Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19
G r OW TIL OF BERLIN.
It is Increasing at the Rate Almost of a
Thousand Week.
The Remarkable Prevalence of Uni-
forms From the Cuirassiers of the
Guard Down to Children's NnRses.
Of The Evening Star

BERLIN. July 20, 1888.
Berlin is essentially a modern city; its
rapid growth finds no parallel except in
America When Napoleon 1 made his tri-
umphal entry on the 9Th Of October, 1906
1t numbered 172, 900 inhabitants; it now con-
tains ten. times as Llany. Since the
| census Of December i, 1890, nearly l0o.-
600 souls have been added to its popu-
| lation. and It Il now Increasing at the
rate Of almost q thousand q week. 1t
is not to be expected. therefore. that its
| external aspect should be especially for
eign. for the rules Of domestic architec-
ture are in all civilized countries practi-
cally the same. On closer inspection It ex-
hibits some peculiarities which distinguish
| 1t from other great cities Of the continent.
and which may be considered as an ad-
| vantage. or the reverse. according to the
point from which they are viewed. but
they are not apparent at the first glance.
and reserve them for future consideration.
are those which would be most likely to
strike a stranger visiting Berlin for the
| first time.
strosities as the gilded statue of Borrssis.
by Drake. with the skirts turned up at ex-
actly equal angles on either side by a sup
Victory Column in the Koenixs- Platz,
| which is sure to be the first object which
meets the eye Of q visitor arriving from
and alighttng at the Lehrter station: nor do
I mean the gigantic but as yet unf,nished
building of the reichstag. which Is the next
prominent object en- route 10 the center OF
the city. and which the kaiser Is sad to
have lately characterized as the height OF
bad taste" der Gipfel der Gescnmacxlo-
others. cannot altogether agree with the
kaiser. I don't mean. indeed. at the mo-
parks, or fountains. Of which Berlin has so
many to show: / refer simply to the most
| striking and characteristics features Of the
population.
The Prevalence of Uniforms.
It seems to me that the first thing with
which q stranger would be impressed is
the prevalence Of uniforms. 1t is hardly
an exaggeration to say that every third
man that one meets in the streets wears a
uniform Of some kind. Every government
or corporate official or employe. from the
highest to the lowest, is required, when on
duty. to appear In the uniform which de-
notes his character and rank. From the
all the various grades Of army officers and
privates, ministers Of state. post Office and
railway officials and servants. telegraph
ers and conductors, and. In fact. nearly
all descriptions of persons who may be
said to constitute class by themselves
no one appears in public without his ap-
propriate dress. And this custom is not
altogether confined to the male sex; the
small army Of young women. for example
by Mey Edlich, the Wanamakers of
Berlin, are required TO wear black dresses
Of special stun and style. The street
ment. more than 100 strong, without
counting the attaches of the trucks. and the
sweeping machines, and the sprinkling
carts, wear brown. blouses and a sort OF
dirty white wooden trousers. which seem
particularly inappropriate but are adopt
ed for sanitary reasons. The only weapon
Of this brigade is an implement about the
size Of hay rake. consisting OF a long
handle terminated by a cross-pieco. on one
bevef OF which is broom Of stiff brush
be effectively used on either stone or as
phalt pavements. After d rain a broad
strip Of pliable rubber Is substituted. and
cleaned and dried bv this means - mar
Vicious. 1t often happens that in such q
case the middle Of the street is decidedly
to be preferred to tho sidewalk as q prom
enade.
The uniforms OF the drivers Of tho ca
nary-colored wagons O. the 'strassenpost."
the central post office and tho numerous
branch offices. Is survival Of the old
times when the approach OF the mail
winding of a horn. The traditional pos:
horn. with its circular loop. still forms
part Of the costume, being suspended from
1t is Of brightly polished brass, but is so
laced down with cords that II would be
difficult to raise It to the mouth. AMI 1
have sometimes doubted whether II is a real
horn at all. The uniform is Of blue so
dark as to be almost invisible and the high
round-crowned hat bears a jaunty cockade
Of the Tyrol
The Cuirassfers of the Guard.
In great military capital like Berlin, with
a garrison OF 5000 of the choicest troops of
the German army. there is naturally an ex-
traordinary variety of military uniforms
Cuirassiers. hussars. lancers. dragons,
jaegers and all the other multifarious d.
visions Of the army are readily recognized
by the practical eye. and while the undress
uniform in which they usually appear is
plain. though distinctive. the dress worn on
occasions of parade or ceremony is often
very brilliant There can hardly be finer
show of its kind than that presented by a
regiment of Cuirassiers of the guard in
heir white uniforms, their polished corselets
glittering in the sunlight AMI their brazen
outspread wings, so bright that they look
like silver as they prance along some state
" avenue upon their bay horses to the
kaiser at their head. This is the corps d.
elite; Its officers are taken exclusively from
the ranks OF the nobility. AMI it is in their
pears In public. peculiar feature OF the
equipment of the first and second regiments
shaped head-piece of polished brass and
bright scarlet cloth, rising to a poin. in
front and thence sloping sharply backward
Nothing could be more ingeniously devised
to furnish a shining mark for an enemy 3
bullet. but It is legacy from the time Of
the Great Frederick, and in spite OF its in
convenience and its almost comical ugiiness
1t appeals proudly to every patriotic Prus-
sian heart. 1t was amusing TO see the young
crown prince when. according to the custom
Of the royal house. he first donned this uri-
form on his induction into the first regi-
ment as second lieutenant on his tenth
birthday. His helmet looked almost as tall
as himself. 1t is now reserved for gala oc-
casions; IN actual service II is discarded for
the lighter and more convenient SERVICE
cap. Another noteworthy corps is that OF
the Uhlans; they ride coal black horses and
present q hne appearance US they sit erect
in the saddle with their lances resting up-
right on the stirrup and their little pennons
fiuttertng in the breeze
I have said nothing Of the policemen.
They are, Of course, in uniform and one
meets them, on foot or mounted, at every
turn. They are numerous enough; as L was
enjoying my post-prandial cigar on the
rear platform OF a street car the other day
had little conversation with Policeman
No. 1000. They do not always evince that
refined courtesy which is supposed to dis
tinguish the higher circles Of society. bur
they are usually civil enough to answer a
question civilly put. They seem sometimes
to be a little over solicitous about their Of
fetal dignity, but then that is really their
most valuable possession. / must not for
get the sentinels stationed I'm front OF the
little black and white striped sentry boxes
on either side of the main entrance of the
palace OF the royal princes, and of the of
fetal residences Of the minister of war. and