New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08
NOTES FROM BERLIN.
BEING MOSTLY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
WITH PRUSSIAN OFFICIALS

fysoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUSEJ
BERLIN March II.
shall make no attempt to add anything by
post to the accounts / have cabled you OF the
funeral ceremonies Of the Emperor. Not that
there is nothing to add There is great deal
and fear also some corrections Of my hurried
narrative might be found in order though hope
none of much Importance. But postscrpts are Tor
private correspondence The public, apprehend
cares little for them. There are, however, one
or two matters relating more or less directly 10
the object of my visit here, on which may be
allowed to say a word. Part of the JOURNALISTIC
history Of the week for one thing
There were, am told, 600 foreign journalists
In Berlin At the beginning Of the week their
claims or wishes received, or seemed TO receive
hut scant attention from the official world Critl-
cal examination finally reduced theanumoer OF
those deemed important by the Prussian authorl-
ties from 200 to ninety. This figure was again
diminished by the eXigencies OF space and by other
considerations to thirty-fvc. Such passes cards'
tickets Of admission and other facilities as were
granted TO the thirty-fve were divided among
them; still very sparngly. In but two cases.
I think, was everything given TO the representa-
tive Of any single journal. These two exceptions
were made in favor Of The Times" Of London,
and THE TsIsUxE, Of New-YOrk. When hrse
telegrsphed you 1 said that, owing TO the extreme
consideration of the German authorities toward
the press, had ample opportunities of observing
the struggle of the public for admission into the
Dom to see the lying in state, and even OF SHARING
in it, Probably this ironical condemnation VIII
not Lie heavily on any German authority snouiu
ne ever become aware OF it. But WISH III .iie
same to withdraw il, and to say that am unuer
deep obligations to many officials for klndnesses
of many sorts What they did for me in INC ehu
was all that anybody could have asked.
is however, history which has curious points
I had applied for what | wanted through thc
American legation Mr. PendletOn, the American
Minister Mr. Coleman, the First secretary anu
Mr.. Crosby the Second Secretary, lett no enor'
Iptried in behalf of the American Journalists WHO
had asked for diplomatic support. am III
debted to all of them for the trouble they tooh7
and do not suppose it was possible lor hiore "
he done than they did. 1t was oil absoluley
without result II YOU think this failure reflects
on the position or influence Of the American MN
lister. YOU will be quite wrong The Enghsh
Embassy made similar attempts in favor OF Eng
lsh correspondents arriving from abroad ana
their failure was Just as complete as the hnieri-
can. Everybody knows that the Ambassador Oh
Her Britannia Majesty in Berlin, Sir Eowaro
Malet has all the influence and esteem "mch ~
IS possible for an Ambassador to nave III TIC
failed. as he did Mr.. Pendleton may wen DE con-
tent 10 have falle0 III MS CohPahS'
r. mere Minister hope to accomplish where his supe-
rior in diplomatic rank can achieve nothlngr Anu
when shall We begin to perceive the 1ony VI
nuttipg and keeping our representatives In posi-
lion of admitted inferiOrity in rank TO those OF
every other great Power in the world? his
question may seem untmely since on this occasion
Ambassador and Minister were in the same canoe
and each equally unable 10 paddle H. but III
season and out Of season will demonstrate against
the parsimony, or ignorance, or lndnerenee' whicn
ever it may be- that persists in keeping the OhUeo
States in Europe IN the attitude OF thro-raue
Power and puts the American Repuphc' ZOE
iiplomatc purposes, on back seat WIN ou"'e-
nat With respect to the rank of our Minister'S
it is the policy OF the baclSwoodS that we ouer
10 the admring gaze of Christendom.
Nv first help came from Mr. Lowe the resident
correspondent of The Times of London in Ber-
lin. Mr. Lowe IS an Englishman and has repre-
sented the leading English journal here for some
years Alone among journalists whom met
whether German or foreign, ME- Lowe
seemed to TO have poth Po'i-
zion and influence Mr. Coleman introduced
me to him l had known him by reputation ana
nv his kilograms to The Times" which are the
fullest and far the best among those sent from
Berlin to London; and by his elaborate ana eN-
ecllent Life of Bismarck" biography which
the authorities had decided TO issue cards OF ad-
mission into the Cathedral to four English jour
nas,s they asked The Times representative
TO advise them as TO the other three. La that
sujrt OF kinship which sometimes is not far OH
from brotherly love, Mr.. Lowe answered, why
not say English-speaking Journalists and he dd
Inc the great service " propose that shouid pe
one of the four. His advice was accepted ana
through him it that first got a foothold III
Berlin. Ii is, no doubt, difficult for an American
at home To realize how completely the foreigner
sometimes ignores America and American Opinions,
and how Indifferent he is TO the wish Of the
American public TO know what is gong on IN
Europe on some great occasion like that OK the
Emperor's funeral But so 1t is and the American
journalist abroad has TO reckon with IL ana 70
deal with the situation as best he may.
What really carried me through all obstacles
was the help of a great parsonage 10 whom
brought a letter from an English friend This l
presented after all diplomatic goodwill seemed
certain 10 prove inefficient Within an hour the
scene changed as if by magic. My English friends
letter was tslisman. The great parsonage is not
only one Of the greatest in the German Empire,
but one of the busiest. He set so much store py
the friendship Of his English correspondent that
he found time TO intervene energeticalv IN my
behalf. lie sent one of the heads Of his depart
ment 70 explain to me exactly what was to do
and whom was to see. Lest should find IL diff
cult TO see the court functionary TO whom he gave
me a letter, he sent messenger from his Office
with orders not TO leave me till the thing had
been done When met the functionary not far re-
moved from the Lord Chamberlain in the English
court found before handed him my letter that
be knew who / vas and what wanted and all
the details Of what 1 wanted German thorough
ness, no doubt, but also German kindness. The
official whom call Lord Chamberlain at once
said: " You come TO Inc from -; you shall have
whatever can give you. But you want great
dealn 1 admitted did, and presently there came
point request for particular thing, which he
said he would gladly get for me if he could but