iqii] The German Crown Prince 347 



" Yesterday, while at Newbuildings, three aeroplanes passed over 

 at a great height, racing from Brooklands to Shoreham. We first heard 

 shouts of boys and then the rattle of the machines. They were near 

 enough for us to be able to make out with a glass that there was some- 

 body in each. The leading one was a monoplane, a much more work- 

 manlike machine than the others and extremely like a bird. Machinery, 

 however, does not interest me, and I have not the smallest wish to take 

 a flight in one. 



" nth May. — Worth Forest. Gorst's Egyptian Report is published, 

 a lame affair, which will do him little credit. It justifies all I have writ- 

 ten about him and the advice I have given to the Egyptians. He admits 

 that there was never anything at all serious in his Constitutional re- 

 forms. There is no chance whatever for Egypt, and has not been since 

 1904, except in the revival of Turkey's military power and the interven- 

 tion of Europe. 



" 14-th May (Sunday). — Newbuildings. Meynell is here, with his 

 nephew, Captain Butler, of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, Sir William's 

 son, an exceedingly nice young fellow, of thirty, with all his father's 

 anti-imperial ideas, an unusual phenomenon in a soldier ; clever, original, 

 a Home Ruler and a pious Catholic, who would like to fight for the 

 Pope. I asked him how he managed to get on with his fellow-officers, 

 having such ideas. He answered, ' They do not think, and I play 

 polo.' He is just back from India where he saw a good deal of the 

 German Crown Prince, who was travelling there during the winter. 

 He confirms Philip Napier's account of his unconventional ways. The 

 Crown Prince would not pay attention to the official big-wigs or be 

 bored with German deputations, but he made great friends with the 

 English officers, ' messing with them like a subaltern and playing polo. 

 We all liked him much.' At Cairo, according to Napier, he gave great 

 offence, refusing to wear uniform on solemn occasions or keep tire- 

 some engagements. When he was to visit the Khedive on one occasion 

 he was not ready, being occupied with a lady, and sent his Aide-de- 

 camp on in the Khedivial carriage intended for him, arriving too late 

 himself in a taxicab (with the lady) in a suit of overalls. Butler un- 

 derstands horses and took an intelligent interest in everything here. 



" iyth May. — Ryan enters on his duties as editor of ' Egypt ' from 

 the 15th. I like him much. 



" igth May. — A great fuss is being made in London about the 

 Kaiser Wilhelm's visit, and a gala representation of that ancient play 

 ' Money ' is being given in his honour. I only hope this visit to London 

 is not to be another Reval meeting, with some ' plot of peace ' involv- 

 ing the ruin of some Eastern nation. That is always the danger on 

 these gala occasions. It is easy for robbers to make friends over a 

 corpse, and Morocco is there ready to their hands. 



