In history and ancient languages he was marvelously well equipped, so that, in his reports, he was able often to hark back to the times of the Romans and quote from his store of knowledge not out of Buchmann pieces of Latin in support of his argumentsCassel replied that it would certainly be a Minister, which one he did not know perhaps MrThe ruler must be sure, the author continued, to bind some of the clans of the region closely to himself, so as to have at his beck and call an armed force for asserting his will and overcom ing any opponents wishing to rebel, since this was the only way to maintain his power, in view of the utter lack of troops or an army in the Euro pean sense of the wordIn history and ancient languages he was marvelously well equipped, so that, in his reports, he was able often to hark back to the times of the Romans and quote from his store of knowledge not out of Buchmann pieces of Latin in support of his argumentsThe Chancellor suggested that Grand Admiral von Tirpitz also be summoned, for the proper dis patching of the business, and recommended that an answer be drawn up in English, in the same manner and form as the note delivered by Cassel, and that it be handed to Sir Ernest, who wished to return home that nightNow that Germany had entered into world economics and world politics, however, as a by no means negligible factor, the- aspirations of German youth should have undergone a more prompt transformationAnother day I attended, at the Olympia track, the sports of the British army and navy, which in cluded admirable individual feats on foot and horseback, as well as evolutions by bodies of troops in close formationHe said that when Cassel had got back to Lon don, reported on his reception, and handed over the German reply, the impression made was so favorable that no further doubt was entertained there as to the actory course of the negotia tions and their conclusion in the form of an agree ment; that, thereupon a keen dispute had arisen among the Ministers, especially between Churchill and Grey, as to who should go to Berlin and affix his name to this great historical document, in case the object should be achieved of making Germany cbmpletely give up the further development of her fleet; that Churchill thought himself the right man for the job, since he was at the head of the navyI assumed that it was a case of a belated birthday greeting, there fore I was not a little astonished when Ballin, after a short speech of congratulation, said that he had come as an emissary of Sir Ernest Cassel, who had just arrived in Berlin on a special mission and wished to be received, I asked whether it was a political matter, and why, if so, the meeting had not been arranged through the English ambassadorWith the co-operation and collaboration of the Empress Frederick, projects and plans were made, and, finally, a big model was provided by Building Councilor Inne the modern Schlxitef, as the Empress Frederick used to call him which won unanimous approvalThen criticisms were made from right and left: one thought the sentence too complaisant, another too abrupt; it was thereupon remodeled, recast, im proved, and polishedAfter hours of work the note was finally finished and, having been passed a couple of times from THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS hand to hand and then read aloud by me half a dozen times more, it was signedThe measures ordained by Emperor William I and begun by him required time, particularly as the new railway bridges over the Vistula and Nogat had to be built by the military authorities in the teeth of strong official opposition (May- bach)I declared that I was ready to receive Cassel at once, but added that, should his mission have to do with political questions, I should immediately summon the Chancellor, since I was a constitu tional monarch and not in a position to deal with the representative of a foreign power alone with out the ChancellorMinister Budde was the man chosen for the accomplishment of this work As chief of the railway department of the General Staff he had IjOng since attracted my attention by his extraordi nary capacity for work, his energy, and his prompt ness in making decisionsMinister Budde set to work without delayAnother thing that struck me, in addition to the one-sidedness of the education in the schools, was the tendency, among youths planning their careers in those days, to turn their attention to becoming Government officials, and always con sider the profession of lawyer or judge the most worthy goalThe plans and sketches of all the larger railway stations, locks, and bridges were submitted to me before the work of building or rebuilding them was begun, and reports con cerning them were made to meTheir political system is not unlike the clan system of the ScotchSince the railways were considered a na tional pocketboofc, there was a desire to build only paying lines, which caused prejudice against outlays for military lines designed for the defense of the fatherland, since it diminished the fine surplus funds by which such great store was laidI trusted him implicitly, and my trust in him was never betrayed
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