The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24
Duke May Be Given
High Post in
Ireland.
Duties Are Similar
to Those of His
Majesty.

G1lGIGQ lne AOlOuldl OllCGs Is
ed to have said that there wasn't any
truth in the statement recently pub
lished here that he had. been selected TO
succeed Lord Dudley as "sub-King" OF
ireland. ] am informed. however. that
the appointment has been definitely de-
Cided on and that it is likely to be Of
hcially announced soon, thus crafty
ing the dearest ambition of the
Duchess. who. being a Vanderbilt,
never lets go tiH she gets what she
wants.
There is plenty OF reason for the
Duchess desire to be first lady Of Ire
land. The position gives her royal pre-
cedence. entities her to be addressed as
your EXcellency, gives her a crown on
state occasions and provides her with
an actual throne in an actual throne
room.
II is no secret that at the coronation
festivities in India il came hard for the
Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough TO
bow the knee. literally, to the Letter
Baroness Curzon-Dukes being at the
tOp Of the peeraEe and Barons being at
tho bottOm-tO say nothing OF the fan
cicd social superiority of a Vanderbilt
over Letter. Yet the thing had to be
done. for the erstwhile Miss Letter was
placed i'm queenly rank by her hus-
bands position as Vice King Of India,
and mere Duchesses had TO bend low
before her. Even prior to this difficult
situation. IL is said. the Duchess of
Marlborough had made UP her mind
that she. too, would acquire a vice
regal crown. have her turning at play
inC Queen and go Lady Curzon one
better-for the post Of Lord lieutenant
Of ireland is the highest in dignity and
emolument under the British crown. 1t
IS SO ono Of the most expensive. and
il is only persons OF unlimited incomes
that can maintain it with the tone and
dignity with which il is identified.
SALARY = PITTANCE.
The 100000 salary would hardly keep
the establishment in plain bread and
butter. Charity makes a large demand
on the resources of the viceroyalty. The
descendants Of the old Irish and Anglo
Norman nobility are people Of intense
artistic tastes. so that art, literature
bnd music have also large claims upon
the Kings representatives in Ireland.
sport. too. has to be supported, and in
good times or bad the magnificence Of
Dublin Castle functions has to be main
tanned. It's balls, leVees and receptions
are on par with Buckingham Palace,
and her Excellency the Lady Lieuten-
ant is expected to compOrt herself with
the dignity and gravity Of a Queen on
state occasions.
on presentation days-thst is. when
lady members Of the Irish aristocracy
are TO be admitted to her EXcellency's
presence-she sits on a richly furnished
gold chair. surmounted by a canopy,
and on her head A crown. She puts on
her most dignified smile while Miss
Mrs. or Lady So-and-So is introduced
by her Excellencys lady-in- waiting.
Each passes in front OF the Irish Queen
and as she does so kisses her richly
Eenmed hand. This performance en-
titles the person so hOnored to be ad-
nitted into the highest society in the
Kingdom. The names of such persons
piave to be submitted weeks before, so
that their characters and social station
may be carefully investigated.
During their terms Of Office Lord
Iieutenants Of Ireland are supreme in
al matters relating TO government in
Ireland, and nothing but an act of Par
lament can upset their judgments.
They can pardon criminals. save a cul-
prit from the scaffold-in fact, proceed
very MUCH as il they were real Kings
instead Of sub-Kings. Even the Duke
af Connaught. the Kings brother. is
lower in the social scale than the Lord
and Lady Lieutenant They have pre-
81
Of Wales as far as ireland is concerned.
Her Excellency has a retinue Of
servants. ladies-in- waiting. ladies OF
the bedchamber and so forth, just the
same as Queen Alexandra, and they
have exactly the same duties to per-
form. There is a chamberlain, who per-
forms the same functions as the Lord
Chant berlain does for the King and
Queen. On state occasions the Lord
and Lady Lieutenant wear robes iden-
cal TO those worn by the King and
queen: the. same attitudes are struck
and .the same performances gone
through as il they were playing the
part At Buckingham Palace.
IRISH ARE ENACTING.
The Rrish aristoc1acy are a great deal
more exacting in maintaining ancient
rites and ceremonies than the English
and this is the reason that society
looks upon a job in Ireland as no sine
cure. The Duke Of Marlborough is
said by those who know him familiar
IL 10 be not much Of A cOurtier. but
what he lacks in that way will be
more than made up for by the taste
the Duchess has lately manifested for
that sort Of thing. The Duke, there
fore. like his late father. may leave
the administration of the Irish Office
10 the Duchess and busy himself only
with the signing of proclamations for
the suppression OF political agitation.
The only thing is that there is hardly
sufficient work in that capacity for
lum TO do at present The country is
fuffering from dead calm.