The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-08
BY la MARaUIsE ne roN,

ANTANDER is in future to be the
seaside and summer home Of
~ King Alfonso. his wife. and his
children. in lieu of San Sehas-
tian. AT the latter place King AL
fonso has no residence of his own. and
is the guest OF his mother Queen Girls
tina. at her Chateau OF Miramar which
is not by any means large or pre-
tentlous establishment. cristina built
1t when the King was in his child
mood. and his sisters quite young girls.
Even then II was necessary to lodge
most of the disDitaries OF the royal
household In hotels and private houses
leased for the purpose. in the town OF
San Sebastian.
Now that King Alfonso has several
children OF his own. and ::<at his sur
srowing--shc had another baby last
week--Miramar has become much too
small FOR the royal family. especially
when the party is supplemented by the
lnfanta Mercedes. with their father
the Infant Carlos, of Bourbon, and his
second wife sister of the Duke of
Orleans.
Then. too. the opening of public gam.
bling tables at San Sebastian. by the
unsavory NJ. Marquet. of Ostend cele-
brity, has the result OF attracting to
san Sebastian a class OF people who
have not precisely contributed to its
vogue. In one word. the King has be-
come rather tired of San Sebastian.
and taking advantage of this notori-
Gus fact, the city OF Santander. has
built for him a beautiful and spacious
seaside residence. known as the Pal
ace of Cortegada. Which has lately
been completed. and is now being furn-
ishel
1t is gift of the city to the King
and Queen. and calculated to prove a
very profitable investment TO Santan-
der. since II cannot fail to have the
effect of attracting thither, curing the
summer, not only the various members
OF the government, and the dignitaries
of the court. as we'll as all those mem
bers of the aristocracy and OF society
who love 10 bask In the sunshine OF
royalty.
The people of Santander first became
imbued with the idea through the FREE
quency of King Aifonso's visits. through
his manifest liking for the city and it's
Inhabitants. and above all, by his de-
light in the regattas which are one OF
the most popular features of the place
or late years, the King has taken an
active part in all these maritime
sports. invariably sailing his own boat.
carrying off mapy prize. and incl
important as the headquarters of yacht
ing In Spain, as Cowes is In Great
Britain, and KEEL is in Germany.
casions the object of royal favor, since
Emperor Charles V. landed there in
1872 to take possession of the throne
of Spain and since the Inflated Charles
return home, with Duke "Steenie" of
Buckingham. after his fruitless and
somewhat romantic trip to Madrid, in
search of royal wife. And 1t has
been the recipient of numerous queer
privileges and prerogatives About
sixteen years ago, the lower part Of
the city was almost entirely destroyed,
through the explosion OF the steamer
"Cabo Mathichaco." laden with 100
cases of dynamite. The harbor. or
rather bay. is much more spacious and
finer than that of San Sebastian. and
afforos unrlvaled conditions for yacht
ing. without confronting the dangers
of that storm swept open sea, evilly
known to mariners as the Bay of Bis
cay.
Formerly the lords lieutenant of
English counties on the seashore, who
by reason OF the latter, bear the adj
ditional title OF vice-admiral, and also
the Lord Warden of the Cirque Ports,
who as such Is a full admiral. We're
entitled to wreckage- an-tlle coasts sub
ject to their jurisdiction. These pre-
rogd tfves or rather perQuisites. they
no longer enjoy. In fact. were they
to attempt to exercise them in these
fer not only fines, but Imprisonment.
IT is the state, In the person of the
official known as the District Receiver
Of Wrecks. who steps In and takes
charge, In the name of the government
Board of Trade OF, all property cast
most extraordinary powers and can
exact absolute obedience from all pres
ent. In the event of a wreck taking
place in his district. he can call to
his assistance the aid Of the masters
of all other vessels. with their boats
and men. He can, In the name of the
crown, commander motors. horses
wagons and carts, ~ we'll as the eers