The record-union., 1896-08-16
Hinted That a Course of Vigorous
Action is Impending.
The Question of the Blockade of the
Island Somewhat NOdified by
Statements Made in the British
House of Commons Utter.
anCeS Described as an Endeavor on
the Part of Salisbury to Pour
Water Upon Greek Fire.

| BERLIN, Aug. ia noteworthy si-
| lence has been observed for several
days past by the semi-oflicial press in
regard to the situation arising out of
the difficulties in the island of Crete, but
the matter, nevertheless, is seriously oc-
cupying the attention of the Emperor
and his Cabinet, and it is hinted that q
course of vigorous action is impending,
| though what form this procedure is
| likely to take it is impossible to say, the
position resulting in a sort of dreibund
comprising Great Britain, France and
Russia
| The question of the blockade of the
/ island of Crete has been somewhat mod
flied by the statements made in the
! British House of Commons on Thursday
| These utterances are described by the
! National Zeitung'' as an endeavor on
the part of Lord Salisbury to pour
water upon Greek fire. The "Vossische
| Zeitung," which has all along been
consistent advocate of the autonomy of
| Greece, imagines that the declarations
of Messrs. Curzon and Balfour indicate
| the intention of Great Britain to estab-
| liSh the autonomy of Crete, and eX-
presses the belief that the autonomy of
the island under the guarantee of the
foreign consuls at Canea will be the
eventual outcome of the present situa-
ton. The belief is also growing daily
among the general public that such an
outcome in the Crete trouble is more
likely to be reached than any other
| method of it's settlement. Indeed, an
other solution seems fraught with seri-
Gus risk to all concerned.
A dispatch was received here to-day
from Athens to the effect that the Greek
| Government officials are now more san
euine that a speedy and satisfactory
settlement of the Crete issue will be
reached, and this dispatch tends to
strengthen the idea of its being settled
through the granting of autonomy to
| the island.
This years autumn maneuvers In Sile-
sia and Saxony will be of especial ana
peculiar interest and Importance. Ex-
| haustive experiments on tactical
grounds will be made. In consequence
of the djssolving tendency of the mod
ern combat. tactical forms are to be
| found which will tend to minimize or
counteract the effects of this dissolving
tendency on the troops Latter day in
ventions in the stragetic line are to be
/ -
numbers of troops, and new problems in
| field tactics are to be solved. These new
experiments are of so much Importance,
as has been realized by the army com
manders, that in our present days the
manner of combat is alike in all armies,
and also that Germany, for instance,
cannot longer rely upon forcing sue
| ceSses by overwhelming numbers. We
therefore, find the German army seeking
| to preserve its supremacy by other
means. For instance, the marching
tempo will be accelerated to make the
| material, the body of troops, more mo-
bile and easier to handle. At present
the troops march one kilometer in eight
| to ten minutes. This time is to be re-
duced.
The bicycle is to be used to a larger
extent than formerly, and especially
the telegraphic field service is to be
brought to a point of nicely and per-
fection. The cavalry is to be fitted out
with telegraph apparatus in the same
abundance as was tried in 1S1 during
the maneuvers at Dachen and In Bava-
ria. Especial care will be taken that
the cyclists speedily repair wires cut by
the enemy.
Another and indeed very important
innovation will be that there will be es-
tablished for this years maneuvers an
absolutely Independent supreme com
mander of the maneuverS, who will di-
rect the operations. Colonel Schieffen
Chief of the Grand General Staff, will
direct the maneuvers according to the
Kaisers orders. From the commence
ment of the maneuvers on September
Sth to the end of the operations on Sep
tember 18th the opposing armies will
be as though in a state of actual war
fare Each party will have it's own SUI
preme commander, and there is to be no
adjustment of positions at the end of
the days operations. The troops will
occupy next morning exactly the posi-
ton they secured on the previous day
There will be no time fixed when the
days operations must terminate on any
day, and they may be continued
through the night. For this purpose the
Kaiser has ordered that no banuuets
or fetes from the commencement of op-
erations to the end will be held
But the climax of interest will be
reached probably on the last days of the
maneuvers. The operations will com
mence near Gorlitz, and terminate near
the way from Gorlitz to Bautzen lies
Hochkirch, where Frederick the Great
was so disastrously defeated in Octo
Der IA, 117S, by the Austrians
The following royalties will attend the
maneuvers: The King of Saxony. Field
Marshal Prince Regent of Bruins
wick, Princes Leopold and Lud-
wig of Bavaria, Field Marshal Prince
George of SaXony. Prince Nicholas OF
Wurtemburg, Archduke Otto of Aus
tria, Prince Eugene of Sweden and the
Duke of Genoa.
The Emperor has been so much bene-
fitted by his sojourn at Wilhelmshoe that
he will prolong his stay there as long as
possible.
1t is alleged that the crisis over the
Chancellorship has been removed. The
National Zeitung," however, learns
that the recent conferences between the
Emperor and Prince Hohenlohe have
not resulted in such a clear report of
political affairs as would preclude the