New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-14

respective officers throwing themselves IN
between the men to prevent actual collision
in, the excitement of the moment. The
bugles sounded, the lines were reformed,
and the men rested on their arms. The
levee and critique followed, and all re-
turned to Leignitz to take the train at
forty-tve minutes past four o'clock for Ber-
lin.
In these operations all the movements of
actual war were represented; all the sounds
and sights, except actual wounds and death.
Nothing can better present the eye of sol
der and officer what he is to see and expe.
rience in actual conflict than these opera
lions, through which every soldier goes
three times in the course of his military
training, while every officer goes through
them once year. They are practced in
every division and corps in the fall. The
recruits join after the men who have served
three years are discharged. The discharges
take place Immediately after the maneuvres
are completed. The recruits join about
month later. The recruits are all men who
reached the age OF twenty on or before the
first of January last. Thus the rank and
file of the German army consists of men be-
tween twenty and tweniy-three years of
age In case of necessity, the reserves are
called out to fill up the ranks aud in a
great national war, the old soldiers who
have placed on the rolls of the landwehr,
and even Of the landsturm, may DE brought
out for any service for which they are fit.
Every German in enrolled and assigned to
his proper regiment and corps.
All the railroad cars are marked with
their proper load of men. horses, or stores.
The whole country appears to be organized
and enrolled so as to secure the most rapid
mobiliz 4ticn of all its forces. 1t was this
perfect organization which enabled it to
throw into France an overwhelming force
before the French armies could be collected
and organized to resist the attack. The re
verses first experienced by the French they
could never recover from, and the Germans
never lost the advantage thus gained by
early action. The war was triumph Of
science and care in preparation. In mate
rial of war there was no deficiency in
France. IL has been shown by an investi-
CATION, ordered by the Assembly, that the
statements made to it in the beginning of
the contest, as to the quantity of material
in the arsenals, were correct; that France
had ready to issue, when she declared war,
10000 field pieces and 35o0,000 muskets and
carbines.
Yet, from the defective system, she failed
TO get these into the hands of her troops,
and was obliged in the course of the strug-
gle to purchase and manufacture largely.
On the evening of the nineteenth we took
the train for Rastock, in Mecklenburg, to
attend the corps maneuvers Of the Ninth
Army Corps,
These occupied week. On Monday a
grand review Of the corps. 10000 infantry,
cavalry and artillery. On Tuesday severe
rainstorm prevented any operations, and
the troops, who had been early set 10 mo-
ton, were recalled from the field. There
was the usual brilliant entertainment in the
evening, dinner given to the officers and
principal citizens by the Emperor.
On Wednesday the Emperor reviewed, for
the first time, a German fleet Great attsn-
ton has for the past year been paid to the
creation of fleet worthy the high place
now occupied by the German empire in the
world, and sufficient TO protect the extend
ed commerce of Germany, whose merchants,
by their enterprise, economy, and good
management, are crowding out, in tome OF
the great commercial centres, those of other
nations, The Emperor speaks modestly of
the squadron we saw this day as COM
mencement. But the four great iron-clad
frigates, armed with large steel, breech-
loading guns from Krupp's German foun-
dry, are force which would prove for
midable opponent to any navy.
was invited to embark on the EmperOr's
yacht, the Grille, and to accompany him in
his visit to the fleet, which was anchored of
the mouth of the Warnow, in the Baltic
sea-
The four iron cads formed one line, and
several smaller vessels another, at a right
angle Herewith. Most of these were sail
ing vessels, used as training or school ships;
one was a swift dispatch steamer. The
Grille approached the rearmost ship of the
iron-clad squadron, the Kaiser, which was
boarded and inspected.
Reembarking on the Grille, the Hansa
and the Crown Prince were passed, and the
flagship, the Koenig Wilhelm, was boarded
After the usual salutes from the vessels,
steam was got up and the ironclads pro-
ceeded to sea. The dispatch steamer was
sent out to represent the flagship of an
enemy approaching from the northeast
The squadron sailed in line ahead, formed
at the signal line oblique; then what is
styled the normal formation line in double
eschelon then line abreast, and afterward
line ahead again, and chased the enemy,
firing bow guns in chase. Later, line
abreast was formed and the battle con-
tinued. All this. un Ter steam, was carried
out with the most perfect order end regu-
larity. The positions were quickly gained
at the signal and so steadily msintain
that, when looking at the ships from the
flagship, no relative motion could be OBJ
served; they preserved position as though
at anchor. The ships appeared to be in I'D
mirable order, we'll manned, and differed
by men of experience and skill Most of
the officers appeared to speak English, and
from the great commercial and naval nation
OF the globe. The fleet was, after firing
ceased, directed toward the anchorage, and
went through the exercises of making aud
furling sail With great speed and precision.
The Empe or was pleased with what he
saw on this first review of the German fleet,
and has since test fed his satisfaction by
advancing tie minister of marine, General
Stosch. to IT, grade of admiral.
The EmDerOr smoke with ma Of his ffortu
and anxiety to create feet worthy of the
Fatherland, of which this was a beginning.
Certainly q good beginning. We have
nothing which could resist this iron-clad
squadron. ALI the ships are new, and each
represented, when launched, the last ad-
vance in nav i architecture of England, tor
all were bull in Great Britain. The KONG
Wilhelm was built foc the Turkish govern.
ment, but, there being some question about
payment, VIA, when finished, sold to Ger
many.
The next three days we're occupied in the
movements OF the Ninth Corps. On Thurs
day the main body Of the corps Unanswered
against an enemy represented by small
bodies detached for this purpose; dozen
men with flag representing battalion,
etc. An enemy was supposed to have land
fourteen miles. to have seized that port and
fortress, and TO be endeavoripg to advance
to the. south. The Ninth Corps coming
from the southeast of Rostock was to at
tack and drive them back, and compel such
as were not captured to re-embark. The
fret days operations drove the enemy's
advance back toward Rostock On the
Friday and Saturday the two divisions of
the corps, each 10000 strong, represented
the two opposing armies. Battles were
fought on both days, resulting in driving
the enemy toward his ships. The troops
are well trained; they are all young aud