The sun., 1919-06-22
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TIE ouHE scS -, pgcHEsS - or s0xeuReAe. foeneerS
Occupies Site in Mayfair, Once Known
as Most Lawless and Picturesque
Suburbs, but Now in Heart
of London's Ultra Fash
ionable District

cent war, won the D. s. o. and was
wounded so badly in the fighting in
October, 1914. that he had to be in
valided out Of the army and never has
wholly recovered his health since.
An Ancestral Romance.
II the Dukes estates, extending over
an area of some $4,000 acres. were
heavily encountered until he married
May Goelet, 1t was through no fault Of
his own, but through the amazing ro-
nance of the third Duke. He, while
travelling on the Continent fell vio-
lently in love with Princess Christine
of Mecklenburg- Strelit2, a beautiful
girl of 90. sister of the then sovereign
Grand Duke. With the approval OF
the latter and of her mother, the
Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklen-
burg Strelitz, the Duke of Roxburghe
was officially affianced to Princess
Christine. But before the wedding
could take place the Court of st.
James's made formal demand, in the
name Of George III. for the hand OF
Christine's extremely homely sister
Princess Charlotte. and the offer was
accepted. The British Government
however, made the stipulation that no
member of the reigning house of
Mecklenburg- Streltz should marry
British subject, this necessitating the
breaking Off of the engagement be-
tween the Princess Christine and the
Duke Of Roxburghe. This may be said
to have wrecked his happiness and
hers, for she never married, while he
spent the remaining forty-seven years
OF his life in a sort of misanthropic Sc
clusion and confirmed bachelorhood.
squandering his fortune and wellnigh
running himself in the collection of an
altogether marvellous library. When II
was disposed of by public auction after
his death the auction was attended by
collectors from all over the world. The
sale lasted for no less than forty-two
days, many of the treasures finding
their way to America, among them the
Valdarfer "Boccaccio," printed in
Venice in 1741 and now in the posses
sion of j. Pierpont Morgan.
The Line Is Broken.
The third Duke was succeeded by
distant cousin, until then known as
Lord Bellenden, and at his death
without issue. an immense amount OF
protracted litigation ensued between
the rival claimants to the family hon
ors and entailed estates. Indeed. II
was not until 1912 that the Commit
tee on Privileges of the House of
Lords decided in favor of Sir James
lnness, OF Inness. a descendant of the
first Earl of RoXburghe, and who was
accordingly recognized by the Crown
as the fifth Duke of Roxburghe.
Since then the honors and estates
have descended without interruption
from father to son. But 1t was not
until the marriage OF the present Duke
that II was found possible to relieve
the estates of the heavy encumbrances
with which they had been burdened by
the extravaganza of the third Duke
and by the frightfully expensive liti-
CATION incidental to the establishment
OF the rights of the fifth Duke.
Floors Castle. as 1t now stands on
the left bank OF the Tweed just above
its confluence with the Teviot. was
built little over 200 years ago ac-
ordlng to the designs of Sir John Van
brugh. the architect of Blenheim Pal
ace. on the site and foundations of old
Roxburghe Castle, one of the most i'm
portant strongholds In the border
struggles all through the Middle Ages.
The old castle was the home OF the
Princes OF Northumbria before Earl
David of their line became King OF
Scotland. Long after Northumbria hae
been severed from Scotland the castle
continued TO be one of the chief
royal residences OF the rulers OF Scot
land. Courts, councils and parliaments