The Iron Duke's Son

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 72, 18 October 1884, Page 5

The Iron Duke's Son

The Duke of Wellington, who dropped dead in London a few days ago of heartdisease, was born— seventy-seven years ago —plain Arthur Richard Wellesley. At the age of two, ho bocame Honourablo by oourtesy ; at live, his style was Viscount Wellesley ; at seven, he had developed into Marquis of Douro. At eight, his father whipped the groat Napoleon at Waterloo. When young Lord Douro went to Eton, his fathov was considered tho greatest man living. He was a quiet, rather shy lad, with an apparently painful consciousness that he was tho observed of all observers. He was moderately diligent, generally knew his lessons fairly well, and was never in a serious scrape. As at Eton, so it was at Cambridge, where in due course he matriculated as a nobleman at Trinity. As an officer he once had the misfortune to incur tho serious displeasure of his father. His regiment had been ordered to Dovor. As soon as it arrived all officers loft cards at Walmer Castlo. Douro, as tho son of the house, felt himself disponscd from tho ] observance of this formula. Wellington ! thought otherwise, and invitod all the officers to dinner except his own son. Doux'o did not venture to go without an invitation, but called on his father and asked what the omission meant. " Why, sir," replied the Duke, in a state of calm irritation, "these gentlemen did me the honour to call on me, and I have returned their civility. You did not call, and so ■ was not bound to invite you." No wonder that father and son saw little of each other. Tho Duke was punctilious in oxacting homage, which, in fact, had become meat and drink to him. When his father died ho hesitated, to assume the title. More than two months elapsed between the death and funeral of the great Duke, so that it becamo necessary to renounce the name of Douro before the usual time. It was transmitted to no one. He had no children, and his successor is Col. Wellesloy, late M.P. for Andover, who is not to be confounded with the Col. Wellesley who married Kate Vanghan, tho actress. The late Duke was not a great territorial magnate, as English estates go. Tho Strathfieldsayo property, the nucleus of which was purchased by the nation, now extends over nearly 16,000 acres, and produces a rental of about £1 to the acre. Three or four thousand acres more in Herts, Somerset, and Berks make up the whole of the ontailed property, which is worth some £22,000 a year. The Duke had also an estate in Spain, voted by the Cortes to his father, and described by Spanish writers in grandiloquent language. It would bo considered a small squire's property in England,