THE GERMAN ARMY FIELD RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 294, 5 November 1875, Page 4

THE GERMAN ARMY FIELD RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

, The Reichsanzeiger publishes an account of the field railway department/ in the German army. The first dulj# of this department, it says, is to make as rapid and accurate a reconnaisanoje as possible of the railways to 1 a destroyed or restored, so as to obta 0 some idea of the extent of the work 0 be done, and of the material and lab >r which will be required. When tie necessary arrangements have beep made for destroying or restoring a rai» way, other detachments take over the\ management of the captured sections of the line, while the reconnoitring detachment goes to the front with the army. The principle lines of railway in Saxony aod Bohemia were restored in this way in 1866. The most important work performed by the field railway department during the war of 1870 was the construction of the railway round Metz from Remilly to Pont-a-Mousson. This lice, which is about five miles long, was built in 33 days by 4000 workmen, under the direction of two companies of pioneers. The experience gained during the war cot/ only shewed the value of a field railway department, but also the necessity il organising it more effectually, aod especially of giving its members some military training in time of peace. This has now been done by the establishment of a " railway battalion." It consists, when on a peace footing, of four companies, and is recruited from artizans of various trades, so tbat it coataflos a fixed proportion of men tor each of the varioua departments of railway work, as well as of smiths, carpenters, and miners. The only men admitted into the " railway battalion " as omjyear volunteers are railway anil mechanical engineers. They are practically taught the^ construction of railways, railway stations, bridges, abd tunnels ; and in order to make thAm fhqrdugbly acquainted with all the details of railway work, they are mi de to. take part in tbe construction of n .w lines, both under the State and uo ler private companies.