The Washington herald., 1912-02-28
LATEST GOSSIP OF
FOREIGN CAPITALS


OF Fife is unique in the placidity with
which he received the intelligence Of his
supposed promotion 10 the nobility. Mr..
J. C. Duf-that is his name-was play
ing a game OF chess at st. Rilda, the
marine suburb Of Melbourne, when the
exciting news was brought; but with his
eyes glued upon the chessboard he de-
sired mot to be bothered about his
alleged accession 20 the Irish peerase.
Incidentally. an interesting situation
arises over the succession to the titles
held by the late Duke Of Fife. who mar
ried the princess royal. King Georges
sister. BY the special provisions OF the
letters patent OF 1900 granted by the
late King Edward to his daughter and
son-in-law, the Princess Alexandra Of
Fife succeeds her father, becoming
Duchess Of Fife in her own right. But
the Fife earldom In the Irish peerage.
created in l75s and held by the late Duke,
descends TO the above-named citizen Of
Australia, a representative OF the Dun
family.
A grandson OF the original holder OF
the title was the Rev. DR.. George Dun
who had a son, Col. George Dun. OF
the East India service. This Col. Dun
married a Miss Hayter and left an only
son. Jekyl Chalmers DUN, Of WarnabouL
and II IL he who apparently inherits the
titles Of Baron Brace, Vtscount Macdun
and Earl of Fife.
It is an odd fact that the dormant
viscoun;cy and earldom are not In the
peerage of Scotland. but In that or Ire
land. and none OF the holders or the
title ever have owned an acre OF land In
Fife. The new heir for some years has
been connected with the Australian po-
lice service, and II is reported that he
was well aware Of his claim. which now
he will be called upon to prove to the
satisfaction of the British heraldry Of
fee.
When all is said, II is but an empty
title. No property goes with II. nor does
the peerage carry the right OF seat IN
the House OF Lords.
Dover, the English seaport OF many
strange adventures and the place OF
many secret meetings Of historical inter-
est, has added one more chapter to its
tale Of romance. No writer OF fiction,
Alexandra Dumas not excepted, has
imagined an interview more romantic
than that which was held the other day
at the Lord Warden Hotel between Dom
Manuel, the exiled King Of Portugal. and
Dom Miguel, his hereditary rival and the
pretender TO the throne of the Bragan-
zas, to a kingdom which at present does
not exist, 20 a crown which encircles no
human brow. BY a singular coincidence.
at the time OF the Dover meeting the
republican government at Lisbon was en-
gagged in stamping out what is believed
TO be another monarchist rising. The
compact between the exiled monarch and
the pretender took place on the eve OF
the anniversary Of the assassination OF
the King and Crown Prince OF Portugal
four years ago.
The meeting, which ended a feud Of
long standing that since its beginning
far back in the history OF Portugal has
caused the blood Of many brave men
TO be spilled. had been arranged with
the utmost secrecy. All this sounds so
much like a page from a historical ro-
nance and was a thing so unlikely to
happen that II required the Official state
ment Of King Manuers private secre-
tary, given out at the ex-ruler's present
abode in Richmond. to substsntiate It.
Dom Miguel de BraganEa. who once
more mas directed public attention to
himself and his claims to a throne. Is a
man Of nearly sixty years Of age. He
is the son OF better known Dom
Miguel. the one who involved Portugal
in two years OF civil war. During the
reign Of King John OF Portugal. his eld-
est son. Dom Pedro. governed Brazil
The latter proposed marriage between
his younger brother. the earlier Dom
Miguel, and his daughter. Donna Maria
Gloria. When King John died Pedro
should have succeeded him, but instead
Of assuming the crown, he bequeathed II
to Maria Gloria and preferred TO pro-
claim himself Emperor Of Brazil.
This action Dom Miguel regarded as
a violation of all Portuguese laws. He
refused 20 marry his niece and proclaimed
himself King. After two years OF civil
strife he was dethroned and banished
His son is the Dom Miguel of to-day.
Maria Gloria became Queen and married
and it was their descendant whom the
guel is in the direct male line of the
House OF BraganZa.
Dom Miguers son. Prince Miguel, IL
will be remembered, married Miss Anita
Stewart, the stepdaughter of silent
Smith," the New York banker. who in
herited a large portion OF the four mil
lion dollars left by Chicago Smith," the
and VINO for long time lived in a bed
room at the Reform Club in Pail Mall
London.
The wedding took place at DingwalI in
1909. the first royal marriage that had
taken place in Scotland since Mary Stuart
was bride. The prince is known as the
Duke OF Vizeu, and for r. time he was
employed in a stock brokers' Office in
Throckmorton street. London. where II Is
said he did clerical work, and did II well.
The oldest servant in the royal
British house, Capt. Sir David Walsh.
r. N, could boast of associations with
four generations of the reigning house
far more intimate than the general pub
lie was aware of. Sir David. who has
Just died at the age OF ninety-two, was
a prime favorite with Queen Victoria, on
whose yachts he served forty years. He
knew King Edward from childhood and
n close friendship existed between them.
King George had a great affection for
the veteran seaman, and on the occasion
OF his ninetieth birthday presented him
with a gilt baton OF a field marshal
which formed a convenient receptacle for
ninety sovereigns in gold. The present
Prince of Wales and his brothers had
their first lessons in sailing from Sir
David. who was IN command of the mini
eture royal brig that navigated the
waters of Windsor Great Park.
His first appointment of command was
was broken up he was transferred to the
Alberta, which he commanded thirty
years. During this time he was given
the post of keeper of the royal cotta ee