Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-09
ARMIES ON THE MOVE.
The Troops of Germany, France and Aus
tria Under Arms.


tria Under Arms.
LONDON, Sept. 3.-In France, in Al
sace-Lorraine and in Austria, immense
bodies of troops were set in motion to-
day, this being the date fixed for the
long contemplated, much discussed
grand army manPuvers of France, Ger
many and Austria. In view of the heat
ed war talk, caused by the echoes of
Sedan day, the Dardanelles incident
and the Cronstadt understanding, to say
nothing of the renewal of the dreibund,
these military movements are being
watched with the most feverish atten-
ton by the military men and diplo-
mats of Europe. Changes in military
organization, improved equipments,
smokeless powders and new riff es are
having their first real campaign test, and
much may depend upon the result. In
England this showing of war material
attracts deep attention, and detailed
reports from the various headquarters
are being received by the war office and
by the public press.
At Horn this morning, Emperor Will
lam, of Germany, accompanied by Chan
cellor Won Caprivi, met Emperor Fran
els Joseph of Austria, who was accom-
panied by the King of Saxony, and the
entire party, surrounded by brilliant
military suites and escorts of cavalry,
proceeded on horseback to the head
quarters at Gopfritz of the Austrian
army engaged in the mannuvers.
The country around Gopfritz has been
expressly selected for the military
mr. 1fu - -
ability for furnishing good test of the
advantages or disadvantages Of the new
small-bore rifle and of the smokeless
powder used in connection with it,
The advocates of the smokeless powder
claim that infantry and artillery con-
cealed In wooded places can, using the
new powder, pour destructive fire upon
an enemy without the latter being able
clearly to make out the whereabouts of
their opponents and thus prevent an
effective return of the fire. The coun-
try about the Austrian headquarters
is exceedingly billy and thickly wooded
and plentifully intersected with rivers
and brooks, thus giving little scope for
cavalry operations; but on the other
hand affording unlimited cover for in
fantry, who in the present instance
were supposed to be threatened by an
invisible enemy whose position was not
revealed by the smoke of their artillery
or rifle fire.
The general idea of the Austrian mill
tary operations is that the force dis
played is to arrest the progress of an
enemy advancing from the direction of
Bohemia on Vienna. Considerable in
terest is manifested in the telephone
and bicycle corps of the Austrian
army which, upon this occasion, par
ticipate for the first time upon
so large scale in the manmuvers. 1t
is expected that millions of cartridges
will be fired before these maneuvers
terminate on Monday next. The con-
clusion of the Austrian mannuvers will
be signalized on Monday by grand re-
view on the heights of Gopfritz, before
the Emperor of Germany and the En-
peror of Austria, of both forces engaged
in these interesting operations.
Some of the newspapers of Paris re-
call portions OF the late Emperor Erred
erick's diary, which Prince Bismarck
triad to suppress, revealing King
Leopold's congratulations to Emperor
William on the victory at Sedan and
later King Leopold's intrigue with
Bismarck and Theirs, frustrated by roy
alists, to get himself made king of COM
bined France and Belgium. The object
OF the reminder Is to persuade Premier
de Freycinet to keep strong force
within an easy distance of the Meuse
on the ground that King Leopold is still
inclined to violate the neutrality of
Belgium in the interests of Germany.
LIE Soir believes that a secret entente to
that end exists between Emperor Will
lam and King Leopold, but that the lat
ter has been compelled to be silent
since the Geffcken revelations.
The North German Gazette and other
German papers, commenting on the
Dardanelles matter, declare that it is
mainly question of England's interest
alone, and that Germany need not be
dismayed at London's alarm, the Eu-
ropean powers being only secondarily
concernt d.
Extensive experiments have been
commenced at Friedrichsort with the
view of protecting the forts at that
place and elsewhere by a series of
submarine mines against a possible at
tack from the sea. AS result of these
experiments merchant vessels passing
Friedrichsort are obliged to take pilot
on board, and they will have to continue
SO doing until the mines are removed.