34
Kaiser Wilhelm Aims at yachting Supremacy
He Is a First Rate Skipper and Owns More Yachts
Than Any Other Racer in the World
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own fleet of yachts have cost him. the
Kaiser has expended large sums In otherwise encouraging yachting. He has made
truly royal contributions to the erection
7
m
of yachting clubhouses at eeveral ports
on the Baltic coast, and It is estimated
that he baa spent fully $250,000 for gold
and silver cup3 which he has offered as
prizes in various' yacht races.
With the exception of his principal racing yacht, all the Kaiser's yachts are
lent to the Imperial navy when they are
not taking part In regattas. They are
used to instruct picked hands of the navy
In sailing. When they race, they are also
manned by sailors of the Imperial navy,
who thus learn to be smart handymen.
The zeal displayed by the Kalaer and
nor
hi family In sparing neither pains Gerexpense to foster yacht racing In
many affords a striking contrast to the
utter neglect, of the sport by the English royal family, not a member of which
now owns a racing yacht, the King himself having transformed the Britannia.
Into a cruiser.
Commodore Plant's Bad Break.
A strange story is in circulation in German yachting circles regarding a comlcai
encounter between the Kaiser and Commodore Plant, the owner of Ingomar.
During the Kiel week the Kaiser Invited
Commodore
Plant, among 500 other
guests, to an afternoon tea on board his
steam yacht Hohenzollern. During the
tea the Kaiser, wishing like a true sports- tr tinfnr tn hL K1HVPfllT riva
walked up to Commodore Plant and addressed some friendly words to him. All
th urni-I- Vnnira thai EcroiX(B etfauette
requires every man to bare his head in
the presence of a monarcn, Dut. accora-ln- g
to the story In circulation. Commodore Plant not only kept his hat on but
gave It a rakish tilt on the back of his
head.
Wltb his hat thus askew, and his hands
thrust deep Into his trousers pockets.
Commodore Plant listened to the friendly and complimentary words which
addressed to him. The Kaiser,
however, was so annoyed by Commodore Plant's lack of respect that he suddenly broke off the conversation, turned
on his heel, and walked away without
completing the conversation. Commodore
Plant, It was afterwards explained, had
no intention whatever of being rude, but
simply desired to demonstrate that he as
citizen of the American Rea free-bopublic was not under the obligation of
towards
Imitating European servility
monarchs. This Is the story going the
rounds of the clubs here, and I repeat It
for what It may be worth. (Copyright,
.5i
3gt
Kg
3
9
A)
P5
51
25.
(Special dorre- Bpondence of The Sunday Orego-nlaa- .)
"The Kaiser can handle a
yacht as tvell as any seaman afloat. Ho
Is a. born sailor, and If he were not an
Emperor he might be the skipper of a
crack racing: yacht."
This Interesting: statement was made
to an American newspaper representative during the Kiel regatta of 1903 by
the British yachting: expert, Ben Parker, who was then skipper of the
Emperor's yacht Meteor. This
of the Kaiser's nautical proficiency Is no empty compliment, but a
jplaln statement of fact which Is
by all competent Judges who
have had opportunities of seeing: Will-laII sailing: on board his own yachts.
Yachting: as a fashionable pastime
was almost unknown In Germany
the present Kaiser ascended the
throne, but during the 16 years of his
reign he has made it one of the most
popular national amusements.
"When
the Kaiser succeeded to the crown
ERUN. Sept.
Ger-ixn- an
m
bo-fo- re
racthero was not a single first-claing yacht belonging to any German
owner or sailing under the flag of any
German club. Only a few regattas were
held every Summer along the German
ss
coasts, and these were Insignificant affairs wnlch passed unnoticed outside
the Immediate localities In which they
took place. The Kaiser changed all
this with the impulsive energy which
characterises all branches of his versatile activity. So well has he succeeded
that a
high-cla-
ss
British sporting
Jour-
nal concluded Its account of the Kiel
regatta this year with this pregnant
comment:
"English yachtsmen who
were present will frankly admit that
much improvement must take place In
the sport In British waters If this country Is to maintain Its supremacy at the
game."
"William was a very small shaver
when with his younger brothor, Henry,
he had his first salL The two little
Princes wero staying with their mother, the Empress Frederick, then Crown
Princess of Germany, at a watering- place on one of the Frisian Islands.
