MISSING AUSTRIAN ARCHDUKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10328, 8 June 1895, Page 2

MISSING AUSTRIAN ARCHDUKE.

A' STRANGE STORY*. '.' The Berlin correspondent of tWStatulard "'says that a singular rumour' has been current in that city for Borne days," which, in Bpito of its improbability, is believed in by some of 'the more intimate friends of tho personage to whom it refers. It is asserted, says the correspondent, that the famous Japanese Marshal Yamagata is none other than the long-missing Archduke John Nepotnuk Salvator, of Austria. ' It will be -remembered that in^ 188ff bhis T Archduke, who was the youngest son t' of the Grand Duke Leopold the Second of Tuscany, renounced his rank and all his Austrian military titles, owing to . an irreconcileable quarrel with the FieldMarshal Archduke Albert, then wont abroad under the name of " John Orfch," and very soon afterwards completely disappeared, being last heard of in South America.

The chief reasons adduced for tho vow thoory are, first, that after ho had paid off all his sailors somewhere near themouth of the La Plata, Captain " John Orth '" was reported to have gone to Brazil, andthence , to Japan ; secondly, that tho Japanese tactics an the present war are exactly-in accordance with thp- principles maintained by him in his writings, which led to, his quarrel with tho Archduke Albert ; and thirdly, that no priucely family of Yaraagata was hoard of inJapaa till lately. Considering the prestige and popularity which " John Orth " enjoyed ia many circles, it would be remurKably interesting if thia report were to turn out true. It is not forgotten in this connection that tho offers of all the Austrian officers and soldiers who wished to fight in the Japanese army against China wore declined.

Tho Archduke was born at Florence in 1852, and after tho ronuueiation of all his prerogatives in October, 1881), in thu following month he went to England. Haventered the British mercantile marine, ho purchased a sailiug vessel, the St. Margaret, of which ho acted as mastor, and j with a crew consisting largely of Austrian seamen, sot sail for South America. The vessel was bound for Valpariso, but never reached its destination, and it was concludod that the ship had porished with all hands'. Various rumours such as those referred to by the correspondent were, however, circulated, and among othor reports it was ulloged that the Archduke was in command of a lmu-of-war during the hite civil war in Chili. The only thing certain is that since tho St. Margaret touched at Rio on August 15, 1890, there has been no authentic news of tho Arch duke. It may be added that the photographs of Marshal Yamagata, reproduced in tho English illustrated papers, give that distinguished soldier a very Jupauogo cast of features.

The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council will be held cv, Monday night,