The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12
May Effect Relations Between
England and Germany
RULERS ARE COUSINS
Become Different, But Not Nee
esarfIy Worse, and They
May Grow Better
by WELLINGTON HOPE

This is a question that Is being discussed
pro and con by political agitators, and in
tho opinion of leading European states
men, the result will depend largely on the
relations between the two ruers-King
George and Emperor William.
This is the second time In history that
the Kings of England and Prussia are
cousins.
The first time this happened was In the
reign of George II, who was the cousin
of Frederick William I of Prussia, the
kidnapper of giants, and the father of
Frederick the Great. Their cousinoy, too,
was exactly of the same sort as now ex-
lists between william II and George v;
that is to say. the sister of George, So
phia Charlotte, was the mother of Fred
erick William In tho same way as Prin-
cess Victoria, the sister of Edward VII,
came to be the mother of William II.
| But this terminates all resemblance be-
tween the two cases. For the first couple
of royal cousins hated each other like
poison, and were once almost on the point
of going for one another with naked
swords Their mutual dislike had be-
gun to manifest itself when they were lit
tie more than children at Hanover
/
sent to improve his manners. He began
by fighting with his Guelf cousin, a boy
twice his age, though OF weaker bone.
and giving him a bloody nose. After
wards, when both had come by their
crowns, they did nothing but mock at one
another. "These two cousins" says Car
| lyle went on offending one another by
the mere act of living simultaneously"
| Very different are the two royal cousins
/ -.
respectively at London and Berlin. Differ
ent they certainly are from their several
ancestors, though 1t is not so clear how
they regard one another. They are COM
paratively new to one another, seeing
| that they were never much together as
| boys or young men-owing to cousin
George being practically at sea up to his
9th year.
On leaving the training ship Britannia
the two royal brothers of Wales were alb
sent for three years on their cruise in
the Bacchante-a cruise on which they
had embarked after their seilor-cousin,
Henry of Prussia, had given them lead.
For in the previous year Q870 Prince
Henry, in his steam corvette Prinz Adal-
bert Captain MacLean, a namesake, and
by descent a clansman, of the Moorish
Kaid), had started, like another Arson,
on his circumnavigation Of the world, and
thus set an example which his cousins of
Wales were fain to emulate.
1t will be remembered that at the be-
ginning of 1892, when the Boer war was
still In progress, 1t was a very delicate
and, indeed. almost dangerous time as
| far as concerned the relations between
| England and Germany.
| When 1t became known that the Prince
of Wales was going over to Berlin, on be-
| half of his royal father, to attend the cell
ebration of the Kalser's birthday Janua-
ry Sd 1t was asked who had taken the
Initiative to this important step at q time
of such strained relations between the
two countries. Much depended on the
answer to the question as far as con-
cerned public opinion on both sides of the
sea. and the answer was supplied by the
semi-official organ of the German for
| eign office:
The forthcoming visit of his royal high
ness, the Prince of Wales, has been
ascribed by an English paper to an ur-
gent invitation from his majesty the King
OF England had, by his ambassador here
informed his majesty the Emperor King
| of his intention to send the Prince Of
Wales in order to congratulate his i'm
perial majesty on the 9th instant. The
Emperor has gladly invited the prince
to be his guest on his birthday
| Thereupon there was an outburst of
press chickering's, and there were even
those on this side who suggested that the
princes visit to Berlin should be aban-
doned. But It came off notwithstanding,
and was a decided success. The Emperor
loaded his English sailor-cousin with all
kinds of compliments. He appointed him
honorary colonel OF the Eighth Prussian
Cuirassiers, quarters at Cologne-a regi-
ment with a famous history. and then
carried him off to lunch with the First
Dragon Guards Queen Victorias OWN.
to the honorable colonelcy of which the
princes father had succeeded.
On leaving Berlin the prince went to
Mecklenburg- Strelitz to pay his respects
| to the dowager duchess of that ilk the
Cambridge grandmother of his wife and
the last surviving link with the Georgian
era. 1t was admitted on all hands that
the princes presence In Berlin had done
| a deal of good by clearing away certain
Observation-Disclosures and paving the way
for the return of normal relations between
the two countries
But these relations were still destined
to get worse before they grew better. In
November of this same year (19O2), the
Emperor might be said to have returned
the princes visit by coming over to Shorn-
clife to inspect his English regiment.
THE Royals" which had Just returned
from the front, and thereafter to join the
house party at Sandringham for the
Kings birthday. This was to be the
Kaiser's last visit for five years, though
he and the King we're to meet in Ger
many repeatedly in the interval. but not
in 1905. a year fertile in all sorts Of heart
burnings between London and Berlin
political and personal.
| 1t was the year in which the Kaiser
made his celebrated descent on-Tangier
and futtered all the dovecots of Europe
1t was also the year OF the crown princes
marriage. for which one would have
thought the Prince of Wales would re-
turn to Berlin. But no; the duty of rep
resenting the English court at the we'd
ding Of the heir to the German throne
was relegated to Prince Arthur of Con-
naught. and the Kaiser could not but feel
the rebuff, which he showed possibly by
emitting, for once. to meet his English
uncle on the latter's way. a. few weeks
later through Germany to Marienbad.
| The international GOODNESS may be said
| to have come to an end when their i'm
perial majesties came over In the au-
turnn of 1907 to pay their second state
visit to this country; and then the Prince
| of Wales was again free to resume his
pilgrim activities In Germany, to which
he went-and the princess with HMM
the spring of the following year to in
/ spect his Cuirassier regiment at Cologne
and then pass to Darmstadt and Paris.
| But there is one place at least, to speak
[ of no others, where the Kaiser and his
English cousin can meet on perfectly
equal terms, and that Is the deck of
battleship, and rather think that George
| v prefers his rank as admiral Ia suite
H. 49, @1A al ~