THE GERMAN EMPEROR ON ENGANO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 385, 14 May 1908, Page 3

THE GERMAN EMPEROR ON ENGANO.

A recent conversation between the German Emperor and Mr Edward Dicey at his Majesty’s Embassy in Eondon is referred to by the latter in the Empire Review for January. After explaining that he must be distinctly understood as giving his own impressions in his own words, Mr Dicey says that some of bis articles were spoken of by the Emperor as haying had a considerable share in “ removing the erroneous conceptions that of late years had unfortunately prevailed as to the respective attitudes of our two countries.” His Majesty added that he felt very keenly the imputation that he, as the eldest gran - son of Queen Victoria, to whom he was most deeply attached, should have been regarded in this country as hostile in any way to Great Britain and British interests. The hearty reception, therefore, accorded to him in the capital of England had been most welcome. His Majesty then talked of the great pleasure with which he should recall his sojourn in England. Until the present visit he had only known Court life in England ; but during his stay at Highcliffe he had not only improved his health but had learnt to know the English country and the English people better than he had ever done before. He had never realised previously the beauty of the English land, the wealth of our country gentlemen, the splendour of their mansions, the dignity of their private life, the comfort of the cottages, and the independence of the peasants, their freedom of speech, and thorough kindness. All this had impressed him most favourably, and taught him that there was an England hitherto very imperfectly known to him. He thought England could be best described as “the happy country.” Continuing to talk of England, his Majesty remarked that his fellow-countrymen were as a body too poor and too intent upon gaining a living to enjoy sports and pastimes; but he thought that, with the increasing industrial prosperity of Germany, his people might in the future enjoy a little more sport, healthful alike to body and mind, but of which the English people taken as a whole had perhaps a little too much.