New-York tribune., 1904-10-12
ALFONSO At la GRANJA.
The Victorian Chain E pilogue Of
an International Marriage.

.-,s te has come into the possession Of his in
S.rtvuaoe has become once more famous as the
versailles o. Spain Situated some forty miles
s-orn Madrid. IN a sheltered recess OF the noun
ains among pine forests. four thousand feet above
he level OF the sea this beautiful palace and park
cve thetr creation 10 King Philip 7. Il was there
tbst be ab6lcaued IN 1924 in favor Of his son. ar
whose death IN -he same year he resumed his
.rown. and where he lies entombed with his first
urfe r was there 100. that Godoy. Prince Of the
peace the infamous SavOrtte OF King Charles "
and Of his equally lgnoble coEsort, signed that
rrezrv which prGcuca- -lv surrendered Spain
Napoleonlc France. Among the relics Of the palace
chapel of La Granja is the ''baculo." or STAFF. OF
St Elizabeth OF Hungary. which is always placed
IN the hands o. the queens Of Spain al childbirth
with view OF preserving their lives and Of at
The same time. bringing blessings upon the infant.
Although King Alfonso has attained his majority
and has assumed the responsibilities and the cares
of The rulership ot Spain. he does not regard his
education as by arv means completed, and al the
rire mat he can spare from his duties monarch
a,d s-on those SPORTS 10 which he is so passion
are,y devoted is given study. Political science
and foreign languages occupy q considerable share
rs attention II th-s connection and among his
rucorz are u. Georges Legr0s, who coaches him
IN French: Herr Alexander Bruins in German. and
rhe Counts del Grove and d'Albar. in scientific and
Military studies, while his private secretary Don
AT -so Merry del Val. his professor Of Eng
lsh anG o. Erslsh literature
Don Alfonso Merry del Va. who has been with
the Young King since his childhood. is the brother
81 The Cardinal Secretary OF STATE Of the Pope
and & son os thar old diplomat who for many
years represented Spain as Ambassador in turn Al
washington, al London. AT Vienna and al the Vat
icsa.
Ike -hs Cardinal Secretary ot State he was
horn n England was educated there az the Roman
Catholic College OF Storyhurst. achieving cors-d-
cradle distinction in the cricket field and as a
football player Els maternal grandmother was
Irish lady. and his mother, though her father
ErzniarS was brought I'd a-ucgaLher IN Eng
land, 50 that Il IS not surprising thar he should
speak English without the trace Of any foreign ac
cent. and should be inbued with A1glo-SaIon ideas
on the subject Of sport and OF lie II general
Al The same tine. Il -s Vel TO keep IN mind tho
relationship oT the Kings private secretary with
his brother, the Cardinal Secretary OF State. Il
goes far account fcr The cIercs. leacnss o. the
young King, rs opposed 10 the liberal sentiments
of which MS mother, IN spite q her being az
arcndEchess oS the house OF Hapsourg. gave evi-
deaos Throughout her sixteen years CT regency.
Ii fact, L1s young King. under the guidance OF
his secretary Don Alfonso Merry del Val. and ot
his brother-in-law. the Prince Of the Astu-ias.
scion Of the most reactionary branch og the house
OF Bourbon, las completely taken the place OF
Den Carlos IS tas champion of everything that
Is most extreme and ul-anonta2e in church mat
rs-s II Spain, with the result that tie Liberals,
who were formerly, II The days OF the regency and
o. the Premiership OF old Sagasua adherelts OF the
dynasty, have now abandoned tLe camp of the
latter and are making common cause with the
RepuhEcals and WIKI the Socialists
King Edward Is said 10 have conferred the
Chain" oS the Roya- Victorian Order upon the
sEDerors OF Austria and OF Russia AS ex-
plsnauon OF this distinction VIII be tOund n the
contemporary works OF reference, il nay be vel
70 state that the chain" ot the Victorian Order Is
q special grade, one degree higher than that of
knight Grand Cross Of the order
The possessOrs of the chain OF the Victorian
Order. in lieu OF adorning themselves with The rib
oo- thereof. crossing the breast from ths right
shoulder ro the 4e1t hipt wear tle badge OF the
order suspended from the neck BY means OF gold
chain, and. OF course the star OF The order pinned
the left breast Lord CU-zOI. the Duke OF
Argyu and the Duke CT File a-s the only non
royal personages 70 possess the chain OF the
Victorian Order. which IN Lord Cu-zons case was
conferred upon him by the King through the Duke
o. Connaught a. the tine of the coronation durbar
a. Delhi
The only other order that can recall At the
present moment which has knights Of the chain
ranking above Knights Grand Cross Is tte order
q Eohe1zo,era. IL the gift of the German Kaiser
and when q digaitsry has received from the latter
The chain" OF the HoheRzouern order It means
thai there Is nothing more n the shape OF honors
q this kind 70 confer upon HIN. The chain
must not be confoUn5ed with the so-caIed collar
~ TIE order which is worn By all Knights Grand
Cross OF English orders what are known as
collar days" The collar. IL let Of being com
posed OF an ordinary gold chain. consists of an
elaborate system OF links. each one Of which is
formed OF one Of the e-nblens or badges Of the
order Thus. the cellar Of the Order of the Car
ter Is made up q alternate garrers and roses OF
gold; that OF the Order os St. Andrew os rhistles
while the collar Of ths Irish Order Of St Patrick
has the links Of IT'S collar composed OF gold sham
rocks ana harps-
There Is one thing % be noted In connection with
tne detention OF Princess Louise OF Belgium wife
OF Prince Philip os CobUrg as a luratsc in the
sanztortuul OF Or. Pierson. near Dresden r1,--r~
her stay there she visited on several ocos-
sons By her aunt. the Countess OF Flanders and by
her cousin. the now widowed Queen Garcia OF
sazcay.
Both OF these royal ladies' on the worst DOS
sihle terms with Prince Philip OF Coburg and do
nor coUnrena1ce The mode of life Of King Leopold
They are worea of the loftesr principle and recti-
uude. renowned for their kindness OF heart. for
their charity and FOR their cleverness
II Princess Louise had been as sane as Il Is
claimed that she during her detention in the
sanator1urn. Queen Garcia and the Countess OF
Flanders, who e consort OF King Lsopold's only
brother and heir. would never have consented for
one moment 20 her being kept under restraint but
would have brought their all powerful influence 10
bear in favor OF her immediate liberation The
very fact that the Queen and the countess. who
not only visited Princess Louise but spent several
afternoons with her at the Eanatoril1rn taking her
out Tor long drives, should have been ooasenting
parties 20 her detention furnishes n the eyes OF
al sensible people e convincing proof that the
unfortunate wife o Prince Philip Of Coburg was
NOT IN her right mind
The Berlin authorities have restored 70 liberty
@A-~Ve4ry Captain Zieler and his associate Rosen-
9-1i Niao nave been n prison for more than wear
Undergoing judicial Investigation in connection with
charges OF hlaclnan brought against them bv
young count Francis Joseph Larisch a gran5so, Of
DlAe Louis OF Bavaria, and who is married 10
Miss Marie satterheld. of Bufaio y = T-ra 49,,
rlalr vfo1,-