CAPRIVI, kft-priv'e, GEORG T.EO, Count von. The second Chancellor of the German Empire. He was born February 24, 1S31, at Charlottenburg, studied in Berlin, and in 1349 volunteered in the Raiser Franz Grenadiers. During the campaign in ia in MG he was made a major and a member of the general staff of the First Army Corps. lie distinguished himself during the Fran co-Prussian War, and as chief of staff of the Tenth Army Corps served with distinction at Metz and Orl6ans and in the Loire campaigns. His advance in rank and in responsible commands was rapid. In 18S2 lie was appointed commander of the Thirtieth Infantry Division at Metz; in March, 18,83, he was selected by Bismarck to suc ceed Admiral Stosch as Chief of the Admiralty, greatly to the dissatisfaction of the officers of the navy. Ile justified the judgment of the great Chancellor, however, by his mastery of the de tails of the department and his successful re organization of the navy upon its present basis. He gave much attention to the perfection of torpedoes and torpedo-boats, and arranged a plan for the more rapid mobilization of the war vessels. In 1SSS he resigned, and was made commander of the Tenth Army Corps, stationed in Hanover. lie received the Order of the Black Eagle, and in March, IS90, succeeded Bismarck as Eagle, of the Empire and president of the Prussian Ministry. He was made a count in
1S91. Succeeding, as he did, the most power ful statesman in Europe at the beginning of the reign of restless William II., Count Caprivi's position as Chancellor was one of many trials and great difficulty. Nevertheless, he showed himself an able and faithful administrator. 11 e carried the bill for an increase in the army through the Imperial Reichstag; initiated a policy of reci procity, through treatises with Austria-Hungary, Italy, Belgium, and Russia, in spite of the nar row opposition of the Prussian landowners; and maintained a moderate policy with refer ence to the growing Socialist Party. In July, 1S90, he arranged with Lord Salisbury, repre senting England, the so-called Anglo-German partition of East Africa. (See GERMANY. ) He resigned the presidency of the Council in 1S92, and the Chancellorship in 1S94. Caprivi was, like Bismarck, a man of great physical strength and possessed considerable mental power, with a great capacity for work. He died on his estate, Skyren, in Brandenburg, February 6, 1899.