New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-19
A SOLDIER PRINCE.
HIGH HONORS FOR THE KAISERS DEMO-
CRATIC GRANDSON.

HIGH HONORS FOX THE kAISERS DEMO-
CRATIC GRANDSON.
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIP rRrBUyEi
BERLIN February 3.
Prince William, the eldest son of the Crown
Prince, and the future heir to the German throne,
received the title of Major-General as n birth
day present from the Emperor, on January p.
The advanced age Of the monarch and the frail
condition Of the Crown Princes health have
certainly had much to do with the grandson's
rapid promotion. Two years ago-he is now
twenty nine Prince William ranked only as a
major and people in general spoke with sur
prise at the slowneSs with which he advanced.
yet all praised the horoughness of his military
education Innumerabe princelings were then
above him, as well as untitled men of not much
longer service, for a Prussan prince receives his
straps at the age OF ten He was compelled tn
work like the rest of his comrades equally sub
iect to military discipline. Early and late he
was with his regiment ordered about as an or
binary major saluting his Superiors, with little
or no attention-in a military way-pald to hls
royal rank But all this is changed and he wears
now the brilliant insignia Of Prussian Major
General. The Emperor appointed him by telegraph
he being stationed in Potsdam-and a few
hours later he presented himself to his grandsre
III his regimentals, beamingly happy at his
increased Importance Any hour may make him
peror-and the proud old ruler has at last thought
it best to recognize this possibility, and prepare
the young man for its realization.
Yet Prince William is young looking Major
General He lacks the prominent rugged features
Of his father and the handsome lines Of his grand
sire The IIohenzolerns have no hereditary phys
ical characteristics Even Professor Nrchow failed
to find any cranial ones ia his scientific exam
nation of the ancestral skulls. They have never
intermarred, having the purest blood of all royal
families-a custom which tends 70 preserve and
intensity pecularties. Prince William has the
appearance of young man Of twenty-five. His
upper lip shows a sparse blonde mustache his
nose is slightly Roman, with medium forehead.
and hair stands back like Beethovens. But de-
spite the comparatively weak chin, his cold
blue eye has a brave daring expression which
reminds one a little Of the Great Frederick whom
he is fondly said to resemble in character He Is
slender in build and shorter in stature than his
brother the naval IIohenzollern.' His right
hand is badly crippled, and his right arm AT least
two inches shorter than his left; defect which
has caused as much annoyance and mental pain
as ever Bvron's deformity did. He tries upon
every occasion to conceal IT. but tries OF course,
in vain Yet, the skill he possesses is remarkable
He carries his sword upon parade as well a. any
officer and has become most excellent fenccr
rides like a Cossack and shoots with uncrrIng
aim.
No officer in the army is more popular than
this royaI scion and none more clever No Won
der that his men are attached to him. He has
n pleasant word for all, and cracks his Joke with
the common man as though he were OF ms num-
Der His training has been very democratic.
He attended school az Cassel, boarding with one
Of the teachers and treated exactly as one OF the
other boys Taking his lunch one day he noticed
one Of his comrades eating the black bread which
the poorer classes use in Germany. Wishing to tasa
IL. he offered to trade with the boy-the son,
T believe OF "A Door mechanic-who, Of course,
WAS only too clad to do so. II pleased the Princes
palatc so much that he made agreement T. cN-
change lunches with the boy every day-and
thenceforward he always Toasted upon the black
bread baked in the house of the mechanic. lie
WAS graduated after several years at Ca>Sal among
the first in his class to the great satisfaction Oh
his parents who attended the commencement lie
afterward-as is Hohenzollern custom-attended
the University at Bonn and Joined the famous
Saxo- Borussen corps, over whose annual meetings
he still presides, and Is eager as any IN relhs
| the franks of his student days. And to-day one
| meets him in the streets OF Berlin ID clNlidh .
| clothes mngliug with the people like the clti|eh-
| king, The maady and suffering OF the Cro"n
p-irce IN the far off Italian town, have reused the
svmpathies of the whole population, but despite
his popularity, despite the way they love hlln'
IL is safe TO say that the majority or the nation
spend more enthusiasm upon his son. look upon
Prince William the wearer or the mantle Oh
Frederick the Great, and believe him destined TO
fulfil the cherished hopes Of Germany further
the plans OF Bismarck and Moltke' ana eemens
the union Of the Fatherland-