Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-28
DUELLiHc ON the CONTINENT

" very ioGd OF h0Bey. ana oitcn 1etr sung
BY pokirg is shout by mistake into bor-
nets nest in search Of its fayorite dainty.
DUELLikG ON THE CONTINENT
TIE BcasU Mode Of fiehtiax which Pre-
walls In Rsssis.
fPau-Nas Gazs.,sJ
! Over i've thousand ducts occur annually
IN France alone. The enormous majority
OF these encounters take place between pei
vate soldiers. In every French regiment
are to be found two or three trstrl.e
swordsmcn, commonly called des foisurs,
whose especial business isto Test the nerve
OF any recruit suspected OF def
ciency OF physical courage. On the
most frivolous pre,ext the fgfetis'
fas'eus q quarfe. on the unfortunate r0s-
rear. and the unanimous voice OF thc regi-
UeM declares that honor demands blood
shed. The encounter takes place in the
presence OF four non-commissioHed officers
and OF the regimcntsl fencing-mss,er, who
stands by, sword highland. ready TO psrry
any too-dangprous thr'ists. The weapon
used IN the cavalry is the sabre. and in the
infantry the ordinary sword.bsyonei, and
The issue IL generally harmless enough.
although cases bayc been known OF the Ia
teur, himself coming to grief through the
recruit going for his adversary.
In society, and especially among gentle
men connected with @ha, the frcach term
IN petite preSSe, very similar rule pre-.
walls. but with one important modification.
The t1te1G Is here conspicuous by his il-
seBcc. and the young aSpiraut 70 social or
journalistic honOrs l. expected TO fare !ses
preures by deliberately picking a quarrel
with some eligible opponent. The weapon
used in these affairs OF honor IL almost
invariably the small sword, the pistol
being considered far too dangerous sn
sim-the issue of these encounters Il ~
rule a scratched duger or forearm. DC
cssionally, when politica! or other con.
sideratlo1s render even scratch unte-
sirabie, pistols sTe Tesottcd 10. but with
peculiar precautions. Thus NJ. GaUsbetta
aud dc fourtOu-the former being one
eyed and the latter nearly bliud-wcrr put
up in dense fog at forty PAGES to exchange
shots with yerg short-bsrreled smooth-b0re
pistols. In short. nine out OF ten French
dueIs may be looked upon a. mere flrces.
played Tor The amusement OF the gallery.
The excellent health enjoyed by 81. Roche
tort. DE CaseJgDac, and Carrie dies PerricTS,
who Among them have been out over fifty
times, adds strong confirmation to this view
Of the matter.
In both Italy and Spain duelS Iasesirc.
qucnt but IN both countries the sabre i
used. TO the almost complete exclusion OF
the small sword. Indeed, the prejudice
against the latter arm is % strong in Italy
that Il is oil but impossible 10 lad seconds
who will consent TO act in duel repee.
The nstnrai result is that,i while a fatal
issue is rare, the ugly gsshes In the face are
very common. In both these countries the
penalty for duelling. "a in France, is merely
nominal.
Throughout Germany. including Prt,,.
sta. Austria. and the manor States, very
different rule prevails. With the exception
OF the oh-de>cribcd "Schlieger" duel>
among university students, which are still
winkcd ut. encounters between civilians
ale punished with considerable severity,
tue ordeal Of single combat being priyi-
leee practically reserved ior The army. In
the event OF two Officers falling out, court
OF honor (EhrenJeT,cdO. generally COM
posed OF five superior officers aud presided
over 10y the colonel OF their rec mcnt or the
general commanding the district, carefully
investigates the whole affair and de-
cidcs whether mn apology shall be ten.
dered and accepted or whether IN en-
counter is necessary. The decision OF the
court l. final. ald any officer refusing 10
comply with Il would be compelled to re-
tire from The service, while any due! un1u-
thOrized by the Conrt woIild infalIibly lead
to the caSbiering OF The offenders. Pistols
are almost invariably used, at distance OF
twelve PAGES and, German Officers being
as rule yeIy good shots, fatal c0nsc-
quences arc not irirequeni. b. strange
anomaly. the verdict Of the creRJerjcdi
does not entirely cover the responsibility
Of the c0mbatlnts. In the event OF fatal
issue, the survivor - liable 10 suffer term
OF open arrest IN Il fortress, varying from
two to six months. \ German officer thus
finds himself placed in the dilemma OF re-.
iusing TO fight and being compelled to re-.
tire. or III lighting and running the risk OF
being placed under arrest for doing so.
In no country are duels more frequent or
more mlrderous than in Russia; the Rus
slams being. especially when in their cups,
IS quarrelsOme among themselves ~ they
are pr0ycrbiaily courteous TO foreigners.
The mode OF combat universally adopted /,
that termed the duel a Ia 6drrjere; the OPP
ponents being put up at fifteen PAGES, with
UNITY W NV f't1tN Nhtu as
signal, and 10 lire at will. Should one Of
them fire and mlSs. his adversary is entitled
10 complete his five PAGES before returning
the shot. Many eases have been known in
which ducli>t, although mOrtally
wounded, has vet retained sufficient
strength TO take steady aim and ire with
fatal effect. The great Russian. poet.
Pushkiu. was killed in a duel a Ia b0rriere.
after severely w"unding his antagonist.
Ia the baltic provinces a system prevails
which at first sight appears even more muir
dcrOuS. The adversarie> are placed only
three PAGES apart; the pistols are held with
the muzzle pointing upward, and are
brought down and discharged at 4 given
signal. Il may appear almost impossible
for ~ o men To miss each other at so short
a distance; hut this is not the ease. Each
Of The opponents i, 80 desperately 1nXiOu,
10 gain the least fraction OF second on
hi> adversary that, on the signal being
given, the weapons are often brought down
with 30 hurried and violent Jerk that the
bullets bury themselves in the ground. At
a duel fought last year at Riga between an
officer and student in this fashion. three
shot, were exchanged without any result.
while at the fourth discharge the student
bad the great toe OF his right foot cut clean
q n IV li. opuOpPnf'S bullet