The sun., 1916-10-29
Like the Peasants, They Are Shedding
Their Blood and Giving Up Their
Lives for Their Country
COUNT LEON De BEPN,S

OF. serving either in her army or in
her navy.
President Poincare was Obliged,
therefore. to decline the application Of
the princes to he permitted to nght
under the French flag, calling atten-
ton TO the fact that his hands and
those OF the Government were tied in
the matter. expressing his regret that
such was the case and praising the pa
triotism that had dictated the offers
OF their sword.
Excluded from the armed forces Of
France, they were as n result neces-
sarily prevented from taking military
or naval service under the flag OF
Frances allies. at any rate as combat.
ants. All OF them. however, have found
other means OF rendering themselves
useful to France In her hour OF stress
and peril. Two. namely, Prince Six
tus. and Prince Xavier of Bourbon. Sc
cured admission to one Of the numer-
Gus foreign ambulance corps on the
Belgian. English and French fronts
in the role OF stretcher bearers and
performed 80 many acts OF quiet hero
SIN in carrying the wounded of the
battlefields under the heavy Are Of the
enemy hat last spring they were
decorated by King Albert with his
order OF Leopold. while last month
the President OF the French Republic
bestowed upon each Of them. in the
presence OF the troops. the Croix Mill
taire.
Prince Ferdinand. Duke Of Mont
pensier. happened to he cruising in
Chinese waters when the war broke
out and France issued her call to
arms. Although he was very Ill at the
time. Frustrated with a violent attack
OF jungle fever. he at once relieved not
only his gentlemen in waiting. but also
his other %retainers. OF further attend
ance upon him and sent them home in
haste to fight. Not content with this,
he disembarked at Yokohama and
| rendered the use OF his fine and large
steam yacht. the Mekong. first OF all
to the French Government and then to
hat OF England. The latter Power ac-
cepted the offer.
1t may be remembered that several
months elapsed before Japan Joined the
I cause OF the Powers OF the Entente.
and during hat period the British
naval commander in chief in the Far
Orient was 20 handicapped by h lack
Of cruisers that he gladly o advan-
tage of the loan OF Prince Ferdinand's
yacht. added to her equipment of guns.
placed n couple of his own officers on
board and sent her cruising in the
China seas, where she picked up q
number OF German and Austrian
prizes. and took them into port at
Hongkong before the mobilization OF
the Japanese navy. Afterward the
Mekong was used by the British
Government as a despatch boat. and
when fiually relieved OF further SER
vice was struck by a floating mine
in the Mediterranean On her way home
and sunk.
Prince Ferdinand returned home by
passenger liner across the Pacific and
Atlantic at great personal discomfort.
in view OF his state OF health. al
most succumbed to his malady during
the three weeks hat he spent In New
York. and on regaining. in a meas
ure, his health, after returning to
France, devoted himself to the care of
the wounded in his mothers castle OF
! Randan. which has been transformed
into a hospital, and at his villa on the
Riviera.
As for Prince CASTOR OF orleans.
Count OF Eu. consort Of the ex-Crown