The times., 1899-04-24
w1LHELm's BATTLES OF FICTION
Alarms the German Capital Will
Imaginary Invasions.

Paris, April 23.-The New York Her
AIDS" European edition published the fol-
lowing dispatch from Berlin:
At last fine weather has made its ap-
pearance. but we have experienced an early
spring which will long be remembered on
account of its disagreebale qualities.
With the fine weather and animation
came the signal for continuous movements
OF troops. A few days ago the Kaiser be-
thought him that it had been long time
since he had alarmed the garrison. Ac-
cordingly. he touched the button" in the
palace that sets such movements going
Immediately the alarm gongs in the guard
houses and barracks began sounding
Members OF the staff rushed to the palace
and found that, according to the Kaiser
the enemy was advancing from the direc-
tion of Frankfort, and ii was necessary to
send troops Immediately to all strategic
points and mass large numbers on the
Templehofer Field.
Meantime, at the barracks every man In
the division was summoned. Those who
happeded TO have had night duty and were
in bed had 10 tumble out. Illness was the
only plea admitted for non appearance
Less than an hour after the call the
Kaiser had consulted as to the means of
defence TO be adopted, had telephoned the
French military attache and others. and
wit hhis staff was riding TO join the troops
on Templehofer Field.
The outposts reported that the enemy
was advancing. In a couple of hours the
sound of rifles and cannon was heard, and
a sham battle was fought
There was time when these alarms
were frequent. All remember the Kaiser S
midnight trips to towns at more or less
distance from Berlin. His majesty would
quietly leave the train with his staff drop
on" some sleeping commander, and wake
the slumbering garrison with the dreaded
gong, which was the nightmare of soldier
and officer. And woe TO the general found
wanting,
Another kind of alarm has been sounded
for the soldiers by Government officials in
the "RechsanZeiger, warning or rather
ordering, them not TO mix themselves up
in any Of the numerous clubs or associa-
tions which are growing so rapidly
throughout the country.
The newspaper reminds them that such
clubs which are of domestic tenden-
cies, have matters brought up in cOnversa-
tion which are not suitable to the soldiers
official duty of self-effacement the whole
aspirations of the soldiers life being con-
sidered to be given up to the building up
and fortifying of the dynastic idea.
On Monday next the Empress goes to
see her much adored brother, Ernst Gun
ther, at Prinkepau, Schleswig Holstein.
The Kaiser has given up his trip there be-
cause Ernst Gunther has put in large
claim for damages in case of the Kaiser
scheme for a northern canal project pass
ing.
The Empress brother holds that the
canal would do endless damage Above
all, he needs the cash, for he has always
! been in sore financial straits, owing TO his
habits of extravaganza, coupled with a
small income and large property to kesp
up.
The Kaiser, in Ernst Gunther's early
days, before he was married paid his
debts several times At one time things
came to such pass that Duke Ernst had
to sell his horses.
Last year he married the young and
charming Princess Dorothy of Saxe-Co-
burg. Since that time his visits TO the
| Court of Berlin have been far more fire.
quent than before. He is one of the most
companionable Of men, great admirer of
women, and as unassuming as he can pos
| sibly be.