GERMAN MANOEUVRES. 
205 
who lead the horses towards th firing positions as long as they can do 
so under cover; when this is no longer possible, the guns are unlim¬ 
bered and run up by the gunners.” 
It is laid down in the German and New French Drill books that this 
method of creeping into position (Einschleichen in Fenerstellung) is . 
to be adopted as far as possible. The German Army is however 
governed by principles and not by hard and fast rules, which amascu- 
late the minds and restrict the initiative and enterprise of the majority 
of men, who do not eagerly grasp the responsibility of riding through 
rules when occasion requires it. 
The greatest care was always taken to keep the limbers and teams 
under cover, under all circumstances, which was in marked contrast 
to the procedure of the Artillery at our manoeuvres in Sussex. 
One cannot help having a very high opinion of the two regiments 
of Artillery of the XIV Army Corps, viz., the 14tli and 30th. 
They are both commanded by singularly good officers, Colonel von 
Oppen and Colonel von Schubert, and in spite of the term of only two 
years service in ali but the two Horse Artillery batteries, I should say 
that all the Field Batteries of the XIY Corps are fully equal to what 
ours now! are, since drafts for the batteries abroad have been taken 
from them. The ground was very hilly and generally very deep, and 
the driving was particularly steady and good which has not always been 
the case in Germany. 
As to the effect allowed to artillery fire at manoeuvres, which is 
always .a difficulty except when guns are engaging guns, I could not 
see that it was taken into account more than it is with us or in France. 
A double prismatic telescope of really extraordinary power was on 
trial in a battery of Horse Artillery. The stand was carried by one 
gunner and the glass by another. 
Conference. 
The conference to which I was always admitted was held day by 
day; they were exhaustive and instructive, especially the general 
survey of the proceedings by General von Grone or General von Bulow, 
when he was present. Great care is taken to avoid censuring officers 
at them, if such is necessary it is meted out afterwards and without 
publicity. If the umpire in chief does not approve of the method 
adopted in any operation, he contents himself by giving his opinion 
as to how it ought to have been done. 
Military Balloon. 
Though I did not actually see the present Military Baloon (Drachen- 
ballon) used at manoeuvres, I' should like to mention it here. It 
possesses the great advantage of remaining steady in the strongest 
wind while the ordinary spherical balloon (Kugel-ballon) sways in a 
high wind to such a degree that very often it is impossible to take 
observations from it. The kite balloon (Drachen-ballon) is used with 
great ‘success, both at sea and land manoeuvres, and would be far 
better xur rs in my opinion than anything of the kind which we possess. 
