New-York tribune., 1903-07-27
DUKE OF SUEZ."
Charles de Lesseps Prefers His
Fathers Name to His Title.

At moment when many titles of nobility are
being assumed in France without anv vestige OF
rlght and authority it is refreshing to find man
bearing name celebrated throughout the world
who disdains to such extent to make any use
OF a bona ide title belonging to him that the
majority of his friends, and the general public as
wen remain In ignorance that he has inherited it.
iHe person IN question is Charles de Lesseps eldest
son OF the Grand Francais' who crea ted the Suez
canal and died while endeavoring to cut a sim
liar waterway from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
Ocean in Central America
The "Moniteur." that is to say the sOflcial
Gazette of the French Empire, bearing the date
OF november IL, ls69-the date Of the opening Of
the Suez Canal by Empress Eugene In company
with a large assembly of crowned heads and royal
personages, contains two decrees bearing the sig
nature of Napoleon III. The one appoints Ferdi-
nand de Lesseps a Senator of the Empire, while
the other confeTs upon him the. title of Duke of
Suez"
The disastrous war which broke out a few
months afterward between Germany and France
contributed to efface public recollection Of this
last mentioned decree and Ferdinand de Lesseps
himself made attempt to revive il, realizing
full well that its would detract rather than
increase his prestige in republican France and
likewise abroad. But for all that the dukedom
created in due form by the last Emperor of the
French stin exists in the person of the chivarols
eldest son of Ferdinand de Lesseps-a son who,
when there was a question Of his father being
punished for brbing government officials who had
ing to ruin the Panama Canal Company unless he
paid them) went TO prison in his stead suffered
two years of incarceration. and emerged from Jail
without the slightest stigma his honor. his
name indeed. being restored TO the National Order
of the Legion OF Honor. while he himself felt
fully reeompensed for all he had undergone by
the knowledge that his father had died in entire
ignorance of the fact that any criminal proceed
ings had been instituted against him.
There have been few dukedoms more honorably
earned more worthy bestowed than that of
Suez. It coplmemorates the accomplishment Of
feat far more glorious and OF far greater ad-
vantage to the civilization, the progress and the
prosperity Of mankind than any victory won on
battlefield. Under the circumstances II is to say
the least noteworthy that precisely this particular
dukedom has never been used. and that it has been
reegated by its late and present possessors to
such Oblivion that very few people indeed are
aware of its existence
Lord and Lady Curzon leave India in March next
for Europe for a stay there preparatory to the
viceroy's resumption OF his office Governor Gen
eral for another term Of two years. Lord Curzon
had requested that matters should be so arranged
as admit of his remaining six months In Europe.
But the home government considers the situation
in Asia critical and his presence in India so i'm
portant that it has intimated to him that he can
not be spared from his post for more than three
months, nearly half of which will be consumed In
the voyage and from England.
1t must thoroughly be understood that he comes
home to England in March, not as viceroy, but as
Lord Curzon. His term OF office under ordinary
circumstances expires at the beginning of next
year, but he will retain 1t until the time when he
leaves Alden, which is one Of the dependencies or
the Indian Government From that moment on ne
ceases to be Governor General and becomes pri-
vate citizen. and when he goes out to India again
it viii be with commission from the King
as viceroy and grand master of the various
Indian orders.
There are two reasons for this method of pro-
cedure. In the first place. the Viceroy of India,
and not merely the governors of Bombay and Ma
dras, but likewise the generals commanding the
troops of these two presidencies as well as the
commander in chief of the British army in India,
are debarred by statute from leaving India during
their term of office, these laws having been passed
in order to prevent oldttme abuses when great
Anglo-Indian dignitaries were wont to spend most
of their time home, leaving their duties In the
East to be performed by deputies. In fact when
the Duke of Connaught, while commanding the
troops at Bombay, came home In Difference to his
mother Queen Victoria 81 wishes to take part in
the celebration of her jubilee in England 1t was
actually necessary to secure the passage of an act
Of Parliament authorizing the prince TO come home
leave OF absence.
Another reason is that, since Lord Curzor enjoys
in India yceregal powers representing, as he doeo,
the sovereign it would be obviously inconvenient TO
concede to him in England. where the King alone
is monarch. the honors and prerogatlVes pertaining
TO the Governor Generalship at Calcutta. 10 such
an extent is this recognized that, accoFolHs 10 le
of ireland lapses into the role Of private citizen
whenever he leaves the Emerald Isle, resumlng' OF
course his prerogatives his return to Dublin
An amusing story is told in this connection of
Lord Crewe and the Duchess of DeVonshire LORD
C7rau-e (Uhon many people in this country will re-
call as Robin or Bobby" Mines. the son OF the
late Lord Houghton) while Viceroy OF ireland. had
occasion to cross the Irish Channel from Kingstown
10 Holyhead Catching sight of the Duchess OF
Devoushire who had known him from childhood'
he graciousy, and with some condescensloh mo
toned her to a chair by his side on DECK WhIch
she accepted with the curtsey' or rather alp oL
homage due to him as viceroy and representative
of the monarch But when the boat reached Holy
head and tied up TO the wharf the SITUATION
cbapqed Lord crewe, being in England, was no
longer Lord Lieutenant or entitled to the honors
as such So the duchess turned to him In the
most breezy and patronlzlng manner anu auot $50
ing him as if he were still a mere caHoW youth OF
no Importance whatsoever. exclaimed:
And now Robin here, take my jewel case ana
,,,, rIg and lust run ahead like good boy ana
secure me reserved compartment IN the train
throughout his reign Leo XIII invariably re-
fused either to receive the Duke OF Orleans or 10
hold any kind of communication with hiIl ms
attitude in the matter being notorieusly due 10
ti marked disapproval of the private life of the
haad of the House of Orleans prior to his mar
riaoa and likewise to his desire to emphasize the
gact that he in nowise countenanced or lndorsed
+ba dukes pretensions to the crown OF France or
his avoHed projects for the overthrow OF the re-
public. -, ,, -
Indeed when three years ago, the duke en-
s.,,,red to Obtain a private audience from the
pona through the intervention of his kinsman and
odberent General Baron de Charrette Who is per
soma gratissima at the Vatican Leo AI4i' "hlie
manifesting more than his ORDINARY A4holl7Ss
80 the General declined to comply with his request
lrra W.