25 SEPTEMBER 1926, Page 13

THE EX-EMPEROR'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Your leading article of the 18th recalls a conversation with the Kaiser before 1890, related by Rear-Admiral Tracey, who had just returned from Kiel, where he had sat next the Kaiser at a Naval banquet. The subject chosen by the Kaiser was "individual liberty," and addressing the admiral he said : "You in England can afford to be free, for you are surrounded by the sea. But we Germans with Russia on the East, and France on the West must be a nation of soldiers ; and a nation of soldiers must be governed autocratically. My father's ideas," he added, "were one hundred years in advance of his time."—I am, Sir, &c., D. B. MCLAREN.

Thaciceray Hotel, Great Russell Street, London, S.E. 1.