New-York tribune., 1909-01-29
NELSON'S PAPERS SAFE
PreserUed from Destruction by the
Earthquake an Sicily.
rc.nyr.sht. leoa. by ths Brsntvood cOmpsny ]

rc.pyr4sht 1909 by the Brentwood Compsny.l
Every student OF history. well all interested
4, The life and career Of Englend's most famous
admiral Lord Nelson, will be gratihed learn
thst the great chests cranmed full OF his private
.-d confidential correspondence, with his Egeria,
Emma Lady Hamilton, with King Ferdinand and
Queen Caroline. OF Naples. with the famous British
Premier Pitt and Of the leading statesmen.
commanders. diplomats and rulers OF hundred
wears ago have escaped destruction in the recent
earthquake n the northern portion of Sicily and
southern provinces OF the Italian peninsula. All
these documents. well a quantity OF interest
ins relics Of Nelson, preserved at the castle
Of ManIaces, th1 slope OF Mount .49tna, in
charge of his sreat-grandnephew the Hon. Alex
snder Nelson Hood. a telegram from Alec Hood.
tsted from Palermo. has relieved the anxiety or
nj. friends and relatives in England TO his
safety, and also TO the safety OF the historic
treasures at the castle OF Maniaces which though
severely shaken BY the earthquake, seems 10 have
sustained very serious injury.
Alexander Hood. private secretary OF the Princess
of Wales sid formerly Gentleman IN Waiting TO
Queen Victoria. and Comptroller of the House
bold the Princess Of Waless mother, the late
Duchess ot Teck. is OF the younger brothers
OF the present Fi.ccunt Bridport, and has a life
tenancy OF the extensive estates which wers
granted 10 his sreat-granduncle Admiral Lord
Nelson, along with the Dukedom OF Bronte, by
KfrE Ferdinand of Naples, in the early part OF
tbs last century. Alexander Hood had charge OF
the management snd administration of the Bronte
estates throughout the lifetime Of his father, and
dc so well with them in the way of development
r< their resources and revenues that the death
OF the late Lord Bridport he beoueathed the prop
erty his younger for life, conditional upon
lis paying a certain amount therefrom TO his
eldest brother. the heir to the title For although
Alexander Hood is known throughout Sicily as the
Duke OF Bronts, yet the title in reality belongs
10 his elder brother. the present Lord Bridport.
Lord Bri6poTt has a and a couple OF daugh-
,ers The son. Maurice Hood. Is heir TO the Eng
Viscounty and TO the Irish Barony OF Bridport.
and likewise to the Dukedom OF Bronte. Quite
recently he has startled his family by marrying
Miss Dorothy Orrne. actress, cousin Of Miss
penyse Oruae. also cf the stage who became the
wife Of Lord Churston's and heir Captain
Ysrde Butler, not long ago. Failing Maurice Hood.
the British honors would 60 to Lord Bridport's
next surviving brother, the Hon William Hood. of
Ihe Royal Navy, while the Italian Dukedom OF
Srcute would pass 70 the eldest OF Lord Brioports
two daughters. the Hon. Mrs. Herbert Cook, mar
ried 70 the and heir Of Sir Patrick Cook Bart
For. By virtue of the patent. this dukedom is
bsrtsbIe in the female well in the male line
GREAT ADMIRAL's HEIRS AT Law.
A; tia death Of Admiral Lord Nelson his Eng
x&n earldom and his Italian dukedom descended
- his elder parson brother Canon Nelson OF Can
tsrbury, whose only predeceased him. On the
canons death his daughter, Lady Charlotte Mel
son. married 10 the second Lord Bridport, sue
cseded the Italian Dukedom OF Bronte and to
the Bronte estates OF the great admiral, but the
Earidom and Barony of Nelson and the Viscounty
Of Merton, well the perpetual pension, went
70 Thomas Bolton. Of the a6mirals sister, Mrs
Thomas Bolton. He took the name and arms of
his uncle, the admiral and the present aged Earl
Nelson Is his
This division of honors and property
complished without a lawsuit. which attracted q
GOOD deal of attention the time. For of course
Lady Bridport niece of Nelson. left everything
that she could to her son. the late Lord Bridport'
including all the admiraTs relics and papers, the
late Lord Nelson inheriting only what he was
SC hon rNr1N1a
thar The Bronte pukedom of Nelson, his extensive
Sicilian estates. and. last but not least, all his
Papers and treasures. in the possession Of the
Heed family, OF which Lord Bridport is the chief
instead of in the hands OF the present Earl Nelson
II is Alexander Hood who by the terms Of his
fathers viii has charge Of the great admirdFs
rspers OF his correspondence with all the British
and foreign statesmen of his day, notably British
ETfre Minister Pitt and likewise all his corre-
spUndence with Emma, Lady Hamilton
During the London season Alexander Hood Will
generally be found IN attendance on the Princess
of Wales q Marlborough House. but at other times
re makes his home at the Castle of MANAGES. 1t
Is grand old place. built some thousand years ago
ny The great General Maniaces. who with Harold
Hardrada and the iatter's Norsennen. drove the
saraceTls from all that part OF the island 1t was
occIpied for a tiTne by William II. grandson of
.he great King Roger Of Sicily. from whom nearly
every reigning house OF the Old World is descended
sud ft was there that his mother. Queen Mar
Euerite founded Z monastery in u14, for the pres
ervation o. z sacred painting brought back by one
Of the mobiles of Constantine the Great from Con-
stsntinople and which, representing the Virgin
and Child was alleged have been painted BY
- Luke The picture which Alexander Hood
fouud hidden away in the castle, hangs over
the ssl IN the adjacent Church IL is very crudely
drsHn and painted, the infant Jesus having a dis
tnct. Oriental appearance and dark. copper eel
cred complexion.
Al the time when the Castle Of Maniaces, the
ruins ot the monastery and the lands and vineyards
were bestowed by King Ferdinand upon Admiral
Nelson. along with annuity of $4,000 year,
Ehch ceased with his life, the place in a
shocking condition OF disrepair, and remained so
until II passed into the possession Of the late Lord
Bridpo-t, as granddaughter Of Lord Nelson, in 1865
Al that time no member Of the family had visited
the place In forty years, and II is Of interest TO
trouble TO inspect the property. 10 set foot on
MS Sicilian lands. The late Lord Bridport. how
ever took the place IN hand spent considerable
Of money restoring the castle and buildings
and In developing the property. turning over the
entire uanagenlent thereof in 1876 TO his Alex
snder Nelson Hood To-day the estate, which Is
trsversed by nearly twenty miles OF tine roads
produces large quantity OF excellent wine Of the
&arsala order, which yields very handsome re-
iurn. while the castle has been converted into a
commodious and even luxurious abode
cTarnmed almost from cellar 10 roof with Nelson
relics The entire estate which i OF vast extent
known as Bronte, taking its name from the
runbiing OF the volcano, on the northern slopes OF
which It Is situated, for ''Eronte" means thunder
Alexander Hood is bachelor and likely to re-
main he is novelist, an engineer and has
been decorated by King Of Italy with The order
OF The Crown for his services u Italian agriculture
while in addition Ic his remarkable business attain
nents ana HIS accomplishments he possesses a
considerable degree Of pluck which he manifested