In these letters the ex-Kaiser is spoken of as "the sudden on Queen Victoria Prince Bulow "the industrious one,"
Hollweg "the earthworm," Baron Marschall "the hippopotamus." The letters, which are addressed to a lady to whom Herr Kiderlet Wichter was greatly attached, are full of anecdote and wit, but they deal very frankly with polities that came under the writer's notice. They are evidence, if evidence were needed, of the chaox that. existed in the German diplomatic world in the years immediately preceding the war.
Herr Kiderlen-Wiehter observes that Ambassadors are appointed by the Kaiser without reference to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and are appointed not because of their ability to fill a certain post, but because this or that diplomatist will be less dangerous in capital. For this reason sky was sent to London and Wangenheim to Constantinople, both by the Kaiser over Kiderlen's head.
"The Biggest Liar.
Herr Kiderlen-Wiichter's opinion of High-Admiral von Tirpitz is told in the following extract from tone of the letters, which is dated February, 1912: "Am opponent of ides became I tone that will bring us into war with England. T consider Tirpitz to. be the biggest liar that walks Berlin streets." Another letter runs:
Cowes, Old England, August 3, 1892, Would be very nice here if only'. people did not all speak English. It is quite incomprehen sible to me how they can unde stand one another. We have as yet gained no victory here, and Probably shall not do, so, though is quite a matter of indifference me. The day. before yesterday we dined with the Queen, much dignity, but badly, very' badly even, and all the time one's legs froze. To-morrow we dine with the Prince of Wales. Wonder if "Memo Fante" will be played.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.