That rare creature In those days, a Gcr
man yachtsman, happened to be cruising
lnthe vicinity, and the Crown Princess
asked him to take the boys for a salL
They were delighted with their expert
ence.
"When I grow up to be a man I am
going to haye lots of yachts big ones,
too," said VUlIam to his mother when
they returned.
"And I should like- - a
yacht, too, some day," ptpea up the more
modest little Henry.
The Emperor of Germany has fully
realized his childish ambition. He owns
lots of yachts, and big ones, too. In fact.
he owns more of them than any man In
the world. Not counting steam craft, his
fleet numbers 19, ranging from the Me
teorthird of the name 120 feet on the
water line and the largest racing schoon
er ever turned out of an American ship- yard down to little
But it
Is not for the sake of yachting alone
that he goes in for sport so extensively
and encourages his subjects to do like
wise. His object 13 to foster a nautical
spirit among his people, and thereby
arouse a popular feeling which will sup
port his ambitious scheme to create a to trail after the Britannia, owned by
navy that shall rival that of England.
King Edward, who was then Prince of
Wales. To be thus continually beaten by
i!
He's a
Skipper.
his uncle was not at all to the liking of
The Kaiser Is not an amateur, but an William II to none and he began casting
expert in yachting. Every Summer he around for another craft and commisthe designer of the
devotes three weeks solely to this sioned Watson,
to build him another big cutter
pastime. First he proceeds to Heligo- Thistle,
close up to the
limit. This Meteor
land on board his steam yacht Hohen-zoller- n kept the Emperor's yachting flag well to
to watch the conclusion of the the fore for six years, proving a much
annual race from Dover to Heligoland. speedier boat than the Britannia, which
He then boards the Meteor and sails may have had something to do with King
on her In the Elbe regatta, which takes Edward's decision to retire from tho
place off Cuxhavon. The Meteor then
g
game.
Meteor,
goes to Kiel, and the Kaiser sails on meanwhile, rechrlstenedThethefirst
Comet, was
parraces
In
which
she
in
all the
her
turned over to tho naval authorities at
ticipates during the Kiel week.
Kiel to be used as a training
for
During the races the Kaiser often yachting hands, for heretoforevessel
German
hand-at
takes a
the wheel and shows yachts, the Emperor's own included, had
himself an adept at all the tricks of the been for tho most part dependent on Brit
game. "When he is not at the wheel he ish skippers and British crews.
lies on the windward side of the deck
Spurred on by the Kaiser's example.
together with the crew and obeys the many wealthy Germans bought racing
skipper's commands with eager alac yachts, most of which at this period were
rity. He hauls in the ropes and helps designed and built in England. A group
to trim the sails with an enthusiasm of Hamburg merchants, headed by Di
which stimulates the crew to equal ex rector Ballin, of the Hamburg-America- n
ertions.
Steamship Company, purchased the big
He has had some hairbreadth escapes schooner Rainbow, designed by Watson,
through his passion for yacht racing. and rechrlstened her the Hamburg. Much
"When sailing the Orion In a race a year longer than the Meteor, she proved rather
or two ago the Kaiser clapped on more more than a match for her, and the
sail than could be safely borne In the Kaiser, determined to be at the head of
gale that was blowing. Suddenly the the procession In his own waters at least,
topmast was carried away and came sought another yacht.
down with a crash close to the spot Why He Chose
an American Yacht.
where the Kaiser was lying on deck.
During this year's Kiel regatta the Meanwhile. the superiority of American
Kaiser had another close shave when over English designed boats had been
the American schooner Ingomar came
within an ace of running down the Me- demonstrated In German as well as In
teor and cutting her in two. This ex- English waters. The Kaiser's brother.
citing Incident took place in a race be- Prince Henry, had purchased the Weno-nal- i,
a Herreshoff boat about 50 feet on the
tween Meteor, Iduna, Hamburg and Ingomar from Kiel to Eckernforde. Me- water line, that had defeated everything
In
her class In England. Rechrlstened the
teor and Ingomar were sailing unpleasantly close to one another, and Ingomar Gudruda, with Prince Henry at the helm,
being on the starboard tack had the she showed her heels to everything of her
right of way, and It was Meteor's duty size in Germany. The Niagara, a larger
to concede the course to her. Ben Park- fine keel racing craft built by Herreshoff,
English skipper, after decisively defeating every
er, the
was sailing Meteor, and he held on In opposed to her In England, had been sold
contrary
to
all the rules and by her owner. Howard Gould, to a Gerhis course
regulations of yacht racing until it man yachtsman, and repeated her triseemed Impossible for a collision to be umphs In Germany. In the schooner
Tampa, a magnificent sea craft of the
avoided.
