New-York tribune., 1902-09-08
A VAST ARMY's WAR PLAY.
AUTUMN MANEUyRES OF KAISER'S
TROOPS On A GREAT SCALE.
PRESUMED INVASION OF THE EMPIRE BY
RUSSIANS AND GERMAN DEFENCE
FOREIGN OFFICERS PRESENT.

Frankfort ont Oder Sept. Tn preparation
Tor the autumn man9uvres. which begin next
Tuesday $4,000 troops are spreading over the
countryside in two armies; one is marching TO
the eastward from here by various parallel
roads, while the other is marching westward
from Posen. 1t has been raining all day long
The general staff. which is the brains of the
the German military orga anization. once year
puts opposing armies into the field under what
would he the probable conditions in war. and
notes the result. especially in the higher ques-
ton of strategy. Each regiment and division
is exercised frequently in minor manoeuvres in
all weathers and under various Typographical
conditions: but the grand manoeuvres. in which
several entire army corps are engaged, take
place year in one part of the empire and
the next year il. some other location. and are
for the working out Of fresh combinations on
great scale. The operations row beginning will
be extended over territory which is, roughly
speaking, thirty miles wide and fifty miles long
The hostile army. the Blues is popularly as
sumed 10 he Russian. II Is believed 20 have
penetrated the frontier and n he advancing It
is composed Of the Fifth Corps and fractions of
other corps the whole some what less than 5000
men strong. of which $4,000 ara infantry and
1909 cavalry. and which comprises four regi-
nents OF field artillery. detachments Of horse
artillery. machine guns. baIloonists. pioneers
telegraphers and commissary department
The advance of the Blues is presumed to have
crossed a line marked by the River Obra. a
tributary TO the Warthe. and TO be seeking TO
gain the left bank Of the Oder and possession
OF the railroad junction at Frankfort -on-Oder
The defending army. known as the Reds, is
made up of the Third Army Corps and the first
division OF the Guards. 1t is somewhat more
than 10000 strong. and is composed of $4,000
inf 1trN-T an L
artillery, and the usual compliments Of aero
neuts, teegraphers and pioneers.
The cavalry outposts of the two armies are
TO in touch Tuesday morning between
Meseritz, Schwiehus and BentsChen. This is all
the general staff. for the present, permits out
siders 10 know. Strdteglcal movements ana
four davs' fighting With blank cartridges are TO
follow under the observation Of Emperor Will
lam and the most gifted military commanders
from ItaIv Austria Great Britain. Russia and
the United States The British group alone in
cludes Earl Roberts. Lieutenant-General Kelly
Kenny, General French and General Ian Ham
iton.
These II ancnuvres, in the purview of the gen
ersi staff ere only A segment of vast conbina-
tions that engage the whole army in imaginary
action 1t is probable that in the calculations
of the general staff the forces engaged IN the
manRuvres are in contact with each otner ana
the forces on either flank or are WORKING CO.
ordnately with armies on paper thai nave an
objective which has not been revealed 10 visit
ors or correspondents. The chief value OF the
manopuvres therefore lies in a consideration
which is only perceived by the board of strate-
gists at the top of the general stan Whiie 1or-
eign visitors not even those of the first rank
will see the full meaning of the operations
Their professional interest viii be engaged IN
witnessing large bodies Of troops handled in
the field. :, 40,
The German officers taking part IN the
manuuvres are very much IN earnest. Inc
operations are pleasure trip for mem, put
time to test their judgment and skill IN exc
cutting details in the field Their stdIulls WIN
their superora and their pr0mouon uepend
mon their own conduct and that Of the men
whom they have trained. but under condltons
quite different from the barrack room anu the
parade ground.