Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1884-01-03
From Germany.


CAssEL, GERMANY, Dec. 1888.
Editors Banner: .r. H
''ln time of peace prepare for war;" is an
old caution which the statesmen and rulers
of Eurlpe unanimously endorse. If the
c,mins rnnflict i to bear any prnportinn to
the magnitude nf the prepaFsiiaias, which
for wears have heen, and are now making
for il, we may look fur the hloadiest struggle
Of history to occur on EuFupesn soil, Though
within the last duscn yrsrs, nu inter,EuFo-
pean war, with the exception Of the Russo
Turkhh contest, has occurred, vet. during
this peaceful period the armies which have
been maintained and the military expenses
which have been incurred by European guv-
,ernments. have been, no doubt, greater than
were ever put forth in any ten g g. :; ;ire most
destructive ::..c. extensive wars that were ever
waged, A few figures RAJ Eits the pesders
3 iiia B4S$EE an iaea of the magnitude of
European armies. The combined forces of
Europe aggregate twelve million, / E., one
inhabitant in about every twenty is soldier.
Russia is first in numbers, having nearly two
million five hundred thousand tuSaps. Fn.nce
follows closely as second. Germany is third
with one and thrce-quarter millions of SOL
dlers- Austria has nearly rs many. Spain,
Italy, Turkey and the otheFmiar,F Aatiolss all
have ffttiEirakatlSeiF barge ARMIES, England
has the Smallest 'foFce Of any prominent
European nation, numbering dniy half a
troops, most Of which are stationed
Y Ind m and utheF English possessions.
Though drrmany has not the largest army
numerically, II Is incOmparably the best or
ganized and equipped and would be the
most immediately effective. Il has hssn es-
ulnaffd that ~'. ...ain teenty-fnur hours after
II declaration of hOstilities, she could have
one million soldiers e3%3pIh9telY egqlHnslh %
thousand troops, or one to every sixteen of
the population. Horses, ammunition, weap-
ons and supplies are all here ready to march
at an instRnt's notice. !. iistsfs.
The military budgets of the different Euro
pean governments foot up annually eight
hundred million dollars. This does No, u,
fiEfg iha ih.eps. s,Hil hqll4B4f qelts neatly al
penses Were this added, we would have a
total sum Of twelve hqndrsd million datlas
q tbs. aHasnl TaF etFeases &c Europe in
time of peace, !.
WHAT'S to ba the result Of all this massingi
Oe armies and NIL this OUTLAY of money, while
il cannot be certainly predicted, II NAV be
coniectured with great probability, il is not
probable that this heap Of GOALS will forever
burn without blazing. It is net pSpbable
$40. I-irupe win aiways continue in state
of armed peace. Nor is it probable that
these gigantic armies will s9g9e day gAjstl1
Atelt away w q lRmlls eFa af guild feeling,
Ii Is most probable that this mass Of emheFs
will. in some future time-how near or how
distant, no man can with any probability
say-burst into eonhagration, which will
well nigh consume Europe. Between Ger
many and France, or Germany and Russia,
or Russia and Turkey, or England and Rus
sia, or France and Spain, a very slight breath
would blow up fame of war, aud the con
dition of things is Just EoR such IN EuRt11hnte
NJ large, that o conflict between any two
nations MEANS almost inevitably a san---I
European war. Fn. instance, were a contest
To spring up between France and spain. Ger
many would be almost certain " lend active
hss!slihlR iH .hs latter. This would very
hFohahly draw Russia into the quarrel on
the sideof France, which in turn would al
most Inevitably involve England. Itw1uId
then be impossible for AuStrfa, Italy and
Turkey to iriiiain long entaDgled, Hraaa
though Just NV there il no nation IN EgFapee
particularly anHAtigus fl fight; yet, Il any ub-
teYyFesSe4 circtlnlsta1ce shdIlF pfeGiliiste y
contest il would be not merely trial Of
strength hoiweeR two nations, but would
rNenlgate IN general European War which
would engage more men, shed more blood
and require a greater outlay of resources than
any conflict of past times
FRANK KEIFER. ir.