The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-07-27
THE GERMAN ART.
ITS GREAT STRENGTH AND PER
Feet DISCIPLINE
The Pay and Armament of Ger
man Soldiers - Their Daily
Duties-The Other Great
Armies of Europe.

@hEhAACs OA EUROPE.
Berlin, and Germany itself for tina
matter, writes a correspondent of tn
New York Sun, reminds the stranger o
4 huge military barracks. There ar
soldiers everywhere, and every man il
the country, from the son of monarch
to the lowliest beggar, must serve in tn
army. From this there is no appeal 4
million marks will not purchase immu
nifty from the service. 1t has made
stalwart, methodical, fne-looking ant
well-bred lot Of men of the Germans.
The army Is the most common of al
subjects of discussion here There ar,
several branches which fall under tn,
nominal command of the lesser German
Kings in time of peace, but the Empero
of Germany is absolute monarch wher
war breaks out. He is a good deal of ,
monarch at other times, too, one find
out after a short residence in Germany.
/ met an officer of the Saxon branch o.
the army last night whom had known
when he was in New York some year:
ago.
I'm in the army for good and all,
now" he said, with shrug OF his broad
shoulders, land recent events reconcile
me t. it."
'You think the general stirring up OF
the Government here will turn out a
benefit to military mem"
81 think that the accession TO power
of born soldier and warrior like our
Crown Prince will send the finest army
in the world to the front. Prince Will
lam is ambitious and capable. With
such sovereign the chances Of distinc-
ton in the army will be limitless.
at is well you look Tor distinction in
stead of money IN the army
ooh, there is no money in the service
here. Our soldier receives-I will give
the equivalent sum in United States
money-about $l.16 for every ten days
service, from which he has to pay the
mess tifty-seven cents for ten days cat
ing. \ man can't acquire fortune with
breathless rapidity at this rate unless he
practices a good deal of economy. The
Government gives every man pound
and a quarter of bread day, but the
soldier must buy all neces sary articles for
cleaning his uniform. Everything in the
way of linen, boots and clothing is sup
piled by the nation"
Have the arms been changedl'
1.-THE latest and most valuable inven-
tons are secured at any cost. Our pri-
Yates now carry the 81 repeating rifle
The cannons are made 10y Hrupp, of Es-
sen. The men are worked hard, but
they seem to thrive on it. The average
private has four hours work in the morn
ing and about three hours in the after
noon. In the evening he is taught to
read and write, and is also instructed in
matters pertaining to the army. The
men clean the barracks and do all the
work about the building. Between
sixty and eighty of them sleep in every
dOrmitory now. but in the newest bar
racks only fifteen or twenty men will
sleep in a room. A corporal commands
and watches over them. They can only
practice shooting when ordered to by
the commanding officer. Every soldier
carries about thirty cartridges"
The discipline IS very severe l
said.
Very" said the Ma or. at must
be; for there are many insidious and re-
belliOus spirits at work in Germany
now, and the iron hand is the only one
that commands respect. A soldier re
ceives two days imprisonment if he fails
TO salute an officer when he sees him.
1t has a tendency TO cure absent minded
ness. Soldiers must be at home in bur
racks at 10 o'clock p. NJ, unless written
consent to stay out later, signed by an
officer; and finally, an ohoer cannot
marry a girl who has a fortune of her
own of less than $4,000. There are
lots OF restrictions in the life, but the
officers and men love it nevertheless.
The number of soldiers who Will be
at the back of the coming Emperor OF
Germany is enough to keep Europes
eyes open. The future monarch is the
idol of the army. He comes from the
marriage of Guelph and a Hoheuzol-
lern. Just as Frederick the Great did,
and he hates the English and the French.
1t will be a shrewd prophet who can
tell what he vii do when he finds him
self at the nations head. The available
force in Germany in case of war may be
estimated as follows. Every
German must serve; no substitution is
allowed;
Oiiicers- 10000. -..---.--.---...- 52,OuO
Men in active service 600. ..........l ,5JO,0O
The Bismarck addition ............. 10000
One-year volunteers and Landsturm
division. .--.--.-..--....-.-l-llO .Ol
Trained and active soldiers .....---3,3S 49, 900
Estimated number TO be drawn
from those not in active service. :, 800, 900
Total available force of all
classes --.-.------------6, 2S5,OJO
In addition the army has at its dis
Dosal 312. 731 horses and $500 guns.
Before leave figures it may be of in
crest to show the forces that this army
nay have to meteor may make its al /
les, according to the temper of sover-
signs and the skill of diplomatists. The |
-ecent addition of roo, 900 men to the /
5e1man army lifts it to the head of the /
list, but there are mighty forces in Eu-
-ope. and the next war will be a scene of (
.wful slaughter, if the military experts I
ire 10 be believed. The following fi.- |
Tres give the trained and active war
trength of four nations
strength OF Army
,Trf.ntrv s4j ,0o . on 400