The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-12-22
IFr
DcutsChland..

hrst military power OF Europe, and as
serts It's right to annex all countries in
which the German tongue is the pre-.
| valllng language, it will not be uninter-
estlng to describe the line of demarka-
tIon which separates the German-speak-
ing populations from other nationalities.
IL may serve to explain to what extent
the Prussian pretensions may be pushed,
and what countries may be threatened
6y an attack from the legions of King
William, who is evidently striving to
unite oil Germans under his rule. We
shall follow the work of an eminent
German statistical writer, Mr.. Frederick
Glchne, an authority generally recog-
nlzed in Europe. Commencing at the
Northwest this line of demarkation,
which divides the Germans from tho
other races, runs from Gravelingen, in
Holland, South to Hassbruck. then
turns Eastward till it strikes the Belgian
border at Belle, including q large part
OF Holland. Running from Belle, be.
tween Brussels and Liege, it takes n
good piece off Belgium, and then enters
Prussia in the neighborhood of Eupcn.
Running South of Eupen, it leaves
Prussian territory very soon, goes past
Arlon, taking in the Grand Duchy OF
Luxemburg, and enters Franco ut the
village of Heiseringen. near Longwy.
Then it turns toward Thionville, whose
real name is Diedenhofen, goes in an
Easterly direction through Lorraine,
touching the Eastern side Of Metz, and
enters Alsatia near Luetezlhauson, where
it rms along with the chain of the Vosgcs
Mountains, which the Germans call the
ll"Syen~ahi. All these Districts of
France contain many French settlers,
ana particularly the larger towns ure in
Il great measure French. Dnt wo take
the above-drawn line because the vast
majority of the population, particularly
IN the rural Districts, speak German,
and nothing but German, while beyond
that line, for instance, in the grcutcr
part of Lorraine, although German is
still spoken, it is not the prevailing
tongue. South Of the corner of the
Vosges Mountains, from the Bnerenkopf,
tho watershed between the branches of
the rivers Doubs and Ill forms the bor-
der line, which takes in almost the whole
Southern part of Alsatia. The District
called the Sundgau, with the towns of
hlasmnnster, Damerkirch and Alkirch,
still speak German, and only in the Jura
Mountains the French tongue begins to
prevail TO the North of Bruntut the
line leaves France and enters SwitZer.
land. The German-speaking part of
France comprises tho North east ern Dor.
ton of Lorraine and almost the whole
of Alsatia, or rather the greater parts of
the departments of the Moselle, of Haut
Rhin. and all Of Bas Rhn.
In Switzerland, the line runs between
Delberg and Basle; leaves Soleure to the
Ghst; touches the lakes of BieI, Nenf
Chutcl aud Morat; divides Fribourg, in
tho Canton of tho same name, into n
German and ii French part; then, going
South, 1T crosses the Rhone between
lcnk and Siders, going even beyond the
Monte Rosas, nt the Southern side of
which, in Piedmont, there are still some
Cantons and Nalnis and Tcssiuo in IA
North -casterly direction, till it strikes
the Tyrol II little South of the point
where the Rhaetian Alps enter that
country. The German part of Switzcr
land comprises the whole of that conn-
try. with the exception OF the following
Cantons: Neuf Chatcl Wand and Geneva,
and parts of the following: Berne, Fri
bonrg, Vnlais, Tessno and Les Grisons.
In the Tyrol, the italian language has
been gaining steadily. TRENT, which
used to be exclusively German, is now
altogether Italian. Between TRENT and
Salwin, on the Adidge. to the South of
BatZen, Is the most advanced point OF
the German tongue in the Tyro.
good many Villages near by aud further
East toward Rovercdo were still German
III the last generation, but the German
language has been forced ont Of most of
them. One village after another is los
ing it's German character in this district.
aud the Italian language has penetrated
almost as far rs BatZen. This fact is
explained by the growth of the silk
culture. which is carried on mostly by
Italians; besides. italian labor is cheaper,
and the Italians arc of moro temperate
and satisfied character than the German
Tyrolcse, whi:h makes land d-hollers give
the preference to the former. Another
cause OF the decrease OF the German ma
tionality in that country must be found
i'll the influence Of the Catholic clergy,
which decidedly favors the Italians in
mixed communities. Wherever italian
laborers settle, IL mixed school is started
at once, and very soon it will become
altogether Italian. Tho priest will
preach i'll Italian. and so tho German
language will die out in the course of
1cucr;itiOn From fills nytr,p,n S,n,h