2500 Uniforms

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 May 1913, Page 4

2500 Uniforms

ALL FOR ONE MAN.

To change his costume seven, eight, yes, oven twelve times a day, is Kaiser William's idea of having a good time. Ho has fifty castles, and iu every ono he has at least fifty uniforms. His wardrobe is valued at between £150,000 and £200,000. In tho palace at Postdam four immense rooms are filled with kia costumes, and he keeps twolve valets busy laying out uniforms ,to meet the various requirements of the day.

William the Socond has more uniforms than any other man in the world. Ho has all that Germany can offer, and all ho can acquire from other countries.

He htas over 100 titles, and is an admiral in throe of the greatest navies in the world. His wardrobe includes all uniforms of all regiments in the - Prussian army—uniforms of infantry, cavalry, artillery, hussars, uhlans, dragoon* —nil uniforms, dross and undress.

His chief defiire in life is to fco dressed according to the situation. Tf he receives an officers he dons the uniform of that particular regiment; if he is sailing he is the immaculate yachtsman from his snow white canvas shoes to his natty yachting cap.

If the son of an officer or a wellknown dignitary comes to give tho official news of his father's death the Kaiser receives him in the uniform of the dead father. IF it is a delegation from one of those regiments of which he is the head he holds the audience in the uniform of the regiment thus favoured—'Bavarian, Hessian. Saxon, or those of Baden or of Wurtemherg. If a foreign amhnssdor is announced the Kfliser wears the uniform of a Prussian general, gaudily decorated irith tho honorary orders of the country of the visitor, A TAILOR'S SHOP.

Every day a list oP his audiences to the chief valet, -who must supervise tho preparation of the various costumes, for a costume does not mean a simple affair. Thore are all the little accessories—swords epaulettes, orders, gloves, hoots, helmets, everything that shall send the Kaiser out perfectly dressed in all the "fine feathers" that he loves. Bauer, his chief valet, has twelve valotes under him, and is the head of a workshop with twelve tailors who work eight hours each day, creating new costumes for His Majesty and keeping his old ones in perfect repair. Not that the Kaiser deigns to ■wear a uniform more than three or four times, or to put on for a second tiino n costume ho has worn to a hunt.