New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-06
KING EDWARD'SANCESTRY
England No Longer Ruled by a
Guelph but by q Wettin.

Pope Plus X. King George OF Saxony President
Diaz who has been elected to the Chief Magistracy
OF the Mexican Republic for the fifth Time and the
new King O: serva the subjects Of the portraits
IN the new "Almanach de Cotha for 1901 The King
OF Serv!a Is set down as having been proclaimed
as such after the extinction OF the OorenoWltch
dynasty The word extinction" is. OF course.
polite way Of intimatng that King Alexander and
Queen Draga were murdered IN the most shocking
fashion.
The Almanach with the authority derived from
It's existence OF 40 years. likewise pronouhces
judgment in the controversy which mas Fe!sneo
until now on the subject to whether EDWARD VIA
OF England the seventh sovereign OF the So
called Hanoverian dynasty of Great brltall' OF
whether he the first English monarch oI the
House OF axe-Coburg-Gotha. The Almanach Ge-
cdes in favor OF the latter view, ana those WHO
claim King Edward ruler Of the HanoVerlan
line may now take back seat. In one woro' the
British Empire is no longer subject to the scepLe
OF the Guelphs, but to that OF the "ettins a1d II
is Victim that must now be regarded as the
patrony1ic OF King Edward and o. all the mem
bers Of his family.
The only GUelphs remaining are the DuNe % -
berland and Brunswick and his two sons rIe ue
being the only son OF the late hlns ., 80,
and the octogenarian Duke OF CarnOFiuse' "AoSe
father was the youngest son OF King George ILL.,
and who has legitimate issue. al Ills choFeH
being OF morganatic birth
Not one-half Of the sensational incidents mat
occur at the various courts OF Europe ever 4e~0i4
the public by way OF the European press. a Iact
on which I have more than laid stress IN
these colurnes in insisting that many more resicuaI
attempts take place than are RECORDED III 'He ''e"'
papers Thus II is not generally known that ouIIis
the stay at Windsor OF the King and queen Oh
Italy. the latter. well as her hostess QUeeh
Alexandra had a terribly narrow escape II not
from death at any rate from serious injury
II may be remembered that two battues were held
in Windsor Forest during the Italian visit the TWO
and
shooting party IN the forest at the luncheon hour
1t seems that o. the days AFTER luncneoN'
when the shooting had been resumed. queen Alex
andra and Queen Helena were talking 10 one an
other when suddenly a gun belonging to one OF tne
guests who shall be naneless. went OF accidenta4-
ly. the charge passing exactly between tne Two
royal ladies'. II II had detected couple OF lhches'
or even less on either side or the other one
OF the Qucers would have received almost the nun
charge II her face. Every endeavor was mace 10
keep this episode from getting into the press anu
II would not have become known even IN society
had il not been for the tndscreton o. thoso So1--
rected with the court.
Incidentally I may state that Henry Laoouchere
Is altogether wrong In endeavoring to minimize In
the pages Of London Truth" the damage created
by the recent fire at sandringham and the danger
to which the Queen exposed from the IAN OF
the ceiling of her bedroom. for in the same week
that bis London paper Truth" contains denial
that the ceiling in question fell. the London Illus
trated journals publish photographs OF the bedroom
Of the Queen showing the entire CeilnS ueSIACEeH-
There have been many deniaIs OF the ruInoTed
engagement Of the reigning Grand Duke of Neck
lenburg-Schwerin and Princess Alexandra or
Brunswick and Of Great Britain that l have re-
Trained from making any mention thereof uEtn II
officially announced. 1nasmuch as princess
Alexandra, who is not only the godchild. but also
the niece OF the Queen of England is an English
princess Il is probable that King Edward VIII
be called upon to give his sanction to the match
under the Great Seal OF England. though the fact
that she is also the daughter OF de jure SOW
ereign. namely. OF the rlshtfh Duke OF Bruins
wick may obv:ate tho necessity Of this
I describe her English princess, as she Is
still styled thus IN the various standard works OF
reference. But strictly speaking. she IS. from
English point q view. longer royal and there
foro exempt from the provisions OF the Royal
Marriage act For after tho fourth generation OF
descent from the Crown the legitimate descend
ants in the male line from the sovereign lose
their royal character and prerogatives. Thus the
present Duke OF Cumberland being Great-Erand-
OF King George III. OF England IS no longer
de Jure an EngiEh royalty, and his children have
still less right to be considered such. In the
same way when Prince Arthur OF Connaught.
grandson OF Queen Victoria. marries and has chill
dren. the latter will longer be royal, but mere
mobiles. The same rule exists in Russia. and thus
prevents an undue multiplication OF royal princes
and princesses.
The Grand Duke OF MeckIenburg-S chwertn IS
OF the wealthest and most promising independent
rulers OF Germany, and is the most intimate
terms. not merely with the Kaiser but also with
tho Gar and with the regning house Of Denmark
He IS very tall, rather good-lookirg and well be-
haved, and has inherited, apparently nothing OF
the ecceEtricity which caused his father TO declare
himself publicly the foe of the German Emperor
and eventually commit suicide in the spring of
1897 by throwing himself over tho parapet Of
bridge in the park OF his villa Cannes. and
which has likewise led 10 the circulation Of all
kinds OF strange stories about the widowed Grand
Duchess, OF the brilliant and charming
women OF the Russian Imperial House OF Romanoft
The Grand Duke shares with the Car OF Russia
and with the Sultan Of Turkey the distinction of
ruling over the only European countries that have
national constitution popular phrlia-
mentary form OF government. Indeed the condi-
lions Of government in Meckenburg- Schwerin are
almost Identical with those which prevailed IN the
Middle Ages. and when the young Grand Duke on
the attainment OF his majority assumed the reins
of government. he issued a proclamation contain
ing the following phrase: we look for absolute
loyalty and blind obedience In every possible par
ticuiar is only right and ntting on the part of
subjects vassals and servants toward the master
OF their lands and Of their persons" previous
sentence in the proclamation goes to show that
II is the territorial arIstooracy who are meant by
the terms ''vassais' and subjects" while the
qualification of Servants is reserved for the
merchants the manufacturers the peasantry-in
one word for ali the middle and lower classes
To give idea OF the medieval conditions which
prevail in the grand duchy, 1t may be mentioned
that in :he theatre OF the capital all the best seats
In the house reserved for tho nobility. and
that people who cannot boast OF blue blood are
debarred therefroTn. matter how much they
may be willing to pay for the places.
BY decision Just rendered by the Scotch courts
OF law. Mr. Henry Scrymgeour Wedderburn who
acted o. Standard Bearer for Scotland at the
onat!on OF King Edward VII. Is deprived Of tho
s11F 1ffa,.