New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-28
NOTES FROM GERMANY.

NOTES FROM GERMANY
OBSERVANCE OF THE ASNIvERsARY OF SEDAN AS
NATIONAL HOLIDAY'-MERITs OF THE GERMAN
POSTAL sRRvICE
trRoA THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSEl
BERLIN, Sept. 3.-The Germans made yesterday
the first public experiment Ut the anniversary OF
Sedan as a National holiday. The Roman Catholics
had endeavored to disctedit the demonstration, and
their efforts even led them to accept the alliance OF
the Social Democrats and to issue pastoral letters
breathing the most virulent hatred of the new En-
pre- The result of all this is that the celebration
was perhaps more successful than it would other
wise have been. The kilograms from the inte-
rior cities-Cologne, Munich, Dresden, Breslau-
show that the people participated very generally in
the spirit and exercises Of the occasion. At several
places war monuments were uncovered, with the
usual amount of oratory and music at others, there
were military reviews, the best feature of German
holiday; while at Others. local patriotism found
utterance in club reunions, excursions, and picncs
Here at Berlin we had all three. We had the monu-
ment and the oratOry, the review of the Guards
and the plebeian amusements The presence of the
Prince Of Wales lent of course additional ectdt to
the review. He wore the scarlet of the British
army like the victor of hundred battle-felds, and
even the German soldiers seemed little embar-
raised in the presence Of such a famous officer
But he is man of good nature, and is popular. If
he has never heshed his maiden sword, he conducts
himself with corresponding modesty and has none
of the fussy martinez style of King Wilhelm's
veterans. The Prince and his sister, the German
Crown Princess kept with each other with SYM
pathy very touching in the eyes of those who know
nothing of the true relations between them. But
the two, it is said, live in sort of armed truce
no Dri hos ared eist IL
cate witticsms which are the delight of London
clubs; and she, being woman of sobriety and pro-
nounced moral and intellectual views, has, of
course a lofty contempt for the vagaries of her
brother The Prussian queens have often been per-
sons of marked individuality The Crown Princess
Victoria is already theologian as well as poll
ticaD though. for the rigid orthodox standard that
her predecessors always maintained she will sub
stitute skepticism which early impressions
grounded and David Strauss and Renan have kept
fresh and progressive.
After the parade yesterday, which was very fine.
we had flags beer, cbOruses State opera, ana llun-
nations. The latter poor and cheap The Ber-
liner has very little judgment in the picturesque.
The prosaic state of the city would alone prove this
and il must be added that, if the population ever
had fine instincts, the tendency that late vic
tories have given to everything has destroyed them
and left in their place passion for wealth. The ap-
pearance of the city has undergone great changes
taste for outward show has suppanted the old Ger
man solidity. The new houses are shabbily and
gaudily built. Professors are becoming bankers and
politicians The population is gradually changing
from one in which seriousness, culture and noble
simplicity of desires prevailed TO of schemers and
SPECTATORS The question of celebrating the Sedan
anniversary was therefore reduced with them to one
.; and dr,n nd hest
features of such demonstration were ignored. lt
mist he said. of course that the best part of the
population is still in the mountains or at the
baths The court, the military, and the proetar1at
divided the donors of the day.
1t appears that Gov Jewell Postmaster-General
looked into the German postal system when he was
here If so, he undoubtedly found that in our own
service there's yet much room for Improvement
He may be able to devise some arrangement by
Which, in the future it will be possible to send
city letter across New-York in less than n hours.
A man can send letter to friend in any part OF
Berlin and obtain an answer the same day nor IS
this all. Two persons who live in the same postal
district-and these districts much more numer-
Gus here than in America-can exchange letters two
or three times in the same day The explanation is
this. Every branch Office III Berlin Is also di5ttl-
button office. There about thirty OF them III
population less than that of New York. Letters de
pOSltPd branch once 1Or "a ucStludtlon NllHll
the same district are not forwarded to the General
Office but distributed at once. The collections from
the street boxes and distributions are made every
hour so that il drop letter into box 1t Is taken up
within the hour aud within the next hour delivered
by a carrier. 1t is no uncommon thing to receive
city letter an hour two after II was posted. Can
the American Post-Ofiice Department show as good
a record as that Gov. Jewell may also have OBJ
served, not only at Berlin. but at other European
cities that the mails are not ordinarily carted about
the city in open express wagons whereiom The bags
occasionally fall OFF into the mud and play other
strange freaks. but III iron wagons specially built
for the purpose with locks to winch the driver him
self has no key. These little vehicles receive the
mails for transportation from the general office TO
the branch Offices and rice rersa. The whole day
they are flying about the city, and so well is the
work done that as have said, city letters are de-
liyeted in an hour or two after posting and foreign
letters equally soon after the arrival of trains
Mr. Bancroft Davis and Mrs. Davis have arrived,
and are AT the Hotel Royal. The new Minister was
presented 10 the Emperor few days ago, and yes
terday the Empress received Mrs. Davis just now
the Office Of the Legation is at the house of Mr.
Fish, the Secretary, and will doubtless remain there
till suitable place is found. There is a great
scarcity of houses adapted to such purposes at Ber
lin. Mr. Davis is now engaged in house hunting
and understand that as soon as permanent quar-
tiers found, he will again leave Berlin for short
time for purposes of rest and recuperatlOn