The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-11 00:00:00

exact from the whole adult male population sho
be abridged from three years to two. The gin.Agthis
self is understood to have vehemently opPos- of
proposal, on the alleged ground that the secnri_itY
of
the country required what was already exacta".
the whole community; while the public, on the other
hand, have as firmly asserted that the industriaj for
terests of the nation were needlessly sae/,,,,1g
what was little more than a pretext for Pr°l37oi
ing the military subordination of the Yon:;00
Prussia. On the main point of contell_nr,
no compromise whatever appears in the rams"
now brought forward by the GoverToie
What is now proposed is merely that the
term of military service shall be reduced ,74
19 to 16 years. Of this period, the first seven ''';
are to be served with the regular standing ,1114..
three years with a regiment, and four with the of
serve. With regard to the nine remaining Y
nominal military service, the patient--we beg tiatr O
don, the civilian forced into military serv'ee
remain for four years in the first call of the -1-'3A,
wehr, and for the final five years in the second
tovtai
The only even apparent reduction ism tille,ars,
length of service being lessened from 19 to lu.1,40(10
but this is merely nominal; for the extreme 11``"Gi it
have always been more or less inoperative ; aqbef
happens that the Government, by another law ,ner
have just introduced, fixing the proportion or the
tentage of the annual military conscription Viort-
total male population, have atoned for Thisno-
cowings as regards the length of service. _fges
portion they have placed at 11 in the 1,000 01.,,!..7.40
of all ages ; so that, the total population of r
being 20,000,000, and the males bemg presutaPt'whig
half, the annual conscription is about 110,000... i-of
is a proportion which would afford a gross resimso
330,000 to the troops mustered in regirne„nt,,'
the
440,000 to the reserves—or 770,000 in an "0" aelt
standing army. Making an allowance of 1,
cent. for troops invalided, there would still, at 604
rate, be an effective of 700,000 men—an enejr..l3,lot
force, and considerably in excess of the Plo.,
amount, which is about 630,000. These the
however, of course include troops of all arni.,l-cie.
army in the field, the forces in garrison, and
pot. They represent the war establishment of
only
six ; the peace establishment consisting aat $
200,000, though it is one capable of increasethere•
very short notice. The Prussian Government, be,
fore, does not do much towards a comprorairaieo
tween the King's views and the reforming tenue•-yon
of the public. Yet it is amusing to see that Genic, rei
Roon, the Minister of War, has the assuraace,„ntipg
present the measure he has introduced as anr7o.o,
to a great surrender on the part of the 'lre- or,.
" He hopes that the wish of the country for„ not!,
ciliation between the Diet (i.e., the rar"3" tise,
and the Government may find an echo in the 11°00,
He adds that the Government, " although raa,ill
ing its project for the reorganisatian of the
eke
willing to renounce the execution of the seheropro'
its full extent." We have seen what such a °°llol4
mise as this really amounts to. But the con 01'
platitude of the Minister of War is eerta'ert'
happiest of all. General von Roon finishes by 3 eoes'
ing that "the Government is convinced of uponthn
city of all military reform being effected 000
Parliamentary basis." The latest intelligencj3eal
Berlin since the introduction of this Ar1111:„cr tiler
that the measure is considered as renderi-irse
breach between the Government and the ll° The
Representatives permanent and irreparableiiatioof
commentary on General von Roon's gi
that he had succeeded in putting this qtles"-ster °;
Parliamentary basis, must convince the .01'i.
his deceptive expectations. At the same con
begins to appear as though the Parliarnonit ,aw,
test would not be maintained with the sP
which it was characterised in the last sessic'llie haaf
House of Representatives, indeed, appears„,„
01,
lost nothing of its former zeal. But a unLn-iii
Deputies must be vigorously supported
heart of the country if it is to effect much a',.,0e11,`"
a strong military and bureaucratic Gover„l-1311:,
The State must feel that the popular as,afv-of
really the living exponent of the maPrisre
nation, in order to accede to its demands. , vras.:7,
do injustice to the state of public opinion Into se'r,,
it is quite true ; but, nevertheless, it w°
10tin,
that, since the occurrence of the Danish -11,.
has not been the same enthusiasm in fav°„oo;
Liberal policy and a free government as
before those hostilities began. Of courseoglo.o
Government as that of Prussia is haPPY ell(lnAinif
discover that it has succeeded in throwili past
the eyes of the public so easily. It was in is in
that object that it began the war; and intl. Oleo
humour to throw away its advantages n-reacli,,e,
has obtained them. The telegrams whie4:,„"oclell,
from Berlin, as well as our own corresr„t Ono
indicate that the consciousness of being rinian,_,3
quately supported is already working witur:lol°-.
effect on the independent resolution of the o.sol;er'e
If the King should succeed in carrying bi3lijcl, 0-4
as there seems now some reason to appreheocootyo
will scarcely be any other great point 014 d v
between the House and the Ministers cl'"
remainder of the session.