The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-10
rs FRANCE EQUAL TO TIT

is FRANCE EQUAL TO TIT
The German army manoeuvres going on
in the presence Of the Gerrnon Emperor
efCre Metz are obviously intended "a
mean mere than training instructions 10
trccrs. They are intended rs notice to
France that she had as well abandon
Ter Ior ring for her two lost provinces.
Germany intends to keep them as terri
! tory that belongs naturally 10 Germany
according 10 the German view, and she
is now making a demonstration Of her
n .1tafy power upon their soil, which
she invites France to look upon as evil
dence that she is, and will continue TO be.
able to make her claims good. This view
Of the case puts the New York Sun into
a r, Elective mood and causes It 10 suggest
that France, as Republic, may 6ive
! Germany a very different tussle, when
/ they try conclusions again, from what
! she gave her IN the last days Of an
| cffete and corrupt empire. IT points out
how the Prussian legions, fostered with
so rnucn care by Frederick the Great,
we're pulverized and destroyed In 1896
at Anerstadt and Jena by the soldiers that
Republican France had produced and
trained, and II argues that the same
fate may again befall the soldiers Of a
monarchy when thy come to be matched
against the resources Of a subtle. flexible,
and powerful Republic.
There may be force in the SUMS sugges-
tons, though we doubt It, but it must be
remembered that Germany's army OF to-
day is a very different thing from the
army that tho Great Frederick left to
Prussia, and it is amazing that he was
able 10 do with such an army as he had,
what he actually performed with it.
General Marriott, then an officer on Au-
gereaus STAFF. was sent by Napoleon in
1906, before TIE war opened. On a special
mission TO Berlin. He was kept there
some two months. and he awaited him
self Of his opportunity to study and
learn thoroughly the organization and ccm-
position Of the Prussian army. In his
fascinating memoirs, recently published
he has given the following most wonderful
and graphic account OF 1t. He says:
AT this period a company or troop IN
Prussia was the property Of its captain.
Men, horses, arms, accoutrements, every
thing belonged TO him. he farmed Il at
the price OF a fixed sum paid to the gov
eminent. Thus. all losses being at their
expense, It was to the interest Of the
captains TO spare their companies,
ala..NI Ia n.
field; and as the number OF men which,
they were bound to have was fixed, they
enrolled ia the first place all the Prussians
who presented themselves, and then all
the Vaeabonds in Eurae whom their
agents sergeants could enlist in the neigh
boring States. But as this did not suffice,
the Prussian recruiting sergeants carried
off a great number OF men by main force.
and these having become soldiers with
out their own consent, We're bound 10
serve till they were past the age for
service. Then they were given a beggar's
license, for Prussia was too poor to give
them hospital or retiring pension. Dur
ing their period Of service these soldiers
were mingled with genuine Prussians the
number Of whom had to be at least half
OF the strength Of each company in order
to prevent revOlts.
ITO maintain an army composed OF such
heterogeneous elements an iron discipline
was needed, wherefore corporal punish
ment was inflicted for the slightest fault
The numerous on-commissloned officers,
all Prussans, carried a cane, which they
frequently used According 10 the recog-
nized saying they reckoned one cane 20
every seven men. Among the foreign
soldiers desertion was mercilessly pun
ished with death. You may imagine the
tan
having enlisted I'm a moment Of drunken
ness, or been carried off by force, found
themselves far from their own country,
and in bitter climate. condemned TO be
Prussian soldiers-that IS TO say. slaves
during their whole lives. And what lives
they were. With scarcely food enough to
keep them alive, sleeping on straw, very
lightly clothed, no cioaks, even in the
coolest winter. and with pay insufficient
to meet their wants. Indeed they did not
walt 10 beg until they had received license
to do SO with their discharge. for when
out OF sight Of their officers they would
put ont their hands Both al Pottsdam
ard Berlin II has happened more than
once that grenadiers at the Kings very
gate have begged aims Of me- The Off
GERS, for the most part. were EDUCATED
and did their duty well. but half OF them
were foreigners, poor gentlemen from al
most every country in Europe, who.
having taken service only to get a living,
felt no patriotism or devotion towards
Prussia. Naturally most OF them de-
serted her when she was in trouble"
General Marriott then adds:
1T was with an army thus composed.
and thus Differed that the conquerers Of
Egypt, Italy and Germany were 20 be
withstood. Madness II was, indeed, but
the Cabinet Of Berlin. misled by the vic
tories which the Great Frederick had gain
ed with mercenary troops, thought that
IL was going TO be the same thing again.
forgetting that the times had greatly
changed"
The task OF me French will be very
different one now from what # was at
Jenna.
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THIS WILL NOT DO.