Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-06-17
NUMBER "a.
SHERIDAN ON THE EUROPEAN WAR.

General Sheridan's views upon the European
war are most interesting and valuable. He has
travelled over very large extent of the contested
territory, and examined many of the forts, earth
works and stronghods. He was present at sew
eral of the principal battlefeld's including GRAY
elotte, Sedan and various localities around Metz.
! While abroad, he has met with the most cordial
and distinguished attentions from all the author
tiles, and received special and marked courte-
sizes from the Emperor of Germany and his royal
suite. He is very careful and considerate in the
expression of opinion upon the merits and COM
parison of the several national armies "Whv, -
he sald, in response to question from our re-
porter g it is not an easy thing to say who fights
best They are all good soldiers But there is
a wonderful difference in their respective peculi-
arities. The Germans are tremendously stub
born, and stand fire like wall of stone. The
French are more full of dash"
He does not make any inviduous comparisons
The grand success of the Germans he says, was
partially owing to the excellent training their
officers have received in their military schools
and to the splendid discipline of their men
The same thing may be claimed for the French
1t is a wonder that the latter have stood out as
long as they have. Their reverses are not due
to lack of prowess skllful officers, but polit-
ical trouble at homo. Place both of these ma
tions in the same prosperous state they were
five years ago, and the present situation might
be greatly changed. Then, again, there is the
question ofarms The needle gun is of immesne
power; so is the Chassepot. But these do not
excel perfect gun of Springfield pattern.
1t is not fair to draw hasty conclusions in these
matters.
Their campaigns there were not comparable to
those of our late war. Their country is an old
one. 1t has been mapped out and surveyed al
most to the foot for warlike operations 1t is
all known. The roads are older and better than
ours. The territory is more thiclly populated,
aud their battle-felds in closer contiguity.
Their base of supplies and objective points are
of easier range Besides, they have made war q
science for centuries. Military schools abound.
Their soldiers are more absolutely subservent
than ours. They have drilled reserves ready at
all times, even in peace. Our country is inn
mense, with inferior and scattered roads Tho
territory Is not wei known. We have but one
military school, with II small number of pupils,
and small standing army. But in warike OPP
erations they have more red tape than we have
There are many improvements suggested to us
by their systems, But after ALL there is no such
material as is found in the American armies.
They are composed of every national ingredient,
and have much eminent talent from foreign
schools. Won Moltke is a man of tremendous
and inherent will. He moves large bodies of
men with rare success, and handles them splen-
didly. lie carries out his plans as II man recites
something thoroughly committed to memory.
The King, too, has superb judgment
The beauty Of the Prussian military mind is
its great carefulness. Possibly at Metz, had the
French people strong government, and their
military leaders been Of the old Napoeonic force
and dash, the fortune of war might now be vastly
changed. Place those armies here and they
would be nonpussed at the typographical diff
culties we overcome. There is nothing like our
army for our work, We have an excellent sys-
TEN, but it needs changes and can be vastly
benefited by some Of the European examples
Ne0 York Times.