The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-10-11

| Probably the present Duke of Well
ington, who recently availed himself
of the privilege which he inherited
from his famous ancestor, of standing
in the presence Of the king of Spain
with his hat on. would view with
equanimity a plan for more nearly
equalizing his honors and his purse.
For it is no secret that he has more
than he viii ever need Of the former
and less than he often desires of the
latter. In other words, he is one of
the "hard ups" of the British peerage.
The present duke can be said to
have been treated pretty badly by
fate. There was a time when the title
! was worth much to its possessor. The
| first holder, the eonqueror of Napoleon,
had not only honor, but money as well,
| showered upon him. The British par
Lament gave him $4,000 and the
| grateful people of his country bought
| him his magnificent estate, Strathfeld-
| save, in Hampshire, at a cost of some
thing like $1,300,000 In addition he
/ was granted an annual pension of S25,-
/ 600, SO that he appears to have been
| fairy well fixed in a financial way.
| Unfortunately, however. for the pre-
sent duke. who Is the fourth to hold
| the title. it was arranged that the pen
| sion, which was granted to the Iron
Duke, was only to run for three gen
erations. and this expired with the
death of the third duke in 1900. So
! the present holder of the title Is
"strapped. - Strathfieldsaye is closed
and awaiting a tenant, and Apsley
house, the big Hyde park mansion, so
closely associated with the great duke,
is in the market for any fair price
that can be obtained for it.
A way out of the difficulty, could it
be arranged, would be TO permit the
duke TO sell his surplus titles. With
these he is so heavily endowed that
they cannot be anything but mock
cry to their impecunious holder. To
begin with, ne is K g., G. c. V. O., and
D. L. Then he is Baron Mornington, |
Earl of Mornington, Viseount Welles- |
lev. Viseount Wellington, Baron Douro, |
Condo de Vimiero, Marque de Torres /
vedras. and Duque da Vittoria of Por !
tugal. Duque de Cludad Rodrigo, and /
a Grandee of the First Glass of Spain, /
Duke of Wellington and Prince Of /
Waterloo in Belgium.
These title were all conferred upon
the first duke and handed down to his
successors, but he could not make them
heirs to his brains as well as his titles.
The present duke, who succeeded to
the title upon the death Of his brother
in 1900. has none of the attributes of
his great ancestor. He is never happy
when compelled TO occupy the public
limelight for even the space of few
hours. Instead, he prefers the quiet
life of an English squire, and spends
most of his time hunting and fishing
Even were he able financially to take
the position in society to which his
name entities him, il is doubtful wheth-
er London would see him any more
than it does nowadays.
He was a lieutenant colonel. com
the First battalion of the
grenadier guards from 1891 TO 1895.
He displayed no conspicuous martial
ability then. but developed a great
fondness for the card table, which
served to increase his impecuniosity.
His son, the Marquis Douro, is also
an officer in the Guards, and he has
aroused a considerable dislike among
his aristoerat fellow-oficers. They ,
have nick named him ''Do-go,' and,
from all accounts. heartily wish he
would.
His unpopularity seems to have been
,ecasioned by his desire to do a bit
IF real work in the army. Such a con- r
litIon of mind Is considered preposter-
,us in man of the marquis social 7
standing. Among the seions of noble
families who form the great major
" of the officers of the swagger reg
ments. the army is not to be taken
seriously. but lightly Skill at bridge
md other forms of gambling is con- ,
idered more important than knOwl-
.dge Of military tactics. So the mar
luis has gone through several expert
,nees of raging. = which is the Eng
ISL equivalent of hazing. 1t was
he dukes second son. Lord Richard |
Wellesley. who was married recently
@ Miss Nesta Fitzgerald, an heiress IN
Ter own right.
Although the duke pays no rent for n
,trathfeldsaye. there is a unique Gus
ON which be is bound. under the deed .
f gift. TO observe On the anniver u
arv of the battle of Waterloo ne must Y
resent TO the king a miniature repro d
uetion of the French flag as carried 9
n the historic battlefield. Curiouslv Y
nough Blenheim, the principal seat of a
he duke of Marlborough. husband of
onsuele Vanderbilt. is also held on e
osdition that a Htenure flag is pre- h
ented each year TO the sovereign on G