THE LATE KING EDWARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1919, Page 12

THE LATE KING EDWARD.

PRUSSIAN CABAL AGAINST HIM. Some fresh anecdotes which illustrate King Edward's sincere friendship for France in the war of 1870 are given by Sir Sidney Lee in the new number of the Anglo-French Review. King Edward, then Prince of Wales, was, it appears, specially disliked by the Prussian Minister in London, Count Bernstorff (whose son gained such an evil notoriety at Washington during tho war), who conducted a veritable «ampaign against the Prince. He complained that" the Prince had told the French Ambassador that "he cordially hoped for Germany's defeat" The Prince was invited by the' British Government to explain, when he wrote thus to Mr. Gladstone:— "I think it right to inform you that the Prussian Ambassador has thought fit to inform my sister, the Crown Princess, of statements supposed to have been made by me at a dinner lately given by the French Ambassador, very derogatory to Prussia. I beg to assure you that these statements are without any foundation," The Prince did sympathise with France none the less." He wrote of the French defeat at Worth as a "terrible blow." When the Empress Eugenie reached England he sent his equerry to her with an off eg of hospitality, an act which incited warm reproof from the Queen (Victoria) and her Ministers, But, as he said in another case where he showed his Freneli, sympathies, "when one's friends are down on their luck one would wibli to help them if one can." - -

He wished to raise a fund to help the French peasants, but the British 'Govern-. ment.was afraid and warned him that "Prussia is likely to misinterpret anything which tho Prince does." Though the German Staff disliked him, he did his best to influence the Prussians in favor of moderate terms of peace —which would have prevented a renewal of the war. He spoke of France as "that great friendly Power" and en one occasion suggested to French statesmen that their boycott of the French aristocracy was a mistake. A conversation between him and M. Gambetta is recalled in which he pointed out'how England had created a titled aristocracy of merit,, when the following remarks passed:— Gambetta: In a republic we can have only one aristocracy—that of tciencc and merit —and it can establish its position without .titles. . • i The Prince: You are a true Rcpublir can, M. GambettaGambetta: Permit mo to admit the fact.sir. But I think it quite logical