The Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed on Friday dotationa for
the Princess Helena on her marriage, and Prince Alfred, who has attained his majority, though he has not yet, according to custom, been created a Peer. The grant to the Princess is a dowry of 30,0001., and an annuity of 6,0001. a year—to commence from fier marriage ; and to the Prince of 15,0001. a year. The first was voted without a remark, for although the marriage cannot be said to be popular, the Princess is deservedly so, but the latter seemed to reluire a little explanation. The Prince's position is an odd one. He is an English Prince, and also heir presumptive to a wealthy little Duchy, which doss not yield much revenue, but does yield a very large private income to its Duke. Portions of this, however, at all events are alienable, Duke Ernest may yet have a son, and it seems, on the whole, more generous to make- the grant absolute, leaving it to the good feeling of the Prince himself, if his sister should not by that time be reigning over " Coburg, a province of Prussia," to imitate his great uncle's example. Grants to collaterals should be closely watched, but there is no dignity in haggling with Princes who stand on the steps of a throne which we all desire to see stately as well as permanent.