cruiser type which he bought from WilA Close Shave for the Kaiser.
liam Suydam Palmer, the Kaiser was alIngomar was sailing under full canvas ready the oner of an American boat. But
had not been especially designed for
in a heavy wind straight for Meteor, and she
speed and was not big enough to meet the
in another SO seconds would have crashed Hamburg
on equal terms.
So when he
Into the Kaiser's yacht. Meteor would had determined to regain his yachting
sucertainly have been cut clean Into two premacy, he presented the Tampa, which
parts, and the Kaiser, who was bejpw in he had renamed the Iduna. to the Emhis cabin at the time, would Inevitably press, and gave an order
a bigger boat
have been drowned. The sensation of the to her designer, A. Cary for
Smith.
Kaiser being sent to the bottom of Kiel
a
schooner
because- he recogHe
chose
Bay by an American racing yacht was
that the days of the big single-stic- k
fortunately avoided through the smartness nized
on a vessel
racers Is over, and he
of Charles Barr, who was sailing Ingomar. of wholesome type thatInsisted
be far from
Although he would have been Justified In a mero racing machine should
the cup chalholding on his course, he avoided a col lengers and defenders oflike
recent years. All
lision in the nick of time by putting about, tho plans'
were
to
submitted
him before
at the same time hoisting a protest flag they were carried out. The Interior
ar
to indicate that he had only done so under rangements
fcls own devislargely
were
of
compulsion.
The Kaiser, who has the ing. His minute attention to details,
genuine sporting Instinct, was excessively which Is characteristic of him. Is
annoyed when he learned of the mistake by the fact that the supplementary shown
mushwhich his skipper Ben Parker had made. room ventilators were made from designs
How It .happened that so experienced a drawn
by himself. With this third Meteor
yachtsman committed this unpardonable
he again defeated the best boats In Ger
blunder remains a mystery but he paid for many
was entirely satisfied with her
and
his mistake dearly, for the Kaiser dis until Commodore
Plant s Ingomar, fresh
missed him the same day.
America,
her so signally
from
The Kaiser began his yachting career by and frequently, defeated
Kiel. It was natural.
at
purchasing the Thistle which had been de therefore, that he should
have given the
feated by the olunteer for the America's order for a fourth" Meteor to the designer
cup in 1ES7. He had rechrlstened her the of the Ingomar the great Herreshoff.
Meteor, a name which he always bestows
The Hitch With Herreshoff.
on the reigning favorite among his yachts.
It Is frankly suggestive of his own posi
Recently, however, It Js. reported that
tion in the monarchical firmament. He a serious hitch has occurred. It is said
raced her persistently and on board of that Herreshoff submitted plans of
her mastered most of the tricks of yacht which the Kaiser did not entirely ao- ing, but in British vaUro nho always had ! prov. Thi JCalRPr. mn th atnrr- foa.
Dare-Dev-
yacht-racin-
well-kno-
-
d
The Meteor III rachig if 1th the
Kaiser at this wheeL In thli big
cltooner, built for him In America
and deafened by A. Cwy Smith, the
Kaiser kept hU ting to the fore
in German wnters an til she encountered Commodore Plant's two-1- 1
ticker Ingomar, u Ilerresboa boat,
at the Kiel regatta thl Summer. It
was her frequent defeats by the
thaf led the Xmperor to cle
Herrcshotf an order for a radar
No. 1.
schooner.
No. 2. Tho German Empress' yacht
Iduna. The Empress is a keen
yachtswoman
and always sails on
her own craft when racing in the
German regattas, bat generally has
to take a beating from her Imperial
baband. Tho Idasa was formerly
crslslag
the stanch American
schooner Tampa.
'
S
on
The Cnwn Prince
his litNo.
tle cotter, Angola, In a stiff breeze.
rn
mm
With this craft the heir to tho German thro no made bis debut nt yacht
raclcg this- year In the Kiel regatta,
bnt generally finished last In his
class. The young man has not yet
shown much skill as a sailor.
