The Washington herald., 1913-01-07

Profound surprise was caused at Vienna
by the announcement in the Imperial Ga
zette that Archduchess Eleonora, eldest
daughter OF the Archduke Karl Stephan.
had engaged herself 10 marry Lieut.. AL
phonse Won Kloss, of the Austrian navy.
The alliance is the outgrowth of an affec-
tion covering a number of years and has
the consent OF the archduchess' parents,
with the knowledge of Emperor Franz
Josef.
| Lieut.. Won Kloss, who comes of an old
family, has for three years been captain
Of Archduke Karl's yacht. The archduke
| Is sailor by profession, and has long
held high rank in the Austrian navy. He
is well known to American yachtsmen.
| and some years ago sold his Waturus to
Randall Morgan, of Philadelphia.
Before the archduchess and the lieuten-
ant are married the former will be COM
PEELED to renounce her rights to the throne,
as was done last September by the Arch
| duchess Ella, a granddaughter of the
aged Emperor. who had betrothed herself
to Count George Won Walburg Hohenems
an officer OF the Austrian Dragon
Guards.
The ceremony Of remuneration Is one of
the most impressive in the entire court
ritual of the Hofburg. TO some extent be-
cause OF the infrequency of its perform
anCe. 1t takes place in the ceremonial
chamber of the castle and in the presence
OF the Emperor and the members of the
imperial family.
Archduchess EIeonora for a long time
was expected to become the Queen OF AL
fonso XIII OF Spain. A report Of her be-
trothal first became current in 1906. and
was revived two years later. She Is ac-
counted a first-class musician and has
shown ability as a painter OF marines.
Her engagement to Lieut.. Won kloss was
entered into in September. and the mar
riage OF the two is to take place In jan
uarY.
On the same day Eleonoras younger
sister Machtild will marry Prince Gar
toryski. 1t is not known whether the
weddings will take place at one ceremony
or whether. because OF Elenora's "debase-
ment" there will be separate sacrament
for her.
The Hapsburgs have been notorious for
their marriages out OF rank. The con-
spiCuous instances Of this began with
John Salvatore remuneration OF his rights
in 1880 and his entering upon a new life as
John Orth. a career that only ended last
year with the formal official declaration
OF his death. There followed the notori-
Gus cscapade Of Louise. Crown Princess
of SaxOny. the marriage Of ArChduke
Karl Ferdinand to Bertha CZuhcr, dauGh-
ter OF Prof. Emmanuel CZuber. of the
University Of Prague: Arrhduke Leopold
marriage TO Bavarian actress. and
Archduke Heinrich Ferdinand's marriage
to the daughter Of r commoner. The lat
ter is a brother Of eX-Crown Princess
Louise.
There is. to express Il mildly. something
curious in the haste with which the
numerous Hapsburg archdukcs and arch
duchesses get settled outside OF the
pale OF the imperial family.
The monumental BasIlica Of SupcrSa.
under whose dome. CrOwning the hilltops
in the cnvirons Of the Turin. lie buried
long line Of kings and prinCely members
Of the house OF Savoy, was desecratcd
by a gang of thieves intent on rifiinG tn"
body Of the late DowaCer Duchess Eliza
beth. Of Genoa, mother Of Queen Mar
gh,rita The crime evidently WAS care
fully planned. the miscrcants having taken
the. prccaut!On to cut all telephone and
telegraph communication with Turin and
the ncighbOring hamlets, while the en-
frances from the Basilica to the royal
crypt were barred With iron from the
inside to prevent surprise.
The men had obtained information that
the archduchess had been laid TO rest In
niche wearing her favoritc pearl neck
lace and pair or earrings set with
brilliants. Having broken the hrickwork
that protects the tomb. III" Ehouls set
to work to wrench open the three collins
OF walnut. zink, and lead, lnclosinG the
remains on securing the desired booty
they got away without leaving any trace
Of their identity. The saCrilege was dis
covered by the sacristan after he had
opened the royal basilica for mass.
Queen Margherita and the Duke of
Genoa were telegraphed for. and strict in
structions were issued from Rome to
track down the perpetrators OF the out
rage at all costs.
Strange t. say. the great basilica is
unguarded at night. the nearest police
station being at the foot Of the noun
tain.
Turkish diGnitaries comport themselves
toward European representatives now
otherwise than some of them did former
ly. There was an amusing encounter be
tween the chief interpreter at the Brit
ish Embassy, in London. and the Grand
Vizier. to whom Sir Stratford Canning
ness. In the middle of the discussion the
Turk rose from his seat and said his
prayers on a carpet spread by an at
tendant. concluding with his Cur>. on
all Christians very emphatically uttered.
and going through the motion of splitting
over his right and left shoulders in alb
hOrrenCe.
But the embassy messenger was equal
10 the occasion. Presently he. too. left
of business to pray in a corner. doing
IL in Turkish and invoking curses on all
followers of Islam. To the scandaliZe
Pasha he explained that Christians also
had their religious duties. and he had no
doubt the formal curses In their prayers
meant as little as those OF the Moham-
medan.
The struggle in the British Commons
between Sir William ByleS and Mr..
Duncan who ShOuli he