The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-08-31
cHARAcrIRIsfIcs OF THE PRussIAN
Military SERVICE.

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We feel that we cannot offer any
!; thing more interesting to our reader.
4 al this juncture of war affairs in Europt
e than statement Of the peculiarities O
the military organization of Prussia
and we are glad to be enabled to pre-
sent so succinct a statement thereof as
the following, which we clip from the
San Francisco Figaro:
In the Prussian field service there is
no such thing as raw recruit. All
the male inhabitants of that Kingdom
are trained to the use of arms under a
most eXacting system. Formerly the
regular army consisted of men be-
tween the ages of twenty and twenty
five who were required to serve two
years; but, in 1850, King William,
who was then Prince Regent. increased
the term to three years. which added
one-third to the peace footing OF the
army. As before remarked, every
subject of the Kingdom, of high or
low degree, and who is not mentally
or physically infirm, is required to go
through complete military disci-
pline. The term Of service for pro-
fessiOnal men and students is one year.
These are called lone year men," and
| having provided their own equip
ments, arms excepted, are then eN-
empt until time of war. All others
are required to serve three years, I'M
less excused earlier on account of pro-
ticiencv and fitness for service in war.
Young men may report themselves
for service earlier, but if they do not,
theyare called for and service becomes
compulsory at the age of twenty-One.
The instruction impaired in that
time is of the most thorough nature,
and in addition to the ordinary use of
arms and field evolutions, gymnastic
exercises, fencing with bayonets,
horSemanShip, swimming, and every
eXertiOn likely TO De necessary for the
soldier. Ii the young recruit be una
BILE to swim, he is put in charge of an
instructor, a girdle is attached to his
waist and he is thus sustained in the !
water until he has become able to sup |
port himself naked; then with his |
clothes on; then with his boots on: !
next a knapSack and rations; and |
lastly with his gun and ammunition. |
as a soldier on the march would cross |
a river unabridged. In like manner he |
Is trained to Workmanship, to vault |
upon the saddle: first with wooden
horses, which are gradually raised as
the learner progresses. and afterwards
with live cavalry animals. until he is
able to spring upon their backs while
in rapid motion.
Ii citizen leave the Kingdom before
his military service, he is
put down rs deSerter. and il he after
ward returns. he is subject 70 arrest
and Accountability. 1t is held that
every citizen owes that much to the
State, and the service must be per
formed without regard To his condition
in life. He is not allowed to furnish a
After undergoing this severe train
ing for three years, the PruSsian citi-
zen enters the Landwehr. or militia.
That body consists OF two DIVISIONS
First. all men between the ages of
wenty-siX and thirty-twO Years. Sec-i
md, all between the ages of thirty
hree and thirty-nine. These last are
allied the LandSturm. The first divis-
on Is called out once every year for
brill and review, in which they are
Exercised from two to four weeks, after .
he manner of our military encamp-
nentS. The second levy. or Land
turn, is called out only in time of
var, for garrison duty. In the event iC
# an invasion by a foreign enemy, all
between the ages of thirty-nine and
iXty may be called into service. In
sjl. according to the military census,
$1,000 persons under forty Years of
ge, had gone through the military ed
Ication as described above. This in
russia alone, not taking into account
Their portions OF Germany contribut-
ng to the forces of the present war; so
hat at this date the number above
Mentioned must be nearly doubled.
When we take into consideration
he magnitude OF the regular Prussian
rmy, the number of the Landwehr.
he Landsturm and the older men re-
uired for defensive war, and then re-
ect on the severity and completeness +
the military training which all have |
Undergone, we are almost prepared to
elieve that Napoleon was a little
razv when he set out on his dress
arade march to Berlin.
SPARKS FROM ASEGAR.-Mr. Joseph L