The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-07
Become Minister of the Interior
of Spain in Reconstructed
Cabinet.

BY la MARQUIsE DE FoNTENoY.
~HE Duke of Alba. who has just
been appointed TO the very I'M
1 portant once OF Minister OF the
Interior OF Spain in the reconstructed
Cabinet formed by Premier Count ko-
manones last week. was the suoJec'
OF much discussion few Years ago IN
the press on this side Of the Atlantic
a. a sutton for the hand Of Miss MatlloA
Townsend, daughter OF Mrs. hichaiN
Townsend, OF Washington, who now
ever, ultimately married one OF her
own countrymen. namely, Peter gerry
Of New, York The duke is a grand
nephew-and undoubtedly the favorite
kinsman-of Empress Eugene. whose
sister married the fifteenth Duke OF
Alba. The late duke. that Is TO say
the father of the new Minister OF the
Interior of Spain. died In New forh
eleven years ago. at the Waldori-As
toria. while over here Tor the purpose
of attending the America cup yacht
races off Sandy Hook.
The present duke, who stood high
in the good graces OF the late hihs
Edward. and was frequently his guest
at sandrineham. has royal English
blood in his veins. for he Is descended
in the male line direct from James IL.
by the latter's Ieft-handed union WIN
Arabella Churchill. sister OF the great
Duke OF Marlborough. King James
conferred upon this best loved OF his
sons the titles Of Duke of Berwick
Earl Of Tinmouth and Baron of Bos-
worth, BY patent dated March 10. 1881
when he still occupied the throne OF
Great Britain. and these patents are
recorded In the Patent Rolls OF Eng
land" But having sided with his Ia
Their at the time OF the Revolution, ana
having accompanied him 70 France. ne
was attained as a Jacobite In 1898 by
Parliament. his British honors becom-
ing in consequence forfeited to the
crown.
Achieving almost as much rame as d
military commander as his uncle, tI~
first Duke OF Marlborough. he was, for
his services In the Spanish war OF
Succession. created Duke OF Fftzjames
bv Louis XIV. OF France and Duke OF
J.iria and of Zertca by King Philip OF
Spain. He left two sons. the young
er inheriting his French dukedom OF
Fftzjames. which is still in existence
to-day. while his two spanish duke
donls went to his eldest son. who ike
wise assumed his fathers English
dukedom Of Berwick, which. though
not recognized by the English crown
has been borne by his descendants ever
since. In fact, to find the Duke OF
Alba Of to-day In the "Almanach de
Gotha" one is obliged 10 look for him
under the name Of the Duke OF Ber-
wick.
The dukedoms of Berwick, OF Liria
and of Zerlca became merged IN the
far more ancient one OF Alba. through
the marriage Of the third Duke OF Ber-
wick and Liria to the daughter ano
heiress Of the eleventh Duke OF AIDA
a dukedom first created by Emperor
Charles V at the time when he caieo
the Spanish Grandezza into existence
In some countries the name is spei'
AIva. and II IS as such that the nrs'
duke lives in history as Emperor
Charles VS. and King Philip lis vice
row Of the Netherlands, where he III
said TO have sent no less than 1S,0Oo
Dutch patriots 20 the scanoLd durlne
his seven years term OF office. a re-
rnarkable portrait Of him is to De
found in John Lothrop Motley's Rise
OF the Dutch Republic.
King Edward consulted with the au-
thorities in England as to the possloiI-
ity of removing the parliamentary at
tainde- on the Duke OF Alba's English
dukedom of Berwick, but was advised
that this could not be done unless the
duk. consented to transfer his alleSi-
ance from the Spanish to the British
crown. This the duke. whose extern
sive estates and interests are all sit