OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 20666, 23 April 1929, Page 7

OBITUARY

MRS W. K. CLIFFORD.

(Rec. 7 p.m.) London, April 22. The death has occurred of Mrs W. K. Clifford, the novelist.—Australian Press Association—United Service.

Mrs W. K. Clifford was a daughter of the late Mr John Lane, formerly of Barbadoes. Among her publications are: “Mrs Keith’s Crime,” “A Wild Proxy,” "A Flash of Summer,” “Love Letters of a Worldly Woman,” "The House in Marylebone,” and “Mr Webster and others.” She also wrote a number of plays.

PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA

THE EX-KAISER’S BROTHER.

Berlin, April 21

The death has occurred of Prince Henry of Prussia, the ex-Kaiser’s brother.—Australian Press Association.

Prince Hepry of Prussia, brother of the former German Emperor, was born on August 14, 1862, in the Neu Palais at Potsdam, his parents being the Crown Prince and afterwards Emperor Frederick and Princess Victoria of England. With his elder brother he attended the gymnasium (grammar school) at Cassel. After taking his final examination there in 1877 he entered the navy. The Prince took no part in politics. On several occasions he was entrusted with political missions, but his duties were purely formal. Thus in 1896 he went to Moscow for the coronation of the Tsar. In February, 1902, he sailed in the big new Norddeutscher-Lloyd liner, the Kronprinz Wilhelm, from Bremerhaven to the United States as the Kaiser’s representative. The ostensible object of this mission was attendance at the ceremony of christening the yacht which had been built for the Emperor, but political significance was also attached to the visit. Prince Henry was well received in New York from where he proceeded to Baltimore and Washington where President Roosevelt gave a banquet in his honour. Near Jersey City Miss Alice Roosevelt christened the new yacht Meteor. On February 26 the Prince was the guest of the American Press, industry and commerce. In his speech he remarked that the Kaiser had said to him: “In America the pressmen rank with my army commanders.” The Prince took a great interest in sport, especially motoring. He was himself a skilful driver, and participated in many competitions, including international contests. He also devoted much attention to introducing motor transport into the army, placing himself at the head of the German Volunteer Motor Corps. Notable also were his services in fostering aviation. He made numerous cruises in Zeppelins and himself took part in flying competitions. At the Euler works near Frankfurt he qualified as a pilot and made many flights. He also presented several prizes for contests, one of which was named after him. During the war he held no command, but spent a considerable time as observer on the various fronts. After the revolution he retired to his estate of Hemelmark near Kiel. In the autumn of 1926 he paid a visit to Mexico where he had a great reception from the German residents, whom he addressed at their club in Mexico City. In December, 1927, a storm was aroused in German Republican circles by an account of his doings in the cruiser Berlin at Eckernforde before she started on her voyage round the world. It was stated that the commander, Captain Kolbe, invited the ex-admiral to lunch on board and that the Prince addressed the crew. Kolbe was recalled from Cadiz where the cruiser had put in and after his explanation was allowed to resume his command. His story was that when told that Prince Henry would like to see the vessel, he advised his superiors and was given permission. After lunch the Prince addressed a few words to “some members of the crew who were working on deck,” referring to his own service in the Far East and wishing them “bon voyage.” The crux of the controversy was whether the Prince had been received as a royal personage or a retired admiral and one paper declared that a member of the former ruling house had no business on a ship of the Republic so long as he had not sworn the oath to the constitution. Prince Henry married Princess Irene of Hesse, a daughter of Ludwig 11, Grand Duke of Hesse and Princess Alice of England. They had three sons, Prince Waldemar, born in 1889; Prince Heinrich Sigismund, born in 1896, and Prince Heinrich, born in 1900, who died at the age of 4.