Death of Grand Duke Constantine.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 2713, 26 January 1892, Page 3

Death of Grand Duke Constantine.

Per Press Association. —Copyright.) (Bt Submarine Cable.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG. January 25 Obituary—Grand Duke Constantine. Men of the Times thus refers to his ireer Constantine, Nicolai'evitch, the cond son and fourth child of the late mperor Nicholas, Grand Duke of Russia, tular and Grand Admiral of the Imperial ?et, was horn Sept. 21 (or according to e old style which Russia retains, Sept. I, 1827. He was educated with great ire for the Daval service, and had for his tor Admiral Liitke, the circumnavigator : the globe, under whose orders the young ince subsequently Berved, and acquired e rank of “ post-captain in the Russian ivy,” as he thus subscribed himself at e model-room of the Admiralty at unerset House, during bis visit to Engnd in 1847. In bis character of Admiral ) had ventured to arrest his elder brother, e present Emperor of Russia, who was i board his ship, for which he was himIf placed under arrest for a considerable ne by bis father. In addition to being rand Admiral of Russia, the Grand Duke >r,Btantino was Commandant of the 4th ignde of Infantry of the Guard, Colonel the regiment of Hussars of the late rand Duke Michael Paulowitch, a memr of the Council of Military Schools, and ■esident of the Grand Council of the spire. He allied himself to the Muscote national party, whose fanaticism lped to bring about the war with Eng--3d and France. At the death of the liperor Nicholas, it was feared that the rand Duke Constantine might become e chief of the opposition represented by e old Muscovite party against the oderate party, of which the new czar, exander 11., had been considered the ntre. The late emperor, foreseeing e probability of commotion, had, hower, caused the Grand Duke Constantine take in his presence an oath of fidelity d obedience to the heir of the throne ; d when Nicholas saw that his end was proaching, he called the two princes to a bedside, and before giving them his eseing, male Constantine, in presence of s mother, renew the oath of fidelity to b elder brother. A few hours after the iperor’s death, Constantine took the th of allegiance, adding that the latter ight rely upon him in every circumince. In 1857 the Grand Duke paid sits to the courtß of England and France, id inspected the naval arsenals of both untrieß. At the outbreak of the Polish Burrection, in 1862, he was appointed iceroy of that principality, but he reined that post in a few months. In n., 1865, he was appointed President of e Council of State for three years ; but 1881, he was dismissed from his dignison suspicion of intriguing with the party. His son, the Grand ike Nicholas, was arrested at the same □e. He is the author of a “ History and ascription of the town of Pavlovsk,” iblißhed anonmyously. At the close of e great Russian army manoeuvres in it., 1890, the Grand Duke, uncle of the ar, was suddenly afflicted with the loss

his reason, and had to be removed. ie physicians consider his condition yond all hope. This sad event is a 'ange commentary on what was said of m when he visited Osborne thirty-three lars ago :—“ Constantine was always a vonrite of his father, who recognised in m some of his own energy ; he is, ined, the strong mind of of his family.” e married, Aug., 30, 1848, the Princess exandra, daughter of Joseph, of ixe-Altenburg, by whom he had two ns and two daughters.