New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-23
PRINCESS AS A CHINAMAN.
Rme. dc Lie0en's Daring Escape
from Port 4rthur in a junk.

Princess Alexander Eleven. whose daring escape
from Port Arthur in Chinese junk disguised
g Chnaman has attracted much attention. was
hot. has been assorted. bride at the outbreak
=, the war. Nor IS there any truth in the story
that she was married at st. Petersburg, and that
IN her husbands being ordered TO Port Arthur two
savs afJerward she insisted accompanying him
40 tie scene OF the conflict between Russia and
Japan
The fact Of the matter is that the prince and
.rircess were married several years ago at Port
Arthur. and that the princess. who. in spite OF
her forty-tlree years, is very attractive and
fascinating woman. was q Divorce at the time
ihe marriage being looked upon by her husbands
family and by the Court OF St. Petersburg as
terrible mesalliance. Indeed II because Of this
condition OF affairs that the prince remained in
she Far East IN order not to subject his wife to
.be Enronts which che would have received at
rome After commanding the cruiser Rasboink.
he vas transferred last spring to the command Of
.be cruiser Diana. and when. n accordance with
peremptory instructions received from St. Peters
burg the Russian feet made q dash out Of Port
Arthur and driven back into port by Admiral
Togo ne managed by superior sesmanshp to get
.Usv and 10 reach the French port OF Saigon in
safety where his ship was dIsmantled in accord
snoe with the requirements Of the laws Of neu-
srslitv 10 be held there until the end of the
The princess had wished to accompany him. But
81 firmly convinced was he when he left Port Ar
sbur that ne was going to certain death and would
.sver succeed in getting through the blockading
forces that he declined to allow her sail with
hin On learning that he had reached Saigon in
safety she determined to Tejoin him. and. getting
o.. ~ Port Arthur in junk under the cover OF
, tlsrsing s1owstoTIn, she reached Che-Foo after
81 sorts OF thrilling adventures. and is now at
saigon where tie fame OF her exploit having pre-
80 her she was received with something very
mich akin 10 triumph
Aa isvsns are che of the most iIlustrious houses
. r-,~one and one OF the few families OF the
1I,srovi;e sristooracy that figure IN the Almanach
=. corra and that have the predicate OF serene
1,,,-ress They are Livonians and trace their an
cestry back in e Unbroken line 10 certain Henry
tive. who was a feldal baron vassaI TO the Arch
b,shop OF Riga. IN the thirteenth century IheS
owe their title OF prince and their prefix Of serene
1ieven was the eoveTness of the children OF Gar
paul and that the Emperors Alexander I, Nicholas
: ard the Czarowftch Constantine Cwho waived his
rights Of succession to the throne in favor Of his
younger brother because he mad participated in the
Killing Of his crazy father, all three regarded her
IS their second mother.
still more famous however was her daughter-in-
law that Princess IAeven. nee Countess Bencken-
oorf Tvho played great role IN the political
history Of Europe in the early half Of tie nine
tenth century as Russian Ambassadors, first at
Berlin, then for twenty years in London, where
she was IN many matters the confidential adviser
Of King George ", and at Vienna, where she was
the dearest FRIEND OF great Chancellor. Prince
Metternich. Even still more powerful was the in
huence which she Welded Paris throughout the
reign OF King Louis Philippe as the Egeria Of his
all powerful Minister ard Premier the historian
Gulzot. who entertained the most romantic deVo-
ton for her.