The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-28
bY IA MARauIsE DIE EoNrENox.


a THOUGH King George main
N tains, like his father and grand
~ mother before him. friendly in
terconrse with the Papacy, by
means OF special embassies and will
welcome one. of the latter to his court,
on the occasion Of his coronation next
summer, yet, In Difference TO popular
sentiment he still refrains from ex-
changing good wishes with the Holy
Rather on the occasion OF the new year.
All the Roman Catholic sovereigns are
accustomed .,si 10 personally telegraph
year to the Pontif. headed by the
venerable Emperor OF Austria And
among the non-Catholics who follow
Inc ime'r example are the Kaiser al Her-
way. both Of whom are Protestants
the Sultan Of Turkey and the Car
But the King OF Great Britain, like
and Denmark, feels It necessary 10
e ne head Of the i Roma a9'" Gathele
C fa1I HIS example in the matter is
Emperors OF China and Japan and by
the King OF siam; while the Pres
ldent of the United states like the
Switzerland and the President OF the
French republic, all OF them refrain
from Including the Holy Father among
the other sovereigns with whom thew
exchange New Year greetings. A
+ "t 4
No member Of the imperial family
or Russia with the possible exception
OF the Gear himself has been the sub
Ject of more fancisul stories than Grand
Duke Sergius Michaelaiovitch whose
name has been connected In the cable
dispatches with the seizure OF the
papers and Of the jewelry cases, but
not the levels Of the premier danseuse
or the imperial ballet at ST. Petersburg,
Mile. krZesinska. II Is the youngest
son of the late Grand Duke Michael
Nicholaiovitch. and one Of his brothers
is married to the Enperors edes.
brother, Michael by name. married
morganaticaly Countess Meren berg,
and makes his home partly in England.
where he has beautiful country seat
in the neighborhood OF London, and
partly in the south of France.
Neither. Of these two brothers is
on very friendly terms with the En-
peror, and sergius himself has fire.
books Thus. as Inspector General Of
Artillery and as commander of the
artillery Of the, Guard at ST. Peters
Of criticism when, in 1905, the salutes
on the occasion Of the blessing Of the
waters Of the Neva by the Emperor
were fired with heavily loaded instead
OF blank charges, the imperial party
escaping injury owing to the fact that
the guns had been aimed too high.
Or course no one ventured to suggest
murder his cousin. Nor was II found
possible to discover any proof that
loaded cartridges had been intent ional-
ly substituted for blank cartridges in
loading the saiuting guns. But he
was blamed for the thorough disorgan-
ization. and lack OF discipline in the
artillery which had rendered possible
so extraordinary an accident-one
which kept the Emperor from attend
Ing the ceremony OF the blessing Of
the waters Of the Neva in public until
this year.
Some time afterwards there was an
official report Of an attempt upon the
life Of the grand duke. at St. Peters.
burg. On inquiry It turned out that
he perpetrators We're not Revolutions
lists. but his own servants who had
stretched beam across the dark road
OF tho park OF his suburban palace
OF Strelna. with the object OF wreck
Ing the automobile in which he was
returning from a visit to tho ballerina
Krzesinska: that is to say, the lady
mentioned in last Sundays cable dis
patches. and who was. then, as now
the object Of his infatuation !,
As general rule. the grand duke
with the usual disregard OF the younger
sciQrs OF the reigning family for the
laws Of the land. drives his motor al
there is little doubt that IL he had
i-bcen going along the road In question