THE PRINCE OF WALES AND HIS ALLEGED DEBTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5302, 23 March 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND HIS ALLEGED DEBTS.

The “ Lady Correspondent ” of the Dublin Evening Telegraph is responsible for the following-, which is written from London;—Again is the town filled with gossip concerning the Court, and reports are flying balloon-hke through the saloons concerning the debts of the heir-apparent, and the satisfactory termination of his difficulties. Gossip, however, is in one of her gentle moods, and tells us the entire submission of will to the counsel of real friends evinced by the Royal heir, and approves of it with the highest eulogium accordingly. Go-sip says that his Royal Highness, on being informed that a proposition for assistance by Parliament would sign the death-warrant of any Ministry audacious enough to present it, disclosed this information at once to the only person in a position to render such proposition unnecessary. The Royal persona" «to whom he was fain to make confession of the embarrassed position in which he stood, at first refused point-blank to render any assistance whatever, alleging the obligations incurred by the numerous extent of her own family, and the daily increasing multiplication of the little families of that very large one, whereon an estrangement took place between the Royal parties—the Princess of Wales always ready to soothe and oouciliate, being busily engaged for some time dealing out comfort and consolation to both. But time grew pressing, creditors clamorous, until at last the implicated party, in a last desperate effort, declared that unless relief were afforded, he should be compelled to make an appeal, not to Parliament, but to the nation itself. The explanation of his difficulties, which he was determined to give, would satisfy the public mind that his debts were net incurred by discreditable extravagance, such as was the case with the last personage who bore the title he now assumes, and to whom the Parliament of his day willingly lent assistance to double the amount now required. The obligations forced upon him by receiving foreign potentates, giving State dinners and receptions, and presiding at public works, had so curtailed his income that debt and embarrassment had followed as a natural result. The warning, although conveyed in too mild and "gentlemanly a manner to be regarded as a threat, had sufficient power, nevertheless, to excite such terror in the mind of the lofty personage alluded to. that an offer of compliance with the conditions was immediately tendered. It was then that the interview at Osborne was arranged by the Princess of Wales, whose kindness and good sense had suggested the idea of talcing her children there in order that they might be within sight and sound. The plan was successful, as all such gentle efforts of the pious peacemaker must always be ; and after much negotiation and long consideration of the condition, which at first appeared hard, ' but which have been accepted by slow degrees, and after doe consideration of each, the sum of j 2200,000 is said by gossip to have been paid over to the submissive suitor.