The additions to be made to the German Army were
officially proposed in the Reichstag on Thursday. The number of men added, 26,576, does not really signify, but the Minister of War in introducing the measure declared that army corps, to be perfectly mobile, must in future be smaller and more numerous—they were now too large for their Generals' capacity—and the artillery must be considered " the skeleton"— that is, as we should say, the bones—of the Army, must be used in battle from the very first, and must therefore be consider- ably increased. The General also said that the two years' service system had many disadvantages, and that men must be tempted to remain for the third year. Whatever the German Emperor may think, it is pretty clear that the German Staff regards battle as an occurrence very near at hand.
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