The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-17
GENERALS OF EUROPE
Men Who Will Command Armies
When War Occurs.
MILITARY MEN OF RUSSIA
Cermany's Hos Likely to Be Led
by the Emperor With the Aid OF
Men who Have W on Laurels
Cen. : aussier for France.


To-day the dullest ear cannot but
hear the brooding muttering of the inn
pending rupture of the worlds peace.
Everywhere the earth sullenly echoes
TO the tramp of armed men. Three
millions of soldiers belonging to the
five great powers of Continental Eu-
rope are standing at attention. And
this vast mass of men. with weapons
in their hands, is but what is termed
the peace strength OF the armies of the
five great powers. In less than month
devoted to mobilization. those 100000
can swell into a war strength amount
ing to the stupendous total Of 1o.5O0.000
armed men. with the terrible compile
ment of nearly $4,000 guns.
And those all but incalculable figures
apply only to the armament of the five
great powers. Yet the armed strengths
of Bulgaria, Roumania, Servia, Greece
and Montenegro collectively furnish
total of nearly goo. 900 fighting men with
1200 guns. Try to think of it, The
war strength of modified Europe
would consist of close on IL, 100000 sol
diers, and those exclusively field troops.
with an artillery complement of 1920
field guns.
In round numbers, the German En-
pire can bring into service a strength OF
100000 men. There are In all 20 army
corps. of which 10 are territorial, while
the guard corps recruits picked men
thrOuRnOut the empire. fdCn army
corps, with war strength OF about 3d.
600 men. is a small, but complete army.
and the corps commander is always a
full general. The German army has not
seen a shot fired in anger since the
great war of 1S70-71. but probably all
the corps commanders of to-day took |
part I'm that war. Since his accession |
in 1855. however, the present emperor |
has been gradually sending into retire |
ment the old warriors. But promotion |
is slow in the German army. so that for |
the most part the army corps are COM |
manded by veterans. who. however. are |
still hale. active in body and mind, and |
fully abreast of the times.
LEADERS OF THE GERMAN ARMY. |
The emperor is the head of the army. |
He has seen no real war. but in peace |
maneuvers he has proved over and |
over again his practical skill and |
knowledge of warfare as regards both /
strategy and tactics. In the event of |
actual war 1t is certain that he will be
his own commander-in-chief. In the
event of war the emperor would GER
tainly take command OF the principal
German army, and IL is not less certain
that the command of the army of the
next Importance would be intrusted to
that grand old warrior. Albrecht, King
of Saxony. He is the only chief now in
activity who commanded an army in
the Franco-German war. He IL was
who, being then Crown Prince of Sax
ony. with his own. the Saxon corps. on
the bloody day of Gravelott-St. Privat
turned Bazaine's right flank. and at
the head OF his gallant troops stormed
in upon Canrobert's stronghold in the
fortresslike village of st. Privat. He IL
was who. having succeeded to the COM
mand of the army OF the Mouse, on the
day of Sedan, crushed in the French
left and completed the cincture of blood
and iron within which MacMahon's ILL
fated army was penned. King Albert is
now in his sixty-eighth year, but he is
full of vigor and activity.
1t is highly probable that in the event
of war Count Waldersee would obtain
high command. His tact and suavity
made Waldersee very useful I'm difficult
conjunctures in the course of the war of
1901. and both King Welhelm and
Moltke gave him awkward missions I'm
which he acquitted himself to their
high satisfaction. He was recently
made a field marshal, and at present
commands the Schleswig Holstein army
corps. His age is Sc. although he looks
younger; he is handsome, active. am
bilious and married to a lady who was
originally an American.
Field Marshal Prince Albert of Prus-
STA was the brilliant commander of
crack cavalry brigade in the Franco
German war, during the advance on
Paris. in the Orleans region. and later.
in the bitter winter. on the Somme.
against the French general. Faidherbe.
At the age of IS the dash requisite for |
a cavalry chief is no longer conspicu-
Gus. but he is an excellent and hard
working soldier for he is on duty In
the Hanover army inspection, COM
mands the Westphalian army corps and
has been regent Of the Duchy of Bruins
wick since 1883. In the event of war he
would be certain Of an important COM
mand.
Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern is
at a certain disadvantage. as being sue
cessor In the command of the Third /
lBrandenburg) army corps to that no.
BILE and brilliant soldier. General Alven-
sleben. But the prince is a very capa-
bic officer. and has distinguished rec
ord as cavalryman. He was for years
in command of that fine regiment, the
Second dragon guards, which, on the
day OF Mars-la-Tour. when Wedells in
fantry was sore pressed, supported the
heroic advance Of its sister regiment,
and covered the retreat of the latter
by repeated and brilliant charges
Prince Frederick is only 50 and would
probably receive an important cavalry
command.
Although. like his father. Field Mar
shall Prince George OF Saxony is a man
of letters, he is also an exemplary sol
dier, and the Royal Saxon army corps
which he commands. is equal in every
respect to any corps of the German
Empire. He highly distinguished him
self in 1870 in the repulse OF Ducrots
famous sortie from Paris. Besides COM
manding the Saxon corps. Prince
George is in charge OF the Dresden
army inspection districts. In case of
war he would have an important COM
mand. for. although 63. he is still vigor-
Gus.
General Prince Arnulf of Bavaria.
who commands the First Bavarian
army corps. is. at the age OF 4s, an ex-
ceptionally young corps commander
He Is an ardent soldier. as behooves
a son OF old Prince Luitpold. regent
and virtual sovereign of Bavaria since
1886
One cannot leave of writing about
German officers without a cordial word