HAPPENINGS IN PORTUGAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15716, 8 September 1911, Page 6

HAPPENINGS IN PORTUGAL.

Ex-King Manuel of Portugal has been living on the outskirts of London sinco his rebellious subjects forced him to seek safety on British soil, and the casual observer might be led to suppose that he has spent the whole of his timo learning to play golf and enjoying the society of his new friends. Rumour has had it, however , that some portion of his activities has been directed towards tlio development of schemes for regaining his throne, and wo aro told now that a body of monarchists has collected on tho Spanish side of the border and is expected to enter Portugal at once. Tho republican authorities at Lisbon have been preparing for this movement for several months past, and tlio Alinister of Foreign Affairs stated at the end of Juno that no danger to the new Constitution need bo apprehended. Probably he was right, sinco the adherence of' the army and navy to the republic appears to be assured, but it is not denied that tho supporters of Dom Manuel have command of very large sums of money. Some leading members of the Portuguese nobility have rallied loyally to the side of their King, influenced in part, perhaps, by tbo fact that ’the new wave of democratic sentiment is threatening to extinguish all their privileges, and it has been said that Dom Miguel, tho “ Pretender,” is willing to sink his personal ambitions for the moment in order that the monarchy may be restored. It was hinted that the shipments of arms and ammunition recently seized in British ports were intended for tho Portuguese royalists, but this report may have been unfounded. Probably events will prove that the time is not rino for another revolution in Portugal, even if over that country will consent to receive back its deposed King. Its people generally appear wqll content with the present results of their venture into the field of republicanism.