THE KAISER AS LETTER-WRITER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 130, 23 May 1908, Page 3

THE KAISER AS LETTER-WRITER.

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE .GERMAN EMPEROR.

The outcry created bv the Times ovei the Kaiser's letter to Lord Tweedmoutli brought a smile to the laces of those: I acquainted with the Emperor's habits •is a loltci-writer. William fl, probably writes more letters than any oilier living monarch. I'roni the early morning, when ho goes over life mail and [lie State despatches, making copious marginal notes ill pencil, until i, e n .tj r es for the night he is constantly jotting down ji i-. thoughts, writing or dictating letters or annotating new books. He frequently is seen at receptions or military review* making a note on liis shirt'cull', lie abhors fountain pens and swears by the old-fashioned quill of our "landfathers. °

the lasers handwriting is law, bo ,1 anil lloni-isliing and, in accordaiu-e with Im habit of dashing down his I thoughts as they come into his head, often extremely illegib le . T |„, letter to Lord lweedmoiuh, which was he topic of the world's conversation for tin ee (lays, was probably scribbled off 1 at a .sitting, blotted and sent oil' throng], tlie post, and nobody a bit the wiser, A well-known ]Wli n artisl, with whom the Emperor was for years in active correspondence, gives an intercstino- account of him as a correspondent. 0 110

" II U l i'iil ly astonishing how i] u , J"' 1 " 1 ' (l( M litl ' 1,115 iiiiiuuut of work *h,' ls 10 ff't through, |i,„| s so , mu . h tim( , t» carry on ],is extensive private cor- ! respondent It is v,ry rare thai h* ever breaks oil ii letu-r lie has once begun, nor i 4 Ik; content, lik<_. tl >t - JOiimci'tii' .'tins written by a pnv.le -,rr,:.irv according LO his instructions, but write* SlrS Uli,t hi ' s » ot 1 have seen letters of the Emperor oil topic,, of history 0r art. twelves to eighteen pages lon-, H j s well known that the monarch, to save time, alwavi makes his notes in shortened form, leaving: out the vowels, thus: • lligdr Adlr ; lor -lliegeiuler Adler,' ete. Jii letters, however, lie always tries to abandon tliis practice, chiefly because he wishes l» lw quite clear, but sometimes in his haste he all the same. The liniptror even addresses his letters himself nearly always, ami absolutely in ' lull; the addressee never wants a title i "One might say that apart from , amily correspondence and short notes ! " Hie generals of his suite, the ma- I only of tlic lvaiser' H letters arc adIressed to professors and architects, art-

ists, or musicians, Tftis i.not surprising, in view of the predominant interest his Majestv takes in all aesthetic questions. In these.- letters the Kaiser b wont lo express in short, pregnant words, his views oil some topic "f present-day interest. As often as not liis views, especially on architectural ipte-dious, ate illustrated with marginal .-ketches uf ii highly technical character, revealing 'lt every point the writer's intimate knowledge of the subject. ".Apart li'oni letters, the Emperor frequently sends some artist friend of liis a I look lvliieh lie lias marked with marginal noles, and this is especially the ease willi works on naval topics,, li's versatility is simply marvellous. I have seen sketches done liy the Emperor. the sheet simply covered in all direction,; with slips' parts, designs for themechanism of automobiles, anil plans for the interiors and exteriors (facades, cte.l of buildings. '*To speak' of Ihe letter to Lord Tweedmouth. I should like lo say that I have never found any political reference ill any of the Jsaioer's correspondence, fur In- is accustomed to say what lie lias 011 ],is miud politically in his speeches. If ever the Emperor's letters are collected and published they will give a far brller picture of him than any personal characterisation could do. for his for knowledge revealed therein is only eipialled by the number of fruitful suggestions lie himself makes. -Many a monumental work in (icrmany owiv; its construction to him in reality, although honour ami fame were accorded to the artist who carried out the

Wlien the Kaiser i s travelling he uses the telegraph a great deal, often sending the Empress long accounts of his in that way. Such private letters naturally never go through the pt >t. but- are jjiven to the Foreign Oilier courier in Germany (a lieutenant of the Chasseurs or the Uuard), to be conveyed to the capital with the diploTlie Emperor is very fond of picture postcards, ami when lie was staying at lligliclifl'e la-t year there were numerous recipients of such marks of Imperial consideration [iinong lierlin society. In his study Prince Hulow has a number in picture postcards which his Imperial master sent him from Italy upon which the Emperor lias scribbled ill pencil such characteristic remarks as: "Clorious view": " Splendid weather," etc. The Kaiser's note[ia]ier, which is white, is surmounted by a neat gold clown with the Imperial arms, and strikingly large in shape, of a stout texture.