The Washington herald., 1911-10-29
English Peeress Kaiser's
Secret Diplomatic Agent

present German Ambassador to this
country, who preceded Count, later
Prince, Munster at the Court Of st.
James
Count Woln Metternich has been Ger
man Ambassador In London since 1901.
He presides over the embassy in Carlton
House Terrace with dignity, and English
statesmen take their wives once a year
for stately dinner party there, pune
tiliously returning the hospitality-and
then letting him severely alone. He Is a
bachelor. and, therefore. should be all
the more sought after IN society. But
he Is seldom included in the big country
house parties or the dinners in town
where society leaders gather about them
the chief favorites, regardless OF their
ofr1cial position-the circles in which the
French Ambassador, Paul Cambon is so
Intimate, and by means OF which he was
able to cement the Franco-Engiish en-
tente cordlale. where the Russian Am
bassador was able to penetrate and thus
bring about the entrance Of Russia into
this entente. and where the Marquis de
Several is still a prime favorite, still
able to intrigue for the restoration OF
the monarchy in Portugal. Il
10 overcome this aversion, or indIf-
ference. on the part OF the British high
mobility the German Emperor has long
ago decided to use other means to es-
tabIsh this social intercourse. and
through 1t the much desired entente and 1
open friendship with Great Britain. He
tried friendly visits to London and man.
nestations Of devotion to his mothers
royal relatives there. He failed
He tried menacIng political measures,
such as the vast increase OF the German
navy but he could not make the English
see that It would he better to have the
Germans as friends than foes. So he
hit upon another plan. He established a
beautiful woman as his confidential
agent in tho British capital.
She is the wife OF one OF his inti- |
mate friends Prince Heinrich GSvO Won
Pless, heretofore of the oldest and most
illustrious Pussian families But she is
an English peeress. for she was Marie !
Theresa Olivia Cornwallis-w before |
she became the bride Of Hans Helm |
rich Fuerst Won Pless. Graf Won Hoch-
berg and Freiherr zu FuerstensteIn, |
OF Silesia, hereditary member OF the |
Prussian house OF lords while he was
secretary Of the German Embassy in |
London.
When this lovely princess comes to |
England with her blond German husband !
she invariably steps at the embassy. at |
No. Carlton House terrace And then |
the place Is transformed and becomes !
for the time being the center Of the CAV |
est and most unconventional as we'll |
as indiscreet, society Of the court and Of |
ornc!al life, where an astute diplomat |
could learn more things Of importance to |
his government in listening an hour to |
hN.
OF official dining in the frigid atmos-
phere OF ceremonial toleration And a |
foreign ambassador who was able to |
win the genuine friendship OF the lead
ers Of these circles could soon produce |
an official entente. For the English for
eign office is strI largely Influenced by |
society. as history amply proves It has I
been In the past.
The princess is possessed Of great
beauty and loveliness. of great tact, good |
judgment. and diplomatic discretion
Through her. who is now a German sub
ject and his friends wife, the Kaiser
hopes at last to succeed in getting the |
firm foothold with English society which |
he deems so very necessary for the good
of the fatherland. And II this Is his
plan, he may succeed. for she Is the life |
all her old friends flock to see and greet
her there. when she acts as hostess to
Count Metternick. who, altogether unlike
his kinsman. Prince Matternich, of the
Austrian (senior) branch Of his noble
house and the greatest statesman ~ his
age. is not at all brilliant and more Mt
for a bureaucrat OF the WilhelmsstraSse
than to be the Kaiser's representative at
the most important Court of St. James.
Prince Henry. on his part, is endowed
with clever diplomatic talents. He was
officially stationed al the German En-
bassy in London until the Emperor. as
we'll as he himself. realized that he would
be better received in England-and there
fore be more useful-if he merely posed
as the devoted husband of an English
wife who enjoys spending most OF her
time in her native country. Prince Henry
sincerely Rdmires the English. He has
become as English in his drsss and man.
ner as German ever could be. His
German estates are managed after Eng
lish methods.
Caroline Dowager Countess Of seafeld.
Is dead at her country seat. Cullen
House. Banffshire. at the advanced age
Of eighty-one years. BY her demise
Scotland loses one of the most distingu-
" upheld the traditions Of Highland hos,
pitaIlty King Edward was her guest
often at Castle Grant in Morayshire. one
Of the seafield family residences. and
King George also has enjoyed a days
sport over the same moors.
The stately splendor maintained at
Castle Grant was never relaxed even
when the hostess was alone, a widow.
for over thirty years. The late Ladyi
Seafield never forgot her early training
In a Spartan Scottish household, and
until a few years ago 5ne spun. with her
own hands, the Grant tartan from the
wool of the sheep on her own estates
AS was the custom in the old Highland
homes during the reign of the late Queen,
the family tartan Is conspicuous in every
room both at Cullen ana Castle Grant
The family tartan, too, Is used at Castle
SOS, for carpets. curtains and draper
es. and even the furniture Is uphol-
stored with II. ,
In n modern home. even in Scotland,
The severe plaid furnishing would doubt
ess be regarded as an eccentricity, but
n its surroundings in a Highland strong
hold. with thick walls, the effect is very I
iifferent.
When King George lunched at Castle ,
Grant last year the meal was served In ,
he old banqueting hall. where the walls.
eIIIng. and floors are OF old oak dating
A.