The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-16
Mastery Generalship Shown
in the ManeuverS at
Stettin.
RESEMBLED A BATTLEFIELD
Many of the Soldiers Succumbed
to the Heat During the
Movements.

IaTy experts VINO nave Just returned from
participation in the annual maneuvers at
Stettin are unanimous in their praise OF
the mastery generalshlp of Count Won
Waldersee, who reversed the whole pro-
gramme and snatched unforeseen advan-
tages from the Kaiser himself. The man.
ner in which he conducted his part of the
operation has confirmed the opinion that
he will be the one who will guide the Ger
man armies in the next European war in
which Germany shall be comba tant. As
a tactician he is about if not quite the
equal to Field Marshal Won Moltke, and in
respect to dash and energy is second to
no general that Germany has ever had.
In regard to the fighting Qualities of the
German troops, the notions formed by the
various experts and correspondents differ
somewhat, but in the main are favora BILE.
One correspondent says the reserve men
during the heat of the movements lay
about on the ground making it look like a
field of battle strewn with wounded. Dur
ing the climbing of the slopes for an as
sault the men dropped from the effects of
the heat as though they had been shot,
and the army doctors rode around among
them and administered reviving cordials
to them. The sanitary corps unfastened
the heavy knapsacks from the fallen men
and assisted them to rise to their feet.
The men were always full of grit and
moved forward as so on as they were able
after they had recover ed their strength.
The correspondent of The United Press,
who was present throughout the ma
neuvers, contends that the men stood the
hardships imposed upon them with Won
derful fortitude, not showing any fatigue
worth mentioning. 1t is true that some of
them broke down and lay by the roadside,
but these men comprised only few hun
dred out of 10000.
Ofmuch more serious Importance was the
failure OF the horse material under undue
exertions. The cavalry became completely
played out, and the horses of the balloon
detachment were so oyerworked that some
times not even the severest whipping suf-
feed to get them up hill. The weight of
the gas reservoir also proved too great a
strain for the horses, and this shows the
necessity for radical reform of the mill
tary material. Another reform affecting
the lances, introduced throughout the Ger
man cavalry of late years, seems impera-
lively necessary. The Iances do good work
for single man sent out to scout in open
ing doors and windows, giving the natives
of an occupied country a wholesome scare
and degree of respect for invading forces
during a clearing-up expedition, but as
soon as the men work in seuadrons the
lance becomes an incumbrance and
source of danger to both man and horse.
The United Press correspondent, after col
lecting the views of military experts and
comparing them with his own experience
during the maneuvers, holds that the
Uhlans may continue to use lances, but
the Hussars, dragons and Cuirassiers
must be relieved of this hindrance.
The infantry tried their new bayonets,
which are of triangular shape instead OF
being shaped ike yataghans, and it is con-
coded the latter style proves to be the most
useful of any. The new portable tents
were great success. The men like them,
as they can be erected without the slight
est trouble.
There was great deal of dissatisfaction,
however, with the management of the
commisasriat. Numbers of men COM
planned that they had nothing to eat for a
and men alike were sometimes so fatigued
that they preferred to go to sleep rather
than to remain awake and await the ar
rival of food. The chief commissary re-
ceived a decoration, at which he was
highly elated, but the other officers of the
commissariat were left to indulge in vol
umes of bad language provoked by the
clam ors of the hungry men. The officers
contend, however, that the men are them
selves to blame for not getting more food
than they did, and ascribe all their priva-
tons in that respect to their perversity.
The facilities afforded to the members of
the press throughout the maneuvers
through Captain Dahms of the general
staff bureau were unexceptionable. Every
scrap of information asked for by the cor
respondents was given promptly and cheer
fully and with pleasant words. No re-
strictions of any sort were imposed upon
the representatives of the press. Colonel
Won Lowenfeld of the general staff had the
care of the foreign attaches, to whom every
attention was shown.
Before the Kaiser and Emperor Francis
Joseph of Austria parted, the new Aus
trian Cabinet was exclusively discussed
by them. The change in the Ministry does
net in the least concern the political situa-
ton or affect the Dreibund, but the fact
that it practically submerges the Austr o
German group has given twinge in Ber-
lin, especially to the conservatives. Prac-
tically, Count Badeni enters office without
a programme. Austrian Poles, with anti
democratic leaning, constitute majority
of the Cabinet, so that there is not the
slightest chance of a popular extension of
the franchise, nor indeed of any liberal re-
forms. There is no reason, therefore, why
the German conservatives should not well
come the Badeni Ministry, and probably
the Austro-German group will decide to
accept Badeni.
The appointment of Sir Frank Lasseller
as British ambassador to Germany is taken
as forecast of Lord Sallsbury's intention
to enter into closer friendship with the
Dreibund. The new ambassador is widely
known to have German sympathies. He
is cousin of Lord Salisbury, and through
marriage is related to the Duke of Devon
shire. Berlin society is in expectation of
witnessing brilliant period of receptions
under the auspices of the new ambassador,
the gayetv of the British I'm ha ssv havino