, 1872-11-07

| ne, u am not OWING you tor enough shingles to
cen TO sermon nnt =. aas5 permitting
t prayer~meeting." And he did. The currency
| for change Was satisfactory.
PRUssIAN PHYSIQUE.
The Mel, of the Empire, Past and
| Present.
Derlfn Oct. 81 co'7sspondenee Of the London Daily
Telegraph.
In leading article that recently appeared in
your columns, it was Justly observed that despite
| the fondness for and aptitude in athletic sports
characterizing the English people, Britonns Of
| the present generation cannot boast OF greater
size, width, weight, and endurance than were
attained by their forofathera. This statement,
which have no Doubt tis well founded, suggested
| to me inquiry with respect to the actual state
| Of physical standards in Prussia as compared
with their conditions half s. century ago, shortly
| after the conclusionof the War Of Emancipation
| which left Germany Impoverished and enfeebled,
though victorious. The few trustworthy data
have been able to gloan upon this subject may
| not be without interest for your readers. Moth
ing strikes foreigner, especially it he be mil
| itary man, 50 forcible upon entering Prussia,
either from France or Belgium, as the size of the
soldiers compared with that Of the dapper but
| understood legionaries he has encountered in
the last-named countries. The Prussian liner
| is not only taller fellow than the French or
Belgian p1oatp1on, but he is stouter heavier, and
| stronger than either On an average, five Prus-
sian liners weigh much as six French Hg,aarIs !;
this fact was satisfactorily established during the
last war, when the presence Of some 300, 600
French soldiers in Germany enabled military
ethnologists to ascertain with considerable ac-
curacy tue mnin difference in the physical mate
rails Of which the hostile armies were composed.
The eloven-stone man may be said to predom-
mate throughout the Prussian army, putting the
Guards corps out of the question and in one or
fypnfN kc rr71NH
Second (Pomeranian), the Brandenburgh, and
Westphalian Corps-unless am much mistaken,
there are often as many twelye-stone as ten
| stone men: The Infantry Of the Guard and
bering between 1000 and 50, 900, whose average
height is feet 911 inches, aud weight IL stone
pounds. From &, 900 to 1000 of these range
from feet to 6 feet inches in height. All tie
Cnirasaiers-there are fifteen or sixteen regi-
ments Of them, if remember aright-are huge
fellows those of the Guard being giants in sizo,
breadth and strength riding nearly q stone with
their accoutrements, &c. The Foot Artillery is
composed Of picked men, ranging between feet
eight inches and six feet high. Even in the
recruited in districts the well-being OF Which
stands at q much lower average than that OF the
other Prussan provinces q lave been assured
on indiBputable authority that large proportion
OF the annual contingent from Prussian Poland,
Lithuania aud the bar1cp lands on the Russian
frontier, consists of youths who have never
tasted meat or wine until they joined the ranks
Of the army,) q man sanding under five feet FIVE
1ncnes III his reg1mental boots IL rare and ex-
ceptional sight.
And in this country above all others, the army
and the male population convertible terms.
The army is more than the pick Of the natiou-
it is tho nation itseh. All the male adults Of
itussla, save crlpplea d"ar1s, or those aH1cteu
py eons1ltutlo4al aeD1ntes, nave been, are or Wi4
be soldiers. Youths are, as it we're, taken bodily
out u tue "ay " Iotnptatl9n III tne most daneor-
ous pelloo VI Inels ives, "nen tneu passions arc
@ o. ~ .ne!i l15nt ~
n anu se4ueslete9 IRON 1ne "orlq Tor nearly three
years, autlne Mn1th tholr muscles are developed,
an' ;uell nteAlSence ;S suppned WIN tue means OF
ue1eIopnent; 1ney are taught TO Pfactlce an
Aoso1nte anu olllo onaolence tney are leu whole
somsly aha sa1nclently, out IN snch sort as to
1enoor u 1hen comparatl'ely lnu1Herent TO good
eueGt eno} aie nade ~ "orh natuet tnan tney
"ouia na'G Hau oiapor a. any calne "natsoever
~ a.o ttu tuei1 uo1 1te loo4eo a1ter VIII
81 ti.ns tar. M ai mn;9 .nes nave comp1et
:ue a. !neL = lelm ~ sel'ace, they manlles1 no
.H1ea ,, " ;.a ;nI lespec'1.e fl'n a'ocaIlons as
~ ture ~ ~ nlSn nea,sn nouly ano mental wen
Er;t - or;or ht e9uuu ~. - "lu nna lo;
~ ~ auu ailo
heon h3d thev snsnt a traa e ~ IaSe
oeth ~ nau sney sen. tne shtee years IL question
=, tns Lnp " s.e uosht Ing arg
fa ,a,, ~ ta aetui i ~ 'ne srooVe
atonaarda ,1,,cod tann ~ H.; ~ sn9 q russian
and "a eoon as tJev baJ raca,.arod H. ~ 15 5sa.;
to fbem - nr 1r f a1or aa 'no ground
aat ios. - tne uung tner aosenGe marry and
as5eana,oa ~ -. is ~ lns Gouh-
ta,1iaaof 4 RGe nn1rea 60 f1 analriaes ano large
c1aeaos Tie thrn,s ~ st,,r ngns tny 19"er
~ w. ~ naluy claren
ra1os SomiJ on,sa ~ lo;nIa ~ WaS sq"us auo
;t,, oruan ~ 9;n " W
fno m ,ocaiitos ~ o. eteiy sa1pne
IL oA - Tp1a nY uenanI VI
ar =, tiutous nnu H. nasteilni
ss111e - - m Geat ;i;4 nsase, tne ptcslca1
apeiItton 1aat s1t ppoh geneeauon o. tne Ior tue
tass er1ss sea;as, naf9 peeu lahlnS tne:r apPear
anct upon .nts 4a "ollaly ssage, oacn trle Mgger
VI stnJnsel ,4 .nan & 1ts plaaecessoIa very trne,
H. pns ssr solle.. ana ~ II sIna1
lne a1y a: measures o1 nave "aaea an9 increased
slnte iol3s tl unei tnoy nave reacned dimensions
1nas cou1o Lne fr9sslan nosts OF me bstreaun9s,
reg ~ pe sanpned On a. 1rG tnel rest ana paIadea
na III " tne slae OF tne presen5 army