The Washington herald., 1911-09-10
CANADA'S NEW RULER

0oHiiol al 10 LOnQOn at the DeBlnuluB VI
october to take leave of the Duke and
Duchess Of Connaught, who on October
Q are leaving for Canada, where the
hlng's uncle is TO assume the governor
generalship. On the eve Of their de-
parture his majesty will give a farewell
olnner at Buckingham Palace, at which
all the members of the royal family Will
De present, with the exception Of the
princess royal and her daughters.
AT Ottawa preparations are being made
TOT the coming season, which II is an
ticipated will be one of the most brilliant
In the history of the Dominion. The
duchess is charming hostess, and her
artistic taste is reflected in the decora-
tlon and furnishing of Clarence House.
1t contains, among other things, exquisite
old Greek and Roman bronzes and pot
terry collected by her royal highness In
the course of her travels. They were
purchased for the most part from itin-
Grant vendors or in small antique shops,
where the salesman had no idea OF the
Identity Of his customer.
The duke and duchess intended to take
part in the winter sports. and an abun-
dance Of suitable costumes are being
made in this country. All the members
OF their household are going out to
Canada, and Miss Pelly and Miss Adams
VIII be in attendance on the duchess.
The Duke Of Connaught is no stranger
to Canada, where forty years ago he was
invested with the dignity of chief OF the
lroquois at a grand pow-wow held for
that purpose at an Indian reservation
near Montreal while he was an officer
of the British garrison at Halifax.
He spent nearly two years in the Do
minion as a young subaltern of infantry,
took part in the military operations in
connection with the Fenian raid. and
has paid several subsequent visits.
Whether politically the new governor
general will be a success, time alone can
tell. If honesty, a charming manner.
sound sense, and kindness are sufficient,
all doubts will be set at rest. But the
governor general. in addition TO being the
representative OF the ruler OF the British
empire, is also the chief agent of the
English government, and as such, has
to shoulder the responsibility. in the eyes
OF the Canadian people for the action
of the cabinet
The administration is Of the opinion
that there will he less opposition to its
views at Ottawa if communicated
through so popular a prince as the Duke
Of Connaught, while Sir sWilfrid Laurier
indorses the appointment, because he an
tiCipates that with the Duke at Ottawa
the department Of colonies in London will
be more careful in the future about
forcing distastefu policies upon the Do
minion for fear of impairing the popu-
larity of the duke, of the royal family,
and of the King that popularity which
Is the chief link of the empire.
Prince Arthur. now Duke of Connaught.
is a godson of the Iron Duke Cof yelling
toni. and was the favorite son of the late
Queen Victoria, with whom she never had
any misunderstanding. while differences
with all Of her other children, including
the late King Edward, were Of frequent
occurrence.
1t is an open secret that her eldest
daughter. the princess royal, later EN-
press Frederick of Germany, twice left
Windsor Castle. never to return again."
establishing herself at the German en-
bassy in London.
The Duke of Connaught also was the
principal beneficiary in her will In the
spring of 1873 he had accompanied his
brother. the then Prince of Wales. to
the Austrian capital and being young
good looking. and charming. soon be-
came a great favOrite. Somehow the
Queen became imbued with the idea that
Vienna was altogether too gay, and that
its temptations were too great for the
susCeptihilities of her favorite son. She
sent peremptory commands that he should
return to England. The Queen made no
attempt to recall the Prince OF Wales
a nd II said at irna he
past remonstranCe" on his mothers
part.
During the Egyptian war of 1882 the
Duke of Connaught commanded the
brigade of Guards and figured as such
with considerable distinction at the battle
OF Tel-el-Kebir. being repeatedly under
fire
The duke is a soldier through and
through. So devoted is he to his profess
sion that when his nephew. Prince Alfred
of Coburg came by his death, and the
necessity arose for proclaiming an heir to
the throne of SaXe-Coburg and OF
Gotha, the Duke of Connaught, who fol-
lowed next in line OF succession, declined,
declaring that he preferred the existence
of an English prince and of an English
general.
Among the commands held by the Duke
of Connaught have been those of Bonn
bay and of Ireland. He was also inspec-
tor general Of the British army. Few
people are aware that while he was gen.
eral in command OF the camp at Alder
shot, the Duke of Connaught was once
posted as a deSerter. He obtained leave
of absence from the secretary for war,
Lord I.ansdowne, and from the Duke of
Cambridge, then commander-in-chief of
the army, to spend fortnight at Bal
moral with Queen Victoria. While there
the duchess received news of the sudden
death of her favorite sister, and the
couple hastened off to Germany to at
tend the funeral They returned via
Paris, and in the course Of drive to |
ST. Cloud were so much enchanted by the |
scenery that they leased q couple of fur |
nished villas, sent over to England for |
their children. and took up their resi- !
dence there, the duke writing to the |
Queen that the duchess stood in need Of a |
change of scene before returning to AL |
dershot. 1t never occurred to him that /
he was outstaying his leave Of absence. |
In course of time the chief Of stan at |
Aldershot reported to the secretary for |
war that his chief, the duke, had not |
yet returned TO his post, although his |
leave Of absence had expired. Lord |
Lansdowne conveyed official informal ton |
TO this effect to the Duke OF Cambridge. !
who issued instructions 10 the provost !
of the army to cause search |
To al A.