Year: 1871

We take the following article from the Tosiche Zeitu,ag:

 After the war of 1866, the results achieved by the Prussian needle-gun gave rise to an absolute storm of 1mlta- tion, which extended even to China and Japan, and now the success which ac- companied the entirely novel method of employing the German cavalry in the late war seems likely to give rise to a similar movement. The English and Russian horse have already been put through evolutions on the Prusso-Ger- man system, and it may be considered certain that most of the other States will follow their example. This is the more important as the general adoption of breech-loaders and riaed cannon had led to the conviction that in the future cavalry must be employed in reconnoiter- ing and to services intended to secure the safety of the army so that, in the years succeeding 1866, Russia, France and Austria effected more or less.impor- tant reductions in the strength of their cavalry. This view of the question, which, at the time, Prussia alone op- posed, may be considered as entirely abandoned.

 "The Prussian system consists in forming the cavalry into divisions of middle strength, which are divided into brigades of two or three regiments, and which, as whole, or in their parts, may be employed with the greatest freedom, as well as for securing the country, se- curing the safety of an army, and pur- suing the enemy, as for an attack on the battlefield. The system has been particularly calculated to secure light ming rapidity in attack, and its results have been so brilliant that, while ill 1866 scarcely single attack on the closed ranks of the Austrian infantry proved successful, the German cavalry at the battle of Beaumont, Amiens, the second battle of Orleans, and at Beau game, broke up and dispersed intact fire of the chassepots, and took batter ies which were engaged ill firing, sword or lance in hand. The new organiza- ton has proved even more effective in securing the country and securing the safety of the army, so that the entire change which has taken place in the opinions of military authorities abroad cannot cause us any surprise.

 How KINDLING-WOOD IS PREPARED The preparation of kindling has devel oped into recognized department of the coal and wood trade of New York. Some of the pine used is brought from Long Island, where it grows in great abund ance. Manufacturers prefer a Virginia pine, which comes ill small logs. The following method of preparation is em. ployed In low shed at one corner ot the yard is a small steam-engine of 20 horse power. This drives a saw and g crank which gives verticle motion tc what resembles wooden trip-hammer perhaps seven feet in length. In place of the hammer, stout blade is attached to the beam, and when the machine is in motion, this blade has play of about five inches. When the wood is sufficiently seasoned, it is sawed into lengths varying from four to seven inches. sUpon a block fixed three or four inches below the lowest point which the blade can reach, the sections thus sawed are placed, and, by dexterous movements of the hand, three or four strokes of the blade are made to divide the block into as many slabs, and as many more strokes divide each of these into as many sticks. With man to tend the engine and the saw, boy to feed the splitting machine, and another to remove the kindling, 15 cords, or nearly 2,0O0 cubic feet, of pine can be worked up in day.