The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-24
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
, Interesting Letter from Prussia.
BERLIN. August 2, 1S6

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.
Interesting Letter from Prussia.
BERLIN, August 2, 1866.
We have not yet recovered from the
establishment which the sudden tcrmlna-
ton of the war flor it seemsto have enaedj
has produced. The Berliners are jub,lant
and enthusiastic. 1t cannot be denied
that the battles fought have been sharp
and bloody: but the dcstructiveness, say
they. is compensated for by the brief du-
ration of the contest. Frederick the Great
fought q even-years' war for Silesla now
a seven days' war has sufiiced to humble
Austria and to add to Prussia CONSIDER
able extent of territory and four mililohs
of inhabitants. Such will be the increase
brought by Hanover, Frankfort, HeSse'
Nassau, and the southern portion OF Schies-
wig IIolstein. In fact, the actual ngntihg
began with the battle OF the Zith Oh june
and ended with that of the Sd OF july.
Austria, completely crippled, can only APP
peal to Hungary for aid; but the Hnnea-
rians are resolute in demanding consul
tuition, which the Emperor does not seem
disposed to grant.
II seems probable that peace Will be
made. The principal obstacle which might
he anticipatcd, namely: the Prussian de-
sire for territorial aggrandizement, is hap
nily removed by the moderation of the vic
tors. And Italy, though disposed to grum-
bic at the ungenerous manner in which
Venetia is given up, is too much bound to
Prussia and France to oppose conditions
which meet with the concurrence OF these
Powers. Prussia does not desire an extern
sion of territory which would give her
medley of subjects; the Poles already
supply q sufficient Slavonick element. AT
least this is the reason which they them
selves give for admitting the integrity of
Austria Except in the case of Ncnetia)
as one of the articles of the treaty. What
hidden influences may be at work we do
not know. The publicly declared cases OF
national action are not always the real
ones, and we must wait half century be-
fore we can affirm that the generosity or
far-sceing political wisdom OF King Viii
liam and Count Bismarck have prompted
the present course. We may expect now
to see Prussia advance rapidly. 1t is not
merely the numerical addition to her
population which will add to her strength /;
the national enthusiasm and spirit pro-
duced by these brilliant successes Will be
great stimulus. Military glory has COM
monty preceded or attended cras of lite
rary excellence. 1t was sointhe Augustan
period of Rome, in the age Of Queen Eliza
| beth, the century of Louis XIV; and even
| in Italy the great writer's Of the thirteenth,
fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries lived
under the protection of cities and princes
| that had gained renown in arms. This,
| then. is certainly fact in favor of literary
advance, and will show its power if 1t be
not hindercd by opposing facts. This may
| be an epoch for Prussia. Her first epoch
was the assumption of the title of king by
the Margrave of Brandeuburg her second,
the brilliant career Of the Great Frederick.
These have established her position as q
kingdom; but she has not heretofore
ranked as first-rate Power. Now she
has exhibited military strength that will
cntitle her to greater respect from her Eu-
ropean sisters.
The result of the late battles has fixed
the attention of the governments OF En-
rope on the needle-gun, and the necessity
Of Introducing a similar Improvement in
firearms in their armies. As was to be
expected, perhaps, English journals show
that the plan of the Prussian gun origi-
mated in England, and that England now
has a superior weapon. Abraham Moser
is said to have taken out patent in Eng
land in 1881 for brcech-loading gun, but
his notions met with no favor there. 1t is
the story Of Columbus over again. The
Spaniards discover America, and America
becomes English. Columbus was dismiss
cd by Henry the Seventh, and Moses by
William the Fourth. Prussia, however,
received the rejected gun, which, with i'm
provementS made by Il gunmaker OF the
country, was introduced into the service
in 1913. Since that time other improve
mcnts have been made. The mechanism
Of the needle is reduced SO as to occupy
only half the space the whole gun is
lighter and more serviceable, and each SOL
dicr carries two needles in reserve, which
he can introduce in minute. The works
may be taken out and cleaned, and the
cartridge, impervious to moisture, Will re-
main in good condition fifteen years. This
last quality is obtained by mixing the full
inmate of mercury with mcal-gunpowder
and coating with collodion.
The weapon which, in England, is consi-
dercd superior to this is the converted En-
| field rife, said TO be two ounces heavier
| after than before conversion. The Eng
lish Government issued proposals for plans
of conversion in 1864, and the Snider gun
was recommended by the committee, q
gun whose cartridge contains ignition.
But, feeling the necessity for prompt
action, the Government determined to
adopt the improvements Of Colonel Dixon
and Colonel Boxer, and propose by next
April to have the army provided with q
weapon equal to any in the world. Colo
mel DiXon's method is to cut away about
two inches of the upper part Of the barrel
at the brccch and insert q solid block,
through which passes piston, which re-
ceives the blow from the hammer and COM
municates it to the centre of the cartridge
and fires the percussion cap. The advan
tagc Of this arrangement consists in allow
! ing the use of metal cartridge. Colonel
Boxers cartridge, in addition to the hol-
low at the base, and the wooden plug, has
on the circumference four shallow grooves
filled with wax, which keep the barrel
constantly fabricated with each successive
discharge. Thus the English army is to be
ready for any emergency SO long as no
further improvement is made in firearms.
The question of expense becomes an i'm
Iportant one when we consider the changes
so constantly occurring in the construc-
ton of arms. How often is an army Of
two hundred thousand OF one million men
to be newly furnished And if the fire.
quency and duration of wars are TO
diminish in proportion to the perfection at
tanned in fashioning destructive weapons,