Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-11-11
KAISER WILLIAM
KNOWS HOW TO SAIL a YACHT
Correspondent Says He 10 . Born
6aiior.-Has Made Yachting a
Popular Amusement.

/ VoPuiaF ~FUusoUIcHk.
The Berlin correspondent Of the
Washington Post says: The Kaiser
can handle a yacht as well Us any sea
man ahoat. lie is u born sailor. and II
he were not an Emperor he might be tas
skipper OF crack racing yacht"
This statement was made to an
American newspaper representative
during the Kiei regatta OF 1908 by the
British yachting expert. Ben Parker.
who was then skipper Of the German
Emperors yacht Meteor. II Is no empty
compliment. but u plain statement OF
fact. which Is corToborated by all COM
petent judges who have had opportuni-
ties Of seeing William II. sailing on
Loard his own yachts.
Yachting Us q fashionable pastims
was almost unknown In Germany be-
fore the present Kaiser ascended the
throne. but during the sixteen years OF
his reign he has made II one OF the
most popular national nmusements
When the Kaiser succeeded to the
crown there was not hrst-class rae
Ing yacht belonging to any German
owner or sailing under the iiax OF any
German club. Only a few re.nttas
were held every summer along the
German coasts. and these were insis-
niiicant Affairs which passed unnoticed
outside the Immediate localities In
which they took place.
The Kaiser changed all this with the
impulsiyc energy which characterires
nll branches OF his versatile activity.
So well has he succeeded that high
class British sportIn. journal rounded
out It's account Of the Kiei regatta this
year with this preg ant comment:
N nF.lt ~ ~
will frankly admit that much improve
ment must take place In tho sport In
British waters II this country Is to
malntsin Its supremacy nt the game"
The Emperor Of Germany owns lots
Of yachts. and big ones. too. In Tact,
he owns more Of them than any man
In the world. Not counting Se-nm
craft. his fleet numbers nineteen.
ranging from tho Meteor. third OF the
name-ia0 feet on tho water line and
the largest facin. schooner ever turned
out of an American shipyard-down to
lIttlo twenty-footcrs- But Il il for tho
rake OF yachting hion. that he goes In
for sport no extensively and encourages
his subjects to do likewise. His object
II to foster n nautical spirit anon. his
people. and thereby arouse popular
feeling which will support his ainbi-
tiutA hrN~nc 10 Ctratr u navy taht sash
rival that of England.
Tho Kaiser IL no, an amateur. but an
cxpcr. In yachting. Every summer hc
dcyotcs three weeks solely to this pas
time. firSt he proceeds to Hclisolnnd
on board his steam yacht Hohcnsollern
to watch the conclusion OF tho annual
race from Dover to HelIgoland. Hs
then boards the Meteor aud sails on
her In the Elbc regatta. which tskes
place of Cuxhayeu. The Meteor then
goes to Ki.l and tho Kaiser sails on
her In all tho rncna In which shc parti-
cipates during tho kici week.
During the races tho Kaiser often
takes hand Mt the wheel and shows
himself an adept At NIL the tricks OF
tho game. When he In no, at the
wheel hc lies on the wlndward side of
the deck with tho crew and oboys ih-
rkIppcr's commands with alaeTiy. lie
hnuls In the ropes and helps TO trim the
sails with an enthusiasm which slim
ulntcs the crew to extra eScrt!ons.