Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-12-17
THE GERMAN ARMY.
The Most sIntelligeat Machine Of War-A Con
summate Weapon.

The Most sIntelligeat Machine Of War-A Con.
summate Weapon.
The German military correspond.
ent of the London Times has been
writing an interesting series Of letters
on the German army, as seen in it's
recent review before the Emperor.
The Times comments on the subject
at length, saying among other things
the following
Europe pays 80 light pric Elm every
way for its ornaments that it ought to
fee. pleasure when it has good cause
for belief that it is obtaining worth for
it's money. Any one who has careful
ly followed our military correspond.
ent's reports OF the German man.
oeuvres in the neighborhood OF Stras.
burg must be persuaded that
the cost Of the Emperor Williams
and Count Won Moltke's army
is not thrown away. Never was thele
a machine Of war more intelligent CT
perhaps SO intelligent. The private
soldiers are strong and active. They
take long marches without becoming
footsore. They are drenched to the
skin, and burst out into spontaneous
song as they proceed to their quarters.
Victims of CONSUMPTION, they are en-.
thusiastic about their emperor and
princes. They bear to be scolded as
if they were galley slaves by their Off
GERS, from a corporal to field mar.
shall, without utterlng word in de.
fence. A startled hare attracts hardly
q glance, much less foot in pursuit.
They are always ready, whether for a
battle or a parade Their accountre-
ments, ii not as expensive as those OF
British troops, are absolutely service
able. Our correspondent has discov.
cred no defect, except in the not i'm.
maculate pipeclay Of some belts.
The German army is a consulnmate
weapon. Never was one forged of finer
temper or keener edge. Never was one
more costly. The precious likelihood
OF q most intelligent people, the choic-
est treasures Of national energy, and
an infinite mass OF commoner wealth
have been and are being, lavished to
make it the splendid thing it is. The
expenditure would be altogether mex.
cusable if it were a mere toy. Germany
and Europe know it is not that. It has
served tor the resuscitation of ma
tionality and is kept on foot to pre-
serve it. Whether it be competent to
crush all assaults only facts can dem
onstrate. The danger it has to meet
is presumed by itself rightly or wrong
", to come mainly from the side OF
France. Frenchmen who retain the
thirst for revenge are said to be as
persuaded of the irresistible might OF
their recognized army as are Ger
mans Of theirs.
The precise issue ofthe shock of two
such tremendous engines of war as
the French and German armies in their
present state it is impossible for the
profoundest military expert to pre-.
dict. At any rate it is uncomfortable
that the German should be over.
powered to an extent which would
leave it at the mercy Of terms its adj
versaries should decide to impose. In
all military experience an antagonist
SO evenly matched as, at all events,
Germany would be has never been
forced to submit at discretion. At
best, the utmost success to be antici.
pated in q contest against it is such
as would approximate to q drawn
game. France might waste the re-
sources Of Germany and dwarf the pro.
gress Of the German nation. Against
the ornaments Germany possesses
the prospect is 50 slight Of any posi-
tive reversal Of tho re5ults of the last
great conflict that the most pas.
sionate French patriotism must see
the prudence Of holding aloof from an
ordsal in which there is very much for
France still to lose, and practically
nothing to gain.