The herald., 1896-01-26
Provision Made for Increase of
War Vessels
GREAT BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE
IncIines the Emperor to Build More
Ironclads
German Colonial Trade Is Steadily D.creas-
ing-The Amnesty Decree Is
Deceit and Snare


BERLIN, Jan. 25.-(Copyrighted, 1896,
by the Associated Press).-A project is
now being seriously considered by the en-
peror and cabinet of providing for formi-
dable increase of the German navy. 1t is
we'll known that his majesty has long
wished to do this; but the refusal of the
reichstag to vote the necessary funds has
rendered the scheme impossible up to the
present. Recent events, however, espe-
ciaIly-the attitude of Great Britain toward
Germany, have ripened the plan to accom-
plish an extension of the navy without the
grant of large sums of money by the reich
stag.
The emperor, during the last fortnight,
has had a number of conferences with au-
thorities on colonial affairs with reference
to the position and needs of the German
colonies. The inadequacy of the Ger
man navy, particularly in first-class IRON
clads and cruisers, to maintain Germany's
pretensions as colonial power, was gen.
erally recognized. This years. budget
shows but small item for new battle
ships, and the present reichstag, which ex-
pires in 1898, will not vote large sums for
the navy. Therefore, in order to overcome
the difficulty thus presented, 1t IS now pro-
posed to raise a loan of 3O0,OOO,O0O
marks, the means for which are to be OBJ
tanned by the conversion of the 4 per cent
funds into 81 per cents. His majesty
sounded the leaders of the parties. both in
the reichstag and in the diet, during the
recent fetes and received encouraging re-
plies.
couraeed by Emperor Williams speech de-
livered on January 1Sth last, upon the &C.
casion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of
the re-establishment of the German en-
pire. 1t has stirred them to increased activ-
ity, and at an enthusiastic meeting OF the
Colonial association on Thursday evening
last, DR.. Peters, the explorer. urged that
petition be drawn up and addressed to the
chancellor in favor of large increase of
the navy in order to protect Germany's
worldwide interests at, for instance,
Adelaide, San Francisco, on the Orinoco
and on the Yang-tse Kiang.
Among other things DR.. Peters said that
Germany must have the power to act, and
nor to have to waste time in talking.
Prince Won Arenburg, who presided, was
more conservative in his remarks. He
condemned any precipitate action, and
pointed out that it was impossible for Ger
many to create a navy which would rival
that of Great Britain.
The meeting adopted DR.. Peters resolu-
ton and petition setting forth the de-
mands of the Colonial association will be
presented to the chancellor and to the
reichstag.
1t will contain the request that 500, OOO,-
900 marks be appropriated to increase the
navy.
An instructive contrast to these demands
is furnished in the official report of the
colonies, which has just been published.
From this document it appears that out of
thousands of Germans to whom the en-
peror referred, only 700 have apparently
OH to fol 20 I'M QI
Germany, and of this number $50 are mil
itary and civil authorities. These figures
do not include Southwest Africa, for which
no statistics are given.
The trade of the German colonies, the
report also shows, is steadily decreasing,
necessitating and increase of imperial sub
ventions by l 100000 marks, making a
total cost of over 900 900 marks.
Striking testimony of the militarism of
the colonial government is shown in the
fact that it Jumps negroes. donkeys and
oxen together, under the heading of
''beasts of BURDEN of East Africa.
Emperor Williams birthday, on Monday
next. will be celebrated in the usual way.
Among the princes present will be the
king of Saxony. the grand duke of Baden.
and others of almost equal rank. Prince
Hohenlohe will give a banquet to the for
egn ministers in honor of the occasion.
A heroic size monument of Prince Bis
marck is to be erected on the northernmost
point of Germany's frontier, on the sum-
init of the Kongsburg, Schleswig- Holstein.
The amnesty decree which Emperor
William issued on January 18th was so in
definitely worded that the courts doubt
how to apply it. In Hamburg and Altoona
500 prisoners were released, but of this
number 164 had to be re-incarcerated the
following day.
The imperial court at Leipsic on Monday
last ruled ON case which affects the rights
g M d. e
Brooklyn, N. Y, was fined in September
last the sum of 200 marks for evading
military service by emigratng. The court
quashed this sentence as not being in &C.
cordance with treaty rights.
Secretary of the Interior Herr Won
Reicke is drafting new resolutions for the
purpose of rendering the petroleum mo-
nopoly harmless in Germany. A new sys-
tenn of tariff rates will put the German re-
fners upon equal terms with the foreign
refiners. and especially with their Ameri-
can competitors.
Herr Knebel Doeberitz, high official of
the ministry of the interior, who drafted
the regulations excluding the American in
surance companies from doing business in
Germany, has received high decoration
from Emperor William.
The government architect. Herr Sopke-
has accepted the post of professor Of engi-
neering at Columbian university, Washing
ton.
DIR. Ahlwardt has written to friends here
saying it is his intention to remain in the
United States as editor of western news
paper.
The United States ambassador. Theo-
dOre Runyon, and Mrs. Runyon. dined on
Tuesday with ex-Empress Frederick and
on Thursday Mr.. Runyon was present at
Emperor Williams diplomatic dinner at
the palace. His majesty was very pleasant
to the United States ambassador, and re-
ferred jokingly to the Venezuelan question
as the ''late unpeasantness.