The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-09 00:00:00

KAISER WILHELM'S JUBILEE.

BERLIN, Jan. 3.

The ceremonies in connection with the -25th anni,
versary of the Emperor William's accession to the
throne of Prussia commenced to-day. At an early
hour sacred hymns were played by the trumpeters
from the towers of the Royal palace and the Town
Hall, amid the pealing of the bells of all the churches
in the city. Special religious services, which were
very numerously attended, were -held in the
churches in the forenoon. At the Royal Guard
the parole was given out to the officers, the
ceremony being accompanied by a salute of 101 guns..
At half-past ten, the members of the Royal House
and other relations of the Imperial family presented
their congratulations to the -Emperor, and shortly
afterwards the King of Saxony, whose arrival was un-
expected, drove up to the palace, in order to per-
sonally convey his felicitations to his Imperial
Majesty. The Emperor and Empress and the
members of the Royal House th n proceeded to
the Chapel of the Royal Palace, where a
special service was held. There were also
present the Ambassadors and Envoys Extra-
ordinary from foreign Courts, the Diplomatic
Body, the Prussian Ministers, and the general
officers of the German army. At the conclusion of
the service the Emperor and Empress gave a special
reception in the White Hall of the palace to receive
congratulations, the Empress occupying the throne,
and the aged Emperor standing at her side till
the close. The distinguished guests then filed
past the throne in order to present their
congratulations, and as Prince Bijimarck ap-
proached, the Eniperor stepped forward and
twice embraced the Chancellor, Count von Moltke
being also accorded a similar distinction. On per-
ceiving Lord Wolseley advancing his Majesty, by a
movement of the hand, requested his lordship to
step from the line, and greeted him most
warmly. The Emperor subsequently gave a special
audience for the reception of the envoys from
foreign Courts, who presented letters of con-
gratulation from their various Sovereigns.
From an early hour the streets and squares
between the 'Royal and Imperial Palaces were
thronged by siense crowds of people, who enthusi-
astically cheered the Emperor and Empress on their
way to the Royal Palace as well as on their return.
The town is everywhere brilliantly decorated with
flags and bunting, and the streets are crowded with
sightseers. The cortege of the Ambassadors and
special Envoys as they drove to the palace, created a
most brilliant effect. In the evening the town was
splendidly illuminated in honour of the occasion.
Beaux, Jan. 4.
•

The Kaiser was not in the least overtired to-day
from yesterday's exertions, nor has the Kaiserin
suffered therefrom. lam informed that the inter-
view yesterday between the aged monarch and the
King of Saxony was of a most touching nature. King
Albert lett Dresden incognito yesterday for Berlin
unknown to the Kaiser. On being announced at the
Royal palace the latter was dressing for the Court cere-
monies. Hi 2. Majesty hastily put on his military tunic,
and entered the room to greet this unexpected guest.
The two monarchs embraced each other, and were
locked in each other's arms, both deeply moved, for
some minutes. King Albert, after being present
with the Kaiser and Kaiserin at the opera
house, returned to Dresden last night. This
afternoon the Kaiser and the Kaiserin gave
a dinner in honour of Lord Wolseley and
the other representatives of the foreign Powers.
The members of the household and the chief
military authorities have also been honoured with
Royal rinvitations. Most of the guests who came
to Berlin for the jubilee celebration dine this evening
with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. The
university celebrated the event to-day in auid, when
Herr Treitschke delivered an address. In honour of
tbe occasion, Privy Councillor of Commerce, Franz
Mendelssohn, the great grandson of the renowned
Philosopher Mendelssohn, has presented the university
with 150,000 marks for the foundation of scholarships
for German students in the philosophical faculty.
This morning Lord Wolseley and the other repre-
sentatives of the foreign Powers were received by the
Crown Prince. The Kaiser was extremely gratified
by the Queen's choice of Lord Wolseley as her repre-
sentative at his jubilee. Much gratification has been
afforded by the manifestations of English sympathy
with the celebration. Prince William drove out to-
day for the Hist time, and the Princess is progressing
so satisfactorily that no further bulletins will be
issued for the present.

BERLIN, Tuesday night.
The official Reichsanzeiger contains the following
Decree of the Emperor, addressed to Prince Bis-
marck, Imperial Chancellor and President of the
Prussian Ministry of State: "Having been called in
January, 1861, by the Grace of God to ascend the
Throne of
.my ancestor,,l could scarcely, at my alr• ady
rather advanced age, hope, according to human
calculations, that I should be granted a long period
of government. Now, with my Consort, I look
back on a :series of 25 years, during
which I have been enabled to fulfil my
difficult and responsible 'princely calling with
unhoped for success. Infinite are my thanks to the
Almighty who has permitted me to live to this, the
day of my Governmental Jubilee, who has over-
whelmed ms with His Grace my whole life long, and
especially during the last quarter of a century, who
has so highly blessed my Royal Government and
House abroad. What especially fills me with pride
in the celebration of this joyful event is the unshaken
confidence, the true unchangeable love of my
people, which I have so often experienced
on the most different occasions, _ and which

has again been so heartily and generously
displayed on the present double occasion of the New
Year and my anniversary." His Majesty then pro-
ceeds to refer in detail to some of the congratulations
addressed to him, and concludes: "Such a great
number of proofs of fidelity and devotion fills my
heart with deep gratitude, and strengthens me in my
great age for the further exercise of my princely
duty for the time which is still allotted to me here
below. With an overflowing heart I thank all who
have made me and my Consort happy by their sym-
pathy, and I join in their common prayer: May God
in the future also bo with our German Fatherland."