AT HOME WITH THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8698, 17 June 1890, Page 4

AT HOME WITH THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS.

fe: Mr Thomas Birtuhllo, J.P., of Accring-y^-V.'.toa, weavers' secretary, one of the labor ££■ delegates to the Uerliu Conference, has H. r : bsen talking to a weekly pressman about 'p, his doinga in the German capital. Air &; : Birtwistle appears t-> have been well C. pleased with his colleignes. Sir John ;_' . Gorst, he says, behaved " Jike a father ;}.*■ to us," while Mr J*avi.l Dale is specially |-„ ■ praised as a " lirst rate feliow." Mr Jiirt- [£ ' wistle says: — Nti'.iicr ilia Emperor nor 'if', -Prince BUmaick look any purt in onr 't:-' deliberations. The first we saw of Kai.*er if - -Wilhelm, indepd, was at a State dinner R-j" given at the imperial Palace on Tuesi:.'-~ day, the second night of our stay, js* Besides the members of the Conference 2s[~all the ambassadors in Berlin, with S ; -their suite?, were present, and a very f■_ lovely crowd they made. Gold lace and £.' embroidery, jewelled orders, watered i;; ribbons, glitter and sparkle everywhere. S- The bill of fare, of course, was a right ■£ .'royal one ; and after dinner we adjourned v; to coffee in one of the drawing-rooms of (*'--, the palaze. There the Eroperor and EraKf - pres3 came round, and we were all perHp; aonally introduced to them, Sir John X; - Goist doing the honors for (he English ■§; party. Quite free and easy, you kuow, Hit-; except tha* each had to stand while her ■I'YMajesty was conversing with him. They Bt^-both seemed to speak English, French, Ht*;' a nd German equally well, and had cviHggdently been coacucd almost to perfection. MffiTalkiqg to Mi Burt, the Emperor opened Bjiiia discussion on the coal strike in LancaH&; shire, then at its crisis. He seemed to ■i know all about it, hut was rather ■?" taken down when the M.P. for ■K-JMorpeth explained that he bad no ■t; peraonal connection with the struggle. Bb'. Then the Empress tackled me with some ■Klvery straight questions about women's Kp work in the cotton mills and weaving Uf. sheds. She asked at what age they Hj/fbegan, as a rule— how they live, and so Hj on— and fixed me up with a " Now, Mr what is your opinion about all HH;. this?" She seemed to know it all, and, ■Bc.ifit was oniy coacliinp, must have a line j^E.nicnioiy for details. Then, "Thank you ■H^very much," a bow, and a movu on Hfjto the next ia order, with some talk ■fc in French about silk weaving. The • even knew the details of Mr Hjg'Burnett's Board of Trade connection, I^K^tid^ cross • examined him on the Bpßobject like a IJ.C. Altogether a very ■psttikiDg experience, and a tiring one for Majesties, no doubt. A small and tea party at the Kmprcss Frederick's, HE> which only the English were present, HE:was " a most agreeable functiou " — I ■Bj believe that is the, correct word. Thr> British Minister, Sir E. Malet, introduced Hftlna to the widowed Empress, and just as Bm were sitting down to tea the Prince of strolled in and joined us. It was HKLa case of raake-yoursclves-at-bomcand-and his Royal Highness himself equal to his reputation as vjolly good fellow and a jokjst of no order. A novel and most enjoyable ■H'time for the delegates, you may believe.