The Washington herald., 1912-08-28
Interesting Subjects Discussed
In European Court Circles

i Turkish. for since 1878 the whole Of thu
j administrative power has been wieide<
Il by Great Britain. The island was cap
i tured by the Turks in 1870. when Seiim I
4 with an army Of 5000 conquered II with
little diflculty, though the capital Nj
COSTA. held out several weeks, and Fama'
1 gusta was besieged for close upon q Yea,
i before its surrender. In both instances
4 the captors violated the terms OF capitu'
lation. and at Nicosia over 1000 OF the
| inhabitants were put to the sword. Lord
1 Kitchener. probably, knows more abou
1 the physical features Of Cyprus than an!
4 living Englishman. for It was he who. II
i 1885, made survey OF the island ant
constructed the standard map.
\ I have had occasion to note the anom-
alous position Of the grand dukes In
Russia. They are immeasurably exalted
above the common people and infinitely
beneath the sovereign. though they may
be his very brothers. A grand duke. as a
matter Of fact. Is of less account in the
Emperor's eyes than the speaker of the
Douma or even the president Of Octo-
brists. For these have public opinion be-
hind them and the Czar would be more
careful about snubbing them than any
grand duke.
And while in the subject Of grand
dukes. though ] have quite often dis
cussed them in these letters. / wish to
state that 1t Is not exactly clear why the
English persist in giving the Romanof
| scions this title, which is not according
to the rank they enjoy. They are called
in Russio. grand prince" dn German
gross-fuerst). "AItesse" is universally
used in the Gotha Almanac. with now
and then the prefix of grand duke But
as the present reigning House OF Prus-
sta the Ranauoffs are of German de-
scent (Holstein-Gothrop) ! am quite
content that II knows why II has In
| sisted upon the title OF gross furesr
in contradistinctiop to the uni
versalIy used grand duke"
After all, In Russia, just as anywhere
else public opinion Is force and must
be reckoned with even by the autocrat-
For on one point the Car still is an
autocrat In all matters affecting the per-
sonal status of members of the imperial
family the succession, &C. where he can
do or undo without advice, let or
hindrance from any one.
The Emperor's present status. as well
as that OF the rest of the imperial
family, was enacted by Paul ! in 11s7
His settlement Of the order OF the sue
cession Is such a muddle Of tarring ar
ticles that no professor of law has ever
been able TO unravel their contradictory
involutions and knots. In fact, you read
In every article madness and a passionate
desire TO knock over all the arrangements
of his mother. Under the rules he laid
down, II the Car died without leaving
a son, the throne would go TO the senior
descendant of the Grand Duke Michael
Paulovitch. his third son.. whatever the
sex of that heir might be. AS mat
ter Of fact. this far-out parsonage Is
now the Grand Duchess Helen of Sake
Altenberg. Her heirship. in practice
would be impossible, but 4 might lead
to disturbances. Had the Douma more
prestige, the Gar. with his help. could
make a settlement that would hold water
and burn publicly Paurs mad one.
The Grand Duke Cyril and his wife.
the Princess Victoria Melita. are the
most elegant couple at the Petersburg
court. He and she suit each other to a
T. and he has completely sown his wild
oats. The tragedy of naval war in which
he was caught at Port Arthur sobered
him. Her conversation is lively. II
slightly inclined to quiz she never stings
or hurts. As one never knows in the
troubled time In which Russia lives what
one may come to. she Is careful to pre-
serve her willowy figure and her su-
periority as an equestrian. Her leader
ship of cavalry charges at great reviews
at Hamburg and elsewhere as colonel
placed her above the other German
princesses holding the same military
rank.
One Of Britain's gifts to the United
states, in the person of Prince John
Edward r. Guelph. has made his reap
pearance, after several years of retire.
ment In the select circle OF quscks. When
last heard of he was engaged in the for
nation of an 'Ermine Social Bureau"
the object of which was the presentation
Of members TO the Court of st. James IN
return for a subscription of 500
The project came to an end when the
Prince" was elected from a New York
hotel for failure to pay his bill. Pre-
vious to that his scheme was to establish
all over America king Edward Sana-
toria." for the treatment of consumption.
but even the claim he made that he
was of royal descent did not prompt the
Americans to put their dollars into his
scheme. The Prince now has bobbed
up at Los Angeles, with a nostrum war
ranted to prevent old age and seniie de-
cay. 1t is labeled "Ameritam." and Is at
the disposal of any one who is willing
to pay a guinea per bottle. 1t is said that |
he Is having quite a trade in London. Per- |
haps so. for in this country he will sell |
little or none of the stuff, despite the |
tales of his Guelph parentage.
The Lord Chamberlain has had a busy
time OF 1t this season, which concluded |
with the royal garden party at Windsor |
Castle. to which that Official sent out |
several thousand invitations. The large |
assemblage met on the East Terrace. and |
the refreshment tents were set up in the |
Home Park. close at hand. The entire |
royal family and the court walked down |
from the castle. and PASSED all around 1
the terrace, mingling with all the guests. !
The last garden party at Windsor Cas-
tie was given about four years ago. and |
there was a scene of absolute chaos to-
ward the close of the entertainment.
Stringent precautions will be taken to-
to keep guests from intrudng
themselves into the castle, and 1t is hoped
that the regulations for motors will pre-
vent the alarming confusion which pre-
vailed at the last party of this kind. At
these huge parties 1t is always very diff
icult TO arrange the refreshment depart
nent. and in 1905 the people were crowded
Ten and twelve deep in tents.
The Six-Mile Bottom estate, in Cam
oridgeshire, which recently passed to the
ownership of Sir Ernest Cassel. comprises
900 acres between Newmarket and Cam
bridge. It affords some of the very finest
shooting in England. In the
lime of Gen. Hall. the late King Edward
then Prince of wales) and the Duke of
had a few days shooting
very autumn at Six-Mile Bottom. |,
After Mr.. Bullock Hall succeeded to the
state the shooting was let for many