No. 4 The Kaiser's big Tawl Orion.
This was formerly the Meteor II,
built for him by tho English designer
Watson, and was for soma years the
crack boat of her class.
No. 0. Kaiser Bill (slags, without
apology to W. S. Gilbert):
"Ach 1 urn drr cook and der captain,
--
0-
Iduna. Dressed In a simple blue yachting costume, with a picturesque sailor
cap, the Empress lies on the deck of
the Iduna from the beginning of a race
till the end. watching all the technical
details of the race with practiced eye.
At the end of the Kiel regatta. Emperor
bold
and Empress cruise in company .on
TJnd der mate of der Empire brig,
board their respective yachts. Meteor
XJnd a bo'sun tight Bad a mldshlpmlte,
and Iduna, eastwards along the Baltic
TJnd der crew of der captain's gig."
coast,
touching at Travemunde, Warne-mund- e
From a cartoon In tho London Byand Swlndemunde.
stander.
Prince Henry, as becomes a naval officer. Is a clever skipper, but he prefers the excitement of racing in a small
craft. In which he can make his own
alterations,
and
Individual skill count for more than In
and
suggestions
made
returned the plans for Herreshoff to a big boat with a large crew. At presimperial
recommendaent his favorite yacht is the Tilly "VT,
carry out his
tions. Herreshoff declared that if he a smart little flyer of about 23 feet
length, in which he has won
built a yacht for tho Kaiser at all, he water-lin- e
must build according to his own ideas many prizes. He does not now own a
exclusively, and that he could tolerate big yacht of his own. but when he
interference from no one, not even an wants to take a cruise he borrows oneJ
Emperor. It Is stated that, on receipt of his brother's, usually the Orion, forof this communication, the Kaiser said merly Meteor IL
given to
that he would cancel the order
Crown Prince a Poor Yachtsman.
Herreshoff to build him a yacht. The
The Crown Prince owns a small racJourAnzeiger,
a
Lokal
nal, published this story, and added ing yacht, the Angela, of about 22 feet
that the Kaiser has decided to have on the water line, but thus far he has
Meteor reconstructed. He summoned not been a success as a yachtsman, alr,
Herr though he has received much coaching
Germany's
best
Muller, of Kiel, to submit suggestions, In
the art. He made his debut at the
supplement.
and
revise
which he will
A reconstructed Meteor would thus be Kiel regatta this year with the Anwere not
the Joint product of tho shipbuilding gela, but his performances
talent of the Kaiser and Herr Muller. brilliant. He steered her himself, but
differences In all the races In which she took part
It may be, however, that the
with Herresnoff will be adjusted. As she was invariably the last to cross the
soon as the Kaiser has a new yacht, he finishing line. His method of sailing
Intends to make a present of Meteor HI caused spectators to fear for his safety, for he crammed on excessive Ball in
to the Crown Prince.
The Kaiser's interest in yachting has all kinds of weather, when he ought to
stimulated other members of the im- have taken In a reef or two. The experial family to go in for it. They perts who watched the races from the
have to, to stand well with him. He umpire's steamer declared that It was
regards it as quite an essential part of almost a miracle that he escaped captheir training, as his attendant satel- sizing.
The Crown Prince was the hero of a
lites and upholders of his ambitious
maritime, policy. But the Empress curious affair on the Wan n see; the
sport.
large lake lying between Potsdam and
needed no urging to take to the
Berlin, recently. He was sailing the
She is almost as fond of It as her hus
band. She devotes three weeks of Angela on a Sunday afternoon, and
every Summer to yachting, and at the handled her TClth such
regattas along the German Coast, Em- lack of skill that he repeatedly Inperor and Empress are keen rivals. curred the danger of being run down
When the Kaiser sails on the Meteor by a passenger steamer, which was
thB EmDrfiRK "sails on her own yacht comoelled .repeatedly to stop, back
semi-offici- al
yacht-builde-
land-lubber- ly
GEORGE
1204.)
&8
astern and change her course to avoid
a collision. The steamer was crowded
with Sunday excursionists, and suddenly a voice was heard on deck shouting!
"Why can't that fool steer straight and
keep out of our way." The Crown
Prince immediately put the Angela
about, contrived to come alongside of
the steamer, and sent an officer on
board to demand satisfaction for the
Insult offered to hlnu The officer, who
was In plain clothes, went onto the
captain's bridge and said: "That yacht
carries His Imperial Highness the German Crown Prince.
