New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-16
THE READINESS or THE GERMAN ARMY
F-om The LONDON Daily Nelrs.


A couple of days after war had been declared be-
tween France and Prussia in 1870 an Ambassador
met Marshal then GeneraD Won Moltke saunterng
in the tredrichs StraSse at Berlin. with his hands
behind his back, and. his eyes roaming placidly
among the shOp-windOws. The dipomatist stopped
to exchange "a few words with the soldier but soon
broke oil, saying Il will not detain you further,
general, as you must be very busy at this moment"
" Oh no. I'm not busy at all' answered the chief of
the staff. Our orders have been givenj and as
as the army is modified | shall go to my duty"
When Napoleon HIS armies were already IN full
retreat after Reischoien and Forbach scores of
French railway stations were encunlbercd with tons
of stores which had been bought at the last mo-
ment and had no time to reach the front. Many of
these goods were subsequently plundered or
destroyed in vindIctiye spite by the Mobiles The
Mobiles of Chalons hearing that there were barrels
of brandy for the ambulances at CbalOns station
made raid upon the goods depot and destroyed
kegs of ChlOfoform, arnica, laudanum, besides
scattering several thousand pounds worth OF other
drugs, tea, coffee, sugar aud nee. There is no
pedantrv i'm the prudence which consists in utliziD0
the times of peace to make ready Tor ali the necess
ties of war; Such prudence saves many lives,
much money ana goes far toward ensur-
ing victory. When Marshal Lebeuf told
the French Chambers that they could embark
on war without fear, as everything had been pro-
vided "eyen TO the last gaiter button" he
spoke words which ought To have been literally
true which were true in Germany and are so To-
day There, every regiment has it's depot of
service kits which can be served out TO the men at
an hours notice. and every army corps has its
depot of general stores, ambulance wagons field
telegraph apparatus and baking cars, in "A complete
state of efficiency Practically the army can be
modified simultaneously for the calling ont of the
need not delay the departure oil the men In
actual service AS fast as the reserves iOin their
regmental depOtS they are equipped in kits ready
waiting for them; they receive condensed food
lerblrUrst and biscults enough TO victua them for
seven days and sent after their comrades as fast
as possible by tram. All the railway lines I'M Ger
many can be requisitiOned for military service In
the time which 1t may require to dispatch half.a-
dozen telegIams aud every General and Colonel
knows exactly to what locality In tho seat Of war
he must betake himself. Information on this sub
jet Is furnished III printed manuals clearly .wored
which are Issued ut the first signs of a coming war
with any 6tate. Wars never break out without
few weeks prelude of diplomatic negotiation, and
this period Is employed by the German War Ohlce in
issuing the manuals just mentioned, and In DIS
tTlbutng maps OF the country TO DO invaded 70 all
the officers As for the plan ~ the campaign, u Is
ready. like everything else. Among the most secret
archives OF the War Once and OF the Lmperors
palace plans for every possible sort of campaign
with any nation on the Continent They have all
been maturely concOcied in councils held by the
leading Generals and though unforeseen circum-
stances may cause them to DE modified in some par
tiCulars, yet the general outlines OF them remain
available. And IN any case what changes have 10
be introduced arc all made during the diplomatic
perlodp while the Ambassadors nom Berlin are
Spinning out negotiations In order TO give their
Generals time 20 arrange tactics Whom war is de-
clared the cry ia fertiglN Ready y; the army
starts into motion rs If touched By spring. and
the chief OF the staff can quite well Afford TO take