The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-02-23
Ettiquette in the German Army.

6CSAqu0tt0 IN tho 0erman army
The cavalry is the favorite arm of the
German army, the Uhlans, rich in the
prestige of the late war, being especially
popular, while the two crack regiments
are the Garde de Corps and the first
Garde Cuirassier. These are composed
of men selected for their size, their Off
GERS bear the oldest names and their APP
pointments are the very best. We be-
lieve they are the heaviest cavalry in
Europe, the average weight carried by
each horse being $50 pounds, and their
appearance in pure white uniform, with
cuirass and helmet of polished brass, is
very striking, even superior to that of
the English Guards. There is great
rivalry between them; one has the
hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenberg,
the other prince of Hohenzollern, and
there is almost an equal distribution of
lesser notables. Each is given an opera
box, one under, the other opposite, the
emperor's, and they only agree in affect
ing to ignore each other. Other resi-
ments are jealous, and say they are too
fine for use, and it is fact that the en-
peror would not allow them to engage
during the French war. So in the tri-
umphant entry into Berlin at the end
these troops alone were received in dead
silence, and the modification rankles
yet. Their officers have in the extreme
both the pride and esprit de corps char
acteristic of their profession and order.
Two of them were left cards upon GER
tain Graf, but through mistake they
were delivered to the greatest banker in
Berlin, who occupied the floor below.
Delighted with the attention he imme-
diately asked them to dine, but they
coolly returned the invitation with
curt message, saying the cards had not
been left for him. This banker, by the
way. was taken by Bismarck to Yer
sailles to arrange about the indemnity
in 1871, and the story goes that when
the latter named the sum of four mil
lizards, Jules Favre exclaimed the thing
was absurd. that sit would take from
the birth of Christ till now merely to
count it." ''Thats no consequence,
said Bismarck. ''we have man here
who counts back to the birth of Adam. J"
An instance similar to the above heard
of cuirassier. The mess were discuss
ing whether or no they might go to a
certain concert roam in uniform. Final
ly one said: Il guess we can go, the
Kaiser has been there" "Ah, yes"
said another, but not in our uniform"
This wearing of uniforms in question
able places is a matter about which all
officers are exceedingly particular, and
the sensitiveness about their honor and
good name from which it springs has
developed what is called the Court of
Honor" the most curious I know in
German society. Each regiment has its
court of honor, composed of all its Off
GERS, by which all matters affecting the
honor of the regiment or its officers, as
individuals, are settled. Every new Of
fcer entering the regiment is proposed
before this court, and even though his
examination be passed, must receive its
unanimous vote before obtaining his
commission. All offenses are complain
ed of to this court, and presume if an
officer were seen in the parquet of the
: ater, for instance, he would be prompt
ly summoned and disciplined, for no
man in uniform ever sits out of the
boxes or balconies. The principal
function of the court, however. seems
to be the supervision of all matters con-
nected with dueling. If an officer be-
comes involved. he lays the matter be-
fore the court of honor, and they pro-
coed to investigate the character of the
offender. If his position is found to be
such that they can fight as equals, the
court directs the duel to take place, and
the officer must fight. If he refuse, the
court has the power even to cashier him,
and if heights the..civil power furnishes
him with from two to five years i'm
prisonment, which pleasing predica-
ment naturally produces the most wilt
ing effect. There is not particle of
law to authorize such an institution, and
it exists only in the personal authority
of the princes.
A DIFFICULT DRILL. At the West
Point military school the cadets are
taught to ride bareback. to ride without
StirrrpS 70 hmm bur1laS m nco tho