Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-02

officers In the maneuver fields Is quite fire.
quent and always results in the temporary
unlucAy enough to incur the displeasure Of
the generalisSimuS.
II Is only three years ago that Prince
Frederick Leopold of Prussia, first cousin
TO the kaiser, was ordered to retire from
the field during the progress Of a cavalry
evolution, in the first part Of which he had
Numbered. Next day he was transferred TO
the infantry, and was only reinstated last
summer after winning the first prize in the
long-distance race Of mounted officers be-
tween Berlin and Vienna.
The ruthless wedding out for incompe-
teacy In high and low quarters is one of
the most beneficial features Of the maueu-
Vers. 1t Is conveyed in the critiQue, deIy-
cred by. the commander-in-chief to the Off
GERS corps after the days work Is ended,
or, II advisable. at the conclusion of any
change OF position movement showing
giarfng defects The general always ad-
dresses his reproof to the highest officer in
whose command the irregularity happens.
Ihus the colonel Of a regiment will be rep
rtmanded for the mistake made by one of
bis battalion. and the chief of the latter, IN
DIS turn, Is to the colonel responsible for
the stupidity displayed by his lieutenant
The following anecdote, related to me
years ago by Field Marshal Won Moltke,
now deceased, will illustrate the process:
one evening in delivering a very favor
able critique at the Treves maneuvers,"
said the great strategist. Il took accession
TO remark that several men in the fourth
b.
served to wear their coats unbuttoned at
the neck, which was against orders. The
coIonei OF that regiment seemed to take the
matter much to heart, and. galloping of
TO Wnere his troops were stationed, as soon
as released. summoned his lieutenant col
onel, majors and captains to tell them that
his excellency chat Is MYSELF had admin
istered to him (the coloneD a most singing
rebuke on account of the general untidi-
ness prevailing in the regiment This state
of things must be reversed at once he
cried. or none of US can hold his position
a week longer
The officers. though unaware Of any
shortcomings on the part of their subal-
terms, or men, became thoroughly alarmed
and resolved among themselves to stamp
out the spirit of uncouthness forthwith
So each took his immediate subordinate to
task. increast g the enormity of the al
legged o6ense to suit the Individual REQUIRE
ments. The colonel. as you observe, had
magnifed my remarks into rebuke and
threat, charging the whole regiment with
untidiness; the chief officers changed the
still mild term to uncouthness, and when
the matter was brought before the first
leutenants these gentlemen substituted for
1t gross carelessless and dirty habits: the
men, finally, were told by the sergeants
and sub-lieutenants the field marshal had
oeen amazed and shocked at their general
sluttishness and disorderly conduct and
that If ever again they appeared half naked
IN the field every mothers son of them
would be DEGRADED to the soldiery of the
second class"
Aside from the kaiser's cars and kings
maneuvers. alluded to as separate in
stitution, annual division cavalry and for
tincation exercises on a more or less large
scale are common in all European coun-
tries. even in the petty states They require
tremendous outlay of money and more
lives are lost in the sham battles on ac-
count Of the heat and of oyerwork than
the official records care or dare to saw The
number OF suicides by disgraced or disap-
pointed officers Is likewise considerable
The kaiser's Review,
William today opens the Kaiser maneu-
vers of his army by a review of the eighth
corps on the plains that stretched opposite
the ancient Roman town of Treves. on the
very spot where the generals of the Cesars
and governors of Gallia, Iberia and the
British Islands were won't to inspect their
victorious lcgiols.
After going through the customary evo-
buttons. the army, consisting of two diyis-
ions, artillery, pioneer and train formations
all solid Rhinelanders, marches ahead In
the direction of Metz, where 1t consolidates
Sunday with the sixteenth corps of Lor-
rdineTs. which is Of equal strength. They
will mane1ver within the limits Of the tri-
angle formed by the cities of Treves, Metz
and Saarlouis. The program calls for
special exertiO. s on the part Of the troops
in the line of ascertaining the effect Of
some new tactics of the defensive and Of
fepsive lately introduced in several regi-
ments. but not yet tried on a more extern
sive scale.
The kaiser proposes to let the Crown
Prir ce of Italy, who attends him and his
military staff, investigate his latest strate-
gle exploit with view of utilizing IL in
the army of King Humbert. The italian
ally will also be given occasion to view the
exercises of a select troop armed with a
new rifle on probation. which is said to be
wonder of modern quck1re technique
II Is an entirely new invention, perfected
only month ago. and about which the
emperor is very enthusiastic. Its introduce
ton. 1t is claimed, would give the German
army an advantage over all Others friends
and foes. for ten years.
Night Maneuvers.
Furthermore there will be real night
maneuvers. aided by portable electric light
renectors and without.
The night maneuver Is a French strata
gem, first tried two years ago. but the
name applied by it's originators would
hardly seem to be the correct one mas
much as they began operations only In
the twilight of the morning. Emperor
William has graciously adopted the enemy's
idea, but proposes to carry IL out In far
more thorough and business-lke style
The maneuvers will close with a grand
sham battle, just outside of canno1 reach
of Metz, when the kaiser will assume the
role of his late uncle, the famous Red
Prince. and conqueror of that great fort
ress.
On September the kaiser will review the
fourteenth and fifteenth army corps fl Ba-
den: they will maneuver against each o%her
from the 18th to the 14th, part of the time
under the eye Of - supreme commands
until September IS, but the scarcity of fod-
der made IL fmpossible TO carry ont that