HEIR TO AN EARLDOM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1358, 8 February 1912, Page 6

HEIR TO AN EARLDOM.

MELBOURNE RESIDENT'S SURPRISE. Jlr. Jekyl Chalmers Duff was enjoying ft f{uiet gamo of choss this evening (says a Melbourne Press telegram of January 31) wheal ho was a little surprised'upon being informed of tho statement concerning his probablo inheritance of' tho Earldom of fife, consequent on tho death of tho Duke of Fife, made by the London "Daily Mail," not that ho was altogether surprised, for he is perfectly well acquainted with tho details of his family 'history. Mr. Duff quite Tealisos that even if ho proves his claim there may 1)9 no estate- or money attached to the peerage. Mr. Dull, now resident in Melbourne, lived for some years at Warrnnmbool, to which town lie had retired after his service in tho Indian police. AVhen in India he was n great sportsman. Dig gamo shooting occupied his spare time, with the result, that nowadays ho is minus au arm, annexed bv a tiger. Mr. .Duff thinks that the "Daily Mail" is not jiuito correct in the date of 1818, which is given as tho date of the death of George Dull', a younger son of the first Earl. He states that this Georgo Duff was deputy-sheriff—"sheriff depute," as tho Scots have it—of Elgin, in which county the Duff family lived. George; not Daiiiol, us the "Daily Mail" states, was an Anglican clergyman, and became' father of Colonel Daniel George Duff, of tho Honourable East India Compsimy (Bombay) Army. This accounts for' Mr. Duff taking to the 'service in India". 'J'hclnto Sir Robert Duff, Governor of Kew South AVales, was a member of tho family. Captain Dun", of H.M.S. Mars, who was killed at Trafalgar, was a brother 'of Mr. Duff's grandfather. Mr. Duff takes tlio news contained in the statement of tho "Daily Mail" as if ho were in the hain't of succeeding to an earldom or two in tho intervals of finishing a game of chess. Ho did not fay lie- had any objection to succeeding to the earliest honours of his family when he has proved his descent, but if the House of Lords .should give an adverse decision lie will be quite happy to live on in Melbourne. The late IJuke was on friendly forms ivjfJi Mr. ])uff and his family, anil Lady 'Elizabeth I'itzelarence—eldest daughter of William the Fourth and Mrs. JouriUvn',''.who married the Earl of Errol, and • became mother of tho late duke's ■mother, a connection which gave him his highest claim to Queen Victoria's regard, and won her consent to the marriage with the Princess Eoynl—was godmother to an uncle of Mr. Duff. Mr. Duff has served his country well, and his sous have done Credit to Australia in South Africa.