Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-15
HIS MARRIAGE TO PRINCESS
Was Brilliant Event and a Pleasing
One to British Public.
JOHN BURNS STOPS TALKING
Silence of One-Time Whirlwind
Orator Pulling to Politicians.
Coming Royal Visit.
special Correspondence of The Star.

LONDON. February 1. 1872.
The death of the Duke of Fife SO soon
after tho exciting resnce of himself and
family from the wreck of the Delhi stirs
much sympathy in London toward the
princess aud her daughters, whose cour-
ageous conduct at the wreck made them
much more than royal figures to the
public. The duke was never one OF the
popular royalties to the London crowd.
although he was one of the first lords
to perfect the combination of courtier and
fnancier which has latterly become
permanent English institution
His marriage in July. 1889. with Prfn-
cess Louise. the eldest daughter of the
Prince of Wales (King Edward VID.
practically closed his political career. The
marriage was, of course. the event of the
hour, and had a flavor of romance, for
not only was the alliance one between
royal princess and British nobeman,
but the bridegroom was thirty-nine years
of age and the princess only twenty-five.
The Earl of Fife. however, had been an
intimate friend OF the Prince of Wales
for many years and had known the
Princess Louise all her life. and there
was every reason to believe mat the
marriage was one of sincere affection on
both sides. The marriage proved an
exceedingly happy one, and the duke was
content to spend his days with his fam
ily There were only two children of the
marriage, both daughters, and the duke
90 of Fife, which Queen Victoria con-
ferred on the earl on his wedding morn
ing. passes now to the elder OF the two
daughters and her heirs male. and then
TO the younger daughter and her heirs
male. ~
Pleased English People.
The marriage pleased people very
much. 1t was at the time when English
men had become very touchy about Ger
man alliances, and there was strong
feeling against the princess royal marry
ing foreigner, as it was not impossible
THAI she or her children might sit on the
throne. Some years after the Spectator
called upon itself many severe rebukeS
for,urging the royal family TO consider an
early marriage for Prince George to save
the nation from another female sovereign
and from a Scots laird as prince consort.
Long before his marriage he had been
singled out by the Prince of Wales for
unusual honors. The prince was one of
his two SPONSORS who introduced him to
the house of lords when he came into his
title in 1879, and his was the. only oache-
lor's house where the Princess of Wales
Had been entertained.
In the northeast of Scotland the duke
was known las a shrewd. enlightened
landlord Besides his highland property
on Upper Deeside he had great estates
In Banffshire and Morayshire, and in
his. management he was far in advance
of many of his contemporaries. He was
among the first to remove restrictions
which were supposed to be i'm the inter-
ests of landlords, but were preJudlclai
To the full development of the capa bill
ties of the soil. >ess
Probably the most notable feature in
his career was his divesting himself of
a large part of his landed property. He
sold all his estates in Morayshirc and
Forfarshire. and a great portion OF ms
estates in Bapffshire and Aberdeenshire
as we'll This was done from no financial
necessity. but simply because sthe@ duke
entertained the opinion that it would be
better for the country ii the land were In
more hands. He encouraged tenant farm
ers to buy their own farms and afforded
easy terms for the acquisition Of landed
property by other people than agricultur-
lists He took credit to himself that he
had created over 800 landed proprietors'
and he maintained that this distribution
of land in lots of varying size. some
large, some moderate and some small,
could not be otherwise than beneficial to
the general interest.
Owned Largest Deer Forest.
He also gave up several of his seats,
banding over. the chief family residence.
Duff House, and 40 acres Of land to
the neighboring towns of Banff and Mac
duff the great mansion now being used
as a hotel and the grounds near it as a
golf course Though thus divesting him.
self of his ancestral mansion and many
of his ancestral acres. the duke remain
ed large landed proprietor. and in Mar
forest, on Upper Deeside, ne owned the
largest Geer forest in the country. lie
was a keen sportsman and deer stalker
but the restrictions he imposed in the
neighborhood of the deer forest rather
initiated in the Braemar district against
the popularity and esteem which he else
where commanded by his unobtrusive lille
and the transformations discharge OF his
many PUBLIC duties.
The duke and duchess spent the au-
tunn at Mar Lodge. on their property
above Braemar. where the duchess fish
ell a good deal on the Dec. Scotsmen re-
member the duke also as politician
He sat for Moray and Marin on the lib
erar side from 1874 TO 1872, when he
succeeded to the peerage, and was for q
year: in Mr.. Gladstone's government oil
1SS0 representing the home Office In the
house of lords as captain of the corps
of .sentlomen- alarms At that time he
was regarded as one of the promising
Scots liberal peers. and he was among
the first to plead for the appointment OF
n Scottish minister In 1886. however. he