Telegram-herald., 1890-01-20

f-a- eas esceneo re cerocie-ers- ft-s'--
re TIE orear. rhe -e-n-er' "ss -
-1cas1 - t-s writing o. krencn petty :
ara many of tas lre-zna1 lbr-rles se'-a-y
contain ex~e Lens eilr-ans 81 has ~of -
in tat -2lg age taaE are nos re8~i2e-
as classic. He eeul5 not spsaz German
airt9-gh be AS sne greatest ~ al 4ser-
Ran pa-raots. a devoted g1u1eal Qf TIE
literature, srt and 1raua - France, rs
home 81 Po-s1 4u vas rhe rendezvous q
many Dctoa EFsnck writers ~ me @llu-
Folralre was his special fsvorlte- Ia-s
tls order Po4r e Asrzs7 Is really
teeneh dsv-e, zn3 w1s originally De-
signed % reward military proves Ia
the held Ayaiast that nation IL "~s
Erst used after the bloody battle or
Bassbsch, when number - officers of
high rank were deoorated on the battle
field
But there Is another order, Pour a
Ms7ts The second vas instituted %
Friedsrich Wilholm ~. for rewaralng
distinguished men IN srt, science and
literature The f-st 20 receive it was
the famous Humboldt. then IN rapid
succession II was conferred upon The
composers Meyerbeer and Liszt, Thor
waldsen and RaUth. the scllptors' Paul
dc Ia R0esch and Gallai,, the painters;
Arago, the French scientist; Bancroft
the American historian; Won Sybel,
Mommsen, Won Hsfner-Alteneck. Won
Bardeleben, Von Pettenkofer and
number OF others This decoration Is
large gold ring with blue enamel; on
the outside are four golden crowns and
on the inner space the Prussian eagle
With the initials FIJI" Theinsoription,
"P0ur "a Eerits," IS on the ring itself.
Only thirty Germans are permitted 70
have this decoration simultaneously,
but is can be given 20 foreigners with
out restraint The Emperor has the
right OF final choice.
The military order of merit IS golden
cross, with blue enamel, octagon-Point-
ed, and with four golden crowns be-
tween the points. On the upper point
IS the letter "F, +" the inscription Pour
Ia Merle" being on the other points II
is worn attached 20 = black silk watered
ribbon around the neck. After the
campaign Of 1865 King Wilhelm con-
forred the decoration, double size, with
the portrait OF Friedrich the Great in
the center, upon the Generals command
ing the armies in the field. There are
now only two great Generals living of
the number thus decorated with the
great cross-Bismarck and Won Moltke.
The smaller decoration is worn by al
most all the present commanders
Count Mons, who died year ago, had
received many orders from the crown
for his brave services. He was Admiral
of the German fleet, and may be remem-
bered as the commander Of the Inflated
war-ship, Grosser Kurfuerst, which was
sunk in collision off Folkestone sew
eral years ago. He was tried by court
martial and honorably acquitted, IL
having been shown that, instead of de-
serting his vessel, he went down with
her and narrowly escaped drowning.
Last among the great decorations
comes the Red Eagle. an order that has
existed since 1712, and which has five
divisions or classes. The insignia is a
white enamel cross, in the center of
which is a red eagle, surrounded by the
legend: "Sincere ct constanter.' The
great cross of the highest grade is worn on
an orange-and-white striped Gordon over
the shoulder. The starOf the great cross
isin gold and is worn on the breast, the
different classes being worn variously on
neck and breast. During war time this
decoration Is given with swords, that is,
small gold swords crossed on the face Of
the star or cross. Other distinctions,
too, are given with it occasionally, such
as bow, oak leaves, ring or a golden
chain. There is another order known
as tho "Haus Orden Won HOhenzollern,"
but as il is distinctively the family dec
Grafton OF the reigning house and be-
longs By right Of birth 70 every Prince,
the outside world has no interest in t.
It is a simple cross in white and black
enamel, inscribed "Vou Fels yum Nicer"
Still another order OF tho minor class
Is the "KDniglicher kronenorden, " the
youngest Of all the decorations. It was
created by Wilhelm J. in 1861. at tho
coronation. and consists Of white en-
amel cross with a gold crown in the cen
ter and the inscription: "Gott Nit Tns."
There are four classes Of this order. and
during late campaignsit was often given
as q recognition Of patriotic deeds, in con-
junction with the rcd Geneva cross and
upon a black-white-and-red ribbon.
One OF the first things that strikes n
stranger in Berlin is tho multitude OF
orders seen everywhere. There is
scarcely public assenblage, and GER
tainlY not an Official one, at which in
dividuals may not be encountered whose
breasts arc fairly dazzling with tho rich
ness and variety Of their decorations.
O. course, such g display adds 20 tho
picturesque quality of these gatherings,
and nobody begrudges the heroes the
pleasure thcy take in displaying tho
rewards Of their bravery Bat there
seems to be almost a suPerabundance %
orders, and tho hand ~ royalty has boon
50 lavish lately I'm their bestowal that
they are very generally beginning %
lose that attraction Of rarity that FOR
merly made them so greatly desired.