Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19
G r OWTH OF BERLIN.
1t Is Increasing at the Rate Almost Of q
Thousand q Week.
The Remarkable Prevalence of Uni
Guard Down to Chfldren's Nursss.

Guard Down to Children's Nsrsss.
Correspondents 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 / made his tri-
umphal entry on the 9th OF October. 1906.
IT numbered IL, 900 inhabitants: IL pow con-
tains ten times as Llany. Since the
census Of December !. $780, nearly l00.-
900 souls have been added to its poru-
lation, and II IL now Increasing at the
rate of almost a thousand 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
ii 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 considerauon
are those which would be most likely to
strike a stranger visiting Berlin for the
first time.
1 didn't mean such monumental mon
strosties as the gilded statue Of Borussis
by Drake, with the skirts turned up at ex-
posititious breeze. on the summit Ct the
Victory Column in the KoeniSe-Platz
which Is sure to be the first object which
America by way of Hamburg or Brcmen
and alighting at the Lehrter station: nor do
I mean the gigantic but az yet unfinished
prominent object en- route 10 Ine center Of
the city. and which the kaiser Is sad to
have Lately char a. hegn, OF
sigkeip. though in this respect. az In some
others. I cannot altogether agree with the
msn any on the paaces or Statues or
parks or fountains. Of which Berlin has 80
many to show; 1 refer simply to the most
striking and characteristic features or the
population.
The Prevalence Of Uniforms.
It seems to me that the first thing with
which a stranger would be impressed IL
the prevalence OF uniforms. 1t is hardly
an exsggeration to say that every third
man that one meets in the streets wears a
uniform OF some kind. Every government
or corporate official or employee. 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
kaiser down to the street sweeper, through
all the various grades Of army officers and
prtvates. ministers of state. post office and
operators. clergymen and cabmen. car driv-
ers and conductors and. in fact, nearly
all descriptions Of persons who may be
no one appears in public without his ap-
proprtate dress. And this custom is not
altogether confined to the male sex: the
who are employed as clerks and cashiers
by Mey Edich, the Wanamakers of
Berlin. are required to wear black dresses
sweepers. Of whom there Is q whole regi-
mont more than LOO strong, without
counting the attaches of the trucks. and the
carts wear brown biouses and a sort Of
dirty white wooden trousers, which seem
particularly Inappropriate: but are adopt
Of this brigade is an Implement about the
size OF hay rake. consisting OF long
handle terminated by a cross-piece on one
and on the other a scrsper. % that 1t may
be effectively used on either stone or as
phalt pavemeuts. After rain a broad
strip Of pliable rubber 10 substituted. and
cleaned and dried by this means il mar
velous. II often happens that in such a
to be preferred to the sidewalk rs O prom
enade.
The uniforms Of the drivers Of the ca
nary-colored wagons oc the strassenpost,"
employed to convey mai matter tetween
the central post office and tho numerous
branch offices. - a survival Of the old
times when the approach OF the mail
winding Of horn. The traditional pos.
horn. with its circular loop. still forms
part Of the costume being suspended from
the neck and worn under the left arm
1t is of brightly polished brass. but iy go
laced down with cords that 1t would be
Sifsut to raise II to the mouth AMI
horn at all. The uniform il of a blue so
dark as to be almost invisible. and the high
round-crowned hat bears a 3aunty cockade
perched upon the left side, reminding one
OF the Tyrol
The Cuirassiers of the Guard.
In great military capital like Berlin with
a garrison Of 5000 Of the choicest troops of
the German army. there il 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 a finer
show OF Its kind than that presented by a
regiment Of Cuirassiers Of the guard. in
heir white uniforms. their POLISHED corseiets
glittering in the sunlight and their brazen
outspread wings. so bright that they look
like silver as they prance along some state
~ avenue upon .heir bay horses to the
kaiser at their head. This is the corps d
elite; its officers are taken exclusively from
uniform that the kaiser most frequently an
pears in public. A peculiar feature Of the
equipment Of the first and second regiments
Of infantry Of the guard Is the odd mitre-
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 q shining mark for an enemy's
bullet, but 1t is legacy from the time of
the Great Frederick and in spite OF its in
convenience and its almost comical ugliness
1t appeals proudly to every patriotic Prus-
sian heart. It was amusing to SEE the young
crown prince when, according to the custom
Of the royal house. he first donned this uni
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 &C.
castons; in actual service 1t 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 fine appearance US they SIT erect
In the saddle with their lances resting up-
right on the stirrup and their little pennons
fiuttering in the breeze.
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 was
enjoying my post-prandial cigar on the
rear platform OF street car the other day
l 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, but
they are usually civil enough to answer a
question civilly put. They seem sometimes
to be a little over solicitous about their Of
1 han floA DC Ia 49,