THE NEW EMPEROR

Otago Witness, Issue 1895, 16 March 1888, Page 17

THE NEW EMPEROR

Frederick William Nicholas Charles, Imperial Prince of Germany, and Drown Prince of Prussia, the eldest son of William, King ol Prussia, the deceased Emperor, will doubtless reign instead of his father. He was bom October 18, 1831, and ia therefore ia his 57th year. He entered the Prussian Army ■when a mere lad, and rose through the various grades to the rank of general, which he held when war broke out between Prussia and Austria in 186(5. At this time he had been married for eight years, having been united at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, in 1858, to the Princess Eoyal of Great Britain, who brought him a handsome dowry. The short and decisive struggle with Austria developed the Crowu Prince's capacity aa a general. Ho had under his command four army corps, 125,000 men in. all. He led these through mountain passes with considerable difficulty and danger, fighting a aeries of brilliant actions, until lie effected a junction with the troops of Prince Frederick Oliarles on the field of Sadowa, tho result of which lowered the supremacy of Austria in Germany. The Crown Prince appeared on the field in the midst of the battle, and turned the fortunes of tho day. Four years later, in the war between tho combined forces bf Germany and France, the Crown Prince held a most important command, and added to his reputation .is a brilliant soldier and energetic general. He 1 had command of the third Gorman Army, comprising three Prussian corps, two Bavarian corps, and divisions from Baden, Wurfcembnrg, and Hesse. On the 4th of August he wou the battle of Weisgeuberg. On the Cth he defeated the united forces of the veteran generals of the Crimea mid Italy, MaeMahon, Fdilly, and Canrobert. At tho Sedan, on the Ist September, the Orown Prince crossed the river Menae with his Prussian aud South German troop*, the Bavarians being commanded by General yon der Tann. He endeared himself for evor to fcho whole Germau army, and especially to the soldiers of South Germany, by his energy and ability in following up MacMahon from the time ho carried the strong positions held by the French on tho wooded slopes of the Vosges, until the French marshal and the Kmperor were caught in the trap afc the town in the French Ardennes. " Unser Fritz" (our Fritz), as the Crown Prince now became known »mong«t his soldiers, did his fair shareof the fightiDg, if Yon Moltke was the brain controlling the operations; yet it is said that the Orown Prince did not love war. As a general, in the rapidity and energy of his movements, ho closely resembled the great Southerner " Stonewall" Jackson, and as a man the Crown Prince had some of the traits of tho simple Virginian gentleman. Both hated bloodshed, they were both men of kindly Christian dispositions. In CswseU'B " History of the Frauco-German War." it. is narrated how the Crown Prince, on proceeding to his lodgings for the night after tho surrender at Sedan, was received with the most joyful manifestations. The 6treet In which fche Prince lodged was lined with soldiers holding lighted candles, burning brightly inthestillautumn air. At supper the Crown Prince sat down with his officers and gave one toast, \ "Do the King and the army." This was drunk in champagne intended for the Emperor Napoleon, but which had been captured by a Prussian dragoon regiments, and presented by the troopers to their gene/al. But even after the wonderful success of the day the Crown Prince was not joyous, the ovations of his soldiers did not qualify the loss of life and the prospect of still further bloodshed. So again when, on tho 20th September, the Crown Prince set up his headquarters at Versailles, aa ho rod 6 into fche Prefecture "colours" were presented, and the royal standard hoisted, and drums and trumpets beat and clanged out martial strains, andsoldiers ran to cheer " Our Fritz," ho himself was the saddest man thorp. Dr Kussell, of tho Times, describes a visit which the Prince next day paid to the Chateau of Versailles, where Louis XIV, and Louis XV, held their courts and intrigues, where i Louise de la Valliere and Madame de Maintenon ] ruled the raonarchs of France, where Marie Antoinette danced on the brink of the Volcano of the devolution, where Napoleon the First sought retirement, and where the Third Kmperor of 1855 gave a i series of magnificent fetes to Queen Victoria, now on thio September day iv 1870 a hospital for the German wounded. Dr liussell writes: "Presently ) three officers in Prussian uniform came out across the court by the jetless and sprayiess fountain, and walked at tho top of the steps which lead from the terrace, where they stood looking out over the canal j and fche scene which is lost in the far distance ou the plaiu beyond the Sfc. Cyr road. Ifc was the Crown 'at( ended by Count Eulonberg and Major Misclcow. The Prince remained ior some time with folded arms, as if in meditation, and then turned and walked to the chateau, aud thence proceeded through the galleries and wards, visiting the wounded and making inquiries from the i men." A tender love and regard for his soldiers was the chief phase of the character of " Our Frifcz." He visited tho wounded, he cheered the cripples, the common soldier he called " my son," he distributed decorations, he shook hands with the private who lmd done some special deed, he was ever anxious to alleviate suffering. is T o wonder he was beloved by | the German army. Personally, the Crown Prince J was a king amongst men. Standing over 6ft 3in, j stilwart and well proportioned, with wavy brown i hair and curling beard, in bis white cuirassier uniform, his breast covered . with the medals mid orders he had so wrll earned, he looked every inch a warrior. 'Ihe popularity of the Orown Prince amongst the troops of Bavaria, Baden, Hesse, and Wurtemburg did more to cement the union of Ger- j many than any other factor. On the Ist March 1871 J the Gprnian army entered humbled Paris.

The Grown Prince that day was one of the few leading figures in the event of a century. It was the crowning day of his ltfo. With peace the Prince resumed hia old life in Germany, doing his duty as a commander, helping in the maintenance of the wonderful organisation of the German army, living quietly with his family, a simple gentleman, happy in his wife find children, a patron in amodest ■vvayof art aud letters, interfering little in politics— and yet the most popular prince in Europe. When in 1878 the would-bo regicide Nobeling wounded the Emperor, the Crowu Prince was appointed Hegeut until his father's recovery. In that position he won Rolrten opinions from all men. it is Ronerally understood that the Crown Prince's sympathies ar distinctly Liberal.

Tho Crown Pricee is father of 6ix children, two boys and four girls, who, as grandchildren of Queen Victoria, have beeu frequent visitors to linglaud. English is the language of the Prince's family ehcle, always used by them, and the children of this Prussian father speak it better tlnn their unclo, the future King of England. But the Prince of Wales was brought up in the German tongue, and taught English as a foreign language, The home life and habits of the Crown Prino have always been very simple. He was a familiar %ure on the streets of Berlin. Iv his unuu'ss general's uniform he of len walked about with his youngest daughters with less of ostentation than would be considered neceasary by a colonial governor Hia last public appearamx? was in the Jubilee Procession in London, on the 31st of June. The citizens who cheered the warrior prince little knew that it was only by an effort of Iron will that he kept his seat on" his horse. He could not attend tli" banquet of royalties which Queen Victoria pave it\ honour of "the occr.3ion. hut immediately ■ifrer the ceremony returned to Upper Norwood. v.Jieiv* he lived under the caro of Vr Morell Mackenzie. After returning to Germany tho Crown Prince was forced to seek the milder air of Italy. Hip rable has kept us fairly informed of the hopes ■ifld fears entertained about him. Towards the end of msc year hiß death appeared to be at hand. He then

made rapid progress towards recovery, but only to suffer a severe relapse, rendering it necessary to perform the operation of tracheotomy. A little more than a week ago it was announced that all hopes of his recovery had been abandoned, but agaiu he gathered strength, aud is now on his way back to Germany.