FRANCE AND GERMANY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1665, 26 November 1887, Page 3

FRANCE AND GERMANY.

A very remarkable article appears in the September Blackwood, dealing with the comparative military strength of France and Germany, and their respective chances in the war which most people think inevitable. The writer, whose anonymity most be respected, but who (says the World) is known to be an officer of repute, demolishes Sir Charles Dilke's theory that Germany cannot attack France's " frontier of fire," and can only invade by violating the neutrality of Belgium. The French fortresses are only a new Chinese Wall, the whole value of which is lost when pierced at one, point, Germany, unlike France, has j devoted all her energies to the perfection of the mobilisation system, and could be so much the sooner in the field, in overwhelming numbers, thai she could break through as she pleased—of course af; enormous sacrifice, but success would be worth it. As to the two armies, the writer believes that of Germauy maintains its superiority—in arms, seeing that it is already armed with magazine rifles; in discipline, which is admittedly bad with the French, especially as regards the relations between officers and men ; and, last of all, the prestige that still hangs round the victors in the last campaign.