The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-26 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND.

It has been stated that the Grand Council of
Berne has unanimously voted an unlimited credit
for completing the military preparations of the can
ton. The following is a report of the debate which
preceded the adoption of the resolution :
M. Migy, Vice-President of the Executive Council—
I do not believe it necessary to narrate on this occasion
the events of September at Neuchatel. At present
things have arrived at such a point that diplomatic rela
tions between Switzerland and Prussia have been broken
off, and that the Federal Council has already taken
measures of the highest importance. It is not for this
assembly—it is not for the Canton of Berne to decide the
question of peace or war ; the right to do so belongs to
the Federal Assembly, which will meet within a few
days. Whatever it may decide, we will adhere to ; Berne
will stand by the whole Confederation. It is on
account of war being possible that I come in the name
of the Executive Council to apply for an unlimited
credit in order to complete the effective force and stores
of our army. In granting this credit, the Grand Coun-
cil of the canton of Berne will give the Confederation
the best proof of the active participation which it is
determined to take in this question, which is of general
interest for all Switzerland ; it will show that it is firmly
decided to maintain the rights of the Confederation
against any external encroachment. The Federal
Assembly has unanimously approved of the measures
taken and to be taken by the Federal Council in the
affair of Neuchatel ; lot us also be unanimous, and let
no false ideas of economy influence us.
M. Steiner, military director—The question which
we discuss is of urgent importance. Prussia has in-
terrupted her diplomatic relations with us, and the
news of each day informs us that she is actively
carrying on her warlike preparations against Swit-
zerland. The Federal Council has directed all the
cantons to keep the three contingents ready to march.
I believe that we may await the decisions of the Federal
Assembly with full confidence. We shall soon learn all
the steps that the Federal Council has taken to maintain
peace. We shall even see that it has gone so far as to
offer to abandon the trial of the prisoners, if the King
on his part will consent to the sacrifices which Switzer-
land must necessarily demand. But the King requires
that Switzerland shall release the prisoners without any
sort of conditions, sod thereby admit herself to be in the
wrong ; but Switzerland cannot consent to that course.
In reading the history of our country we see that the
situation is not new ; it has more than once arisen in
the course of our history, and our ancestors have traced
out to us the path we have to follow. As long as it was
possible, they preferred peace to war, but when war was
necessary, they never flinched from it. That is why I
also support the application for an unlimited credit.
M. Feuter, Director of Finances : I must admit here
that in the deliberations of the Executive Council I
wished the amount of the credit to be fixed, but on
seeing the unanimity of the council I, without hesita-
tion, withdrew my motion. It is true that the greatest
part of the Swiss population would see with pleasure
the affair peaceably arranged, as soon a' peace can be
obtained honourably, but only on that condition. During
eight years the new Federal Constitution has existed in
peace and calm ; partial reforms, and even complete
changes in the governments of different cantons, have
been peaceably effected. All at once, a man who long
resided in the canton of Neuchatel, and who by his
character is most estimable and most noble—a man
who was the providence of the whole country in
which he resided—came, like a thunderbolt in a
serene sky, and precipitated us and himself into
incalculable woe. But we are not now called on
to discuss political opinions ; we have to obey the appeal
of the Confederation. I declare, therefore, that I am
in favour of the unanimous adoption of the proposition
of the government.

THE PRUSSIAN ARMY.
The Neuchatel question imparts some interest to
the following details, taken from a Paris military
journal, on the organisation of the Prussian military
force :—The elements of that force, it says, consists
of,-Ist the permanent or standing army, properly
so called, and in which enter, independently of
volunteers, the young men raised by conscription,
according to a proportion fixed by the necessities of
the service ; 2d, the Landwehr of the first ban, in
which enter all young men from the age of 20 to 25
years who do not form part of the active army, the
soldiers, who have served the three years prescribed
by the law, and able-bodied men from 26 to 30
years ; 3d, the Landwehr of the second ban, which
is considered as a reserve ; this comprises the elite
of all able bodied men to 40 years of age, who have
served in the active army or in the first ban ; its
staff is not permanent, and it is this body which in
war time furnishes the garrisons in fortified places.
Independently of those elements there is the
Landsturm, or the levy en masse of all men from
the age of 17 to 60, but which exists only in name.
The Landwehr of the first ban is, like the active
army, destined to serve in war time at home
and abroad. In time of peace the staff and a small
skeleton from each battalion are only permanent ;
all the others forming part of the first ban remain
at their occupations, and only receive pay and sub-
sistence during the period of manceuvres, which is
never very long.
Voluntary engagements form a considerable
element of) the standing army. The time of ser-
vice is for three years, and they can only be con-
tracted frem the age of 17 to 20, so that the
Prussian Soldiers are generally regarded as too
young. : At the expiration of their service the
volunteers form during two years part of the re-
serve, and consequently depend ou the active'
army. They are then drafted for seven years into
the Landwehr of the first ban, and again for seven
years more in that of the second ban.
The recruiting for the active army is effected by
means of a Commission established in each district,
and con posed of civil and military members. The