The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-09-05
GERMANY's IRON TREASURE.
The Indemnity Which France Paid
Held for War Purposes.

Held for War Purposes.
In the fortress of Spandau there
is stored the celebrated emergency
fund of the German empire--the So
called iron treasure, millions OF sill
yer pieces, most of them minted
with the head Of Napoleon Ill. De
rived from that colossal indemnity
which victorious Germany imposed
upon humbled France in the hope Of
permanently Gripping the heredi-
tary foe, the payment of which and
recuperation of its loss is the finan-
cial wonder of the world, this hoard
Of coined money is kept for the con-
tingency of war, 1t seems like a
relic of barbarism to ignore the mo-
dern methods of hnance--bonds,
notes and other evidences of nation
al credit--and to rely upon actual,
tangible money; but there is prac-
teal side to the idea which appeals
to the soldier, if it causes the banker
to smile.
This treasure is sacred. There is
no crisis through which the German
empire may pass, save that of foreign
war, which makes this vast sum
available. The Germans are very
fond Of the word Iron" in its sense
of rude frmness, Of harsh endurance,
of severe tenaciy. They have ap-
piled it to their greatest historical
characteristics Iron Chancellor-to
his policy Of absolute inflexibility;
and to their most priced reward
the Iron Cross-of which there is
but one degree, and which can be
earned only by actual bravery on
the field. They have used the word
to designate the treasure at Span
dau, and they have also adopted it
to characterize an institution in their
minute and comprehensive scheme
of military organization to which
they attach great Importance.
When the German army is trans
formed from huge reserve of pre-
cautionary power into massive in
strument of aggressive force, its
units, the individual soldiers, are
put into absolutely new uniforms.
The purposes of this step are hume
rous. 1t makes the operation of
mobilization more simple and syste-
matte, and with the contingent OF
prolonged warfare it makes the con-
tinuance of military operations more
economical There is a sentimental
issue involved-the personal pride
! of the soldier is stimulated and his
zeal in service increased.
! In equipment and accoutrement a
. TIL
suit is that the soldier starts out in
the condition practically that he
should be theoretically. His equip.
ment is heavy one, but the know.
/ ledge that every pound of weight he
carries represents something useful
to his occupation and his comfort
and convenience while engaged in il
lightens the load He realizes that
he is provided for every emergency
In his knapsack are his clothes and
his store of cartridges. Each one o1
his pockets has particular purpose
The lining of the one on the left OF
his tunic is medically prepared, tc
be used when necessity arises as III
antiseptic bandage. In his haver,
sack is his loaf Of bread-the staff oil
life--and the so-called Iron ration
This is the institution to which
reference has been made. 1t is the
reserve fund of the soldiers food
his sustenance when deprived of al
other resources of mess, commits
sariat and forge. There is huge
factory in Mayence devoted to the
packing of these Iron rations." In
small bags, in preserved and com
pressed shape, these rations consist
of coffee, rice, bareback and tobacco
in quantity sufficient to provide
for three days use.
The cavalry receives in addition
similarly prepared rations for its
horses consisting Of hay and oat:
sufficient for five days.
These rations are to serve only ir
cases of extreme necessity. They
are sacred whenever the trooper i:
provided by the commissary depart
ment with the necessary food, Of
when he can procure it by requisi
ton or forage, The iron ration
cannot be touched except by com
mand OF u superior officer.
In the preparation of these ration.
chemical science has been at work
and it is believed in the articles pro
vided the greatest amount of nutri
ton has been secured in the mos
compressed and endurable shape.
In the grand maneuvers which an
nually take place in Germany, anC
in which the soldiers are exposed tc
every contingency save that of al
enemy's death-dealing powers, tn,
"iron rations" are carried, and thei
purpose made clear to the men.-St