128 CHARLES ANTHONY GOESSMANN 



to my four assistants (Professor v. Uslar, Professor 

 Beilstein, Dr. Fittig and Dr. Hiibner), and it works 

 quite well. Besides, I have a special assistant to help 

 me in my lectures. 



You would find here many things changed and 

 many quite new. Besides the large new laboratory 

 there are fine new conservatories in the Botanical 

 Garden, and in front of the Weender gate (which no 

 longer exists), at the end of the Botanical Garden, is a 

 new, large, very stately hall which cost nearly 100,000 

 thlr. Adjoining the conservatory a new residence has 

 been built for the director. The enlargement of the 

 library is also being considered, but owing to the sad 

 war now prevailing this project will not be carried out. 

 Of the latter conditions I shall write nothing, they 

 being known to you through the newspapers. 



Last month when the king with the whole Han- 

 overian army and all the munitions of war took refuge 

 here, we were living in a wild, great military camp, 

 daily fearing the outbreak of a battle in our immediate 

 neighbourhood. After the departure of our army Got- 

 tingen was occupied by the Prussians. Then came the 

 disastrous battle of Langensalza, followed by the cap- 

 itulation of our army. The Prussians have also been 

 victorious in the south, where they occupy all of Hesse, 

 Nassau, Darmstadt, Frankfurt and a great part of 

 Bavaria. Their troops are already near or in Wlirz- 

 burg. At present there is an armistice. It is said that 

 all of Hanover, the Electorate of Hesse, and Nassau 

 will be annexed to Prussia. But enough of these 

 painful events. 



