450 
A CRUISING VISIT TO SOME GERMAN BATTLE-FIELDS. 
order. They were just as pious as the Boers and I think treated the 
natives in about the same rough and ready way. This ancient German 
order is very popular in Germany, and when it came to adopting some 
popular medal, it was readily suggested that there should be a revival 
of that order. Gneisenau wished an insignia exclusively for the new 
levies of volunteers, the militia, the rural soldiers, so as to stimulate 
the pride of citizens; but it had no reference to the army in general; 
and as the country was wretchedly poor the mere manufacture of medals 
was a very serious item. The cross was to consist simply of two pieces of 
black and white ribbon sewn upon the coat. This was in the year 1811, so 
the design of the Iron Cross ” preceded by two years the date com¬ 
monly assigned to it. The King opposed the original design because 
it appeared to him that there was something democratic about it; there 
was something which he thought was undermining, or subversive of 
authority; and so when the war did break out he created the “ Iron 
Cross” in its present shape, as a military medal for regulars as well as 
volunteers. 
Iron at that time was in Germany, an exceedingly popular symbol, 
for it indicated the terrible struggles that they had gone through. 
“ Blood and Iron ” was then a watchword. 
In Germany to-day the credit for conceiving and instituting the “ Iron 
Cross 99 is given to Frederick William III.—but I cannot find evidence 
for this. It seems to me that Gneisenau deserves this honour. 
The German General Staff has produced monumental works in com¬ 
memoration of the war of 1870; and the battles of Frederick the Great. 
As yet, however, they have not published the history of this war of 
1813 ; perhaps because it was so much of a disgrace to their own army 
and because the King played so very poor a figure. 
In this little sheet that I hold in my hand, less than Punch in size, 
you see the exact fac-simile of “the principal newspaper of Germany in 
1813. It has four pages and it contains the <e Address to My People 33 
on the opening of the war against Napoleon; and “ To my Army 39 
there comes the degree establishing the “ Iron Cross.” It is a curious 
little thing—it shows, one may say, how the modern newspaper has 
evoluted from it. And this is also significant, because to-day the 
German Emperor makes his addresses first to the army and last to his 
