Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, "is now completely in the hands of the Republicans, who have formed a provisional government, according to a dispatch from the Chicago Daily Tribune. A new national flag "of red and green is flying over all the public buildings, including the town hall."
There are conflicting reports about the whereabouts of the young King Manoel. One report states that the king, along with Queen Mother Amelie and his grandmother, the Queen Dowager, Maria Pia, "have taken refuge at Mafra," 23 miles from Lisbon. Another report says the king is safe on a British warship, while a third account "has him as a prisoner, but this lacks every detail of confirmation."
The Duke of Oporto is said to be a "fugitive."
The New York Times dismisses rumors about the young king's behavior, and states that "all the trustworthy intelligence that has been received regarding the personality" of Manoel II, "leads to the belief that he did his very best properly to perform the duties that fate had imposed upon him."
Manoel succeeds to the throne in 1908 following the assassinations of his father, King Carlos I, and his elder brother, Don Luis Filipe.
The young sovereign's short reign was the "result of influences over which he had no control, influences due to events that occurred before his birth."
He is an avid sportsman, enjoying motoring, riding, fencing, billiards, and tennis. At court, it was common knowledge that in "the exercise of those sports the King was always serene, courteous, and kind."
His allowance from the Portuguese people was about $1000 a day, about $365,000 a year. This was the same amount that his father had received, and "it proved so inadequate for one of the most extravagant monarchs of his time that Carlos ran fearfully into debt and made away with some of the Crown jewels.
But Manoel had been relieved of some of the "various expenses that his father had to bear," such as maintaining the museums and theaters. and "keeping in repair of several useless palaces at Lisbon and other cities. These palaces were turned over to the Government.
Several weeks after his accession, Manoel, accompanied by several Adjutants, went for a walk incognito near Belem palace. A "pretty flower girl with that impertinence common to girls of her class, stepped forward, pinned a small bouquet " on Manoel's coat lapel, and then left without saying a word. Manoel ran after her, stopped her, and shook her warmly by the hand to thank her for her bouquet,"
His Adjutants were dumbstruck. "What imprudence," one exclaimed.
Manoel responded: "It is better to be imprudent than to be discourteous."
Now the 21-year-old King heads into exile, his future - and the future of Portugal -- in doubt.
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