New-York tribune., 1907-01-13

ume would have to be increased to at least four
or five times its present size, and would at the
same time lose much OF It's value The result OF
this ruling the disappearance from the
"Almanach"' Of number OF names which had
figured In its pages for years. thus giving room
tor many who should have been comprised
therein but which had been left out for lack OF
space. Thus. for instance 1t brought about the
elimination Of all the Rumanian titles, since
these have not merely been abolished but like
wise forbidden by the Rumanan government.
The same is true with Greece while many
Frenchmen whose titles. obtained from the Pa
pacy, had not been registered and recognized by
the government in Paris in accordance with the
law were banished.
No attempt is made by the "Almanach' to de-
scribe the somewhat anomalous condition of az
fairs which prevails at the present moment in
Cuba. The latter still figures an independent
republic. But IN the place Of duly elected
President there is a Provisional Governor in
the person OF Charles Magoon, appointed by the
United States government. The readers of the
"Almanach" receive no explanation of this, and
are left. as far as the book is concerned to draw
their own conclusions.
One OF the most interesting additions to the
"Almanach" is that of the name and family Of
the young Duke of Medna-Celi, which now ap-
"A
though he is the premier duke and the premier
grandee Of Spain, holding nearly score Of his
toric dukedoms and possessed Of a colossal
fortune. Moreover, he is a claimant to the
throne OF Spain, in spite of the fact that he is
one OF the closest friends Of King Alfonso Few
indeed save those connected with European
courts are aware OF the pretensions which. he
has inherited. He is a direct descendant Of King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the patrons OF
Christopher Columbus. and for him and for his
family the dynasty that now holds the crown OF
Spain nothing than usurpers; that fs
TO say. in theory. For the duke is Don AL
fonso's principal chamberlain, while his mother,
now married to the Duke of Santo Mauro is a
iady-i waiting to the young Queen and prinoi-
pal governess of the young heir presumptive.
For the last four hundred years, whenever a new
King Of Spain has taken possession OF his throns
and has been proclaimed, heralds of the Duke
OF Medna-Celi. arrayed in tabards sorgsously
emblazoned with his coat-of- arms, have ap-
peared before the royal palace and have pro-
tested in the name OF their lord against the al
legged usurpation, have set forth his claims to tho
throne and have challenged In his name all those
ventur1ng TO dispute the legitimacy of the dukes
pretensions. calling upon them to defend their
opinions in duel TO the death, ION the noun
tain the plain, by day or by night" No
grandee Of Spain has ever seen fit to take I'D
the cnalenge seriously, nor has the royal fam
fly offered any serious objection to this manner
of formulating the pretensions OF the dukes Of
Medne-Celi and the ceremony has been kent
up a sort of tradition and hereditary
custom than anything else. l may add that on
each occasion OF change in the tenure of the
Spanish throne the Duke of Medina Cell sends
solemn note Of protest against the usurpation
Of the TO all the foreign governments
which is courteously acknowledged. and there
the matter remains.
The duke Is the twentieth of his line IN baar
the title of diua-Celi. accorded by Emperor
Charles when he founded tho Grandezzs nv
granting II to twelve of his peers. His priucipal
home is magnificent palace at Madrid, on the
Carrera de San Jeronimo. which dates from the
seventeenth century, is situated just opposite ths
Royal Museum Of Paintings and is crowded
from cellar TO garret with treasures and hssr-
looms which have been accumulated by the fam
uy In the course Of centuries. That this pre
| mier noble Of what is after all the proudest and
most blue blooded aristocracy IN Europe, namely
the Spanish GTandezZa, should have been ex-
cluded until 1907 from the pages OF the "aI
manach de Gotha" for want of room" oons,,
tutes an eloquent illustration Of the incornplets-
ness OF the "Almanach." superior though II IL to
everything else Of the kind. and demonutrate.
the fact that people in this country who ara
| sometimes disposed to assume that becau,. a
Foreign title does not appear in the pages of the
Gotha" 1t does not exist labor under an Alto
gether wrong impression. EX-ATTACHE.