640 



PRUSSIA. 



(For an account of the army, navy, and mer- 

 chant navy, see the article GEBMANY,) 



Education in Prussia is in a very nourishing 

 condition. There were, in 1864, 144 gymna- 

 sia (colleges), with 2,188 teachers ; the numher 

 increased in 1866, in the old provinces, to 153 

 gymnasia, besides 26 progymnasia, 56 " Real " 

 schools of first rank and 27 of second rank. 

 There are in the old provinces 6 universities 

 (Berlin, Bonn, Breslau, Greifswalde, Halle, 

 Konigsberg), and one academy, in Munster; 

 the number of matriculated students in 1864 

 being 5,873 ; to which, in 1866, were added 3 

 universities (Kiel, Gottingen, and Marburg), in 

 the recently acquired territory. (For latest sta- 

 tistics of the Prussian universities, see GEKMANY.) 



There were, in 1865, 62 primary normal 

 schools, with 3,610 pupils; 25,056 public pri- 

 mary schools, with 36,157 teachers and 2,825,- 

 322 scholars; 906 private primary schools, with 

 1,683 teachers and 52,692 scholars ; 519 higher 

 schools for girls and boys, with 2,626 teachers 

 and 91,052 scholars ; 601 boarding-schools, with 

 2,676 teachers and 36,014 pupils, and 912 Sun- 

 day and benevolent schools, with 61,895 pupils. 



According to the Berlin Military Gazette, a 

 fort has been built at the entrance to Kiel har- 

 bor, which, together with the fortifications now 

 existing, renders it impossible for an enemy's 

 fleet to approach the town. The fort is armed 

 with twelve rifled 72-pounders, from Krupp's 

 gun-factory. The Gazette adds that a monster 

 cannon a 370-pounder has also been manu- 

 factured by Krupp for the protection of the 

 coast. The inner barrel of this gun is made 

 of a single steel casting of 840 cwt., and is 

 strengthened by three massive steel rings, 

 weighing 600 cwt. The total weight of the 

 gun is 1,000 cwt. The gun-carriage is also of 

 steel, and weighs 300 cwt. The solid shot are 

 of steel, and weigh 1,100 Ibs. each ; the shells 

 weigh 1,181 Ibs. 



The Prussian Diet which had been opened 

 on the 15th of November, 1867, was closed by 

 the King on the 29th of January, 1868. In his 

 speech from the throne, the King expressed his 

 satisfaction that important measures had been 

 passed, mainly by the joint action of the Gov- 

 ernment and the representatives of the coun- 

 try. He thanked both Chambers of the Diet 

 for the readiness which they had displayed in 

 voting additional grants for the maintenance 

 of the dignity of the crown. The King then 

 alluded to the measures which had been adopt- 

 ed to alleviate the distress in the province of 

 East^Prussia, and for the establishment of a 

 provincial fund for Hanover. He also referred 

 to the unanimity of views displayed by the 



Chambers and the Government, respecting the 

 compensation treaties concluded with the for- 

 mer rulers of Hanover and of Nassau. 



The Prussian Government, throughout the 

 year, expressed the most earnest desire for the 

 preservation of peace in Europe. On September 

 15th, the King of Prussia, in answer to an address 

 from the rector of the University of Kiel, express- 

 ing a wish for the maintenance of peace, said : 



As to the hope you express for the preservation of 

 peace,^ no one can share it more sincerely than I do ; 

 for it is a painful necessity for a sovereign, who is re- 

 sponsible before the Almighty, to give the fatal "word 

 for war. And yet, there are circumstances in which 

 a prince neither can nor should avoid such responsi- 

 bility. You yourselves have witnessed here, with 

 your own eyes, evidence of the fact that the necessity 

 of a war may force itself upon a prince as well as upon 

 a nation. If there exists (between us a link of confi- 

 dence and friendliness, it is to war that we owe it. 

 However, I do not see in all Europe any circumstance 

 menacing peace, and I say so confidently, in order to 

 tranquillize you. 



A new session of the Diet began in Novem- 

 ber. The King, in his opening speech, after 

 referring to the subjects which would most en- 

 gage the attention of the Diet, thus referred to 

 some important occurrences since the close of 

 the last session : 



By the conclusion of a revised Ehine Navigation 

 Act, a new international agreement has been obtained 

 for the traific upon one of the most important of rivers. 



It affords me satisfaction that a return of the dis- 

 tress which afflicted a portion of the province of 

 Prussia last year need not be apprehended this win- 

 ter a result due to the measures which were taken 

 with ^our approval, to the devoted activity of the 

 authorities and corporations, and to this year's favor- 

 able harvest in every province of the monarchy. 



The relations of my Government with foreign 

 powers in every direction are satisfactory and friend- 

 ly. The events in the Western Peninsula of Europe, 

 can give rise to no other feeling within us than the 

 wish and confidence that the Spanish nation will suc- 

 ceed in finding in the independent formation of her 

 national position a guarantee of her future prosperity 

 and power. 



A proof of united progress in civilization and hu- 

 manity has been afforded by the international con- 

 gress which has just accomplished at Geneva the task 

 of completing and extending to the navies the prin- 

 ciples already settled previously for treating and car- 

 ing for the wounded in war. W"e may hope that the 

 moment is far distant which will call for the applica- 

 tion of those principles. The sentiments of the sov- 

 ereigns of Europe and the nations' desire for peace 

 give ground for trusting that the advancing develop- 

 ment of the general welfare will not only suifer no 

 material disturbance, but will also be freed from those i 

 obstructing and paralyzing effects which have only 

 too often been created by groundless fears, taken ad- 

 vantage of by the enemies of peace and public order. 



On the 9th of December, the Chamber of Dep- 

 uties adopted a resolution requesting the Gov- 

 ernment to take steps for causing 'the Prussian 

 Ministry for Foreign Affairs to be amalgamated 

 by the year 1870 with a concentrated Foreign 

 office for the North-German Confederation. 

 During the debate, Count Bismarck said : " Con- 

 fidential negotiations with our Federal allies 

 have convinced me that we shall be able to lay 

 the necessary bill on this subject before the 

 North-German Parliament at its next meeting." 



