New-York tribune., 1904-10-03
NAY DRIVE IN ROTTEN ROW
Queer Hereditary Prerogatirc Of a
Duke Who Is on His Way Here.

band TO the altogether unique privilege of driving
! through Rotten Row. in London's Hyde Park. II
is prerogative that is enjoyed only by the SOW
ereign and by the Duke Of ST Adams and which
not even the Prince and Princess of Wales or the
other members Of the royal family are permitted to
share
Rotten Row, may explain for the benefit Of those
who have not been abroad, Is the fashionable ride
/ in Hyde Park is reserved exclusively for
equestrians, all carriages being barred therefrom
save that Of the sovereign. when occupied by the
monarch, or that of the Duke OF St AIbans
The strictness with which this rule is enforced
became the subject on one occasion of an amusing
wager on the part of Admiral Lord Charles Beres-
ford, in which the present King then Prince of
Wales who took part, among the losers. Lord
Chares undertook that, despite the vigilance of the
police. he would succeed in driving up and down
Rotten Row in the middle of the day. At the ap-
pointed time d number of the members OF the
Marlborough and Turf clubs who were interested
III 'he matter took up their station along the rail
Whlch separates the walk from the ride and await
ed the appearance of Lord Charles They had been
there for nearly hour, and were just about to
depart convinced that Beresford had either backed
out or else had been stopped by the police when
suddenly the driver of a watering cart. who had
passed two or three times up and down the Row
10 lay the dust raised his hat 10 them as he drove
by. and. disclosing the features of Lord Charles.
remarked that they would be obliged to pay M,
since he had won his wager
This privilege OF driving mp and Rotten
Row is hereditary. and conferred by King
Charles H. along with the dukedom of St Adams
and the hereditary offices Of Registrar o; the Court
Of Chancery and of Hereditary Grand Falconer to
the Crown and Master Falcouer OF England upon
his iIegitimate son by Nell Gwynn-
The present duke who Is about thirty-foU years
OF age, formerly In the army. and visited the
United States. well as India, China and Japan.
Lord Burfurd in the lifetime Of his father.
But he has been seen little either I'm society or
the turf which the late duke was promi-
figure since q sensational scene in the
Cowes week some years ago. when sunstroke
which he had received out in India brought
sudden ft 81 violent deliriuu board his steam
yacht which necessitated his being placed under
restraint for 81 time. 1t is not true that he has
any Jewish blood in his veins. For he is a son OF
the late dukes first marriage and it was the
tenth dukes second wife and now surviving
widow who was the daughter OF Ralph Bernal-
Osborne the noted wit Of the Victorian era. and
whose father. Ralph BernaL NJ p, was a con-
veTted Jew. one of the late dukes daughters by
this second marriage is Lady Katherine Somerset.
married TO that Henry Somerset who received his
education at Harvard and IS a son OF Lady Henry
Somerset
The present duke is very far from rich uatu-
rally the money which his stepmother brought into
the family viii 90 her children the eldest
of whom. Lord Osborne de We're Beaucler6. a cap
tain OF lancers is heir apparent the duksdom
and TO the estates, which include Bestwood, one
OF the most beautiful places In the so-called
"dukeries" Its associations of a romantic
order II was originally the favorite hunting lodge
OF the Kings England in their expeditions for
spor; in the adjacent Forest OF Sherwood. cele-
brated In connection with Robin Hood, and was
gift from Charles II IN 1Ss3 10 his SON the first
Duke OF 81. Albans. Bestwood is filed from cellar
70 garrett with most interesting rehcs ot the
lIerrie Monarch and Of Nell Gwyun, 20 whom
the British army Is Indebted for the foundation Of
Chelsea Hospital, the English counterpart of the
Paris Invalides. where its veteran soldiers, manS
u them MANNED In the service of their country.
find home and care during the closing years of
taeir lives
The recent discovery IN the gar-ets OF the
Louvre IN Paris or the stuffed charger which the
nrr Napoleon is said have ridden at the battle
of Marengo should have the effect of calling the
attention OF the public To the fact that there are
iurnIuerable treasures Of immense artistic and
archaeological value which lie hidden away. for
gotten and abandoned. IN the remote corners OF the
gafrets and the vaults of Frances great national
museum Somewhere in these vaults or garrets are
ths missing ,rns-or fragments II the arms
of the statue % the Venus de Milo. which
is Justly accounted the most famous treasure OF
the Louvre There have been SO ma1y bitter con
troversies and much discussion as 90 the atti-
tade OF these missing arms. and "a % the appear
ance Of the statue before the loss of the two
tnat II has always been a source of wonder why
more exhaustive search has been made OF the con-
tents of those thousands upon thousands OF Nases
and both great and small Wfich NJ. To the
ceiling tie extensive vaults and the vast garrets
OF the Louvre II is true that these cases are
being examined by degrees But the progress OF
the work is so slow and the quantity Of boxes and
crates SO enormous, thaJ fifty years more may
elapse AT the present rate OF progress before the
missing arms Of the Venus de Milo are found
1t seems that when the statue was discovered at
Milo tie Duke de Riviere French Ambassador at
Constautinople, and his nephew and secretary. the
Comte de Saint Maur. were present and that, ac-
cording To their sworn statements. the statue. in
stead of being armess II is now. possessed two
arms in perfect condition. the right hand holding
the apple which Venus had jus received from
Paris while with her left hand she slightly raised
the skirt OF robe IN order 10 show aer ankles 10
the young shepherd who had been called upon 10
decide TO the superior beauty OF the three god
desses
Curiousy enough il was Henri Rochefort, Mar
qus de Lucay. editor of the Paris 'lntranst-
geant" who hTst called attention 90 the existence
Of these two sworn statements. the Due de Rivere
having been his granduncle and the Count de SAM
Aaur his uncle. ROeheforts assertions were sub
stautated by careful investigation Of the records
at the National Library and of the Department OF
Foreign Affairs the Quai dOTsay. From these
it would appear that at the moment when the sail
ors OF the dispatch boat belonging TO the French
Embassy at ConstantinOple were landed Milo
for the purpose Of embarking the statue they
caught sight of number of peasants who, 10y
orders Of the parish priest, Orconomus.
deavoring TO cart the statue off with the object
it was afterward ascertatned. of taking it 10 the
palace Of a pacha who resided in the vicinity In
the struggle which ensued, OF the French
sailors drove off the peasants. And then IL
found that both arms had been broken on the
statue by contact with the rocks. The statue was
placed board the dispatch boat Estafet.e to-
Sether with the parts ot the broken arms which
were carefully preserved and Grated and theY
received due with the statue at Paris.
From that time forth until they have been
hidden away somewhere other in the louvre.
neve. having been unpacked from the case.