, 1880-10-09

proved itself az useful as at Rossbach or
Zorndorf, and the artillery Won as high
fenown as did that OF France at Friedland
or Wagram. This great Improvement In
these two arms has been due to the con
slant care of the German officers, who are
never content to rest idle or to be satisfied
with results already achieved. After every
campaign and every careful
note is taken of any failing or error, and
every possible improvement is considered
and weighed. From foreign armies they
are by 20 means 10th to learn. and they
seek as eagerly for lessons IN the results OF
PIevna or Adrianople as from the parade
grounds Of Potsddam or Chalons. Thus
they are ever advancing in improvement.
The mechsnician is pressed into the service
Of the German warrior. A regular detach-
inent OF trained railway artlflcers accom-
panies each corps in q campaign to des-
troy or restore, as required, railway CON-
murication. The field Telegraph follows
the advanced guard as closely as Its an
munition OF its %ra'ions. On what Is neces-
sary the Government spends freely, while
strict economy is observed IL oil branches
of administration. Hence great results
have been obtained, and by care. patience,
and foresight no army has been formed TO
which no equal can be found 10 the whole
history OF the world. Yet almost perfect
as their army is, the German Staff still
strain after Improvement. The rapid hre
of the needle.gun did good service in the
campaign OF 1866 at Nachod. Podoll' and
T..-o3o I.A =. 49,, Lroooh NOR ~ WINS
found inferior to the Chassepot. An alter.
alton was at once made, and 40 improved
breechloadlng arm adopted. Now the
question has arisen whether greater rapldl'
ty OF fire may not even yet be obtained 0y
arming the troops with q magazine weapo',
and a rifle OF this nature, which is believed
to be able to ire Is rounds 10 q minute, is
already under trial. Nor is this the only
alteration in The material OF war which is
being seriously considered. The expert
ence OF the Austrian campaign led to
sbraprel being discarded from the arma-
ment Of the artillery. The French wa,
ho Iever, showed that some she'll OF this
nature was required which should burst
into a shower OF fragments and carry death
aud wounds thickly among troops hidden
in woods or protected by cover. A long
aud careful series Of experiments has now
led to the belief that the field trenches
which can be quickly thrown up on the
field Of battle afford almost entire protec-
ton from the fire of artillery even provld-
ed with shrapnel, and that very littIecovet
will make infantry safe from artillery Ia
it's present state OF development. Hence it
is being carefully considered whether
some form of vertical fire is not requisite
even for field artillery, and any nation
which neglects to investigate this point
may find itself sadly worsted in any future
campaign. A clear distinction between
horse and ordinary field artillery is also
strongly insisted upon. Horse artillery
must be able to move and 9 very
rapidly 10 deep and heavy ground, while it
is only on occasion that a quick change OF
position is required from field artillery.
For this reason the German horse artillery
ia armed with really light guns, which can
follow cavalry in all its movements, while
the field artillery is equipped with guns OF
practically the same caiiore as those 10 the
British service. It is, however, almost un-
necessary to remark that the whole OF the
German artillery is armed with breech'
loading field pieces, and that Ia muzzle'
loading gun is looked upon by these intel
%lectual warriors with much the same good
natured contempt az 9 catapult or cross
bow. Nor is this unnatural, for two great
wars have shown that the breechlcafing
oroomapt nooeoeuos nractical advantage