The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-27
GEN. OATES WRITES OF HIS
RECENT TRAVELS IN EUROPE
On Continuation from Last sundays
Advertiserl

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On Continuation from Last sunday's
Advertiser.)
Frederick the Great as King OF Prussia
was succeeded by his nephew Frederick
William II. who was a weak and reck-
lessly extravagant king He was sue
ceeded by his son Frederick william III
who was but q years old. He was sem
the debts and get Prussia on a good ba-
sis. But the involvement Of Prussia IN
war with Austria and with France lost
still more of her territory. Prussia was
by treaty limited to an army of only i2'O0o
men and all of her territory west OF the
Elbe was taken from her. Prussia was
nearly wiped OF the map OF nations. The
young King and his advisers resolved -
20 back to first principles as taught BY
Frederick the Great, and prepare for q
death struggle to maintain their indepen-
dence and to expei all foreigners from
their former territory The army could
not be larger than 1900 men. but to evade
the treaty the Landwehr and the Land
sturm were established. Under the first
the troops which had already been drill
ed and trained were discharged subject
to be recalled at any time, and others
were put In their places at once to be
drilled and trained, and when they were
thoroughly soldierized another change oe-
cured; and the Landsturm was the mi-
iitia drilled and organized about like our
State troops, miscalled National Guards,
and intended to guard and protect the
homes of the Kingdom against invasion
in case of war. In this way Prussia,
within a few years. acquired a strong
army Of well organized and well drilled
soldiers. Then she formed an alliance
with Russia and Austria and began O
war against the French in 1857. Several
battles were fought at Dresden, Liepsic
and other points and the Emperor Bona
parte was driven back the lost territory
regained until England. joining with the
allies, Bonaparte lost all the territory he
had taken from Austria and all the Ger
man States. The war was continued with
varying successes until Marshals Blucher
and Swartzenburg took Paris and Bona
parte abdicated the throne and was ban
ished to Elba.
Leaving Berlin in the morning. after a
yun of five hours through beautiful
country, neat cottages and well-tiiled
farms, we reached the town OF Hanover
of over 800 900 inhabitants. and the capi-
tai Of the province or state of that name.
1t was one of the big bones of contention
in the wars with the French. 1t once be-
longed 20 Great Britain. France, under
Bonaparte took 1t and held it for many
years. 1t was finally and is now one Of
the States of Germany. 1t Is a very
pretty city After Napoleon Bonaparte
escaped from Elba and returned to France
and reigned as Emperor again for one
hundred days the troops from Hanover
as well as other Germans, were conspic-
uous In his overthrow at the battle Of
Waterloo, which is in Belgium not far
from their frontier. The historian of
that battle speaks Of the brave work Of
General Keiiwansegg's Hapoveriaps and
Octedas Germans. When Bulow's divis-
ion arrived just barely In time to- turn
the scale in favor of the allies and at
tackled the right of the French army.
and was soon reinforced by Butcher with
o., 900 Prussians. the French Empire un-
der Napoleon ] tottered and fell, and ali
the other European nations breathed
freely once more with no one to awaken
their apprehensions or make them afraid.
Austria. Prussia and all the German
States and people had peace and pros
perity, notwithstanding the French re-
established the Empire in 1913 and mada
the nephew Of old Napoleon the Emperor
as Napoleon Ill In. 1870 he decided %
jump on Germany, recapture and annex
to France Large part OF their terrific
ries DIS his uncle had DONE He at once
concentrated along the Rhine about AGO.
ON soldiers under the French Marshals
Bazaine and McMahon' and himself pres
ent as supre ne director or commander
in-chief and ordered them at
once to attack before the Prussians could
concentrate at any given point. His
narshaIs informed him that his army was
deficient in transportation, discipline. or
ganization and drill for an Immediately
active compaign. The Russians, Saxons
and soldiers of several German States
were and had been for long time In
splendid condition for immediate action
They had retained their Landwehr
system and made every young man serve
two or three years as a soldier So they
threw forward three armies perfectly
organized under good generals. the Crown
Prince Frederick William and his younger
brother Prince Frederick William Charles
directed by General Won Moltke, all NOV
ing under the eye and in the presence OF
King William / of Prussia The aggFe-
gate strength of their forces were 5Oo.OOC
or at least 100000 more men than the
French had. Consequently the latter
were put on the defensive from the very
start. The war only lasted seven months.
Twenty regular battles were fought and
the French lost every time. The Ger
mans captured Napoleon and sent him
into exile where he died. they took
Paris after a Siege and caused the estab-
lishment of the present republican gov
eminent of France and took the terrific
ries of Alsace and Ukraine which once
belonged to Germany. For thirty years
the great German Empire composed OF
a dozen or more states and with the Kine
of Prussia as the emperor has been al
peace practically with all others and Is
one of the most powerful nations on the
earth. Though the people of the Aus
trian and German Empires warTed with
ana fought each other many times they
are, brethren Of the same origin speak
practically the same language, pursue
similar methods and are In sense the
same people. but live under different gov
ernments.. Each has splendid institutions
Of science and learning and system OF
common or public school education In
Germany it is compulsory and to thai
extent the government is paternal ano
despotlc though 1t is the means OF CIV
ing every child some education Before
Diminishing Germany it is but just to state
that Frederick William was killed IN tins
battle OF Quarter Bras the day before
that Of Waterloo. He was next &c
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