Some one on
your steamer shouted an Insulting remark at His Imperial Highness. His
Imperial Highness orders that you
shall not proceed until that man has
been Identified and arrested."
The course taken by the Crown Prince
was entirely Illegal, but the Captain nevertheless, as a matter of courtesy and respect, asked the officer to Identify the
offender. The officer thereupon proceeded to walk through the crowd of perhaps
500 paseengers In the hope of discovering
tno man wno naa shouted. After half an
hour's search he was still unsuccessful.
While the search was procedlng, the
Crown Prince lay alongside and once
shouted to the officer: 'It was a man
with a red flower In his buttonhole." Fin
ally the Crown Prince's emissary left the
steamer without Identifying the man.
Towards the end of this enforced delay
the passengers began to grow restive and
clamored for the captain to proceed.
Crown Prince or no Crown Prince. When
the Crown Prince sheered Sff wlthourac--compllshihis aim, he was followed
ujr jeera irum nunareca or lusty tnroats.i
The newspapers took up the scandal and
public opinion severely condemned the
Crown Prince's
action.
Prince Adalbert, the Kaiser's third son,
owns a small racing yacht, the Samoa III,
and bICs fair to become a much better
skipper than his elder brother.
Following tho example of the Emperor,
several German yachtsmen have purchased American racing yachts. George
W. Watjen owns the Navahoe, theamous
yacht designed by Herreshoff, which defeated the Britannia for the Cape May
cup. .The "Betty "VI. owned by Lieutenant
von Stum, was also designed by Herreshoff.
'In' addition to 'the mint of money his
ng
WEISS.
BIlPs, In Trouble.
The Irrigator,
rve lot a letter, parson, from my son awaj
out "West.
An my ol heart Is heavy as an anvil In my
breast
To think the boy whose futur I had once so
proudly planned
Should wander from the path o" right an' coica
to such an end!
when he left us onlr three short
I tol' him ago
7eara
In a mighty
He'd find himself
crooked row.
He'd miss hla father's counsels and his mould's prayers, too;
But he eald the farm was hateful, an he
guessed he'd have to go.
know
tha's big temptation fur a youngster
I
in the "West,
our Billy had the courage to rebelieved
But I
sist.
Aa when he left 1t warned him of the ever-waitln' snares-Thalie like hidden sarpints In life's pathway
everywheres; .
But Bill he promised faithful to be kaerful,
an allowed
He'd build up a reputation that'd make va
mighty proud.
But It seems as how my counsel sort o' faded
from his mind.
An' now he's got 1n trouble of the very woratest
kind!
His letters come so seldom that I somehow
eart o knowed
on a, mighty rocky
That Billy was
road.
But never once Imagined he would bow my
head In shame
An in the dust 'd waller his ol daddy honored name.
He writes from out In Denver, an the story's
mighty short;.
tell his mother It'll crush her
I Jesspoorcan't
ol' heart!
An as I reckoned, parson, you might breai
the news to her
Bill's In the Legislator, but he doesn't eay
An Orphan.
what fur!
"W.
Aftjer, Dec Ball.
F. Kirk In Milwaukee, Sentinel.
A llddle maiden gllmbed an olt man's knee or.
"Vy are you single? Blease dell me, uncle.
Vy alnd t yev married, vy lit alone?
Have you no triplets, yet. und bav you no
home,
alretty?"
had eln friend vonce. long years ago,
Vere she Is now, pet, I do not know.
turned oa'der wall,
I baf her plcturezraph,
I proke her 'heard, pet, after der ball
"f
CHORUS".
Afder der bail vase Ofer,
Afd'er der preak off dawn.
Afder der dancers vent avay,
Afder dot stars vas gone.
Many a heardt vasa achlpg.
If you couldt feel dem all.
Undt some uf dem heardts vass Breaking
Afder dot ball!
der first.
"She und I vass dancing two-ste- p
She saldt, 'Some lager peer I hat von thlrstf
Yen I come pack, dear, dere stoodt a aaan
Making some kisees behlndt my girl's fan!
Den I choost runned right oudt of det hall,
MIneheardt vass Breaking, yet, afder dat ball!
CHORUS.'
Afder. der bail
vais ofer, et
.