NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE rumours as to the intention of the German Government to propose a large increase of the Array are confirmed by the Berlin correspondent of the Times, who has, apparently, official information. In a special and most valuable letter published on Thursday, he intimates that the German authorities have been alarmed by the success of the French reorganisation, under which the Army in France outnumbers the army in Germany in peace-time by 25,000 men, and in war-time by 340,000. The German Government will there- fore demand an increase of 70,000 recruits each year. These they will obtain chiefly by abolishing certain privileges of partial exemption, which cause great heartburning, and by a fairer distribution of the demand, which is now managed so that a man escapes in a great town who would be recruited in a village. At the same time, however, as so many recruits at once world be too burdensome to the Treasury, the period of service with the colours will be "prac- tically," but not theoretically, reduced to two years. The cost of the whole scheme will be £4,000,000 a year, in addition to the existing Military Budget, and the proposals are creating great irritation. We have given reasons elsewhere for sup- posing that they will be carried, but may mention here that the Hamburg organ of Prince Bismarck announces that the ex-Chancellor is wholly opposed to them. He would, it says, improve the quality, not the quantity, of the Army, mainly by securing more and better non-commissioned officers.
