutch throne in the event of his waving them
would pass to the elder sister of his dead father;
that is to say, to the eldest daughter of the late
Grand Duchess of Sake Weimar, who was sister
to King William III Of the Netherlands. This
princess Marie by name, is married to Prince
Henry VII Of Reuss, who was formerly German
Ambassador at Vienna and at ConstantinOple.
1t is therefore Princess Marie Reuss who
stands second in the line of succession to the
Dutch throne, and in the event OF Queen Viii
hemina's death and the Grand Duke OF Sake
Weimar declining to accept the Dutch crown,
1t is she who will become Queen Of the Neither
lands. Princess Marie Reuss has four children.
of whom three sons, the eldest twenty-three
years of age and known as Prince Henry XXXII
of Reuss. being lieutenant Of the imperial Ger
man navy. His two younger brothers, respec-
lively Prince Henry XXXIII and Prince Henry
XXNIV Of Reuss, come next in the line of sue
cession; after them their sister, the seven
teen year-od Princess Sophie of Reuss, and in
the default of Princess Marie OF Reuss and Of
her four children, just enumerated. the rights to
the Dutch pass to her younger sister,
Princess Elizabeth Of Saxe-W Weimar, married
Duka of MecklpDberp- SchWprin half
brother to that Duke Henry who married Queen
Wilhelmlna of the Netherlands.
The Duchess John of Mecklenberg- -Schwerin
Nas no children, and failing her the throne of
the Netherlands would pass to the Crown Prln-
cess of Denmark and to her children, the Crown
Princess being the only child of the late King
Charles of Sweden, who married Princess Louise
of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Fred
krick who younger brother OF King william
II Of the Netherlands, and an uncle, therefore,
of the late King of Holland. The Crown
Princess of Denmark has a family of no less
than eight children, and also some grandchll-
dr,n who every of them would have rights
to the Dutch throne through their mother Then
comes Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
other daughter Marie, who is married to the
Prince of Wied and her children, and lastly the
descendants of Prince Frederick of the Neither
lands's sister Marianne who married the iate
Prince Albert of Prussia, and whose son, the
present Prince Albert of Prussia, is now occu-
pying the throne Of the Duchy of Brunswick as
resent. From this il Will be seen that, although
Queen Wilhelmina of Holland has no children,
yet there is lack of heirs to the Dutcn
throne, according to the terms of the natonal
constitution of the Netherlands of August ~,
1919 and of October H. 1SiS In fact the rights
of Emperor William to the throne are so remote
that il is not necessary to take them into Serl-
Gus consideration, although is likely to prove
an important factor in the question OF the Dutch
succession, owing to the circumstance that all
the heirs enumerated above German princes
and princesses, looking to him as their de facto
If not de jure suZeran and as their guide, c0un-
selIor and protector. Moreover, Emperor Will
lam is the recognized head Of the house OF