88 RETURN TO BERLIN. 



remembered that agreeable time with pleasure, when 

 the fame of the deeds of "General von der Tann 1 " has 

 reached me. 



With my official appointment as commander of 

 Friedrichsort, arid the charge to provide for the defence 

 of the harbour of Eckernforde by erection of batteries, 

 my position had lost the somewhat adventurous 

 character that had thus far clung to it. It had how- 

 ever also lost by that a great part of the charm which 

 it had hitherto possessed for me. Particularly when 

 I had fulfilled my tasks, and the commencement of the 

 peace negotiations rendered further war-like activity 

 very improbable, the longing took possession of me 

 with ever growing strength for the resumption of my 



O o o 1 <J 



scientific-technical activity in Berlin. 



In the meantime great changes had taken place 

 there. The military commission for the introduction 

 of electric telegraphs had been formally dissolved and 

 telegraphy placed under the newly created Ministry 

 of Commerce. As head of this department assessor 

 Nottebohm had been appointed . who had already 

 occupied an administrative post in the telegraph com- 

 mission. The resolution was taken to follow the course 

 adopted by the late commission, and first to construct 

 in all haste a subterranean line from Berlin to Frank- 

 fort-on-the-Main. where the German National Assembly 

 was holding its sittings. In consequence of this, an 

 inquiry was addressed to me whether I was disposed 

 to direct the construction of this line according to the 

 proposals made by me to the commission. In the event 



