The evening times., 1900-05-31
THE PRUssIAN ARMY SYSTEM.
Military Qualifications Requisite 10
Oh.cerS' Rank
(From the ST james Gazette }

(From the ST james Gazette)
In view of the structures that have re-
Gently been passed upon British Off
GERS at the seat Of war. and the general
recognition Of the fact that something
must be done TO modernize our system OF
military training. in order 10 bring the
Dest brains TO the work, IL will not be
without interest TO review the methods BY
which Germany acquires her high military
efficiency
The military schools which exist in
Prussia offer extraordinary means for the
education OF hoys. To obtain a commits
sion in the army a youth may 20 20 a
preparatory military school CKadetten An
stal;)- These schools. although not Open
TO all, are not difficult 10 enter Soss OF
officers without adequate means pay moth
ing; others pay the unique sum O; -si1
per annum for housing boarding. instruc-
uon, and uniform. All are treated dixie
When youth has passed successfully
through "Prima," the highest class but
one ne receives his certificate and he may
tLen follow any calling be likes. Should
be desire not to enter the military ser
vice. but TO go TO a university. his school
certificate enables him to do So
should he. however. desire to devote
TT self as an officer to the military service
40 roads are open to him. He may re-
main at the military school and 90 20 the
for one year and passing the examination.
he is entitled to an officers commission.
and can join the army at once. Should he
however, for one reason or another not
choose TO go through ''Selecta.". he may.
on account Of his having been through
'Prima," ask to be sent to a regiment as
non-commissoned officer after remaining
IN this position for six to nine months he
goes TO the school Of war for Zine months
has to pass his examination there. and
may then go back TO his regiment, TO te
elected as officer by the officers Of the
regiment. II a youth has not passed
through military but through the highest
class of public school, and desires 10 be-
come an officer. he has 10 pass a military
examination Having passed it, he Joins
the regiment as a private, and in six to
twelve months is appointed non-commis-
stoned officer. and has then TO attend a
school of war and afterward pass ths
examination
II is thus shown how the officer gains
the lowest step of the ladder. He now re-
mains in the regiment for three years. to
acquire knowledge Of the ordinary duties
How the superior material il siftad and
sifted again may now be shown. Every
commissioned officer who desires to ueco;ae
member of the general staf may twie. a
year-winter and summer-hand in al es-
say dealing with question of a TACTICAL
or strategical nature. The colonel Of The
regiment is the first person who critieises
these essays. All essays which comrend
themselves go to the commander of the
division, and the best go to the COM
mander of the army corps Generally.
after from three TO ave years service. Of
fceTs apply to be admitted TO the military
academy, the preliminary school for the
general staff All have to prove their
qualification by two essays-one of a mill
tary character, which is fixed every year.
and is the same to all; the other is left
to the writer, except that II must deal
with the occurrence of a certain century
which is selected This second essay n. "
deal with literary, historical, a polIti-
cal, or social political question or event.
such an essay is to indicate 70 some ex-
tent the ripeness and breadth of the Igdg-
ment of the writer and his gen araI educa-
tion.
The applications for admission TO the
military academy number annually from
SEQ to 500. From this number I33 are at
present selected. The courses for these
1873 officers at the military academy begin
on October l and end on July /. the fol-
lowing year. An examination then decides
if the officer has so far been successful
Those who have not been successful then
rejoin their old regiment Those who have
been selected as successful are for time
sent TO another regiment. Thus annually
men belonging to the infantry go to the ar
tillery, men OF the cavalry join the pion-
eers, where they remain until Oetohsr 1,
when their second year of studies al tho
military academy commences They agair.
continue their studies until July of The
following year, and then again appear for
examination, and once again the wedding
out process is followed as in the previous