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

exact from the whole adult male
be abridged from three years to two. The IrlitbiTirs
self is understood to have vehemently oPPe— of
proposal, on the alleged ground that the security
of
the country required what was already exaeteu, er
the whole community; while the public, on the otn.
hand, have as firmly asserted that the industriail for
terests of the nation were needlessly sacrifleca
population should
what was little more than a pretext for
youth. u
ing the military subordination of the
contention
Prussia. On the main point of
no compromise whatever appears in the
now brought forward by the G"ele
What is now proposed is merely that the w,
term of military service shall be reduced
of
19 to 16 years. Of this period, the first seven Y,
are to be served with the regular standing i.arnli;
three years with a regiment, and four with tears of
serve. With regard to the nine remaining Yea'v"
ouch
nominal military service, the patient—we, beg ;
don, the civilian forced into military serviee-T,ad-
remain for four years in the first call of the
wehr, and for the final five years in theseconu _tat
The only even apparent reduction ism the
length of service being lessened from 19 to 16 17 rl,li
but this is merely nominal; for the extreme Pea It
have always been more or less inoperative ;
they
happens that the Government, by another lawper
have just introduced, fixing the proportion °rthe
tentage of the annual military conscription to
short'
total male population, have atoned for any
comings as regards the length of service. Tlitis,aleS
portion they have placed at 11 in the I,ooois
of all ages ; so that, the total population of
being 20,000,000, and themales being presuraP'ois
half, the annual conscription is about 110,000• A of
is a proportion which would afford a gross reswito
330,000 to the troops mustered in regiments' the
440,000 to the reserves—or 770,000 in all t(0) grs
standing army. Making an allowance of 1, •
cent. for troops invalided, there would still, at
rate, be an effective of 700,000 men—an ell°r,.e,seo
force, and considerably in excess of the 4Patir• e 3,
amount, which is about 630,000. These tlie
however, of course include troops of all al-I'm:, de•
army in the field, the forces in garrison, an' Tras'
pot. They represent the war establishment off
only
sia ; the peace establishment consisting °, at
200,000, though it is one capable of inerea,Niere'
very short notice. The Prussian Governinem,,,,' be-
fore, does not do much towards a comprotorvieo
tween the King's views and the reforming ten von
of the public. Yet it is amusing to see that 1110
Roon, the Minister of War, has the assurallee„„thig
present the measure he has introduced as arnur-roifo'
to a great surrender on the part of the -T.-coo,'
" He hopes that the wish of the country for
ciliation between the Diet (i.e., the 1331'1,-,,iiie•
and the Government may find an echo in the
He adds that the Government, " although 11131 j,l
ing its project for the reorganisatian of the ripe 0
willing to renounce the execution of the scnuvro'
its full extent." We have seen what such a eutadieg
mise as this really amounts to. But the c°llnti
platitude of the Minister of War is ceer''
happiest of all. General von Roon finishes hi tee
ing that "the Government is convinced of tliecipoe`
sity of all military reform being effected crow,
Parliamentary basis." The latest intelfigelicOle
Berlin since the introduction of this Aro; Y,a,o• of
that the measure is considered as rellutise,,,',"
breach between the Government and the
Representatives permanent and irreparahleooet
commentary on General von Roon 's ca,,on oe
of
that he had succeeded in putting this goes ter
Parliamentary basis, must convince the -1"-1"tiv0/,,"
his deceptive expectations. At the saine„ con
begins begins to appear as though the Parliatneotij'it,','/,
test would not be maintained with the 111;
which it was characterised in the last sessi°llolo:i
House of Representatives, indeed, apPears„mberm-e
lost nothing of its former zeal. But a front Iva
Deputies must be vigorously supported
.4'-abidii
heart of the country if it is to effect much ‘-'O, Dole%
a strong military and bureaucratic Go°:;,ll)l3th'e
The State must feel that the popular as;iv- of ",;q
really the living exponent of the inaPrlsre !I,i;
nation, in order to accede to its deinands• vriiS;
do injustice to the state of public opinion'-uicl s're
it is quite true ; but, nevertheless, it we r,
that, since the occurrence of the Danish wtor,
has not been the same enthusiasm in fill' Prev
Liberal policy and a free government as ~ stielito
before those hostilities began. Of ours„;041/
Government as that of Prussia is haPPY. clOtor
discover that it has succeeded in thrownig pas no
the eyes of the public so easily. It was
it
that object that it began the war; and '",,v tlO la in
"05
humour to throw away its advantages lineselice,
has obtained them. The telegrams -whic' onde,i/I
from Berlin, as well as our own corrett ono
indicate that the consciousness of being 13`:"aitn'ic't
quately supported is already working with,loolbe
effect on the independent resolution of the u eogeie
If the King should succeed in carrying his
rid,
as there seems now some reason to aPPren- ci,kbe
will scarcely be any other great point 0.,,40.1
between the House and the Ministers d'
remainder of the session.