AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 94, 30 April 1901, Page 3

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

(American Correspondent.) London, March 23. Court circles are gossiping excitedly about the terrific family row which preceded the departure of the Duke and Duchess of York on their colonial tour, it is an open secret that they literarily were compelled fo go. by the King. The Duchess pleaded for a year’s respite. The Duke claimed his health was too bad. Queen Alexandra strongly backed them, but the King put down his foot and insisted. -The Duke and Duchess as reso-

lutely refused, but the King forced their hands by giving out an announcement to the press that the tour had been definitely decided upon. This left but to go. Queen Alexandra’s indignation at the high-handed action of the King is shown by her suddenly announced determination

to go on a visit to. Copenhagen, on which she started to-day. This greatly enraged King Edward, who was powerless to stop her, but he declares his intention of travelling to Copenhagen himself in three weeks to bring her home. King Edward’s view is that a monarch, must make himself the real head of the State by conscientiously fulfilling every duty and asserting every prerogative. He has set out to make the Queen and his family work as hard as himself.

It was on public grounds solely that he packed the Duke and Duchess of York off. He refused to let them take their children with them because it was impolitic to risk the whole succession on one ship. Besides, young Prince Edward is ail extremely high-strung, nervous child whom the doctors have ordered to be spared front every kind of avoidable excitement. King Edward is teaching aristocratic dignitaries and the great officers of state that he is mastdr of his own house. His Lord Steward, the Earl of Pembroke, appointed Col. Jennings, long assistant paymaster, to the paymastership of the King’s household. When the King inquired by what right he had made the appointment Pembroke replied : “ By usage.” The King retorted : “ Well, it is high time that usage was stopped,” and forthwith cancelled the appointment, and gave the appointment to Sir Nigel Kingscote. Pembroke threatened to resign over this affront, which was accentuated by an order issued by the King directing that no appointments be made in the household without his assent. All the new officials are being appointed at lower salaries than their predecessors received.

The illness of tho Duke of York at Cowes is now said not to have been Gorman measles. Its principal feature was delirium, which never accompanies that complaint.